Kate Brunk Email & Phone Number

United States

I work with municipalities, primarily small and midsized cities, to develop holistic funding strategies to improve or expand their local infrastructure. This includes state and federal grant research, needs assessment, application writing, and post-award grants management. I have supported clients in applying for infrastructure and cybersecurity grants through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Department of Energy, FEMA, and state agencies in Washington, California, and Colorado.

Bloomington, Illinois, United States

Labyrinth Made Goods creates Real Chances to empower women who have experienced incarceration by providing professional development training, apprenticeships, and permanent employment as a part of YWCA McLean County.We reinvest all proceeds from our nonprofit social enterprise to create more of these empowering opportunities so every purchase and donation supports our mission. As Director of Labyrinth Made Goods, I have two roles, one rooted in the business side of the social enterprise and the other rooted in the program side. On the business side, I oversee the day-to-day business operations, make strategic decisions about long-term product and business development, and am a servant leader to my staff to ensure we can make this start-up succeed while staying grounded in our mission. On the program side, I created a 120-hour professional development program aimed at meeting the needs and interests of women in our community who have experienced incarceration and also building skills in the areas local employers are looking for. I am also the program manager, a key facilitator, and lead our strategic planning around recruitment and program development.Through this role, I have:Led product development, marketing, revenue growth, and sales channel expansion each yearSupervise and work alongside staff, contractors, and volunteers to set and achieve programmatic, sales, and marketing goalsSecured $6,500 in grant funding directly and worked with team to secure and oversaw multi-year grants from Google, Starbucks, and Comcast of $350,000+Guided 20+ organizations in implementing YW Strive in their communitieswww.labyrinthmadegoods.comwww.ywcamclean.org/strive

Building a business that will employ formerly incarcerated women in McLean County and provide them with professional development through gainful employment and skills and job training

Bloomington/Normal, Illinois Area

• Plan, implement, and coordinate organization's initiative to reduce social isolation among older adults in ECIAAA's service area• Set agendas, lead group discussions, and push for the development of concrete action in interagency meetings• Provide educational public presentations about social isolation and solutions to address and prevent it• Support the legislative advocacy efforts of ECIAAA and the Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging• Create infographics, copy, and other advocacy materials about Area Agencies on Aging in Illinois• Develop user manual for new data tracking

Bloomington/Normal, Illinois Area

• Plan conferences and events• Assist with experimental research • Assist with teaching responsibilities, like lecturing and grading• Data coding for research

Jacksonville, Il

• Identified civic engagement projects that connected students’ passions to their academic and career goals • Led leadership skills training and global perspective discovery through various projects• Oversaw growth and expanded impact of youth literacy and mentoring program￮ Built and managed partnerships with six local public schools ￮ Created volunteer accountability procedures￮ Responded quickly to address problems and balanced needs of multiple constituencies• Designed, implemented, and oversaw growth of Alternative Break Program￮ Assisted in curriculum development around experiences ￮ Led six trips of 15-20 students to destinations across the US• Fostered program affiliations with local, national, and international organizations, including CARE USA andClinton Global Initiative University• Wrote and managed four successful grants totaling $4,000 to support programming• Recruited and supervised over 60 volunteers, student workers, and interns per semester• Represented civic engagement on Experiential Learning Committee tasked with allocating $100,000+ in student awards annually

Jacksonville, Illinois

• Managed youth literacy program and expanded to include four service learning courses and three partnering schools• Created a college persistence mentoring program for Illinois College TRIO students • Developed a student veteran support program and identified ways to make Illinois College more student-veteran friendly• Planned campus wide service projects in recognition of national days of services, like 9/11 and MLK Day

Virginia, Il

• Assisted veterinarian during appointments and open clinic• Fielded client calls and scheduled appointments• Filled prescriptions• Completed basic lab tests• Completed basic grooming tasks

Virginia, Illinois

• Assisted to patrons with questions and searches• Set up and implemented new collection management software

Ha Pechela, Lesotho

• Co-taught English at two elementary schools• Led a life skills class for girls at a local high school

Virginia, Illinois

Seasonal Employment; Duties: various, anything from filing, scanning, and data entry to creation of stock certificates and easement documents and completing uniform orders

Ingelheim Am Rhein, Germany

English as a second language teaching duties: team teaching, independent lessons, games, conversation practiceWorked in intercultural setting with grades 5 - 13Assisted in curriculum development

Jacksonville, Illinois

Duties: coordinated event preparation, created materials for on- and off-campus events, improved website information

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Completed a the semester long internship program through an internship with Women for Women International and by completing a nonprofit leadership and management course.

Jacksonville, Illinois

Duties: take problem calls, organize computer drop-off and pick-up, oversee equipment borrowing

Master Of Arts - Ma, Political Science And Government

In my master's thesis, "Beyond The Sentimental Cliche: How Local Communities Impact Residents and Shape Public Opinion," I used.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), International/Global Studies, Summa Cum Laude

Activities and Societies: Phi Beta Kappa Coalition for Ethnic Awareness Progressive Action Coalition Circle K History Association Model UN.

Exchange Student