PROFESSIONAL GOAL

To empower people to help themselves and organize for social justice.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.
September 2010 to February 2022

Parish Partners Program Manager from October 2015 to February 2022. Parish Regional Coordinator 2010-2015. Volunteer Domestic Violence Outreach Team Coordinator February 2022 to present.

• Managed staff and interns developing parish social ministries on hunger, homelessness, immigration and domestic violence.

• Coordinated client-centered domestic violence initiative with priest advisory committee. Developed domestic violence presentations and resource materials to train Catholic pastors and parishioners how to better respond to families suffering domestic abuse. Created outreach materials updated annually. Editor of a Listen with Love: A Guide for Parishes on Domestic Violence Outreach. https://www.catholiccharitiesdc.org/familypeace/

• Managed team providing advocacy and case management for families, working with clients toward greater stability and to accomplish client goals.

• 2018-2020, Appointed Faculty Associate with Catholics For Family Peace Education and Research Initiative, National Catholic School of Social Service, Consortium for Catholic Social Teaching, The Catholic University of America.

• Received "Catholic Charities 2012 Outstanding Employee in the Outreach Department" award.

• Conducted emergency assessments in Spanish and English for families in crisis, including those experiencing domestic violence, homelessness, eviction, utility disconnection.

• Presented volunteer training workshops to increase volunteer capacity in parishes serving families in need.

• Selected as member of Catholic Charities USA Parish Social Ministry Leadership Team.

• Featured volunteer in New Beginnings, the 2022-2023 Annual Report of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington:

Friends Meeting of Washington
October 2009 to
September 2010

Assistant Administrative Secretary for the Friends Meeting of Washington. Coordinated staff and volunteer activities. Managed the church website. Maintained church membership and contribution database and directory. Assisted event planning for members and outside groups.

My Sister’s Place
October 2008 to
October 2009,
Washington, DC

Family Advocate for domestic violence shelter and transitional housing.

• Provided supportive listening, advocacy and referrals to clients in the shelter and on the crisis hotline in Spanish and English.

• Screened potential clients for acceptance into the emergency shelter and transitional housing programs.

• Helped conduct weekly support groups with adults.

• Oversaw physical properties and maintenance for MSP housing sites.

Immigrant Worker Project/St. Joseph Catholic Church
2001 to Aug. 2008
Dover, Ohio

Community Organizer for the Immigrant Worker Project and Pastoral Associate for Hispanic Ministries for St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dover, Ohio.

• Provided case management and advocacy for immigrant Spanish-speaking domestic violence survivors to access emergency, medical, legal and social services. Coordinated a womenʼs study group for survivors of domestic violence.

• Taught English classes for adult immigrants.

• Organized volunteer recruitment and training of Latino and American volunteers and leaders.

• Conducted community outreach and organizing in the Latino community.

• Translated for elementary school with immigrant families.

• Wrote grants and documented progress toward funded programs.

Ohio Citizen Action
1987 to 2001 Dover, Ohio

Research Director.

• Wrote consumer and environmental column printed weekly for 13 years in ten Ohio newspapers including the Ashtabula Star Beacon and Hamilton Journal News.

• Prepared 15 database studies analyzing contributions to Ohio politicians and compliance with campaign finance disclosure requirements.

• Authored 10 database studies and reports concerning pollution, contaminants and toxic accidents.

• Conducted press conferences, interviews with newspaper, radio and television reporters.

• Testified before Ohio legislative committees. See testimony for H.B.119.

• Coordinated 1999 legislative campaign culminating in passage of the Votersʼ Right-to-Know Act.

• Wrote grant proposals and reports. Published Op-Ed articles.

Appalachian Ohio Public Interest Campaign
1982-1987 Athens, Ohio

Director. Helped Appalachian Ohioans organize for fair utility rates, protect farm land above longwall coal mining, and reduce the use of pesticides. Wrote grant proposals and received funding from Protestant, Appalachian and Campaign for Human Development self-development funds.

Transitions, Inc., Zanesville, Ohio
1981-1982 Zanesville, Ohio

Director of shelter for battered women. Responsible for fundraising, supervising staff, community outreach, monitoring facility.

New York Public Interest Research Group
1979-1981 Bronx, New York

VISTA volunteer and supervisor of VISTA volunteers helping residents of the North and Southeast Bronx to organize to stop redlining and improve their communities.

Covenant House, Under 21
Summer 1978 New York

Staff in Catholic crisis center for runaway children and prostitutes.

Walsh College
Canton, Ohio.

Counseling and Human Development, one graduate class in counseling. 2007

Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Bachelor of arts degree in political science. 1974-76, 1977-78

University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland

Areas of concentration: British politics and social administration system. 1976-1977

• 2023-2024 – Presenter for the Montgomery County Family Justice Center’s Expect Respect: Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Program

• 2022-2024 - Catholic Charities Domestic Violence Outreach Team Coordinator

• 2022-2024 - St. Camillus Food Pantry volunteer

• 2015 - Maryland Statewide Comprehensive Domestic Violence Advocate training. 40 hours

• 2014 to 2017 - Host parents for homeless teenagers in the Maryland Host Homes Program.

• 2010 to 2014, 2018 - Volunteer English teacher for Gilcrest Center for Cultural Diversity.

• 2010 Volunteer English tutor with Language Etc., Our Lady of the Americas.

• 2010 Member of Hunger and Homelessness Task Force, Friends Meeting of Washington.

• 2009 District of Columbia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Advocate Core Competency Training. 40 hours.

• 2009 to 2011 - Volunteer with CASA de Maryland Fair Development Coalition.

• 1997 to 2008 Board Member of Hispanic Ministries of Tuscarawas County.

• 1980 to 2008 Coordinator, volunteer for phonebanks for different candidates.

• 1990 Co-Chair of the Tuscarawas County Emergency Planning Committee.

• 1985 to 1986 Co-Chair Projects Committee of the Commission on Religion in Appalachia.