Helix Solutions (http://www.helixeval.com/) was established in May 2007 to provide evaluation service to educational projects in the private and public sector in Far West Texas and Southern New Mexico. The firm recognized that this region lacked sufficient capacity for program evaluation services to meet the needs of the community, and, as a result, Helix Solutions was formed. The local El Paso firm brings extraordinary academic qualifications counter-balanced by a growing portfolio of applied and primary research, evaluation, and strategic planning clients to all projects.

Assist university professors at the Institute of Policy and Economic Development in the completion of several projects. These projects include focus group meetings with the residents of Fort Hancock, Texas, and the United Way-CHICO Partnership. Responsible for the assistance with the direction of the meetings, collection of the raw data, graphic design of the reports, and technical writing.

The award provided tuition, books, supplies, and a stipend. The fellowship required a series of internships at local community development or economic development organizations. The internships included the City of El Paso Planning Department, the El Paso Museum of Art, and the Institute of Policy and Economic Development at the University of Texas at El Paso. Responsible for updating the El Paso Bike Plan at the Planning Department; applying and creating grant proposals for the Museum; and teaching assistant for the UTEP MPA program’s capstone course.

Assist the Director of Creative Kids with the preparation of grant proposals and reports to private foundations and government funding sources for the art and technology programs as well as a brick and mortar project. The City of El Paso awarded the Community Development Block Grant in 2005 for the new building project housing the Creative Kids administration, art studios, and galleries, which opened in 2007.

Responsible for: the installation and certification of supplier designed seats on the 737/757/777 model airplanes; meeting directly with the airline customers and domestic/international seat suppliers to establish design and interface requirements; review and approve supplier technical data and hardware for compliance with FAA; and the customer and Boeing specifications. Prepared engineering drawings defining both passenger seat arrangement and system installations as well as work with certification specialists to ensure proper certification and test documentation prior to aircraft delivery. The position required international travel to Asia, Europe, Great Britain, and Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Responsible for the design, integration, installation, and certification of the Main Cabin Interior placards on the 737/757 airplane models. Coordinated interface requirements between Placard group and other Boeing design groups. Developed and implemented methods to achieve cost/schedule reductions and performance enhancements.