The College & Career Readiness Symposium, Educational Empowerment Tour
Published by
Roosevelt University
Civic-minded and forward-thinking educational leader with nearly 20 years of experience directing student success, precollege, and workforce transition programs. Expertly leads compliance-driven initiatives, manages complex budgets, and cultivates cross-sector partnerships across K-12, CTE, and higher education to strengthen postsecondary access, persistence, and workforce readiness for historically underserved and underrepresented youth.
Founder & Chief Education Officer | Equity & Engagement Programs
Alsip, IL, US
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Summary
Led the strategic development and oversight of educational and workforce-aligned sub-divisions, driving student success and expanding postsecondary access through innovative programming and partnerships.
Highlights
Established 7 new educational and wraparound service sub-divisions, supporting academic well-being, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and college/career development for diverse student populations.
Forged over 13 strategic partnerships with regional educational institutions, healthcare organizations, and CTE industry stakeholders since 2019, significantly expanding student success initiatives.
Drove a 65.2% increase in college enrollment and a 34.8% rise in CTE placement opportunities by cultivating robust partner networks and expanding partner-driven opportunities.
Increased college enrollment likelihood by 50-64% for students participating in 7U college campus tours and boosted awareness of college/CTE pathways by over 35% through structured experiences.
Reduced high school dropout rates by 27% and improved post-secondary/workforce readiness through targeted PreCollege and CTE outreach initiatives, as reported by district MTSS administration.
Secured over 4 contracts with secondary and post-secondary institutions and subsidiaries, generating revenue for workforce development and supplemental outreach support.
Director, TRIO Upward Bound | Educational Opportunity Programs | Student Affairs
Hammond, IN, US
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Summary
Directed the TRIO Upward Bound program, overseeing operations, financial budgeting, and grant compliance to support low-income and first-generation high school students in preparing for college.
Highlights
Managed a $576,440 federal Upward Bound Program Grant, ensuring fiscal responsibility and programmatic compliance with U.S. Department of Education guidelines.
Contributed to the successful renewal of the Upward Bound Project Grant for an additional five-year cycle, securing continued federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
Exceeded annual enrollment targets by recruiting 130 low-income, first-generation, and academically at-risk students into the TRIO Upward Bound Program.
Cultivated strategic community partnerships, onboarding 3 additional underserved target schools into the PNW TRIO UB new grant cycle.
Achieved an 81% postsecondary enrollment rate for UB 12th-grade participants, exceeding the USDOE benchmark of 70%, and ensured 99% of students advanced to the next grade level or graduated.
Improved academic performance for 77% of UB students in AP/Honors courses, with many maintaining a GPA of 2.5+, surpassing the USDOE benchmark of 48%.
Assistant Director | Educational Talent Search | Center for Multicultural Access & Success
Joliet, IL, US
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Summary
Co-managed the TRIO ETS program, overseeing budget, compliance, and student support services to enhance postsecondary education access and career exploration.
Highlights
Co-managed a $327,000 TRIO ETS annual project budget, ensuring meticulous monitoring of expenditures and compliance with institutional and U.S. Department of Education guidelines.
Achieved successful completion of the first-year TRIO ETS audit by meticulously compiling APR data, validating participant eligibility, and maintaining accurate records for audit verification.
Recruited 500 eligible ETS participants, meeting federal and institutional mandates for underserved student populations during project fiscal years.
Facilitated the establishment of community educational partnerships with 3 secondary schools within the Joliet Junior College district community.
Achieved 100% secondary school persistence for non-seniors, surpassing the USDOE benchmark of 93%, and attained a 99% secondary school graduation rate, exceeding the 84% benchmark.
Increased senior completion of rigorous academic programs to 77%, exceeding the USDOE benchmark of 46%, and achieved a 92% postsecondary enrollment rate for graduates.
Educational Specialist | PreCollege and Career Advisor, TRIO Upward Bound
Palos Hills, IL, US
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Summary
Provided comprehensive pre-collegiate and career advising to a caseload of 63 TRIO Upward Bound students, fostering academic success and postsecondary readiness.
Highlights
Managed a caseload of 63 students, delivering comprehensive advising, tutoring, workshops, and enrichment activities to enhance academic success and resource access.
Implemented an Early Intervention Success System utilizing predictive analytics to identify at-risk students, enabling proactive intervention and contributing to decreased time-to-degree.
Improved academic performance for 74% of UB project participants, with an average cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher annually.
Achieved 100% secondary school retention and graduation for UB participants, exceeding USDOE benchmarks of 95% retention and 30% graduation.
Guided 63% of UB participants to complete rigorous AP/Honors secondary school programs, effectively preparing them for post-secondary enrollment.
Facilitated 81% postsecondary enrollment for UB seniors by fall graduation, surpassing the USDOE benchmark of 65%, and tracked 81% of participants attaining a degree within six years.
Employment Career Coach
IL, US
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Summary
Coached individuals on career development, job search strategies, and employment readiness.
Student Engagement Specialist, Student Outreach
Palos Hills, IL, US
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Summary
Led student recruitment and outreach initiatives, fostering community partnerships and enhancing instructional performance for the TRIO Upward Bound program.
Highlights
Increased Hispanic and multiracial student enrollment in the UB program by 170% (from 10 to 27), significantly boosting program diversity.
Achieved a 59% enrollment growth for 9th and 10th graders (from 19 to 32) through targeted UB program recruitment strategies.
Improved instructional performance for UB teachers through coaching, feedback, and skill-building, leading to enhanced learning proficiencies in AP/Honors courses for 84% of student participants.
Recruited, onboarded, and trained a dedicated team of professional staff, tutors, and mentors to deliver comprehensive academic, college, and career readiness support to UB student participants.
Served as the primary liaison between the college, TRIO program, and community partners, representing the program at events and school visits.
Community Outreach Liaison
IL, US
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Summary
Liaised between the school and community stakeholders to foster engagement and support educational initiatives.
Marketing and Sales Consultant
IL, US
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Summary
Provided consulting services to enhance marketing strategies and drive sales growth for clients.
Internal Auditor
IL, US
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Summary
Conducted internal audits to ensure compliance with financial regulations and operational policies.
Financial Services Professional
IL, US
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Summary
Supported banking operations and provided client services within a financial institution.
Member
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Summary
Contributed to the planning and execution of National TRIO Day initiatives.
TRIO Student Support Services - Higher Education Symposium Committee
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Summary
Contributed to the organization of the Higher Education Symposium for TRIO students.
TRIO Student Support Services - Student Success Advisory Committee
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Summary
Advised on strategies to enhance student success within TRIO Student Support Services.
DREAM Program - Student Affairs Committee, Member/Mentor
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Summary
Served as a mentor and committee member for the DREAM Program, focusing on student affairs.
BOSS Program - Men of Color Student Success, Member/Mentor
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Summary
Mentored and supported men of color in achieving academic and personal success through the BOSS Program.
Conference Committee Member
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Summary
Contributed to the organization of the MAEOPP conference focused on expanding educational opportunity and success.
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M.A.
Educational Leadership Administration
Published by
Roosevelt University
Published by
Black Educational Advocacy Coalition (BEAC), Equity Conference, University of IL.
Published by
Rich Township High School District 227 Articulation/Winter Institute Day
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Delta Sigma Theta, JASSAC Foundation, Inc., Youth Empowerment Conference at Colin Powell School
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Student Leadership Conference at Purdue University Northwest Association
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Joliet Central High School
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Joliet Central High School's Career Day
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Dwight D. Eisenhower High School
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Moraine Valley Community College, TRIO Student Empowerment Series
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Black Minds Empowered Dialogue Conference, Moraine Valley Community College
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Youth Empowerment Conference at Community High School District 218
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Higher Education Teaching and Learning Summit, Moraine Valley Community College
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Higher Education Teaching and Learning Summit, Moraine Valley Community College
Strategic Planning, Visionary Leadership, Innovation, Results-Driven Leadership.
Program Oversight, Multi-site Operations, Performance Management, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Continuous Improvement, Program Evaluation.
Community Partnerships, District Partnerships, Industry Partnerships, Stakeholder Communication, Wraparound Student Support, Student Recruitment, Outreach.
High School Course Alignment, Workforce Pathways, Career Readiness, Post-Secondary Education, CTE Priorities.
Federal Grant Compliance, State Grant Compliance, TRIO Programs, U.S. Department of Education Regulations, Audit-Ready Reporting.
Budget Development, Fiscal Controls, Reconciliation, Expenditure Tracking.
Recruitment, Supervision, Performance Evaluation, Coaching, High-Performing Team Development, Culturally Competent Teams.
Equity-Driven Access, Student Persistence, Student Success Strategies, Underserved Youth Support.
Student Success, Precollege Programs, Workforce Transition Programs, Postsecondary Access, Workforce Readiness, Academic Advising, Career Counseling.
Outcome Monitoring, Performance Reporting, Data-Informed Insights, Impact Tracking, Program Fidelity.
Dollars & Degrees of Separation, The State of Black & Brown Males in Peril, The Fatherless Male Experience, The New Jim Crow, The Economic Journey of Black America: From 1619 to Now.
Intellectual Warfare, The Innovator's Mindset (Empower Learning, Unleashing Talent), The Structure of Success, How Our Rights Went Wrong.
Director of TRIO Programs, Roosevelt University
Creative Director, Chicago History Museum (Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute)
Superintendent, Rich Township High School District 227
Superintendent, School City of East Chicago
Superintendent, Lincoln Elementary School District 156
Pipeline Partnership Administrator, Illinois Tollway
President (Electrical Trade), Power of People Community Initiatives, Inc
Director of TRIO Upward Bound, Moraine Valley Community College
Dean of Student Services, Moraine Valley Community College
Dean, Multicultural Access & Success, Joliet Junior College
Director of Educational Opportunity Programs | Purdue University (NW)