Researcher

Elevation Educational Consulting Group

The James Irvine Foundation

A Question of Repair

~ Implement outreach strategies to engage diverse populations in research studies

~ Manage participant recruitment processes, ensuring ethical and inclusive practices

~ Build and maintain relationships with community partners and stakeholders

~ Create questions, surveys, and other research tools to propel the research forward and towards the expected outcomes/answering the primary research question

~ Conduct focus groups and interviews to gather qualitative data and feedback

~ Coordinate logistics for meetings, appointments, and research materials

~ Supervise data gathering, data entry, and quality control procedures

~ Prepare reports and presentations to communicate research findings to stakeholders

~ Plan and execute research-related events, such as workshops, conferences, and public information sessions

~ Evaluate the effectiveness of research events and provide feedback for improvement



Columbia International University

Cook School of Business

Organizational Leadership Doctor of Philosophy

This dissertation delved into the influence of emotionally intelligent leadership on the retention of South Carolina correctional staff. Utilizing the emotionally intelligent leadership theory as the theoretical framework, the study addressed the significant gap in understanding how the perception of emotionally intelligent leadership affects the retention of staff within the state’s correctional institutions. The research employed a nonexperimental, qualitative methodology with a phenomenological perspective and an exploratory design. Twelve participants, carefully selected through purposive sampling criteria, shared their experiences via semistructured interviews. The findings, categorized into 12 themes, highlighted the critical role of emotionally intelligent leadership in staff retention. Participants emphasized the importance of supportive leaders who fostered a positive work environment, offered recognition, and provided unwavering support. These revelations underlined the need for emotionally intelligent leaders in the corrections field. Leaders who understand the nuances of self-awareness, empathy, and contextual awareness are instrumental in creating an environment conducive to staff satisfaction and retention. This study provides practical insights for leadership training programs, emphasizing the cultivation of emotionally intelligent leadership qualities to enhance the challenging landscape of correctional institutions and ensure the well-being and retention of their valuable staff.


Adult Educator

South Carolina Educational Television Commission

Education Division

Learning Experiences & Innovation Team

Serve as a Project Coordinator for ETV’s K-12 professional development services for all South Carolina schools, including face-to-face and online training, marketing, and liaison to all educators, administrators, and community and institutional leaders.

~ Works with curriculum specialists, teachers, and other K-12 instructional technology leaders to evaluate needs. 

~ Provides training, demonstrations, and consulting on utilizing educational media, web tools, instructional technology, and cloud assets when facilitating.

~ Monitors and ensures continuous quality operations of all ETV educational services.

~ Incorporate current instructional methods and technology by ensuring proper alignment of South Carolina curriculum standards and grade levels.

~ Markets ETV web-based deliverables to the K-12 community. 

~ Coordinate interaction between the State Department of Education, School Districts, K-12 education partners, and PBS services.

~ Prepare marketing, promotional, and training resources.

~ Assists Educational Director in providing current and relevant training to local school districts, schools, and agencies. 



South Carolina Department of Education

Division of College and Career Readiness

Office of Adult Education

Academic Team

Responsible for developing and conducting the Corrections Education sub-grant competition; providing technical support and monitoring to Corrections Education sub-grant recipients; and attending state/local Sector Strategy and One Stop Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) meetings for the purposes of aligning adult education and literacy activities with core programs and other one-stop partners and implementing the strategies identified in the State workforce plan through MOU.

~ Provides statewide leadership and local professional development as it relates to college and career ready standards and curriculum

~ Provides oversight, technical assistance, monitoring, and assessment of adult education programs and literacy providers statewide

~ Assists adult education staff in planning, developing, and directing state level activities that will enhance adult education statewide

~ Provides leadership in the federally required formal assessment of adult education programs

~ Serves as agency liaison with local school district personnel, agency staff, and representatives from the private section, and other community persons in establishing, expanding and improving adult education programs

 

Technical Assistance Network (TAN) Two

Collaborated with Education Associates and Training Specialists to plan, develop, and provide curriculum/instructional support for 15 local programs and regional/statewide trainings.

~ Participated in monthly OAE curriculum and instruction virtual meetings 

~ Provided technical assistance to instructors in the region via phone, email, and virtual meetings 

~ Developed and facilitated regional and statewide professional development

~ Developed and/or disseminated relevant instructional materials, resources, and information to instructors

~ Completed and submitted activity reports to the OAE 


College of Charleston

Assisted with the development of and provided instruction for a 3 graduate/re-certification credits (45 contact hours) courses that provided Adult Education teachers with the knowledge of research and standards-based andragogical instructional practices to facilitate learning in the Adult Secondary Education (ASE) and Adult Basic Education (ABE) classroom.

~ EDPD 825 - Instructional Design for Adult Education: Mathematics

* The purpose of this course was to provide teachers with strategies and tools for instructional planning with the individual learners in mind.

* Participants explored mathematics standards, mathematics curriculum, and digital literacy as critical components of planning for and implementing mathematics instruction to prepare students to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and economically viable career opportunities.

 ~ EDPD-824 S “Teaching Adult Secondary Education Mathematics”

* The purpose of this course was to equip full- and part-time ASE mathematics teachers with effective strategies, digital tools, and resources to ensure that students are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and economically viable career opportunities.

* Participants explored mathematics standards, mathematics curriculum and digital literacy as critical components of planning for and implementing mathematics instruction to build their confidence and increase their comfort level teaching upper level mathematics and using the TI-30XS calculator for TABE 11/12, GED®, and the TASC™ Test.


Palmetto Unified School District (South Carolina Department of Corrections)

Delivered transition services and provided college & career readiness assistance to incarcerated adult learners across 21 state institutions, bridged the gap between education and reentry services, and served as agency liaison for college partnerships.

~ Recruited, coordinated and collaborated with the school community and local agencies to guide and counsel students 

~ Worked with students to conduct Career Planning/Counseling to identify strengths and interests, then plan appropriately 

~ Served as a liaison between education and reentry by assisting the Reentry Program Coordinators with the academic needs of offenders within SCDC Responsible for the partnership between the agency and colleges: 

* Completed and submitted necessary application forms for college entry 

* Completed and submitted FAFSA applications 

* Monitored the number of students completing college applications ~ Prepared reports and maintained confidential documentation and sensitive information on offenders 

 

Orangeburg-Calhoun Adult Education

Provided standards-based mathematics and science content-area instruction for adult learners in preparation for TABE®, Career Readiness, GED®, and High School Diploma.

~ Maintained student attendance records, achievements, and other documentation required for program performance reports 

~ Analyzed student assessments to develop individualized learning plans

~ Immersed students in technology to reduce the chances of digital literacy anxiety becoming a barrier to academic achievement 

~ Initiated, facilitated, and moderated classroom discussions 

~ Created and maintained a class website to make software applications easily accessible to students from home 

Mathematics Educator

North & South Carolina Public Schools

Classroom Teacher

6-12 Grade

Managed classroom coverage of  10th-12th graders in Algebra II CP; Served as a member of the Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA), the Palmetto State Teachers Association (PSTA), and the PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions Support) committee; supported school functions 


Managed classroom coverage of  9th-12th graders in Geometry Concepts, Algebra II CP, Geometry CP, Geometry H, and HSAP Math; Served as a Homebound Teacher, Sophomore Class Advisor, Tri-Hi-Y Advisor; supported school functions 


Managed classroom coverage of  8th-12th graders in Geometry CP, Algebra I, and Probability & Statistics; Served as Assistant JV Cheerleader Coach; worked in the after-school tutoring program; supported school functions; coordinated and organized field-trips 


Managed classroom coverage of  9th- grade repeaters and 10th graders in Math for the Technologies I and Math for the Technologies II; Supported school functions 


Managed classroom coverage of  6th and 7th graders in Algebraic Foundations and Algebraic Thinking; Supported school functions, worked with the after-school tutoring program 

Sales/Customer Service Rep.

Located the Non-Response Follow-Up (NRFU) addresses listed on the Address List in the Assignment Area Binder and determined the status of each address on Census Day 


Consulted with customers to recommend and sell a variety of AT&T products and services to meet customers' needs; Provided customers with a positive sales and service experience; Interacted with multiple online systems while speaking with customers; Met sales quotas and service objectives in a fast-paced call center environment 


Provided customer service; remained knowledgeable of current store products and merchandise; recovered sales floor; processed stock; conducted general housekeeping of store and stock room; communicated ideas to the management team; had high results for acquiring customer credit applications