I have a real passion for youth, so much so that I've made youth engagement my lifestyle. Public safety is important to me because I believe that everyone has the right to feel and be safe in their community. One of the gifts I've been given is being a friend to the friendless.

Exceed Enterprises has been working with adults with disabilities since 1968. Work Futures (a program of Exceed) has been working with job seekers since 2013. Certified Job Developers work with clients who have intellectual and developmental disabilities who come to us via Brokerages, County Case Managers and Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Offices. We are client-customer driven and we see our job seekers as 100% responsible for: Meeting with job developers to be part of the process, getting to tours, interviews and work sites independently and being the worker and liaison between the employer and Work Futures' Community Employment Specialists.Our Mission is to assist adults living with disabilities to find and retain both customized and competitive employment in the Pacific Northwest Region.Work Futures believes in building quality, long-term relationships based on mutual respect, understanding and trust with each individual for whom our team provides services. We further believe in order to achieve the greatest outcomes for those we serve, cultivating relationships with our community partners and potential employers is paramount to ensure their needs are met as well. Our Discovery process will assist us in highlighting the individual's unique skills, talents and abilities that will serve as the gateway to their career exploration.We are committed to supporting individuals to be successful in job skill building, job searches, job placement and sustaining that work through their continued growth and our partners' continued success.

Support Steering Committee Meetings (Secure locations, dates and times, Ensure reminder calls/emails, Help prepare agendas, Take notes & disseminate). Support Full Committee Meetings (Secure locations, dates and times, Ensure reminder calls/emails, Help prepare agendas, Take notes & disseminate, Ensure next steps are communicated).Support Legislative Lobby Day (Setting up date, time and location, coordinating food and setup for meetings with legislators, helping steering committee create and execute outreach plan, preparing packets/materials). Track and keep committee informed on key education meetings in Oregon (OEIB, ODE, SBE, Legislative Education Committees, Funding Task Force). Setup meetings/presentations with partner organizations if needed. Create/maintain current list of members and updated contact infoMaintain website

Supervises Job Developers and Retention SpecialistIdentifies local labor market trends while developing a CJC workforce development planBuild relationships with area employers and local community colleges for credentialingCoordinates with partners and community presentations for recruiting outcomesDraft and approval of all support request under $100.00SMART intern coordination and administration, program planning, and MIS data inputWorking with employers to increase the pool of part-time opportunities focusing on the labor market: higher wagesPartnering with corporate liaisons to establish a process to ensure tax credit opportunities are being utilizedPartnering with recruiters to conduct pre-screens for positionsCoordinates with local community employer presentations to youth for employment opportunities Regional Community Re-Entry Coordinator

Tri-County Re-Entry Consultant, Created & Designed youth reentry programsChair of the Metro Youth Reentry CouncilFacilitation of multi-jurisdictional community and governmental partner meetings/strategy planning sessionsPublic speaking, Media spokesperson, Community Accountability Board facilitator and trainerVolunteer recruitment, trainer and monitorMember of the Governor’s Youth Reentry Council

Community organizing and mobilization, youth and family advocacy, mentoring & trainingOrganized youth/adult community forums and ralliesTestified at City and County Council meetings on behalf of residents of the greater Portland Metropolitan area regarding youth service provider funding/resources as they related to the negative impact of increasing street gang activityMember of the Gang Violence Task Force and Advisor to the Portland Police BureauConduct Gang Outreach consultations/assessments to at-risk & high-risk youth/families in area public, private and alternative schools, community centers, churches, state youth training and adult correctional facilitiesGrant writer, media SpokespersonDirector of the Office of Youth Violence Prevention

Created/implemented youth violence prevention strategies that addressed the root causes of problems in neighborhoods, schools, youth serving agencies, social/recreational events that lead to gang-involved activities Coordinated youth-related community and city resources, Community and governmental resource organizingServed as youth violence prevention advisor to City Council Awarded grants that reinvigorated the City of Portland’s gang outreach services to high-risk youth and families Established and maintained working relationships with city, county, state and federal government partners to maximize resources and enhance collaboration and communication Coordinated stakeholder meetings between community groups and governmental partners to discuss and develop strategic plans that addressed youth violence with an emphasis on gang involvement Developed and maintained an oversight/governing committee that advised and guided the work of the Office of Youth Violence Prevention that represented Portland’s changing demographic Identified local, county, state, federal and private funding sources to address youth violence issues Trained service providers by defining and developing standards for gang outreach including assessment tools for existing practices that improved service provision Coordinated the sharing of gang intelligence information that targeted specific gang activity city-wide, Developed an youth advisory boards Responded to media inquiries regarding youth violence related strategies and events Participated in community education meetings to inform residents of the latest gang trends and prevention tools Coordinated meetings with members of the faith community and representatives for the purposes of information sharing, resource development, asset and capacity building

Responsible for providing various community involvement services to 13 neighborhoods that housed approximately 70,000 residents Community Organizing, managed several public safety programs created by the NECN Recruited, hired, trained, evaluated and terminated staff Conducted workshops, seminars and trainings to youth, parents, churches, schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies and governmental groups on youth/gang violence prevention