I develop, manage and oversee the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) grant program at Washington State Library. These federally funded grants are available across the state and focus on expanding services for learning and access to information and educational resources in a variety of formats, in all types of libraries, for individuals of all ages in order to support such individuals’ needs for education, life-long learning, workforce development, and digital literacy skillsI participate in the Library Council of Washington, which is an advisory group that is an advocate and a catalyst for developing and implementing statewide library programs that will improve service to all people in Washington through libraries.

Various positions during two periods: 2010 - 2012 and 2013-16 including support for special risk classes in Employer Services, Labor Relations and FMLA administration and claims adjudicator in the bilingual (Spanish-English) unit.Claims adjudication involves communicating in two languages with injured workers, health care providers, and legal representatives to gather information and document its relevance to current statutes and laws in order to authorize treatment and benefits. In this role I also represented the agency at specialized stakeholder meetings for community outreach.Later I provided support services to the Employment Services Division, Special Risk Classes, and Labor Relations. Work included gathering and tracking program information, drafting and editing brochures and communication materials.

I supported communications in the Office of Healthy Communities, including projects like Tobacco Cessation, Healthy Eating and Active Living, Healthy Communities Hub. I drafted and edited products for the DOH's communications with the public and other governmental entities at all levels. I especially enjoyed preparing social media campaigns. No two days were the same!

Learn the Signs. Act Early. (LTSAE) makes parents and childcare providers aware of what developmental milestones are, and when to be concerned and seek medical evaluation. Specific tools help track development and facilitate effective communication. This project also supports state wide universal screening that will lead to: • Identifying disabilities earlier• Making effectual treatment available sooner• Lowering long term health care costs• Increasing quality of life in the effected person’s sphereThis CDC funded project helps people change how they view a child's growth. The grant to Washington State specifically charges us with maximizing contacts and distributing valuable information to underserved groups within the Hispanic populations of Yakima, Benton-Franklin and Walla Walla, where about 50% of births are to Hispanic families. LTSAE research-based and easily accessible materials give milestones indicators for under age 5, plus information about possible early warning signs of developmental disorders, including autism. Most materials are available in English and Spanish; some are available in other languages. Our focus has been attempting to find what methods are most successful for contacting the Hispanic communities. Community leaders who are experienced in social contact and have established trust in these communities have become valuable assets. We are continuing the development of promotional campaigns that include social media, published materials and outreach.Through our local partners we have recently had seminars, radio programs with call in Q&A, newsletter and magazine articles, postings on blogs, facebook, twitter and listserves. Outreach information is being distributed to WIC recipients and migrant camp and tribal residents through playgroups, health fairs and at specialized presentations at community centers. Medical and childcare providers have shown enthusiastic support.

I began as a translator in a federally funded Department of Homeland Security project, translating all the WSDA's avian flu materials for producers and workers to Spanish. I then worked on a team of two to draft the agency's Continuity of Operations Plan, which included gathering information and compiling data from each division in the agency. We completed the initial plan for the governor's office including an appendix on pandemic flu. After submitting the plan we led tabletop exercises for agency implementation and revision of emergency plans and follow up outreach.I then helped develop and host training programs for hazard response; drafting materials for outreach and reference, evaluating levels of expertise, and recommending training curricula, culminating in large scale trainings that included stakeholders and partners from national and local government and private industry.I designed and created Socorro: Spanish for Veterinarian First Responders, a practical workshop with basic language skills to facilitate communication during a natural disaster or animal disease event. I designed, created, and maintained the WSDA Farm-to-School webpages. This included researching grant opportunities and preparing a database for users to access the information online.