Director of Church and Community Engagement

Director of Church and Community Engagement

• Jan 2019 - Present

• Spearheaded various comprehensive community engagement operations, working with churches, organizations, community groups, government organizations, and corporations in Wellroot’s mission for increasing financial giving, in-kind support, the delivery of services, and volunteerism.• Demonstrated skill at marrying creative sensibilities with strategic prowess to enhance engagement programs. • Vital member of the leadership team and development team tasked with devising vision, providing leadership, and securing support for all aspects of the company’s community engagement and strategic planning services.• Oversaw establishment of organizational goals, metric targets, budgets, & project management methodologies.• Successfully increased engaged organizations from 30 to over 200 throughout this 3+ year tenure by passionately communicating the needs of those Wellroot serves, spending 30% of work time in the field, and building lasting relationships through speaking engagements and community meetings.• Devised educational resource and public relations campaigns to engage with stakeholders to reduce the stigma affecting at-risk families and create meaningful and measurable change in communities across the state. • Maintained all records for community engagement services by utilizing Customer Relationship Management software and regular progress tracking, CQI, and goal tracking.• Built integral volunteerism programs for all five region offices, leaving room for community expansion.• Coordinates the volunteer program, leading all application, tracking, and training programs for individuals and groups of all sizes.• Serves on Reaching Teens implementation team and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. • Provided support & collaboration to department managers with solving problems and ongoing training. Show less

Engagement Manager

• Aug 2017 - Dec 2018

• Excelled at implementing practices that engaged community members while successfully advocating for Wellroot via invitations to speak at churches and congregations to educate/promote/recruit for the ministry’s mission.• Functioned as primary contact and representative for Wellroot among churches and community groups.• Expertly networked with stakeholders and interest groups to assemble, organize, and empower groups to implement community-based foster care ministries.• Mobilized resources, foster parents, and volunteers in the region to facilitate all Wellroot services.• Identified and cultivated individual/church prospects, securing ~$250K in gifts and commitments annually from groups in North Georgia and funders such as foundations and NGOs.• Trusted to handle a broad caseload of 100+ community relationships, building engagement and satisfaction among individuals and churches, coordinating annual $1K or more gifts from various viable prospects. • Guided various funding partnerships while also partnering with the director to validate engagement strategies.• Worked alongside marketing and communications teams to reach out to prospective funding sources. • Established self as a credible, visible member of the community that members could stand behind.• Served as thought-partner to senior executive leaders, supporting ideating for strategic plans & administration. Show less

Grant Writer

• Aug 2012 - Present

• Conducted exhaustive research to write winning grant proposals for various foundations, corporations, and local/state government entities so that non-profits could improve their capacity to provide services. • Leveraged exceptional written communication and persuasive writing skills to great effect for clients. • Utilized skills for strategic planning and persuasive communication to write highly effective grant proposals. • Conducted exhaustive research to write winning grant proposals for various foundations, corporations, and local/state government entities so that non-profits could improve their capacity to provide services. • Leveraged exceptional written communication and persuasive writing skills to great effect for clients. • Utilized skills for strategic planning and persuasive communication to write highly effective grant proposals.

Director Of Development

• Jun 2010 - Jul 2017

• Provided key support to the Vice President of Development in the areas of planning, developing, and executing strategies to obtain gift support for the seminary. • Coordinated large portions of major gift programs, often coordinating all administrative need to receive them. • Excelled at utilizing dynamic verbal and written communication skills to function as a primary spokesperson. • Leveraged the VPs keen interest in bolstering the Annual Fund by ideating/deploying the AF giving program. • Achieved 25% in time spent in the field identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gifts from alums, friends, foundations, corporations, and churches to greatly expand AF sources. • Consistently ensured that all programs and operations remained within tight budget constraints at all times. • Spearheaded the creation of Annual Fund appeals while also researching various grant agencies to identify prospective funding sources in new avenues of development as member of the senior leadership team. • Orchestrated all activities and supervision for the Assistant Director of Development, four student workers, and several direct report call-a-thon workers. Served as a writer and editor for Aware Magazine. Show less

Organizer, Student Programs

• Oct 2008 - Jun 2010

• Utilized skills as a trained community organizer to develop a comprehensive and strategic program to develop the vocational focus and coordinated gifts from religious graduate & undergraduate students for justice issues. • Utilized skills as a trained community organizer to develop a comprehensive and strategic program to develop the vocational focus and coordinated gifts from religious graduate & undergraduate students for justice issues.

Christian Education Director

• Mar 2008 - Sep 2008

• Developed/implemented Christian-based educational programs for all ages from nursery to older adults including Sunday school, youth fellowship, weekly bible study, worship, and service/mission programs. • Developed/implemented Christian-based educational programs for all ages from nursery to older adults including Sunday school, youth fellowship, weekly bible study, worship, and service/mission programs.

Founding Director

• Jun 2006 - Jan 2008

• Built this organization into a 501(C)3 non-profit. Recruited the board of directors to meet company needs while building a balanced budget, creating the program curriculum, and recruiting participants & volunteers. • Built this organization into a 501(C)3 non-profit. Recruited the board of directors to meet company needs while building a balanced budget, creating the program curriculum, and recruiting participants & volunteers.