Community Service Counselor

Posted on: 2008-02-22

EDUCATION Mini Masters Business Administration (MBA) Jan. 2004 University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota Masters of Arts (MA) Health & Human Services Administration Jan. 2002 St. Mary’s University, Minneapolis, Minnesota Bachelors of Science (BS) Therapeutic Recreation May. 1980 Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Georgia PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE National Harmony Memorial Park 7101 Sheriff Road, Largo, Maryland 20792 Community Service Counselor (6/07 – present) Assistant Sales Director (Promotion 8/06 – 5/07) Family Service Counselor (10/05 – 8/06) Hours Per Week: 40+ Supervisor: Renee Shareef Phone: 301-772-0900 Direct report to Sales Director (Contact: yes) – Ashley Garnett (HR) Phone: 800-553-8736 x1827 • Develop sales leads through various networks and promote cemetery services to the public; makes presentations to families, church groups, senior citizen groups; while demonstrating courtesy, tact, empathy, concerns, understanding, and sensitivity to individual and cultural differences. • Collect, review, and analyze complex functions and work processes relating to sales, production standards, and workloads, ensuring sufficient staffing meets sales quotas and improves work productivity. • Review, evaluate and approve weekly reports of sales activities of four (4) sales counselors, resulting in improved time management of staff. • Develop guidance on sales techniques for management and staff to improve methods of compliance and productivity. • Research and update certain sales requirements to meet the goals and mission of the company. • Provide client family services, which include responding to questions, escorting visitors to verify gravesite locations, researching (computer) client records as needed. • Complete interment authorizations for burial arrangements, process required insurance documents and contacts for at-need and pre-need burial arrangements, attend burial services to ensure the family needs are met. Unemployed 05/2005 – 10/2005 Health Education Division Minneapolis Urban League 2100 Plymouth Avenue North Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411 Program Service Director (Promotion) 10/2004 – 04/2005 Administrator 07/2001 – 10/2004 Hours Per Week: 40 Supervisor: Clarence Hightower Phone: 612-302-3101 Direct Report to President/CEO (Contact: yes) • Managed a budget of $1.5 million that included forecasting & projecting expenditures, as well as gathering, reviewing, verifying and consolidating information and statistics in response to budget requests and recommended budget cuts as needed. • Reviewed and appropriately adjusted specific priorities based on program protocols and dictated by changes in office needs (i.e., Compensation, Human Resources Development, Classification, Position Management, Recruitment & Staffing Performance Management); networking with outside vendors, negotiating resources/budgetary commitments and allocations, and facilitating “face-to-face” meeting/briefings to ensure proper placement of staff and deadlines were met in a timely manner. • Directed staff of 23-person full-time and five person part-time staff by utilizing persuasive techniques to obtain cooperation and agreement between management and staff. • Oversight and management of all program personnel: Program Specialists I, II, III, & IV, Program Managers, Program Supervisors, and Executive Assistant. • Managed ten (10) different programs in areas of: Substance Abuse, Communicable Diseases, Pregnancy Prevention, Policy Advocacy, Adult & Family Services, and direct support for those living with HIV/AIDS including resettlement victims of rape, torture and human trafficking from Liberia, West Africa. • Facilitated development of new massive Divisional Reorganization & outside Audit Process by conducting various studies and analyzing findings in preparation of making recommendations on restructuring the budget, realigning staff, and expanding the program appropriately. This effort improved work ethics and avoided potential lay-offs. • Researched and successfully generated 200% increase in additional revenue sources and accounts receivables for divisional programs, by networking with various outside vendors. This effort yielded $600K in additional funding. • Developed program reports (based on pre/post tests based on specific goals and objectives of programs) for the CEO, President, Operations Directors and Grantors and recommended solutions in dealing with partnerships, personnel and funding issues. • Managed U.S Government awarded contracts issued in support of programs from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), by collecting, reviewing, and analyzing reorganization proposals, and advised management on realigning functions and various other resources. • Participated in “HR Task Force” to update employee handbook, and planning annual training for staff. Employment & Training Division Minneapolis Urban League 2100 Plymouth Avenue North Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411 Senior Program Manager (Promotion) 03/2001 – 07/2001 Program Manager 01/1998 – 03/2001 Hours Per Week: 40 Supervisor: LaRue Fields Phone: 619-692-3288 Direct Report to Chief Program Officer (Contact: yes) • Managed $600,000+ annual program budget by independently reviewing, analyzing, interpreting and applying complex decisions relating to legislation, policy and state regulations. • Managed two Welfare-to-Work Programs while working closely with managers, State and County government officials, and directing staff of 12 full-time employees to resolve problems, analyzed alternatives through research and meeting with key stakeholders to discuss Plan of Action, and developed improvements in program delivery. • Agency contract manager for State of Minnesota Department of Labor Workforce Development Grant, and Hennepin County Minnesota which involved preparing formal reviews of resources for use in deciding upon allocated funding. • Testified and defended the Minneapolis Urban League policy in fair, administrative hearings, and court actions. • Prepared and reported case actions as established by contract policy and procedures. • Facilitated job seeking and keeping skills, resume writing, interviewing techniques and the importance of “dressing for success.” • Interviewed applicants to obtain clarification and verification of needs. • Endorsed actions (i.e. Sanctions due to “non-compliance”) that changed, approved or suspended clients’ benefits. • Authorized specialized training payments, and other emergency needs for clients. Client Services Division Minneapolis Urban League 2100 Plymouth Avenue North Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411 Program Supervisor (Promotion) 12/1996 – 12/1997 Program Coordinator (Promotion) 10/1995 – 11/1996 Juvenile Advocacy Specialist 07/1991 – 09/1995 Hours Per Week: 40 Supervisor: Richard Bell Phone: 612-302-3100 Direct Report to Program Director (Contact: yes) • Managed annual program budget of $350,000, which included monitoring expenditures, overruns, and periodic audits to ensure compliance with program guidelines. • Supervised four (4) Juvenile Advocacy Program staff. • Maintained a caseload of 55 youth (ages 10-18 years old) dealing with issues of runaways, prostitution, drugs and alcohol abuse, etc. • Reduced truancy rates of court-referred youth by 30% • Assisted first-time and repeat criminal offenders in the prevention of future court involvement and avoiding jail time. • Facilitated group sessions on personal and life behavioral changes. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS State of Maryland Licensed Cemetery Professional 2005 – Present American Cancer Society 2003 – 2005 (Board Co-Chair) COMPUTER EXPERIENCE Microsoft Word; Microsoft Excel; WordPerfect; Microsoft PowerPoint; Microsoft Outlook SPECIALIZED TRAINING Online training - Human Resources Manager 2006 Online training - Family and Medical Leave Act 2006 Online training - Fair Labor Standards Act 2006 Cemetery Pre-Planning and At-Need Presentation 2005 (Certified State Planner) Bullet Proof Management 2004 Delivering Effective Customer Service 2004 American Red Cross Certification 2004 OraSure and OraQuick HIV Testing Certification 2004 Basic Employee Relations 2003 Building a Successful Team 2003 The Changing Face of Diabetes 2002 Strategies for Addressing Health Disparities 2002 Dealing With Difficult People 2000 Global Career Development 2000 Project Management 1998 Proactive Management 1998 Measuring Program Outcomes 1997