Robert M. Grom Email & Phone Number

Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Responsible for development and execution of marketing, communications, volunteer, fund development, and government relations strategies that promoted and supported Melwood and its individual lines of business, including Operation: Tohidu, a nationally recognized intervention program for veterans and active duty personnel dealing with PTSD, mTBI, and other deployment-related trauma. Melwood is a $89MM dynamic 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates jobs and opportunities to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Each year the organization serves more than 1900 people with disabilities in the greater Washington, DC area. Melwood advocates for and empowers individuals of differing abilities to transform their own lives through unique opportunities to work and play in the community. The organization provides employment, job training, life skill improvement, intervention, supportive, and recreational services.Melwood offers job opportunities for more than 800 people with differing abilities through partnerships with the AbilityOne Program and regional employers at 43 different sites. Prominent clients included Goddard Space Flight Center, GSA, U.S. Secret Service Headquarters, IRS, Fort George G. Meade, U.S. Naval Academy, Departments of Justice and Treasury, USDA Carver Center and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Melwood also supports the employment goals of people with differing abilities who want to work at private employers through customized training and support programs.

Arlington, Virginia

Consultant responsible for creation and advancement of comprehensive strategic and tactical plans for business development, revenue generation and promotion of Early Childhood Partnerships (ECP) and Office of Child Development (OCD) early care and education programs and projects. ECP is an innovative community-based consultation, mentoring, service, and applied research collaborative at the Office of Child Development (OCD) within the School of Education (Psychology-in-Education) and affiliated with the School of Medicine (Pediatrics) and both Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and the LEND Center at the University of Pittsburgh. ECP is dedicated to the use of “best practices” for effective and high quality prevention, intervention, resources, and research delivered on-site in natural community settings with early childhood professionals who help young children and families, particularly those at developmental risk and with delays/disabilities during the early childhood period.

Washington, Dc

DC Cancer Consortium (DCCC) is a 501(c)(3) grant-making membership organization composed of more than 75 national and regional organizations from the healthcare delivery, cancer research and advocacy communities committed to addressing cancer control in the District of Columbia. Its mission is driven by the DC Cancer Control Plan which is used to engage resources, build collaborative partnerships and provide funding support to reduce cancer incidence and mortality, eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in cancer treatment, and improve the quality of life for cancer survivors. Its work is supported by a major grant from the DC City Council and an ever-growing cadre of public, corporate and foundation supporters.Responsible for board development, advocacy, marketing and communications, and all aspects of initiating and managing relationships with government, foundations, corporations and private donors for the purpose of building financial support through grants and gifts.

Greater Pittsburgh Area

Community-University Partnerships (CUPS) is a community leadership council, which advises and collaborates with Early Childhood Partnerships (ECP) and The University, Community, Leaders, and Individuals with Disabilities Center (UCLID) at the University of Pittsburgh and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. CUPS seeks to enhance community partnerships, improve services and supports of partners, and to expand opportunities for mutual benefits. It is also affiliated with the Center for Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) Leadership in Public Health Social Work.The core community-based collaborations of the UCLID Center for the leadership experiences of students and faculty blend the federal MCHB leadership competencies of Working with Communities and Systems, Family-Centered Care, Policy & Advocacy, and Cultural Competency. CUPS is committed to realizing its vision and mission for community engagement of faculty and staff at the University of Pittsburgh. CUPS is designed as a “collaborative leadership team (COLT)” for creating active, applied service, research, and policy/advocacy initiatives among the ECP program staff; faculty and fellows of the UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh; and directors and staff of diverse community-based education, health, and human service agencies serving the Appalachian regions of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. CUPS processes promote co-equal leadership and partnerships among the University-Hospital “community” within both ECP and UCLID and community agencies for mutual benefits to: (1) combine the power of university and community leaders; (2) blend human and financial resources for mutual benefits; (3) augment the capacities and influence of community programs; and (4) advance and transform policy and practices for individuals and their families who are vulnerable across the life-span, especially those who are at-risk or who have developmental disabilities and medical conditions.

Greater Pittsburgh Area

Early Childhood Partnerships is a community-based consultation, training, technical assistance, and research collaborative between Children's Hospital and The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh with community partners. ECP consists of six core “partnership” programs: (1) SPECS Program Evaluation Research Team (Scaling Progress in Early Childhood Settings): authentic measurement of the efficacy and outcomes of high-quality early childhood intervention programs; (2) The HealthyCHILD School-linked Developmental Healthcare Partnership: a field-validated RTI/R&R model using a mobile developmental healthcare team and a prevention-intervention continuum to meet the complex needs of preschoolers with acute and chronic medical conditions, developmental delays/disabilities, and challenging behaviors in-vivo in early childhood classrooms (e.g., Head Start, early intervention, ECE); (3) TRACE Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Assessment: research on the evidence-base for promising early intervention assessment practices to guide policy changes for improved professional practices; (4) COMET—Center on Mentoring for Effective Teaching: research on the impact of mentoring to improve Head Start and ECI teacher practices; (5) Center to Investigate Violence and Injury in Communities (CIVIC): epidemiological research: (6) Early Childhood Research Systems: innovative observational assessment procedures and database management of standards and assessment links.

Pittsburgh

Served as Chief Executive of this proactive community foundation (hospital conversion) that worked as a coalition builder for volunteers and professionals interested in promoting the well being of citizens and improving the quality of life in the Foundation’s service area. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a broad constituency to secure charitable contributions, and distribute them thoughtfully and appropriately. Proficient at identifying and obtaining support from national, regional, statewide, and local sources, including larger foundations, government, corporations and businesses, service organizations, community groups, and individuals.Administered grant-making activities delivering more than $7.5 million directly to mission-related programs; served in voluntary leadership roles issuing millions of dollars in additional grants to related programs. Directed fund development efforts that raised more than $55 million for health, education, job training, community transportation and related programs serving low income and welfare-to-work transitioning populations since 1996. Generated approximately $1 million in fee-for-service income annually. Raised and administered annual budgets in excess of $5 million. Created the 4 Kids Early Learning Network of center and family-based early education and family support programs providing high quality nationally accredited services for more than 4,000 at-risk children. Developed and/or engaged unique range of special services supporting the social, emotional and behavioral health needs of children. Created the WorkLink Community Van Service that provided more than one million free rides for more than 4,000 registered low-income riders seeking access to work and job training and leveraged more than $60 million in federal and state community transportation investments for SWPA. Served as Chairman of the Access-to-Work Task Force Interagency Cooperative during its first two years of operation.

Greater Pittsburgh Area

Served as the first professional development officer for this regional health care provider serving 19 distressed communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Successfully transitioned organization from an endowment management arm of the hospital to a freestanding, community-based, charitable foundation following the merger of hospital with the UPMC Health System in 1996.Responsible for complete design, start-up, and management of a full-scale development program for this 250-bed community hospital. Specific responsibilities included board and donor development, annual giving, grant writing, planned giving, donor relations, donor recognition, community relations and marketing. Developed and maintained relationships with community leaders and service agencies to leverage and increase delivery of health-related services in targeted communities. Crafted, initiated and successfully completed a $4 million capital campaign that leveraged an additional $10 million commitment from UPMC Health System.Successfully led Foundation’s conversion in 1996 and directed subsequent strategic planning process that positioned Heritage as a facilitator and convening agent for community health and human service efforts. The success of this transition resulted in Heritage serving as a grant maker, technical assistance provider and capacity building organization for several years before transforming into a program operating entity.Created and facilitated community health advisory boards and community health assessments. Assisted in recruitment of primary care physicians and creation of community-based medical practices. Collaborated in development of health outreach offices and preventive health programs in public housing communities. Partnered in the creation of programs and services serving substance abusing pregnant women and their children.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Successfully transitioned from hospital operations into fund raising and development role. Served as senior development officer for this $42 million organization that raised, managed and distributed funds to support the interests of West Penn Hospital. Mobilized people and resources needed to enable hospital to provide technologically advanced care while supporting various cutting-edge biomedical research projects and management of a state-of-the-art research facility.Responsible for development and direction of select fund raising initiatives including donor development, annual giving, planned giving, major gifts, special events and related fund development activities. Managed activities of five hospital auxiliaries; co-directed activity of more that 450 volunteers.Developed and implemented $5.5 million capital campaign toward construction of an education and conference center. Solicited and received lead gift of $2 million. Assisted in completion of $7.9 million capital campaign toward construction of major critical care facility.Responsible for management of five hospital auxiliaries raising $750,000 annually. Co-directed activity of more that 450 hospital-based volunteers.

Pittsburgh

Developed institutional history program supporting fund raising efforts of The Western Pennsylvania Hospital. Researched, documented, preserved, and promoted the hospital’s history and the medical history of Pittsburgh. Interacted with professional societies, other health-related institutions, and private and governmental agencies in support of the efforts. Led development team that created a health care museum and conference facility. Served as project director for facility and exhibit design and construction.Researched, wrote, and published monographs, articles, and brochures on various subjects related to institutional and regional medical history. Presented numerous public presentations on related topics.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Responsible for directing photographic services (clinical and non-clinical), graphic design, printing, and audiovisual assets. Coordinated Graduate Medical Education, Continuing Medical Education and related training programs for this 570 bed tertiary care teaching hospital.