Jenny Wright Collins Email & Phone Number

Lead key education partnerships and initiatives for the Y under the Center for Social Impact including Achievers, Beacons, Career Pathways, University Y, and Youth in Government (Center for Youth Voice).

University Of Minnesota

Lead the YMCA on the University of Minnesota campus and the Beacons Network, a community collaborative of multiple school districts and youth development organizations focused on K-12 educational equity. Lead regional strategies for youth programming and evaluation. Expanded Beacons to Richfield and into Higher Education through Beacons Next Generation project with Minneapolis College and the University of Minnesota.Key results include:• Manage an annual budget portfolio between $3-4M.• Secure and manage $2M in federal funding with sub-granting to partner schools and agencies.• Created an organization-wide framework for youth outcomes to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation/assessment of Y youth programs.• Recruit, retain, and lead diverse and inclusive staff teams for programs and partnerships serving over 6,000 youth annually.• Lead a board and fundraising campaign ($100K annually and $850K in major gift campaign).• Increased endowment from 3.3M to 5.1M through planned giving program in five years.• Facilitated strategic planning with Y board, Y statewide alliance, and Beacons Network partners.• Procured longitudinal evaluation to demonstrate youth program impact.• Collaborated with Y USA and National Beacons Network to advance youth policy and practice.

Served as Core Network staff for a collaborative partnership between the YMCA, YWCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Minneapolis Public Schools modeled after the successful citywide Beacons Project in New York City. Key results:• Secured and managed over $1M in federal, state, and private grants.• Implemented sub-granting and monitoring processes with Beacons partners (YMCA, YWCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, Minneapolis Public Schools).• Designed and procured professional development to connect research to practice with 200+ youth development staff.• Developed a comprehensive Beacons evaluation plan and implemented data collection, analysis, and continuous improvement processes.• Designed citywide systems to amplify youth voice and build capacity for youth-adult partnership.• Ensured fidelity to the Beacons model through technical assistance and quality monitoring.• Elevated the Beacons brand through communications plan development and execution, including writing copy and managing content for website and printed materials.• Hosted Beacons National Network for national convenings and conferences.

Minneapolis Public Schools; Webster And Anne Sullivan K-8 Schools

Served five years full time in urban schools as a YMCA professional supervising operations of a school-based afterschool center serving 250+ kids per day with 50+ Y staff, MPS teachers & community partners. Key strategies included engaging youth in program design and leadership and implementing effective practices for family engagement and community collaboration.

Webster Open School

Served an a Youthworker and academic enrichment support staff afterschool.

Served in progressive leadership roles as a young adult at an overnight summer camp. Gained skills in leadership development, group facilitation, and experiential education.

Youthwork Practitioners Fellowship With University Of Minnesota, Minnesota Writing Project And Afterschool Matters

Evaluation Fellowship, Evaluation Fellows Program, College Of Education And Human Development

Master'S Degree, Education: Youth Development Leadership

Bachelor'S Of Individualized Studies, College Of Liberal Arts: Urban Studies, Youth Studies, Writing

Undergraduate Credits, Spanish Minor And Creative Writing