Charles Higgins, Msw Email & Phone Number

San Francisco Bay Area

Directing and managing a young nonprofit that brings people into nature for tranquility, spiritual practice, rejuvenation and transformation. Building the capacity of the organization to serve the greatest number of people. Partnering with a community of teachers and programs to offer experiences in nature for everyone. Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility values guide our work. Beautiful natural places inspire us to provide a unique offering that address the stress and anxiety of modern life.

San Francisco And Stinson Beach, California

Practice.Place offers on-site and off-site programs for individuals, teams, leaders and managers. Programs can include nature retreats, strategic planning and team building. Yoga, meditation and exploration of conscious leadership can be incorporated into any program. A walk in the woods getting fresh air can shift one’s mindset and open up possibilities that had been shut down. We get a great deal of inspiration from time outdoors and breathing fresh air. Practice.Place is founded on the basic idea that a change in place can help people get unblocked, inspired and motivated to make things happen in their lives and in their work. Programs can include facilitated discussions or self-guided experiences, guided nature excursions and environmental work days in Marin and San Francisco. While our primary location is a quarter-acre property in Stinson Beach that is bisected by a fresh-water creek, we organize strategic awareness sessions on-site at companies and organizations that want to transform culture. Our purpose is to create space to release tension and open up new channels for breakthroughs that foster creativity and accelerate momentum. At the Creekside property in Stinson Beach, we offer day retreats for up to 20 people and overnights for 8. Retreats are designed for planning, team building and brainstorming using both indoor and outdoor spaces. *Purpose Process*While some groups may want space just to relax and experience the place and each other, most will want to focus on purpose and talk about things strategically. With your input, we will design activities for your group to envision its values, explore critical issues and refine individual and group purpose.*Nature Fix*Time in nature can be a powerful fixer. With all the barriers that arise in organizations and on teams, it is powerful to take problems and ideas out for a walk or go for a paddle in a two-person kayak.

San Francisco Bay Area

Leader of a membership-based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to create permanently affordable, resident-controlled housing for low-to-moderate-income people in San Francisco through community ownership of the land.In this role, I plan and manage budget contingencies, oversee construction projects, direct resident communications and work closely with an executive management team of the board of directors. Fundraising, audits, government reporting and strategic partnerships were parts of my routine. During my tenure, I played an integral role in resolving an outstanding legal dispute and negotiating a three-year capacity-building grant from the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development.

Developing and implementing strategies for all aspects related to Corps Member outreach, recruitment, orientation and retention; overseeing all operations and processes for case management, supportive services and barrier removal. Responsible for ensuring programs are implemented according to funding agencies' requirements, especially the SF Office of Economic and Workforce Development. In my first three months with the Corps, I introduced Mindfulness quiet time for young people to become more aware of the thought and feelings that distract them from their purpose. This included the integration of Mindful Meditation during daily physical warm up before school and work.

Providing leadership and oversight to all functions of the Association including program development, financial management, community and member relations, fundraising, human resources and organization strategy, I managed an annual budget of more than $2 million and assets that include a WWII submarine, the USS Pampanito. Working closely with the National Park Service to preserve and maintain historic ships in the Maritime National Park, I worked closely with the superintendent and members of the senior staff of the Park.Among my accomplishments during this assignment were:- Creation and initiation of a new program, Voyages of Transformation, for youth to experience multiple aspects of the Maritime Park through experiential learning- The raising of more than $50,000 in six months to launch the new program- $160,000 raised in four months to pay for the fabrication of replica sails for an 1895 lumber schooner that was the flagship of the Maritime Historical Park's celebration of the Centennial of the National Park Service in 2016- Co-facilitation of a strategic planning retreat and wrote a new strategic plan for the organization- Negotiation of the first Friends Group Fundraising Agreement with the National Park Service- Rejuvenation of an educational collaboration with the Sea Scouts at their historic dock house in Aquatic Park- Negotiation with the Port of San Francisco for berthing, visitor, shop and office space for the USS Pampanito, its staff, volunteers and visitors

741 30Th Avenue, San Francisco

Responsible strategic development, management of staff and oversight of programs of nonprofit corporation founded in 1980. With an annual budget of more than $3 million, RDNC operates after-school programs at eight public schools in the Richmond District and Western Addition of San Francisco, including the Richmond Village Beacon at Washington High School, Presidio and Roosevelt Middle Schools and an after school program at Wallenberg High School as well as four elementary schools: Lafayette, George Peabody, Argonne and Alamo. A staff of twenty manages finance, HR, fund development, programs and facilities. Another 125 part-time staff people work at program sites year-round and in three summer camps. The executive director is responsible for the overall health and success of the organization. In my first two years at RDNC, I initiated new programs at Wallenberg High and at Fulton Playground as well as a robust edible garden on site at the neighborhood center. The garden was created on the site of a debris strewn and over grown pair of parcels that had been neglected for many years. After inheriting a CDBG-funded capital project that was stuck in the entitlement process, I negotiated approvals from three agencies, managed construction bidding and brought the project to the build phase. Along the way, I secured pro bono architecture services for a separate project that involved the installation of a new front entry path and front door, as well as transformation of a dark underutilized basement space into a sunny multi-purpose room with a kitchen. The new space was deployed almost immediately to support preparation of food boxes for a volunteer-driven, weekly delivery program to homebound seniors in the neighborhood.

Civic Center, San Rafael

As one of seven commissioners appointed by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, I participated in the review and approval of several important policy and financing strategies for parks and open space in Marin County. While on the commission, I studied and help formulate plans, strategies, policies, rules and regulations related to the county parks, open space, and trail systems for consideration by the Board of Supervisors and the Board of Directors of the Marin County Open Space District. During my time on the commission, we deliberated on an expenditure plan for a major sales tax measure (A), that enhanced our annual budget by $9 million; we reviewed and approved a comprehensive Biodiversity and Vegetation Management Plan and a Road and Trail Management Plan. I devoted personal time to removing invasive plants on Kent Island in the Bolinas Lagoon and learned how to use salt water to inhibit the growth of ice plant and other non-natives; additionally, I solicited major gifts for an innovative dirt-track bicycle park in Stafford Lake Park, Novato. Marin County Parks (MCP) is dedicated to educating, inspiring and engaging the people of Marin in the shared commitment of preserving, protecting and enriching the natural beauty of Marin’s parks and open spaces, and providing recreational opportunities for the enjoyment of all generations. To date, MCP has acquired hundreds of undeveloped parcels from willing sellers, totaling more than 20,000 acres. Much of this acreage became open space preserves—now 34 in total. Our preserves are complemented by four regional parks and many other park facilities. 2012 marks the 40th Anniversary of Marin County Parks.

Muir Beach, Ca

As executive director, I raised funds and managed expenses so that we could operate the organization with a balanced budget while transforming the place so that it would thrive. During the more than five years that I led the organization, we built up a reserve fund that gave us financial stability during an uncertain economy. With more resources, I was able to rebuild critical office and residential space to better support our program and staff. In addition to an ambitious repair and rebuild program of the Ranch's rustic facilities, we performed more outreach to inner-city groups, secured better equipment for the organization and farm and initiated a number of agricultural and environment innovations on site. By initiating and branding a new fundraising event, the Silver Trowel Award Dinner, I raised more than $400,000 in unrestricted funds for urgent projects. Among significant changes were the complete rehabilitation of a legendary coastal Geodesic Dome, the construction of eight unique cabins using salvaged lumber and traditional farm design, a substantial new concrete foundation and ground-floor space in the Ranch's century-old Commons farmhouse, construction of a new main office building in place of a dilapidated blacksmith garage and the installation of solar hot water panels on the roof of the Ranch's original creamery building. I worked closely with the board and staff to refine the strategic direction of the hugely popular environmental and sustainable agriculture program at Slide Ranch founded in 1970. My leadership of the organization made it a more resilient and resourceful coastal landmark serving 8000 visitors a year. Reporting directly to me were a development manager, operations director, program director and finance/HR director. Under them were people who managed the garden, facilities and programs. Each year, the Ranch welcomed seven energetic and inspired teachers in residence who come for 10-month internships and live on site.

800 Presidio Avenue, San Francisco

General governance and strategic guidance for the organization. Extensive participation in the development of a half-acre parcel for housing transition aged youth and rebuilding of the center. The link below includes a video interview I arranged and produced that features former Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. being interviewed by Belva Davis, a pioneer in journalism (now retired from KQED).

Located in the heart of the financial district, Enterprise offered career guidance and job readiness training to high school students. In this position, I directed a staff of ten, worked with a consortium of youth agencies in the Mission District of SF, developed relationships with strategic partners serving low-income students, identified and secured new sources of funding and created new events to attract supporters. Enterprise owned the prestigious SF Fall Antique Show.

First ED of organization that resulted from the merger of two well-established groups, the Youth Tennis Foundation of Northern California, founded in 1958, and the San Francisco Chapter of the National Junior Tennis Leaugue, founded by Arthur Ashe in 1968 (SF chapter incorporated in 1974).

This was a social enterprise that I established, developed and managed with several goals. First, the bike shop at Turk and Fillmore, Bike Traffic, would provide a safe space for children to learn bike mechanics skills. Second, the shop would inject economic energy into a neighborhood plagued by poverty, drugs and violence. Third, by connecting with the Bike Hut at South Beach and the Presidio-based Bicycle Community Project, we would form a bicycle bridge for inner-city kids to experience other areas of the city that had more prosperity and opportunities for them.The Bike Hut continues to the present, located on the Embarcadero at the intersection of Townsend Street in front of Pier 40.

Msw, Social Welfare

Emphasis on management, administration and planning of programs for children and families.

Ba, Political Science

Activities and Societies: DJ on KDVS; volleyball referee; studied poverty during the summer in the Tenderloin of San Francisco - one.

Education

Teacher training for secondary school work.

Education record