Rita Rodriguez Email and Phone Number

• Facilitated stages of research planning and development with lead researcher, Dr. Cintia Hinojosa, to fulfill her mixed methods research dissertation project alongside faculty committee from University of Chicago Booth Business School and University of Texas at Austin • Coordinated focus groups with local south side Chicago youth to discuss impacts of gun violence and death • Recruited Chicago partnerships, ambassadors, and participants for research groups • Processed data and transcribed recording of meetings with research participants and facilitators • Implemented data collected from focus groups into presentation and public speaking formats • Created feedback and surveys per research protocols and criteria to implement in intervention • Updated website, participants, and staff with research project updates • Organized meetings with local partnerships with lead researchers to create protocols for research questions, ethics, assignments for participants and research interventions • Organized workshop and group reconciliation sessions for Chicago youth local leaders, including Chicago Public school teachers and pastors, affected by policing and gun violence

• Assisted Executive Director, Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey, with weekly and monthly meetings from program creation, development, and execution of programs, She Roars and Up Next 2.0 • Recruited participants, guest speakers, teachers, staff and coaches for programs and courses • Developed program letters for cohort which included program history, details, responsibilities, deadlines, schedules and itineraries for participants, including speaker, teacher, coaches, and DOOR staff • Developed surveys and forms for feedback after each session/meeting and for data collection of each participant • Implemented participant feedback, data, and input with ED for future program development • Developed curriculum to fulfill NPO’s goals, initiatives, and to meet grant requirements • Developed itinerary for retreats and conferences based in Chicago • Coordinated and booked stay and flight travel for Chicago conference and retreat participants • Served as liaison for communication between ED, participants, guest speakers and teachers • Conducted outreach with local Chicago businesses, churches, coaches, teachers and workshops for curriculum development and Chicago conferences and retreats • Communicated weekly and monthly deadlines, answered questions, and announced updates to participants via email, zoom meetings, and calls for each program • Managed Zoom business accounts for program recordings and meetings • Managed budget and funding with ED

• Provided pastoral and spiritual care and counsel to patients, their families, and hospital staff from various faith backgrounds using ecumenical methodology for scheduled and on call shifts • Attended morning rounds and daily meetings with interdisciplinary medical staff to determine overall patient and staff goals and outcomes, including their spiritual care and needs • Served as liaison for emergent meeting with patients, their families, ICU and emergency department staff during medical codes, deaths, hospice and end of life care decisions • Conducted meetings to determine power of attorneys and counseled patients through their medical rights and informed POA of responsibilities • Collaborated with medical staff to support patient’s spiritual and faith needs • Charted via Epic software of patient and family meetings, interactions, and staff rounding notes • Contacted patient’s families directly from emergency department admission to inform them of patient admission to hospital, ongoing status, provide updates over patients spiritual and medical needs and updates over plan of care • Provided psychological first aid, advance care planning, and grief support for families and staff during patient deaths and emergency codes

Serving alongside Pastora Paula at the Iglesia Metodista Unida Humboldt Park/Humboldt Park UMC with co-Student Pastor Kelsey Burns. Humboldt Park UMC is a Spanish-speaking, Latinx, immigrant community who supports affordable housing initiatives in the Logan Square and Humboldt Park neighborhoods; women who have experienced/survived domestic abuse through a monthly support group; immigrants seeking services and resources through a monthly program; and is part of the Logan Square Ecumenical Alliance and its initiatives.

Coffee shop barista at Grounds of Being: University of Chicago Divinity School, the only not-for-profit student-run coffee shop on-campus whose direct proceeds go back to graduate students in the form of grants at the Divinity School and is part of the DSA (Divinity Students Association). It was founded in 1962 and is located in Swift Hall's basement.

• Served as Higher Education Intern and Residential Assistant at the University of Chicago Leadership Alliance Summer Research-Early Identification Program 2019 in the Office of the Provost• Organized flights, commute schedules, and boarding on campus for students from underrepresented groups across varying U.S. and Puerto Rican universities • Scheduled weekly group cultural outings to ensure student adjustment to the University of Chicago community • Led weekly discussion meeting for cohort to address upcoming events, deadlines, and research inquires • Mentored students with end of program research presentations for conference • Managed payment schedules for students and reimbursements with billing offices • Scheduled weekly study breaks and organized food accommodation • Served as liaison between staff, students, Deans and faculty to meet program goals, deadlines • Connected students with networking opportunities with graduate students and faculty to facilitate their research

• Created and organized weekly content for OMA activities and events for fall and spring semester • Promoted events on campus, via email updates, and through management of social media accounts • Collaborated events with OMA groups such as Black Student Association, African Student Association, International Student Association, and Hispanos Unidos for chapel services, retreats, and program development • Managed OMA sponsored events, celebrations, and forums, such as hosting Backyard Bash and Sundaes on Mondays • Managed office duties with Council intern and directly aiding Dr. Prentice Ashford with office engagements

The McNair Scholars program at ACU is a federally funded research internship that provided scholars a total of 10 weeks (May-August, 80 hours total) on-campus research supervision and courses. I completed a theological research paper, “Theological Implications of Debility,” under the supervision and mentorship of Dr. Christopher Hutson and Dr. Suzie Macaluso.

Summer 2016 Intern for Lifeline Chaplaincy, a non-profit hospital chaplaincy organization located in Fort Worth, Texas. The internship lasted 11 weeks (May 13-August 4th, 2016) and trained interns, through a weekend workshop, to serve as a Volunteer Chaplain in 4 hospitals: La Plaza, Harris Methodist, Mansfield Methodist, and John-Peter Smith. We assisted Church of Christ and general population patients in each hospital with spiritual needs in our scope of training as Pastoral Caretakers as well as assisting and shadowing staff Chaplains.

Student Assistant to Carlene Harrison in the Bible Department. The position details included greeting visitors and professors to the department offices, assisting professors as needed, and directly assisting Carlene Harrison.