• Provide state and federal budget and policy analysis which is used internally and externally to determine priority issues and to focus advocacy efforts.• Develop and deliver testimony on budgets, bills and regulations.• Work with legislators and administrators to draft/amend regulation and legislation.• Represent Association at meetings with policymakers, legislators, other associations and advocates, promoting NJAMHAA’s agenda as applicable.• Provide excellent technical assistance to members that includes research, inquiry and prompt response on narrow, single organization to broad, systemic issues. • Develop, administer and analyze surveys on topics critical to NJAMHAA members and advocacy efforts.• Write grant proposals; often serve as Project Director.• Develop resources for member advocacy and promote advocacy through alerts and the Partners in Advocacy program.• Develop improvements to NJAMHAA’s website, particularly the advocacy and member benefits/recruitment sections.• Promote database integrity through development of new systems for updating and maintaining data.• Make editorial contributions to Newswire, NJAMHAA’s thrice weekly electronic newsletter, and other publications as appropriate.

• Built and managed a retail plant nursery and landscaping business offering design and installation.

• Increased attendance of our annual events (policy forum, two-day training conference and legislative breakfast) through improved registration, coordination and outreach. • Developed and maintained multiple databases including membership, research and registration which allowed for more targeted distribution of materials to members, easier manipulation of research data to serve our needs, and more efficient and accurate registration for our events. • Updated the office to take advantage of electronic capabilities in distributing minutes, newsletters, advocacy alerts, and registration materials, saving time and money, as well as improving our ability to respond to legislative action in a timely manner.• Expanded membership through outreach which included a newly developed member packet that presented our services, membership, successes, priorities and vision for the future.• Initiated and maintained research projects including one on physical restraints that resulted in a published article in Residential Group Care Quarterly (CWLA, Fall 2001 Vol. 3, No. 1, p.7).• Advocated for and secured revision of the staffing model for children’s Family Based Treatment and Community Residence programs in New York, working collaboratively with the New York State Office of Mental Health on the regulatory language.• Instituted a two day annual Board Retreat to assist the Board in developing legislative priorities and identifying tactics for our advocacy efforts, resulting in a more focused approach with clearly defined goals and delegated responsibilities.

• Assisted staff in responding to Requests For Proposals (editing, formatting and budgeting), including the Government Law Center’s first successful federal grant, which was for legal aid to seniors. • Supervised computer support staff; modified existing database reports and designed new reports and screen to improve targeting, follow up and time management. • Developed a written grants policy that maximized potential grants by systematically and comprehensively identifying opportunities and disseminating information to appropriate staff in a timely manner.

• Wrote and secured the first two federal grants for Parsons (Community Schools and Home Visiting), both being collaborative efforts that included schools, the County Department of Health, Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center, Albany Medical Center and other community providers.• Coordinated/wrote all private foundation proposals securing major foundation grants for capital campaigns and new and existing programs. • Developed grant administration guidelines, processes and forms to ensure the agency as a whole was prepared to implement programs, had sufficient resources to contribute, and that each proposed program fit well into the agency’s long term goals. • Established database to hold and track all foundation data enabling more targeted research and more efficient use of resources.• Provided New York State budget analysis and bill tracking with the responsibility of bringing items of importance to Agency Directors. Follow up included support/opposition letters for state and federal legislative activity and leading direct advocacy efforts of small teams and all staff. • Consolidated/edited four agency policy manuals into one to meet accreditation standards of the Joint Commission, and to ensure that policies were consistent across agency programs and achieved the desired outcomes. • Administered a survey instrument for over four hundred employees which was a modified version of one developed by the Child Welfare League of America. The League invited me to present at their national conference on our process, instrument and my analysis of the results.