Experience

• SAGE USA

  Chief Program Officer

  • Responsible for ensuring SAGE's direct services are developed and implemented in a manner consistent with the organization’s Strategic Plan: by creating and implementing outcomes-based services in New York City and across the country in six priorities including healthcare coordination, technology-enabled services, research projects, and our national caregiving initiative; also, by managing a broad portfolio of largely government-funded service programs for LGBT older adults. As CPO, I ultimately represent SAGE in the aging community.
  • Using SAGE’s services wellness model (theory of change), I lead more than 35 staff to increase the impact of existing programs and develop new services to improve the lives of vulnerable LGBT older adults. And by leveraging SAGE’s expanding data-driven capacity and culture to evaluate and improve program effectiveness, I also seek to replicate and eventually scale SAGE’s proven program models nationally- as well as deepen synergies between SAGE’s New York City service programs and SAGE affiliate programs across the country to support replication of promising program models emerging from all points in the SAGE network.
  • Most importantly, I spearhead SAGE’s development of NYC’s first affordable, LGBT-friendly housing: one in Brooklyn, in partnership with BFC Partners (Ingersoll Senior Residences: 145 units, the largest LGBT-friendly housing in the nation) and the Bronx, in partnership with HELP USA (Crotona Park Senior Residences: 85 units). These new housing developments are part of SAGE's National LGBT Elder Housing Initiative, and an important step to realizing more welcoming environments for LGBT people to live independently as they age.

• Queens Borough Public Library

  Director of Learning and Literacy

  Adult Learner Program (ABE, Pre-HSE); New Americans Program (ESOL); and Job & Business Academy
  • Ensured that the Queens Library continued to be the leading public library provider of literacy, immigrant, and workforce development programming in the United States through its 63 community libraries: Adult Learner Program - 4,151 unduplicated students; New Americans Program - 10,794 customers a year (along with 14,753 books in 30 languages); Job & Business Academy - 24,168 customers.
  • Accountable for developing, leading, managing, and coordinating all aspects of learning services, including HSE testing; and also works collaboratively with broader program team members to ensure continuum of service for all ages including early learning, teen services, and young adults (18-24).
  • Supervised the Institute of Museum and Library Services Project to develop a curriculum to train Queens Library’s 400+ librarians on immigrant services; also, TASC Transition Project to develop a Common Core State Standards-aligned curriculum to provide an integrated approach for adult educational providers for HSE students transitioning into higher education or a career.
  • Responsible for the assessment of program effectiveness based on performance metrics and educational gain and other outcomes; also, implementation of grant activities and oversight of over 25+ grant-funded programs, including compliance and sustainability.

• City College of New York

  Adjunct Professor

  •Mentoring public service management graduate candidates on their capstone projects: guiding student activity, offering advice and expertise, and ensuring program requirements are met.
  •Teaching a grant writing course to graduate students that focus on government and private foundation grant proposals, including press releases, testimonials, charts and graphs.

• ICD-Institute for Career Development

  Chief Operations Officer

  • Working closely with the CEO, I guide the strategic vision of ICD; leads strategic initiatives; has responsibility for all organizational operations; oversees the portfolio of programs and related services; helps promote and diversify funding; and mentors, guides and supervises program and operations staff, which comprises the majority of ICD's staff.
  • Oversee the end-to-end programs and services offered by ICD as well as internal operations. Responsible for implementing strategic initiatives that ensure that ICD fulfills its mission and meets the expectations of its consumers and funders.
  • Directly supervises staff, providing effective and inspiring leadership. Ensures that all program activities operate consistently and ethically within the mission and values of ICD. Develops and nurtures a culture promoting growth, quality, and program innovation.
  • Reports directly to the CEO and presents regularly to the Board of Trustees to help them evaluate program progress and outcomes, and alignment with both a short- and long-term organizational goals. Partners with Head of Programs to identify funding opportunities that address unmet participant service demands/needs, increase scale and/or enhance delivery of existing services.

• Anthropology & Education Quarterly

  Journal Editor

  Reviewed/Edited journal manuscript entitled "Impact of Unsymmetrical Funds of Knowledge on the Language Learning of Mixed-raced Children: A Taiwanese Case" for the Anthropology & Education Quarterly Editorial Office, University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.