Small Enterprise Development Volunteer / Agricultural Extension Agent

Posted on: 2008-01-07

Kelly Blandford [email protected] (330) 316-6327 EXPERIENCE SUMMARY Small Enterprise Development Volunteer, Peace Corps, The Gambia, West Africa, 10/06–11/07 • Collaborated daily with the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry to develop training programs, write proposals, assist members and build organization capacity • Developed curriculum for small enterprise development training and conducted trainings for 40 volunteers • Assisted village groups in promoting craft projects in local and tourist markets • Created business registration guide, needs-assessment, evaluations and record-keeping systems for programs and trainings • Facilitated training on lobbying and negotiations strategies for 20 private sector associations in coordination with international partners resulting in two permanent dialog structures created • Coordinated and supported annual fund raising and award dinners to produce 40% of annual budget • Organized HIV/AIDS Business Coalition formation and meetings resulting in over 20 business plans created that contain non-discrimination policies and strategies for coping with HIV/AIDS in the workplace, wrote successful $14,000 proposal • Wrote press releases and managed television, newspaper and radio media involvement in organization events Agricultural Extension Agent, Peace Corps, The Gambia, West Africa 12/05–10/06 • Coordinated country-wide trek, training and demonstrations for over 50 extension workers and volunteers • Directed and secured 100% of the funding for the agricultural project from three partner organizations • Demonstrated improved gardening, farming, marketing, beekeeping and income generating activities for over 240 illiterate women and school aged children • Led rural village school’s national participation in tree nursery competition Office Administrator, Suzanna A. Schomaker, CFP, San Francisco, CA, 7/04–8/05 • Produced detailed client portfolios and client-customized mailings, office budget, payroll and bookkeeping • Scheduled appointments and answered requests from over 150 clients • Maintained requirements for Board of Standards Certification and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Trade Rep/Account Manager, EGL Trade Services, Eagle Global Logistics, Brisbane, CA, 10/02–6/04 • Directed customer service and information management of over 1000 working parts purchased domestically and internationally for Brazil-based client, processing $5,000,000 annual cash flow • Managed inventory received from over 60 vendors for consolidation and export via ocean containers and airfreight shipments • Processed claims and maintained claims database for multiple client locations in Japan, China, India, and Turkey resulting in over $100,000 client refund annually • Reconciled accounts payables and receivables, invoiced customer and wired foreign currency payments • Supervised domestic and international warehouse teams and output • Coordinated weekly staff meetings Administrative Assistant, Sociology Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 2/00–9/02 • Performed essential fulltime office duties under five staff (cont’d) Blandford, 2 VOLUNTEER SUMMARY Fundraiser, San Francisco Women against Rape, San Francisco, CA, 6/05–8/05 • Assisted in emergency community door-to-door canvassing effort, raising over $3500 Castro Community Outreach Team Volunteer, Stop Aids Project, San Francisco, CA, 11/02–8/05 • In weekly three-hour street HIV Outreach sessions, surveyed community regarding six-month history of sexual behavior and drug use for program planning and funding substantiation • Counseled surveyed individuals and provided sexual health education and distributed condoms Domestic Violence Prevention Advocate, W.O.M.E.N., Inc., San Francisco, CA, 10/04–2/05 • Networked community organizations and city departments of various sizes and scopes for crisis line inquiries • Answered crisis line calls and provided support for the callers’ safety and wellbeing TRAINING • Peace Corps Pre-Service Training: 355 hours of intense language, cross-cultural and technical training, The Gambia, 9/05-12/05 • Peace Corps Beekeeping and Tree-Grafting In-Service Training, The Gambia 4/06 • FSC Securities Corporation Administrative Training, San Mateo, CA 04/05 • Domestic Violence Advocacy Certification 80-hour Training, 12/04 • MS Access (Advanced level), Learn iT! San Francisco, CA, 01/03 SKILLS • High proficiency in Word, Excel, Access, Power Point and QuickBooks • Ability to work promote cultural understanding between organizations and groups • Communicate well with team members and clients of varied literacy levels and backgrounds • Coordinate multiple projects and achieve results by deadlines • Using available resources, able to motivate groups and individuals towards their goals EDUCATION • B.A. in Sociology, minor in Women’s Studies, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 2002 • Mosaic: OSU Undergraduate Art & Literary Magazine, Editorial Board • Undergraduate Sociology Club, President • Alberta Garber Scott Fellow