Direct the executive and administrative operations of SJI, including supervising staff, budgeting and finance, human resources, vendor and other government agency relations, and information technology. Manage the development and implementation of policies, programs, guidelines, and management systems in support of SJI’s internal operations and grant programs. Coordinate the Strategic Initiatives Grants program to focus on major state court issues at the national level. Review grant applications and make funding recommendations to the Board of Directors for projects with greatest impact for the state courts and SJI. Lead SJI Board meetings and facilitate meeting discussions on grant decisions. Make policy recommendations to the Board of Directors for initiatives that will benefit the state courts. Work closely with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other federal agencies, foundations, and national court support organizations to develop and administer joint grants. Serve as SJI’s point of contact for House and Senate authorization and appropriation committees with SJI oversight responsibilities, congressional staff, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), White House Office of Presidential Personnel, DOJ, and other federal agencies. Represent SJI at various external conferences and meetings. Give presentations on various topics including availability of SJI grant funding to the state courts.

Assisted in the management of the operations of SJI, including budgeting and finance, human resources, vendor and other government agency relations, and information technology. Streamlined internal business processes and develop new methodologies to improve customer service and efficiency, and reduce costs. Specific experience included developing a new grant management system to replace a legacy database and working with the General Services Administration (GSA) to reconcile prior year accounts, monitored financial and payroll accounting, and established greater financial controls over appropriated funds. Acted as Executive Director of SJI on various occasions. Reviewed grant applications and made funding recommendations to the Board of Directors for projects with greatest impact for the state courts and SJI. Managed an active list of grants and provide guidance to grantees on executing SJI-funded projects. Facilitated SJI Board meetings and lead meeting discussions on grant decisions. Coordinated the Strategic Initiatives Grants program to focus on immigration issues in the state courts. Served as SJI’s point of contact for House and Senate authorization and appropriation committees with SJI oversight responsibilities, congressional staff, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), White House Office of Presidential Personnel, DOJ, and other federal agencies.

Analyzed budget requests and recommended resource levels to the Attorney General for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). Prepared position papers and briefing materials for congressional hearings, and responded to OMB, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and congressional inquiries. Monitored and tracked obligations and expenditures, prepared financial status reports, and analyzed reprogramming requests in an oversight capacity. Analyzed other programmatic issues impacting DOJ such as the Department of State’s Capital Security Cost Sharing and International Cooperative Administrative Support Services programs. Specific budget experience working with DEA’s domestic and international programs, the OCDETF Fusion Center and co-located task forces, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on DOJ’s response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Performed program and policy analyses to identify, articulate, and justify budget requests for DEA. Worked with DEA program managers in determining resource requirements in support of program and enforcement needs. Worked with DOJ, OMB, and ONDCP to address resource policy matters, and to support and defend requests for DEA’s resource requirements. Developed, published, and presented necessary briefing materials for DEA officials testifying before DOJ, OMB, and congressional authorization and appropriation subcommittees with DEA oversight responsibilities. Responded to internal and external requests for program and policy information, including congressional reporting requirements.Coordinated with DEA program offices and the budget execution staff to ensure enacted resources, including the allocation of new positions, were implemented consistent with congressional intent and agency priorities. Analyzed current year resource requests from program offices and made funding recommendations.

Principal staffer responsible for analyzing the FY 2005 budget requests of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Commission on International Religious Freedom, Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the U.S.-China Commission, Commission on Civil Rights, and the Marine Mammal Commission. Responsible for updating the Chairman of the Subcommittee on substantive policy, legislative, and budgetary issues related to those agencies for the current fiscal year and 2005 request. Coordinated the annual appropriations process, including hearings, briefing materials, member requests, and the development of bill and report language.