Aída S. Cerda, Mph Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, Ca

Oversaw the daily operations of the Violence Prevention Humane Education Department which is nationally and internationally renowned for its animal-assisted programming for vulnerable youth and its Animal Safety Net (ASN) Program that offers temporary housing for the pets of survivors of domestic violence and other families in crisis.• Met with the president regularly to evaluate current programming, redefine the department’s annual goals and objectives, and proposed new program directions and staffing plans.• Successfully transitioned the department to a new location to support the implementation of a larger-scale pet housing program to expand the program for homeless families and individuals entering substance abuse or mental health facilities; developed new protocols, procedures, and safety guidelines. • Relaunched an animal-assisted program for youth in the juvenile justice system and implemented new strategies to expand initiative; developed social-emotional learning and gender inequality curricula; worked in partnership with community-based organizations leading youth diversion efforts in LA County. • Managed ASN crisis hotline that included monitoring all incoming calls, assessing eligibility, documenting client and pet information, and ensuring immediate follow-up with callers.• Implemented a new staffing plan, created new job descriptions, hired, trained, and developed a new program and animal care team, including securing volunteers to support programming and services. • Liable for facility operations of the Community Engagement Center including maintenance, monitoring proper cleaning of kennels, and setting standards for the care and welfare of animals. • Led cross-departmental collaboration with the medical team, behavior and training, shelter staff, and humane officers for creative problem-solving and to support a culture of continuous learning.

Los Angeles, Ca

Reporting to the Executive Director, managed and oversaw program and quality of operations of the center which is leading innovation that is transforming youth justice in Los Angeles and the state of California. • Collaborated with Executive Director to develop, plan and implement strategies to manage program growth and ensure funding and sustainability of programs.• Managed daily operations and oversaw the coordination, integration, and delivery of clinical case management and mediation services, including direct services contracts. Developed new strategies for the greatest impact and bridged work between departments to prevent silos. • Expanded and created a center of excellence model for family and victim/offender mediation, restitution, and conflict resolution services. Developed and launched Restorative Circles and Mediation Office Hours at a local high school to reduce improve classroom environments. • Successfully coordinated and implemented a pivotal strategy to urgently move the agency to remote work to ensure continued services during COVID-19!which became a permanent change. • Supervised twenty-five (25) staff and fourteen (14) MSW interns located across four program sites; developed new disciplinary policies, performance evaluations, and team-building opportunities to create highly effective teams. • Initiated and executed strategic changes to optimize organizational effectiveness that included integration of new staff positions and focus areas, pathways to growth for employees, and creating a culture of feedback. • Built and maintained effective relationships with key stakeholders to maintain a high-quality community profile, strengthen the quality and coordination of care, and monitor the continued flow of referrals. • Provided intellectual leadership to agency-wide strategies based on staying abreast of research and best practices in the fields of clinical social work, youth development, restorative justice, trauma, and juvenile justice.

Los Angeles, Ca

After serving on the Board of Directors for 5 years, provided executive leadership to shape arts-in-education social development programming for over 3,500 middle school youth across 44 schools in underserved areas in Los Angeles County.• Led development and fundraising efforts, and expanded relationships with donors, and corporate and government partners. • Developed strategic plan, operational plan, and budget. Promoted the strategic vision and successfully expanded the program beyond its geographic base by securing district-wide contracts. • Managed day-to-day operations and executed strategies to establish a sustainable infrastructure. • Represented organizations locally and nationally in the fields of arts, education, and social justice.

Mission Hills, Ca

Oversaw Teen Family Services and Fatherhood programs throughout Los Angeles County, serving over 1,500 disadvantaged pregnant and parenting teens and their babies.• Managed an annual budget of $3.5 million and led and guided over 50+ project staff across agency sites located in 5 geographic regions, including Compton, South Los Angeles, and Pacoima. • As a member of the senior management team, initiated improvement plans to ensure staff compliance with contract goals to improve parent and child outcomes. • Oversaw the professional development of staff through staff training, case presentations, and individual and group supervision. • Spearheaded efforts to build team cohesion and improve staff morale across sites

Los Angeles, Ca

• Managed an annual budget of $1.5 million and coached and trained a multidisciplinary team of 15 project staff across designated geographic territories; increased the size of the project team almost threefold throughout employment. • Oversaw day-to-day operations. Selected and managed 11 agency subcontracts and multiple consultants and vendors, monitoring the quality of work, and ensuring compliance with contractual provisions.• Implemented program expansion and the creation of youth development strategies, including mentoring and afterschool programs based on needs assessments, focus groups, research, and the analysis of data. • Partnered with clinical supervisors to ensure case management and counseling conforms to best practices and develop procedures for data collection and monitoring; participated in a weekly case conference. • Built meaningful partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including schools, probation, elected officials, businesses, faith leaders, and law enforcement; publicly recognized for developing partnerships previously unseen in the region. • Launched and chaired community coalitions and advocacy groups; spearheaded youth-led and parent-led civic engagement initiatives to advocate for safe and healthy neighborhoods. • Received Greatest Accomplishment Award from the LAPD for developing innovative strategies to reduce racial tensions and build trust between police, youth, and undocumented, monolingual mothers.• Cultural Champion for a division-wide cultural shift to critically analyze systems to overcome silos and improve organizational performance and client interface performance. • Expanded media relations by conducting press releases, interviews, press conferences, and large-scale community events; developed publications such as videos, newsletters, print materials, and e-blasts. • Identified funding sources and submitted grant proposals resulting in over $8,000,000; managed local, state, and federal grants.

Berkeley, Ca

Master Of Public Health (Mph)

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Social Sciences (Health And Public Policy)