Experience

YWCA St. Paul

• United States
• Individual and Family Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Housing Coordinator

  • Jul 2019 - Present

  Assist families/individuals to secure housing. In 6 months secured housing for 20 people. Build and maintain community relationships to ensure effective coordination of services. Develop self-care plans with parents; strong focus on growth, personal development, purpose -- empowering participants by partnering; 'power with' not 'power over'. Recruit landlords and build relationships to obtain housing for clients; ensure landlord retention; maintain accurate Rapid Rehousing accounting records. Provide in-home services to clients, including intake/screening, referrals and monitoring/motivating progress. Work alongside families to maintain and increase financial stability. Lead development and education of life skills for program participants & tenants. Show less



Model Cities of Saint Paul, Inc.

• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Community Coach (Referrals Through Ramsey & Dakota County Corrections)

  • May 2019 - Feb 2021

  • Program Background: Ramsey and Dakota Counties Community Corrections have engaged Model Cities of St. Paul, Inc. to carry out Community Coaching services to support its Alternative to Detention (ATD) program. The Community Coaching program targets youth who are struggling with compliance and/or needing to participate in a community-based activity as a condition of probation. Community Coaching is a short-term, individualized support program that assists youth in probation requirements, and target objectives established by the youth's Probation Officer. The goals of the program is to increase public safety by connecting youth who are on probation to pro-social activities, developing their skills to maintain pro-social relationships and structuring their free time. • Work with youth referred by Community Corrections. • Monitor, support, and link the youth to pro-social activities and community-based services. • Serve as a short-term intervention for youth who are at-risk of probation violations that may result in detention or other out-of-home placement. Show less



Avenues for Youth

• Individual and Family Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Program Manager of Shelters

  • Jul 2016 - Apr 2019

   Provide supervision, training, and development to 30 staff (including Case Managers and Youth Support Specialists) to problem-solve and provide ethical guidance and oversight to program activities.  Coordinate and manage the 24 hour daily functions of two emergency shelters, short-term housing and support services for 32 youth who’ve experienced homelessness in a safe and nurturing environment.  Ensure responsive and successful programming to help clients meet their needs.  Lead the process of recruiting, screening, and hiring prospective staff.  Coach and assist in appropriate use of crisis management, de-escalation, mediation of conflicts and 9 principles in practice.  Ensure best practices are implemented in service areas including intake, assessment, confidentiality/data management, reporting, evaluation and follow-up.  Manage the Intake and Exit process.  Oversee client files to ensure proper record-keeping and documentation including all paperwork for compliance with government funding and licensing. Show less



Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

• United States
• Individual and Family Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Young Dads Case Manager II/Family Services Coordinator/Facilitator/Parent Educator

  • Nov 2010 - Jul 2016

   Work directly with clients to develop the client's service plan, including the intake assessment of clients’ needs, available community partners and resources, and applicable Catholic Charities services. Adhere to case documentation requirements, and work directly with clients to support client success. Track client progress, and adjust service plan as necessary. Serve as an advocate for clients. Provide education related to services and challenges of clients to the community in an effort to develop more effective and efficient services.  Contract with Hennepin County Child Protective Services to provide 1:1 support to fathers whose children have been removed from the home to work on parenting goals and to fulfill requirements in overall parenting plan, work towards family reunification, and provide documentation to court.  Facilitate weekly groups/1:1 support at various sites supporting young fathers in high schools, ACL’s, CBO’s, in homes and in the street, and incarcerated young fathers.  Collaborate with community-based organizations and individuals to offer continued supportive services to fathers, families, and communities. Show less



YMCA of the North

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Case Manager for 24/Seven Program (Youth Exiting Foster Care)

  • Oct 2009 - Nov 2010

  • Manager On Duty (MOD) experience, oversaw intermittent branch operations for the YMCA facility in New Hope, MN.  Provided 1:1 support to young adults 18-21 to transition out of foster care and support their development by creating, implementing, and evaluating goals in education, life skills, employment, and housing.  Collaborated with community-based organizations and individuals to offer continued supportive services to young adults who were transitioning from foster care to self-sufficiency. Show less



African American Family Services

• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

• Family Assessment Specialist & Facilitator for M.O.V.E.

  • Mar 2009 - Jun 2009

   Served African and African American families with minor children who were involved with Child Protection, placed out of the home, or are at-risk of out-of-home placement, in which there was no substantial finding of child endangerment and for which reunification was the goal.  Assessed the strengths and needs of the family, link families to client-centered, culturally appropriate wrap-around services, provided resources within their home community where possible, helped the family to develop a positive support system, and offered life skills education to create a wellness focused family culture.  Facilitated weekly anger management and male violence and oppression groups for men. *Resigned to be with daughter while she battled bone cancer Show less



YouthLink MN

• United States
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Case Manager for St. Barnabas Permanent Supportive Housing Program

  • Mar 2005 - Apr 2009

   Hired as first case manager of St. Barnabas Housing Program, helped open  Provided direct 1:1 support to 20 young adults 16-24 who were transitioning from the experience of homelessness to that of their own apartment  Supported youth development by helping participants create, implement, and evaluate goals around education, life skills, employment, and housing.  Facilitated weekly group for young men to develop a greater understanding of themselves and masculinity that helps uplift others in community and solidarity. Show less



MELD (formerly Minnesota Early Learning Design)

• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

• Coordinator of Two Parenting Programs; The Young Dads Program and Hmong Parents Program

  • Mar 2002 - Mar 2004

  Established and maintained 14 weekly parenting groups throughout Greater Twin Cities Provided 1:1 support to parents Trained parents and community members as Parent Group Facilitators (PGFs) Established and maintained 14 weekly parenting groups throughout Greater Twin Cities Provided 1:1 support to parents Trained parents and community members as Parent Group Facilitators (PGFs)



St. Paul Urban League

• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

• Consultant

  • Mar 2001 - Mar 2002

  Assisted Program Director: -in development of program assisting fathers and families -in special projects with heavy focus on creating father-friendly policies through the State Office of Child Support, as well as more productive relationships between non-custodial fathers and child support --------*Assisted in organizing a Q and A event with former MN Child Support Director Laura Kadwell and approximately 50 non-custodial fathers for a productive conversation 'across the fence'. Assisted Program Director: -in development of program assisting fathers and families -in special projects with heavy focus on creating father-friendly policies through the State Office of Child Support, as well as more productive relationships between non-custodial fathers and child support --------*Assisted in organizing a Q and A event with former MN Child Support Director Laura Kadwell and approximately 50 non-custodial fathers for a productive conversation 'across the fence'.



Way to Grow

• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

• Family Advocate (School Readniess Program)

  • Mar 1997 - Mar 1999

  Assisted families in NE Minneapolis in school readiness through a home visiting model that incorporated prenatal support, safe and healthy home assessment, child development activities, connections/referrals to community resources, and parenting groups through partnership with ECFE. *Initiated monthly gatherings with fathers and their children and the help of volunteers, recruiting 35 fathers in two months through Head Start, High Five, and Sheridan Women and Children's Clinic. Assisted families in NE Minneapolis in school readiness through a home visiting model that incorporated prenatal support, safe and healthy home assessment, child development activities, connections/referrals to community resources, and parenting groups through partnership with ECFE. *Initiated monthly gatherings with fathers and their children and the help of volunteers, recruiting 35 fathers in two months through Head Start, High Five, and Sheridan Women and Children's Clinic.