Kate Allison-Clark, Mpa Email & Phone Number

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Area

Primary duties and accomplishments:- Provide onsite technical and strategic support to Caseworkers, Local Office Administrators, and regional leadership throughout Family Community Resource Centers in region 3, covering 14 offices across 23 central Illinois counties- Assist local offices in improving benefit processing and delivery of SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid programs- Provide go-live support and statewide training assistance during launch phases of a new online integrated eligibility system, used by every office to register new customer applications, eligibility determinations, and issue benefits- Serve as business process expert focusing on development, training, implementation, and ongoing support for statewide transition from case-based service delivery to a standardized task-based service delivery model- Complete quarterly presentations, regular office visits, weekly teleconferences, and provide daily updates to managers covering business process implementation updates- Participate in strategic activities as part of the Work Support Strategies (WSS) project team, comprised of leadership from multiple state departments and business process experts from all 5 Department of Human Services regions- Retrieve, analyze, interpret, and explain the importance and use of data available to local offices, a critical tool to assist Administrators in determining how to allocate resources, identify areas of strength, and how to better evaluate the production of workers both quantitatively and qualitatively- Work closely with the Regional Administrator to develop data tracking methods and office-specific reporting tools to address unique or location-specific service delivery methods- Develop guidelines and best practices for a region-wide benefit processing unit- Serve as primary regional resource in addressing how the new integrated eligibility system and former benefit processing systems interpret and process benefits based on defined program policies

Bloomington/Normal, Illinois Area

Primary responsibilities and accomplishments:- Instrumental staff member in the development of documents and curriculum, review of participant needs and funder requirements, and implementation of Next Step, a four-agency partnership to offer financial coaching, income supports, and educational and career services to community members and college students- Researched national best practices and developed curriculum for homeowner post-purchase workshops and individual counseling services, encouraging homeowners to maintain finances, review preventative home maintenance, and explore community resources as a proactive approach to foreclosure intervention- Provided community residents with housing and mortgage assistance program information, including application details for the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Hardest Hit Fund- Worked cooperatively with housing department staff in organizing, updating, presenting, and evaluating community workshops focusing on foreclosure intervention, credit building, and homebuyer education- Actively reviewed and updated all housing department processes, documentation, marketing materials, and client management system requirements to streamline service delivery, remove unnecessary customer requirements, and improve data collection and reporting- Assisted agency staff in data and information collection for grant applications, program evaluation, and monthly and quarterly reporting required by funding agencies

Janesville/Beloit, Wisconsin Area

Management Intern in the City Manager's Office during completion of Masters Degree program in Public Administration, focus on Nonprofit Management. Primary responsibilities and accomplishments:- Completed extensive research of academic literature, national and regional practices, and evaluation of current methods to develop recommendations to improve delivery of Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency program, with all research results presented to the Janesville Community Development Authority- Directed program research and project coordination for various City departments, including Community Development, Police, Leisure Services, Economic Development, Neighborhood Services, Information Technology, and Human Resources- Coordinated with City staff in researching and providing requested information to City Councilmembers, topics including 2013 budget information and water usage reports, amongst others- Represented the City at local and regional meetings and conferences with community groups, businesses, and governmental agencies covering issues related to economic development, community and code enforcement- Developed and distributed city-wide and department-specific marketing materials including press releases, brochures, event promotions, multi-page print and digital newsletters, and email campaigns

Dekalb, Il

Primary responsibilities and accomplishments:- Lead Case Manager in the development and implementation of the Work Experience program, an opportunity to place customers with local employers for temporary training periods- Developed all Work Experience marketing tools and recruited both business and individual customers to ensure skills and experience match the desires of both the employer and job seeker- Provided continued support to all Work Experience participants and employers and coordinated completion of required documents, including new hire paperwork and continued participant evaluations- Maintained ongoing case management with all Work Experience customers to ensure successful training placement and offered additional job search assistance upon completion of training placement period- Worked with local employers to obtain job postings and promote employment services available through the Illinois workNet Center, including applicant testing, employee hiring events, and job ad distribution- Frequently attended community events on behalf of the Illinois workNet Center, including job fairs, community and chamber events, and nonprofit and collaborative group meetings and trainings

Dekalb, Il

Primary responsibilities and accomplishments:- Assisted dislocated workers and low income individuals in applying for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) federal grant assistance available for career counseling, training, and individualized job search assistance- Lead Case Manager in implementing, staff and user training, and ongoing assistance with Elevate America, an on-line learning course offered through Microsoft and the Illinois workNet Center- Instructed Pathways to Careers, a bi-monthly workshop developed to assist customers in researching career paths and related training program options- Provided intensive case management to customers seeking job search, interviewing skills, resume development, and soft skills assistance before, during, and upon completion of training programs and provided details on available computer classes, employment fairs, and job seeker workshops- Collaborated closely with staff at the community college and university level to assist customers in choosing and enrolling in approved academic courses and assistance in understanding details about financial aid and expected graduation requirements

Assisted patients with explaining center services and reproductive health options through nonprofit clinic. Primary duties and accomplishments:- Explaining clinic procedures and services to current and new patients and other inquiring parties- Aided patients and staff members in answering questions and problem solving- Gained knowledge of medical practices, including HIPAA and OSHA training- First staff member to learn and regularly operation a new online appointment server

Masters Degree, Public Administration

Degree concentration in Nonprofit Management. Coursework completed while enrolled in program included: - Public Program Evaluation Methods.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.) Degree, Applied Sociology

Activities and Societies: Member of Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor SocietyCoursework included: - Qualitative.

Associate'S Degree, Business