About

I am an experienced executive with a strong track record of program and project success. I excel at building and leading strong, diverse, collaborative teams to understand and address ambiguous problems. My professional expertise includes state-level health and human services, public enterprise IT planning, and strengthening local food systems.

Recently I have turned my curiosity and attention to the intersections of housing, homelessness, and healthcare. I want to understand these interrelated issues and how these disparate systems can work together to ensure that everyone has their basic needs met. See my full research statement here.

Education

  • Doctoral Student in Community and Regional Planning at the University of Texas, Austin
  • Master of Arts in Economics, University of Montana, Missoula
  • Master of Public Administration, University of Montana, Missoula
  • BA in Economics and Political Science, Hollins University, Roanoke, VA

Professional Experience

Periphery Design Coop Member Oct. 2021

  • Work in cooperation with a group of civically engaged design professionals to build a professional services coop to serve public and non-profit clients.

University of Texas at Austin, Design Institute for Health Project Manager Nov. 2019 to July 2021

  • First Project Manager at the Design Institute for Health- responsible for creating project and other management practices to facilitate effective and efficient design projects.
  • Lead Campaign Effectiveness project to support the Gates Foundation and other partners re-design immunization campaign strategy to center communities and mitigate the effects of COVID-19.
  • Manage and lead research on inter-departmental project to better serve patients and families with congenital heart disease at Dell Children’s Hospital.

City of Austin, Office of Design and Delivery Program Manager Nov. 2018 to Jan. 2020

  • Leading the City of Austin’s Service Design Lab on high-impact civic design projects.
  • Executing collaborative projects to better serve people experiencing homelessness.
  • Implementing process to redesign the City of Austin website and developing a backlog to improve digital access to vital city services.

City of Austin, Office of Innovation Project Manager July 2017 to Nov. 2018

  • Led a multidisciplinary team of researchers and designers in a discovery project about homelessness funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
  • Led team and stakeholders to combine design thinking, innovation methods, and quantitative research to develop solutions for complex social problems.
  • Managed relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, people experiencing homelessness, and policy makers to inform research and develop buy-in for findings and resulting projects.
  • Developed and executed communication plan for internal and external partners and City leadership.
  • Led hiring, procurement, budget management, and reporting for the project.

Farmshare Austin Founding Executive Director/Operations Director Dec. 2013 to July 2017

  • Helped non-profit Board of Directors to prioritize goals and develop an annual plan to create an organic agriculture educational program for Central Texas and to distribute produce to support food access mission.
  • Responsible for hiring and managing professional and vocational staff.
  • Oversaw and coordinated program development and implementation.
  • Planned and executed a diversified fundraising strategy.
  • Managed grantee and donor relationships and reporting requirements.
  • Oversaw the development of financial protocols and worked with the treasurer to manage the budget.
  • Planned events and managed volunteers.

EW Consulting and Stark Consulting Healthcare Project Manager May 2012 to July 2017

  • Identified strategic opportunities for the Health and Human Services Commission during agency transformation and the Sunset review process.
  • Coordinated and planned projects within Medicaid IT and enterprise business units.
  • Managed special projects across the Health and Human Services enterprise with experience in Medicaid,
  • Procurements, the Office of eHealth Coordination, and Transformation.
  • Oversaw internal project teams to plan and deliver business and technical solutions.
  • Developed procurements to meet the State’s strategic objectives.
  • Developed budget strategies to maximize state and federal resources.
  • Assisted with project and program budget management and reporting.

Coseppi Partnership – CAMBIAR Program, Huaraz, Ancash, Peru Partner Aug. 2011 to March 2012

  • Provided strategic planning and project management for the Climate Adaptation in Mountain Basins in the Andean Region (CAMBIAR) program. The program provided technical experts to rural Peruvian municipalities that have identified a need for water conservation and environmental projects.
  • Coordinated CAMBIAR program activities between international, public, and private entities including The
  • Mountain Institute, Engineers Without Borders, and the Tres Cuencas Commonwealth.
  • Worked with partner organizations and stakeholders to create and implement a joint development strategy.
  • Worked with partner organizations to develop proposals, concept notes, and grant applications for USAID, the European Commission, and public and private foundations.
  • Developed metrics and implemented a baseline study for program monitoring and evaluation.

Texas Health & Human Services Commission Policy Analyst April 2010 to June 2011

  • Worked with the Texas Health Information Technology Coordinator to bring together health IT initiatives within the state’s health and human services agencies and facilitate collaboration with other health IT efforts in the state.
  • Assisted in the planning for statewide health information exchange and Medicaid health information technology; lead the development of the local HIE grant program and developed and implemented a strategy to engage health systems outside urban centers.
  • Coordinated ongoing research and monitoring of public opinion, healthcare provider technology utilization, and hospital adoption of health information technology.
  • Managed federal grants and helped Texas healthcare stakeholders identify and complete federal grant applications.
  • Developed procurements and grants for sub-contractors for the Office of e-Health Coordination.

Texas Health Care Policy Council, Office of the Governor Health Care Policy Advisor June 2008 to April 2010

  • Conducted health care policy research and made recommendations to the Health Care Policy Council.
  • Research included original work on hospital quality and the forecasted economic return of health information technology investments.
  • Developed health information technology policy options for the Texas Health Services Authority. This included working with a broad group of stakeholders to define the Authority’s mission and goals through a collaborative, iterative process, and starting project planning work for statewide health information exchange.
  • Coordinated the development of over $120 million in successful grant applications to the United States Health and Human Services agency.

Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), Dhaka, Bangladesh Research and Evaluation Intern Jan. 2007 to Aug. 2007

  • Conducted quantitative research and analysis in rural northwest districts on microfinance and social capital for graduate economics thesis.
  • Worked with an international team of development researchers to field pilot quantitative surveys for the European Commission throughout Bangladesh.
  • Developed and used social development impact analysis tools for gender empowerment program for The Ultra Poor (TUP) program with BRAC Research and Evaluation Division and London School of Economics.

Professional Memberships & Certifications

  • Member of the American Planning Association
  • Member of Project Management Institute Austin Chapter
    • Project Management Certificate Program, University of Texas, 2012

Academic Honor Society

  • Omicron Delta Epsilon, International Economics Honor Society
  • Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honor Society

Volunteer Work

Eating Apart Together Initiative

  • Assist with distribution at the Palmer Event Center
  • Recruited volunteers and people with lived experience to distribute food in un-served areas of North Austin during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Together we:
    • Distributed food to over 200 individuals weekly and facilitated connections to the formal service system for a more impact.
    • Participated in intensive outreach prior to the freeze in February 2021. Offered transportation and services to people living in our regular route.

Texas Homeless Network Secretary of the Board of Directors

  • Served on the Board of Directors since 2016
  • Plan and co-host annual statewide conference for homeless service providers to share best-practices
  • Contribute to state and federal advocacy on behalf of local Continuums of Care