Earl Simms Email & Phone Number

St Louis, Missouri, United States

St. Louis, Mo

Founder of a Missouri- based political firm specializing in awareness, persuasion, and activation for candidate, issue, and media campaigns. Work with prominent Missouri political consultant to execute launch of campaigns at various government levels. Launches include candidate filing, developing collateral materials, writing press releases and answering responses, planning grass-tops and grassroots strategies, and networking candidates with contacts across Missouri. Sold over $3,000,000 in services as a partner with a national firm who provides full-service campaign products including digital advertising, websites, direct mail campaigns, collateral materials, and related services. Turned around two struggling State Senate campaigns, one resulting in a 142-vote victory and earning praise as 'upset of the night' by Missouri journalists.Served as a general consultant on federal, state, and local campaigns. Experience on both direct campaign committees and independent expenditure campaigns.

St. Louis, Mo

Assist Administration team in matters regarding records requests, internal policies, and HIPAAReview records requests in coordination with the custodian of records and relevant DPH staff for release.Field questions regarding HIPAA from DPH staff in coordination with supervisor and respond with recommended actions.Review and edit DPH policies for PHAB accreditation process. Participate in Health Policy Committee reviewing and responding to state and St. Louis County Council legislation.

Clayton, Mo

Staff for St. Louis County Councilman Ernie Trakas, representing Council District 6 in South St. Louis CountyReview constituent communications, and follow up with Councilman Trakas and/ or relevant County Departments as appropriate. Maintain constituent log of calls/ emails, follow up actions and results.Review of weekly County Council meeting agendas and advise Councilman Trakas regarding actions to be taken in advance of meetings.Attend community stakeholder meetings to represent Councilman Trakas and relay communication from stakeholder groups.

St. Louis, Mo

Consult various charter school authorizers across the country on new school application reviews. Review and score new charter school applications and advise authorizers on acceptance or rejection decisions. Consulted Missouri Charter Public School Commission (MCPSC) in the onboarding process of six charter schools into their portfolio after transferring authorizers. Onboarding responsibilities include collecting critical oversight documents, as well as training school staff and board members in document collection and uploading procedures in EpiCenter oversight management system. Also composed “year- zero” baseline reports for each school per MCPSC annual report framework for sponsor’s inbound transfer schools.Completed application reviews on time and scoring/ narrative review was in line with the other reviews and final decisions for four authorizers in four states.

Frankfort, Ky

Director of the Division of Charter Schools. Provided guidance to charter authorizers and applicants seeking establishment of charter schools. Implemented student centered decisions and guidance ensuring equitable education for students attending charter schools.Conducted reviews of charter schools’ applications with compliance with statute and regulations; monitor the charter application, review, appeal and revocation processes in accordance with statute and regulations. Worked with KDE legal staff to create charter school regulations governing student enrollment, authorizer oversight, school appeals processes, and conversion charter school applications.Authored KDE charter school application evaluation rubric and a model contract for use by schools and authorizers.Chaired both KDE internal and external ad hoc charter school workgroups related to crafting regulations, solving cross agency issues, and informing stakeholders. Presented to multiple stakeholders regarding Kentucky charter school law and statutes including Kentucky Board of Education, Kentucky School Administrators Association, Kentucky School Boards Association, and the Kentucky Charter Schools Advisory Council.

St. Louis, Mo

Directed St. Louis operations of the University of Missouri’s charter school office consisting of a portfolio of ten K-12 schools serving approximately 4,000 students.Monitored school compliance and performance, using standard procedures and protocols that include site visits, surveys, attendance at board meetings, reviewing and collecting documents and coordinating activities with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Supervised one full time and one part time Charter School Liaison in their duties monitoring our sponsored schools. Worked collaboratively with diverse individuals including board members, administrators, teachers, state and federal officials, and the public to improve the charter school sector in St. Louis.Led two low performing school closure transition teams that included stakeholders from the schools’ boards, staff and the MO Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and monitored each school’s final year of operations.Led a full- scale baseline review of Confluence Academies charter schools, a 2,500-student network, after MU acquired sponsorship of the network in July 2014. Reported findings to the school’s Board of Directors.Led the Missouri Charter School Sponsors Network through a full review of state statutes for recommendations to a statewide workgroup reviewing the law. Reviewed policies and procedures for school oversight by our office and created a formal, written proposal to move to a tiered monitoring system based on level of performance within our four quality standards.

St. Louis, Mo

Fill in for Executive Director managing staff and attending events and meetings with key stakeholders and funders when necessary. Represent the Association and member schools on all matters regarding the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.Work with Director of Business Operations to develop and manage budget for advocacy and communications functions.Retained all duties of Director of Advocacy and Communications (Detailed below). Represent Association on forum panels, state charter school association meetings, in media and in meetings with funders in lieu of Executive Director when necessary. Submit official Association comments and negotiate with Department General Counsel on rules governing charter schools to see that statutes are followed. Report final product to Executive Director and members and recommend next steps. Responsible for managing a $135,000 budget for Association advocacy and communications activities. Make recommendations to Executive Director and Business Operations Manager for future budget priorities.Continue developing and executing Association legislative agenda and communications plan.

St. Louis, Mo

Managed Association’s direct to legislator lobbying in the Missouri State Capitol and with local government officials.Crafted and implemented Association’s legislative agenda, secured buy in from members and reported results. Developed and executed Association’s communications plan to both external and internal publics. Responsible for all Association communications outputs including website, social media outlets, traditional media outreach (press releases, Op-eds, LTEs) and distribution of two Association electronic newsletters.Led the effort in building a coalition of legislators and other stakeholder to pass SB 576, the first major charter school expansion and accountability legislation passed since 1998. Bill was signed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Changed legislative agenda formation from staff to member led process by organizing pre- session input meetings, receiving regular member feedback and frequently reporting progress and outcomes. Manage two contract lobbyists in day- to- day direct lobbying in the Missouri State Capitol.Redesigned Association website, created and maintain Association social media channels and revived monthly electronic newsletter. All have sustained steady analytics growth

Saint Louis, Missouri

Lobby directly to legislators and testify before legislative committees to promote Council's education reform policies.Build coalitions of like- minded organizations, businesses, civic groups and parents to promote education reform advocacy.Represent both organizations in traditional media outreach through Op-Eds, LTEs, and personal interviews.Create and manage content of Council's website and new media outreach through FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube. Worked with MCPSA Executive Director, and lobbyists, to promote charter school expansion legislation. Successfully overturned St. Louis Public Schools’ policy on deed restricting closed schools, prohibiting their purchase by public charter schools via focused four month grassroots campaign. Policy had been in effect for 15 months. Worked with allies to successfully pass a reform oriented education omnibus bill during the 2009 legislative session. Had Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor published in major statewide newspapers

Manage up to 10 associates in field on grassroots projects; built coalitions and lead team members.Create strategies to maximize legislative influence via writing letters to legislators, LTEs, Op-Eds, and hearing testimony.Attend meetings with 3rd party groups and compose strategy; recruit business owners to form coalitions.Led team of associates in 3 states in grassroots efforts aimed at defeating tax increases on client’s products. Conducted communication leadership as liaison with key businesses who stood to lose sales/profits. Successfully persuaded 2 states to not pass tax increase and 3rd state passed substantially lower increase than original proposal. Coordinate grassroots efforts aimed at defeating proposed legislation that would severely limit marketing ability of client. Successful in defeating/stalling legislation in 2 states; gained important satisfactory exemptions for client in other states. Organized and coached “champions” of “vote no” campaign to represent issues of professional organization in threat of hostile takeover vote. Gained endorsements from 3 chapters and influenced several others to vote against merger. Due to campaign, pro-merger realized defeat and changed terms of merger agreement to satisfaction of all parties.

Research legislation affecting coalitions and clients; identify/recruit businesses/civic groups to form grassroots coalitions.Create communications strategies, i.e. letters to legislators/media outlets; set up media appearances and manage public relations.Managed team of 20 interns including recruitment, hiring, compensation, scheduling and performance. Researched best locations and events for maximum exposure. Team consistently outperformed weekly goals; integral part in placing constitutional amendment on Ohio ballot. Organized/managed all local media interviews in support of ally advancing President Bush on Social Security reform tour, including interviews with 3 local network affiliate stations, local political talk radio show and morning radio show. Received high commendations from client for perfectly executed media tour that subsequently led to 2 additional contracts.Organized contacts from state level industry organizations and individual stakeholders who would have been harmed by legislation to increase regulation on industry and limit healthcare options for patients. Top producer of 10 consultants hired by client; publicly acknowledged for job well done.

Bachelor Of Science, Double Major In Political Science And Public Relations

Activities and Societies: Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honors Society)

Communications Media Arts