Eileen Dombrowski Email & Phone Number

Maynooth, County Kildare, Ie

Lilongwe, Central Region, Malawi, Malawi

As Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP), I support the Chief of Party (COP) in operational and technical planning and management of the STEP project. This includes providing leadership for the project in planning and implementing key activities including the development of workplans, tracking progress against objectives, and ensuring quality delivery.

Provide management programming and research through various funders, including USAID and DFAT. This includes management of School-to-School’s subcontract under the USAID-funded Skills and Technical Education Programme (STEP) program in Malawi, as well as previous management of the subcontract under All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development. Under this subcontract, School-to-School evaluates inclusive education programming by grantees in Malawi, Nepal and Papua New Guinea, as well a separate study examining the CFM-TV in Nepal. Provides technical support in early childhood education for children with disabilities and screening and identification, including serving as lead author on an internally funded white paper on engagement with Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs). Contributes to technical deliverables, including literature reviews, research tools, protocol development, and qualitative and quantitative data analysis. This included supporting the piloting of an adapted EGRA for learners who are deaf in Rwanda. Manages three Project Coordinators and provides day-to-day support to StS’ staff within the STEP project in Malawi.

Management of inclusive education programming and research through a variety of funders, including USAID and World Bank. Supporting operational implementation including work planning, ensuring compliance with USAID regulations and deliverable timelines, budget management and report writing. Contributing to technical deliverables, including literature reviews, stakeholder mapping, development of research tools and protocols, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. Provides technical support in the areas of early childhood education for children with disabilities and screening and identification. Supports new business development, including tracking new opportunities and providing proposal coordination.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Provided technical support to the early childhood development team and its projects, including support with training and report writing activities under the UNICEF-funded Measuring Early Learning and Quality Outcomes (MELQO) project in Tanzania and the DFID-funded Early Years Enrolment and Repetition study in Uganda. Assisted with ECD research projects, including an analysis of preschool academic outcomes across RTI early grade reading assessments, and a review of child care policy and practice in low- and middle-income countries. Supported two qualitative studies within RTI’s CIFF-funded Tayari project in Kenya: one on early math skills, and one on best practices for teaching multi-grade classrooms. Supported administrative, operational, and financial duties on RTI’s USAID-funded Malawi MERIT project. Supported disability and special education initiatives for the International Education division. This included collaborating with the USAID-funded Kenya Tusome project staff on learning disabilities guidance for teachers, and meeting with Kenya’s Ministry staff to seek feedback on this guidance. Served as principal investigator on an upcoming internally funded qualitative study of inclusion of children with disabilities within RTI’s Tayari project.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Provided project coordination and administration assistance on the ECD Strategic Investment Fund (SIF), including budget and project task management. Supported business development strategy through monitoring forecast of donor opportunities and project pipeline. Assisted with ECD research projects, including an ethnographic study of social emotional skills in Tanzania, a white paper of current practice for young children with disabilities, and a review of child care policy and practice in low and middle-income countries. Assisted with proposal work, including three proposals to the World Bank.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Monitored and analyzed federal legislation and regulations in the areas of early intervention, early childhood education and special education. Assisted senior leadership in the development of state and government relations policy agenda. Advanced organization’s service to member affiliates’ work in federal and state legislative and regulatory agenda through written communications as well as advocacy materials such as issue summaries/briefs, testimony, and comment letters. Managed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) initiative; supported more than 30 Easter Seals affiliates in implementation of developmental screening tool. Developed resources for the Make the First Five Count (MtFFC) initiative, including manuals for inclusive childcare. Provided consultation on early childhood development and education issues in-house, as well as for outside organizations via teleconferences and webinars.• Represented the organization as co-chair of the Education Task Force for the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and board member of Committee for Education Funding.• Redesigned organization’s ASQ communications to parents; increased the number of returning parents to ASQ site. - Worked with 31 affiliates to implement ASQ on the local level; created and implemented a monthly call to further engage them in working with the ASQ and facilitate networking. - Created and provided content for a new monthly newsletter for parents taking ASQ to help engage them in their child’s progress and become future Easter Seals supporters.• Updated and improved MtFFC materials to increase number of Easter Seals assets for future use.• Contributed to addition of language protecting students with disabilities taking alternative assessments in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).• Contributed to the development and implementation of education policy at the system level.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Coordinated government affairs and served as lead policy advocate for the initiative for U.S. ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), alongside international non-profits such as U.S. Fund for UNICEF and American Red Cross. Directed 10 grass-root advocates. Assisted in developing short and long-term program plans. Supported design of performance objectives. Led a coalition of 25 disability organizations through weekly calls and individual communication. Educated American disability community and Congress regarding disability inclusion in foreign affairs. Managed grant application and reporting process from National Council on Disabilities, Open Society Foundation, Libra Foundation and Wellspring Foundation. • Served as USICD representative on InterAction Public Policy Committee and CCD International Task Force.• Organized a sign-on letter of 50 prominent international non-profits supporting CRPD.• Wrote, implemented and reported on a $3,000 grant from NCD to bring advocates to D.C. for training on CRPD.• Reported on $100,000 in grants from Libra Foundation, Open Society Foundation and Wellspring Foundation.• Initiated outreach that resulted in overflow attendance at two CRPD hearings in the U.S Senate.

Washington, Dc

Monitored and analyzed Washington, D.C. legislation, as well as regulations regarding early intervention and special education. Conducted research and analyses; prepared analytical briefs in support of strategic priorities and work plans. Regularly wrote and delivered testimony to D.C. City Council and D.C. government agencies. Provided input and analysis towards preparation and coordination of briefing notes and background materials on special education matters.• Taught transition classes for secondary students with intellectual disabilities within D.C. Public Schools.• Engaged and planned initiatives with local coalitions such as the DC Community of Practice.• Contributed to the development and implementation of the education policy at the system level.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Attended and reported back to DREDF's Policy Analyst in meetings related to education, healthcare and civil rights of persons with disabilities. • Lobbied on Capitol Hill for disability issues, including the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Wrote and monitored Individualized Education Plans for 12 children in inclusive school settings.• Coordinated with three inclusion teaching teams, including creation of individualized teaching materials.• Performed Special Education Coordinator duties two days per week. Tasks included monitoring student files and special education paperwork.

Gambia

Conducted a needs assessment of Sibanor Lower Basic School. Trained teachers at a missionary-led village preschool in various components of an early childhood curriculum. - Played a key role in the acquisition of books and materials to start the school’s first library. - Procured 375 age-appropriate books from various donors and prepared for student use. - Created a school library schedule and assisted with early-stage implementation. - Opened library daily outside of school hours to allow students extra opportunities to explore library materials, with 20 to 50 students using the library, each outside of school hours. - Credited with establishing a teacher resource center in the library at the primary school, which included paper, markers, stickers and books on teaching specific subjects.• Trained teachers from local Christian preschool in components of an early childhood curriculum.

Washington, Dc

• Wrote and monitored Individualized Education Plans for six children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).• Trained and supervised a teaching team of two teacher assistants.

Romania

Provided educational consultation to Micul Prinţ, a non-profit organization serving children with autism. Developed an information-sharing partnership between Micul Prinţ and a U.S.-based educational organization. Worked with Romanian Angel Appeal, an international organization that works with children diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Scored “Advanced” on Language Proficiency Interview.• Secured a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop and implement a volunteer training program for Micul Prinţ. - Provided staff training in Applied Behavior Analysis. Trained and monitored 15 volunteers, with 5 volunteers able to implement the full 4 months of therapy with children with autism.• Worked with Romanian Red Cross to create a volunteer program that matched high school students with children in a local institution.

Master Of Education - Med, International And Comparative Education

Master Of Education - Med, Early Childhood Special Education

Bachelor Of Education - Bed, Early Childhood Special Education

Activities and Societies: President of Amnesty International