Currently serving as a Neighborhood and Community Investment Specialist (NCIS) for HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods program, a program that helps communities transform neighborhoods by revitalizing severely distressed public and/or assisted housing and catalyzing critical improvements in the neighborhood, including vacant property, housing, businesses, services and schools. I manage both planning and implementation grants for the Choice Neighborhoods program. As a NCIS, I assist communities with neighborhood revitalization plans, create policy guidance and recommendations, review housing development proposals, advise on critical community improvement plans, and provide guidance on community engagement and neighborhood improvement strategies such as vacant housing strategies, mixed-use, homeowner and commercial facade improvements, and place-making activities. This includes researching best practices, sharing strategies with planning and implementation grantees, facilitating a "doing while planning" neighborhood breakout session for an interactive planning grantee webinar, and contributing to the Choice Neighborhoods newsletter.

Led the Northwest District community planning efforts in the Comprehensive Planning and Revitalization Division. As a community planner, I worked with city agencies, private citizens, neighborhood and community-based organizations, and non-profits to ensure that sound planning principles were the basis for neighborhood planning efforts. Responsibilities included coordinating community review of development plans, zoning appeals, and planning-related City Council bills and providing planning and policy expertise to communities, developers, and City officials. Additionally, I supported the City’s INSPIRE planning program, which focused on the neighborhoods immediately surrounding modernized schools in the 21st Century Schools Initiative. I also staffed the Pimlico Community Development Authority (PCDA), a fifteen-member advisory group established to provide community input on how local impact aid (LIA) is allocated in the Pimlico area. For PCDA, I led outreach efforts, administered community grant competitions, drafted the PCDA quarterly report for the MD Legislative Policy Committee, and facilitated the creation of an annual spending plan for the expenditure of approximately $3 to $8 million of LIA funds to promote economic and community development.

As a Neighborhood and Community Investment Specialist for HUD’s innovative community development initiatives, opportunities include leading Choice Neighborhoods and HOPE VI grant management teams, facilitating collaborative partnerships, assisting communities with neighborhood revitalization plans, creating policy guidance and recommendations, resolving programmatic issues, reviewing housing development proposals, and providing guidance on technical matters to grantees. Housing development experience includes processing mixed-finance transactions consisting of public, private, and non-profit funds for market rate rental, tax credit, home-ownership, subsidized, and public housing units. Tasks include performing financial analysis, evaluating sources and uses, reviewing construction costs, covenant compliance, and implementing applicable federal regulations.Grant portfolio: Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Denver, CO; Pasco County, FL; Rockford, IL; Sacramento, CA; San Antonio, TX; Tampa, FL; Washington, DC; and Winston-Salem, NC.

As a Grant Manager for Choice Neighborhoods and HOPE VI, duties include managing Choice Neighborhoods and HOPE VI implementation and grants, providing guidance for the development of community-driven neighborhood revitalization plans, processing mixed-finance transactions, communicating with federal, state, and local stakeholders, coordinating site visits, preparing congressional reports, and analyzing data.Grant management and housing development experience includes working with grantees nationally and in Washington, DC.

Through a professional development program at HUD, I participated in a 6 month detail to the Office for International and Philanthropic Innovation (IPI). Accomplishments include: facilitating a two day U.S. Brazil Learning Exchange on affordable rental housing policy and multi-sector partnerships, developing the agenda and briefing papers for U.S. participants and the Brazilian delegation, assisting with logistical arrangements, and organizing site visits. Other opportunities include: maintaining relationships with foreign delegations, coordinating briefing calls for funders, and updating IPI's Foundation database.

Provided oversight of Public Housing Authorities (PHA), monitored the distribution of funds, and researched statutes, regulations, and notices. In addition to regular duties, participated in the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP), a two year professional development program with rotational assignments, formal training, and mentoring.

Provided support for programming offered by Global Citizens Network (GCN), a non-profit that coordinates cross-cultural immersion trips for teams of volunteers to live and work in indigenous communities throughout the world.

Collaborated with Director, staff, and artists at Urban Arts to ensure successful programming of the Summer Arts Camp for elementary and middle school students. Urban Arts Academy is a neighborhood-based, non-profit organization that offers culturally inclusive arts, music, and academic tutoring programs.

Taught Portuguese in a traditional classroom setting and individualized instruction. Incorporated technology in the classroom, utilized an on-line learning system, and implemented communicative teaching techniques.

Served as a liaison between Ohio State University and Andean Studies in Quito, Ecuador and managed a group of twenty-five college students during their summer study abroad program. Worked with students, faculty, staff, and families to facilitate the transition abroad and provided a supporting environment for students to live and learn.

Selectively chosen as a Graduate Teaching Associate to teach Spanish at Ohio State University. Planned, organized, and managed six Spanish language and culture classes; created lesson plans integrated with PowerPoint and on-line activities. Presented Hispanic literatures and cultures and raised awareness about current sociocultural topics such as bilingualism in the United States, immigration, and indigenous representation.

Assisted colleagues at the Center for Latin American Studies to promote the dissemination of knowledge about Latin America throughout the Ohio State campus and in local communities. Other duties included managing the Center's website, aiding with events planning, and collecting and analyzing data for scholarships and grants.