Supervises TANF Employment and Training Policy Unit of Human Services Program Specialists for the Bureau of Employment Programs; plans and organizes work, assigns work, determines work priorities, set goals, reviews work performances and evaluates work performances. Establishes Policy Unit goals, objectives, priorities and procedures and staff assignments. Directs and supervises the research, development and interpretation of policy changes in PA Code, Cash Handbook, and the Office on Income Maintenance (OIM) manuals consistent with the TANF State Plan. Update and maintain the state TANF Work Verification Plan. Works closely with Federal officials to ensure PA’s TANF Plan is compliant with all Federal requirements. Develops plans for implementation of employment and training requirements. Develops policy, info and OPS memos needed to implement changes. Plans, coordinates and supervises the development of procedures. Reviews, analyzes, interprets and comments on draft legislation effects on Employment and Training ( E&T). Meets with multiple agencies to resolve problems with the implementation of regulations, procedures and/or forms. Coordinates with other programs to ensure the provision of services necessary for the client’s transition to work, requiring review and analysis on the impact of other program offices’ policies and procedures on the E&T program. Responds to questions by income maintenance personnel regarding operational procedures of specific programs. Monitors the implementation of regulations, procedures, systems and forms in County Assistance Offices. Directs the development of training programs for CAO E&T staff. Conducts meetings and conferences with staff, partnering agencies, other State Departments, contractors and community groups. Reviews TANF RESET sanctions. Writes and manages state reports and other material as requested on assignments and unit activities. Prepares and presents PowerPoint presentations as requested.

Program adviser to refugee providers that oversee the administration of programs that provide quality, effective and efficient services to refugees in the community; employment, outreach, citizenship, interpretation/translation, health, education and elderly services to ensure that they obtain self-sufficiency as soon as possible after arrival into the US. Lead on County Assistance Office relations, refugee benefit administration, policy, and oversight. Created Refugee Cash Assistance and Refugee Medical Assistance training for CAO staff and conducted training. Updated handbook on refugee benefit administration policy and procedures. Created provider and training modules. Presented at Pennsylvania Workforce Development Conference in Hershey. Created quarterly newsletter to inform and connect all Pennsylvania refugee providers, stakeholders, community members, and government offices. Maintained and updated web site. Collaborated with service providers, advocates, stakeholders, other DHS program offices, state and federal agencies, local government entities and other interested parties. Independently analyzed, evaluated, and provided programmatic and fiscal support for programs administered by the RRP; including Refugee Social Services; Targeted Assistance; Refugee School Impact Grant; and Older Refugee Programs. Review and analyze federal requirements, gather and analyze of statistical and fiscal data, and providing program support and technical assistance to providers. Assisted in the development and submission of grant applications. Organized and analyzed refugee data to completed necessary federal reports. Assisted in the development and issuance of Request for Proposals and evaluating proposals. Monitored contracts and budgets for compliance with federal regulations and program guidelines. Prepared federal reports. Organized and participated in annual Statewide Consultation and quarterly regional meetings. Maintained reports and records. Traveled extensively.

Temporarily directed the Division of Contracted Programs within the Bureau of Employment Programs while incumbent was on leave. Supervised four Human Service Program Specialist Supervisors. Direct work flow. Assist the Bureau Director and the Bureau Director's assistant. Work closely with the other Division Director within the Bureau. Ensure work is delegated appropriately, with the expectation and timelines understood. Reviewed monitoring reports, edited, and approved them. Reviewed program manuals, edited, and approved them. Reviewed all work items and training that were to be shared externally. Approved leave for division staff. Worked evenings and weekends as required. Responded directly to Deputy Secretary of the Office of Income Maintenance and Secretary of the Department of Human Services when necessary. Researched allowable expenses for multiple grant types as it applied to contract budget items. Worked with the Administration for Children and Families for technical assistance and policy guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Created programmatic procedures and guidelines for employment and training response to COVID-19. Updated Human Service Program Supervisor job descriptions. Reviewed a federal grant application. Participated in team building activities and meetings to encourage support and participation during telework. Created an attendance database to log daily attendance and utilization of leave time. Accepted and reviewed telework logs for Human Service Program Specialist Supervisors. Held weekly meetings via Skype with each Human Service Program Specialist Supervisor in the Division. Review, edit, and approve contractors Statement of Work for the upcoming Employment and Training redesign and contract. Assist with the creation of program redesign training and monitoring processes. Oversaw the process to end contracted providers contracts, as well as renewing contracts. Worked closely with the Bureau of Program Support to accomplish daily tasks.

Review personal and financial data to determine eligibility for Department of Public Welfare programs SNAP (formerly food stamps), Medicaid, LIHEAP cash and crisis grants, and TANF cash assistance. Interview clients via telephone, in person, and via mail for government programs. Analyze applications, request verification of non-financial and financial data to determine whether applicant qualifies for government assistance benefits. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to multitask and utilize effective time management abilities. Maintain a caseload of hundreds of active clients; redetermine eligibility routinely, update personal/financial data as it changes, write understandable and complete case comments. Constantly manage and clear an active dashboard with alerts for criminal history, income, life events that may affect eligibility. Dashboard also has customer support tickets that must be handled, disposed, and narrated appropriately. Ability to understand office procedures as well as interpret state and federal policies governing assistance benefits which are constantly evolving. Adhere to strict deadlines. Track all adults enrolled in ETP (employment training programs). Liaison with local WIA (Workforice Investment Act) office to make sure clients are compliant with their AMR (Agreement of Mutual Responsibility) for TANF cash assistance. Meet monthly with WIA office to discuss client progress, and as needed for non-compliance issues. Work with local Domestic Relations office to make sure clients are compliant with support requirements. Referral clients to community partners as needed. Complete all other duties as requested.

Duties vary from week to week. Switchboard, reception, application clearing/processing, case initiation, filing. Issuing central and local EBT Cards, central and local TD55 cards; logging controlled documents and details associated with these. Issuing central and local benefit orders. Processing of incoming and outgoing mail. Active liaison between clients and case workers. Ability to access statewide databases to recover client details for the caseworkers. Proficient with eCIS, Attachmate Accessory, FileClerk, DocuShare, Dashboard, and numerous other computer applications associated with the commonwealth government daily functioning. Scanning and Imaging client data.

Managed English-speaking support worldwide. Offered support to 41,000 forum users and customers. Entered bug reports into a database. Communicated daily with customers via Internet Relay Chat, email, message forums, and in game. Coordinated community events, such as contests and in-game interaction. Organized and attended the UK Neocron Gathering in Nottingham, England for summer 2003 and again for winter 2004 in Southend-on-Sea, England. Voice actress for video game tutorial. While the paid position terminated with the second insolvency of Reakktor Media, I continued to volunteer my time until March 2013.

Worked closely with the CEO to develop and create brochures, commercials, catalogs, business cards, course notebooks, and other information for our trainers and prospective students. Typed, filed, and organized office information and teaching guides. Interacted with trainers to assist them in developing their coursework. Wrote and distributed press releases. Updated company web sites. Produced Stop Gap Radio Show for women. Utilizing existing course work and research information to create a time-management course for prospective students. Uploaded and managed radio shows on a podcast server. As part of my employment, required to take two Sparks courses: Customer Service and Frontline Sales course and passed; gained certificate as well as Train the Trainer; Adult Training course and passed; gained certificate.

Key part of a 3 person programming team for three local radio stations. Responsible for repositioning an AM radio station. Broadcasted the morning show from 6am to 10am. Marketing and advertising experience; wrote copy for commercials. Worked with production. Conceptualized and voiced a pre-recorded Saturday night, hour long modern rock show on an FM station. Updated web sites. Wrote press releases. Organized promotional events. Broadcasted live remotes from businesses and events in the community.

Created company web site. Sat on the community and business marketing/promotions committees. Responsible for finances and monthly financial reports. Responsible for accounts payable and accounts receivable. Produced press releases, fliers, forms, brochures, and handouts. Planned and coordinated events in the community such as a Heritage Days Celebration. Using receipts and historical data, projected operational budget using Quicken. Assisted Director with grant writing.

Learned Native American crafts, candle making, and clay figure sculpting. Other responsibilities included stocking shelves, cleaning store, waiting on customers, answering phones, fax/scanner/printer/copier, developing the store web site, and some light bookkeeping.