Kimberley (Clauss) Collins Email and Phone Number

Working with nonprofits to achieve goals and have impact leveraging Salesforce to make data informed decisions and improve service delivery.

Serve as the main developer and driver of strategy, identifying new avenues for influence in the early childhood space, and new organizational and financial growth opportunities. Serve as a thought partner to the CEO, setting short and long term strategy, aligning all areas of the organization, cultivating relationships with external partners, and developing messaging to communicate key priorities. Manage the Board of Directors, serving as their main liaison to the organization. Aligned the budgeting, planning and program development teams around organizational priorities to ensure goals communicated are achieved. Managed the creation and implementation of Salesforce.org, the organization's first agency wide data system.Direct all agency wide initiatives, and launched the organization’s first direct service program – Head Start. Lead new program development from design to implementation, including the creation of a new monitoring program for license exempt child care providers. Identify and achieve organizational growth opportunities, including a $23 million state contract, federal, and foundation contracts and grants. Develop plans to ensure compliance with all contract deliverables for 23 programs across multiple funders. Cultivated and launched a privately funded incubator program to test the use of data for decision making in non-profits, which led to the launch of a new internal data system as a tool for agency-wide culture change.Helped launch Chicago’s new early education enrollment system though work with the City of Chicago. Developed recommendations on the creation of the state’s child care plan through a partnership with the University of Chicago. Developed the successful advocacy strategy that shaped health and safety requirements for all subsidize child care settings.

Set strategic direction and managed the implementation of the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge including serving as the Chief of Staff for the Office of Early Childhood Development. Managed an array of early childhood programs, initiatives, and pilots including the first early childhood $45 million capital construction program. Created policy recommendations, issued RFPs, navigated the complex procurement system, and managed a wide range of vendors. Led public-private staff partnerships. Consulted on difficult policy and program challenges such as large budget cuts to crucial programs. Managed the Office of Early Childhood Development’s $52 million budget.Built coalitions across state government agencies to align previously fragmented, disjointed early childhood services. Directed the restructuring of the Early Learning Council to align complex and siloed private and public agendas. Worked closely with the City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools to ensure consistent, cohesive early childhood services across the state.Created and implemented innovative policy changes to achieve the state’s early childhood goals by effectively negotiating contracts, performance measures, and program amendments with the federal government, state agencies and private sector partners.Successfully developed strategies, policy recommendations, and budgets for Illinois’ two major federal grant awards-$80 million Preschool Expansion Grant, and $52 million Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge.

Served as one of two appointed deputies to the Governor’s Cabinet Secretary. Developed and implemented the policy and legislative agenda for the Secretary and Governor’s Office. Oversaw a $2 billion budget, including $1 billion in federal funds. Supervised all open records requests and served as the final authority on the dissemination of sensitive materials. Managed the implementation of new laws within the agency and across local governments.Successfully negotiated the contentious child care quality rating system with the legislature, labor unions, and early childhood providers. Led intergovernmental and external affairs efforts involving all levels of government, the state courts, tribal leaders, and organizations to achieve key policy goals.Led the creation of statewide policies including the state’s child death review system. Coordinated with other agencies on the implementation of the Governor’s priorities, such as national health care reform. Directed internal and external messaging and oversaw media relations.

Successfully managed the drafting and passage of 18 bills without unwanted amendments, all of which were signed into law. Examples include major reforms to the state’s fraud-ridden child care program which saved the state $120 million in a two-year period, and Wisconsin’s Indian Child Welfare Act, immediately considered one of the nation’s strongest, which had stalled for 30 years in the legislature. Testified at legislative hearings and wrote talking points regarding bills. Main contact for all legislative members, staff and Tribes, and agency liaison to the Governor’s Office.Created agency’s legislative relations office. Ran legislative actions and advised Cabinet Secretary. Led bill negotiations with legislators and external organizations. Managed and negotiated budget proposals and veto requests. Monitored an independent audit of the $400 million child care program. Led regular meetings with leaders of the 11 Wisconsin Native American Tribes and other senior agency managers. Created a diverse policy agenda on issues such as child care, child welfare, workforce supports and child support. Developed new requirements for child care background checks and public disclosure of deaths at child welfare facilities. Oversaw monitoring and tracking of federal and state legislative actives.

Wrote legislation and worked with bill drafters. Coordinated and monitored activities with the Administration, legislators, staff and lobbyists. Worked with state, local and federal agencies to address constituent concerns.Created talking points, wrote testimony and advised Assembly members on legislation and the state budget. Directed initiatives such as the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line. Drafted official correspondence with the Administration, constituents, and external organizations.

Served as liaison between Assembly Democratic Leader and ADCCOrganized and executed major finance events with lobbyists and call time program with legislators