americorps state and national 2018 symposium program · americorps state and national 2018...

AmeriCorps State and National 2018 Symposium Program

September 12 – 14, 2018

Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, VA

(Draft 8/23/18)

AmeriCorps State and National 2018 Symposium

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

7:30 AM

Virginia Ballroom Lobby

Registration

9:00 AM PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS

9:00 AM-12:00 PM

Richmond

Training for New Tribal Program Directors

Rose David, Program Officer, CNCS Robert Kovar, Program Director, Northwoods NiiJii AmeriCorps Program Charndrea Leonard, Senior Program Officer, CNCS Arminda Pappas, Program Officer, CNCS Mary C. Rousseau, Program Director, Sitting Bull College AmeriCorps Program Jaimie Welch, Program Officer, CNCS New Tribal Grantee Program Directors are invited to join CNCS staff for an overview of key considerations and resources that are useful for any entity administering or managing AmeriCorps an AmeriCorps grant. In addition, this session will provide participants with an opportunity to engage in a facilitated panel discussion where they will hear insights from peers about operating an effective AmeriCorps program.

Target Audience: Tribal programs and tribal planning grantees funded in 2018-2019 only

1:00 PM-5:00 PM Roanoke

Tribal Affinity Group Meeting

The Tribal Affinity Group Meeting is an opportunity for all tribal planning and program grantees to network and share ideas and best practices about AmeriCorps program development, AmeriCorps member recruitment, and program management.


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

7:30 AM Virginia Ballroom Lobby

Registration Opens

9:00 AM PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS

9:00 AM-12:30 PM Crystal

Take the Plunge – Diving into Fiscal Grants Administration

Bonnie Janicki, Senior Grants Officer, CNCS Tracey Seabolt, Grants Management Specialist, CNCS Phillip Stonecipher, Grants Officer, CNCS

This course provides an overview of the AmeriCorps grantee's grants administration responsibilities, with a particular focus on fiscal grants management. Content includes an overview of the regulations and requirements governing AmeriCorps awards. Participants will use the Uniform Guidance to determine it their organization's systems are adequate and if grant costs are allowable. Attendees will contrast their current practices related to internal controls, budgeting, documentation, reporting, monitoring, and more against those required by 2 CFR. All will leave with a copy of OMB's Uniform Guidance. This is an amplified version of “Understanding the Grants Management Lifecycle”, offered during the 2017 Symposium.

Target Audience: All, including fiscal staff of direct programs and commissions


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9:00 AM-10:00 AM Roanoke




10:00 AM-12:00 PM Richmond

Tribal Grantee Meeting with CNCS

Rose David, Program Officer, CNCS Charndrea Leonard, Senior Program Officer, CNCS Morgan Levey, Public Engagement and Partnership Officer, National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service John Lira, Research Team Lead, National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service Sandy Scott, Senior Advisor to the CEO, CNCS

As AmeriCorps Indian Tribal grantees, it is important to establish connections with other programs serving Native communities and to strengthen the working relationship with CNCS and AmeriCorps State and National Program Officers. This session will provide an opportunity for the tribal grantees to network with each other and recognize contributions made by programs and the investments made by CNCS. Additionally, grantees will have the opportunity to meet with AmeriCorps Program Officers, Grants Officers, and CNCS leadership.


12:30 PM-2:00 PM Lunch (on your own)

2:00 PM-3:00 PM Virginia Ballroom

Symposium Kick-off

Chester W. Spellman, Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS Barbara Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, CNCS Laura Cameron, AmeriCorps Member Leah Pearson, Teacher, Eagle Academy Sonya Soloway, Senior Site Manager-Howard University, Jumpstart Chester W. Spellman, Director of AmeriCorps State and National, will launch the 2018 AmeriCorps State and National Symposium. Leaders from the Corporation for National and Community Service will share an update on the agency's Transformation and Sustainability Plan, and invited guest speakers will share stories of the impact of national service on their communities and themselves.

3:00 PM-3:30 PM Break

3:30 PM-5:00 PM WORKSHOP BLOCK 1

3:30 PM-5:00 PM Monroe

NSCHC: Using Truescreen and Fieldprint

Michael Carnation, Account Manager, Truescreen Tom Harrison, National Sales Executive, Truescreen Liz Jung, Financial and Management Analyst, CNCS Suzanne Sorge, Executive Account Manager, Truescreen

Conducting the National Service Criminal History Checks (NSCHC) correctly and in a timely manner are crucial compliance requirements for nearly all recipients of CNCS funding. This year, CNCS has contracted with Fieldprint and Truescreen to provide CNCS grantees compliant and adjudicated FBI, State, and NSOPW checks. Participants in this session will learn how to use these new services,


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including how to set up accounts and access adjudication reports to get onto the path of NSCHC compliance! This workshop will be repeated in Workshop Block 2.

Target Audience: All


Preventing and Resolving Audit Findings

Cindy Galyen, Audit Resolution Specialist, CNCS Autumn Rose, Senior Grants Officer for Audit Resolution and Policy, CNCS

The CNCS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and single audits don't have to be stressful, and taking the time to prepare for audits can pay dividends. In this session, grantees will learn about the audit resolution process, their responsibilities, and strategies for addressing and preventing audit findings. Participants will learn from a review of common audit findings, past audit examples, and grantee best practices. This will be especially helpful to grantees on the OIG audit plan, who have experienced significant single audit findings, or those who want to take a proactive approach in audit finding prevention for themselves and subrecipients.

Target Audience: All grantees, particularly those planning for an OIG audit in 2018-2019

3:30 PM-5:00 PM Williamsburg

National Service and Education

Lisa Bishop, Senior Advisor for Education Initiatives, CNCS Jane Hodgdon, Senior Education Program Specialist, US Department of Education Jennifer Brown Lerner, Assistant Director for Policy and Partnerships, Aspen Institute

Over half of the CNCS budget currently supports education initiatives across the country. This session will highlight some current AmeriCorps models that will serve as the foundation for a roundtable discussion on how national service can make the greatest impact in education and the resources that would be helpful for programs to strengthen their efforts in the future. This session will also include representatives from the US Department of Education and education-focused national policy organizations who will provide an overview of the national education landscape to inform the discussion.

Target Audience: Grantees working in education and other youth-serving organizations

3:30 PM-5:00 PM Yorktown

Using Evidence for Scaling Community-based Interventions that Work

LeVal Brewer, Executive Director, Playworks California Lindsey Dolce, Chief Advancement Officer, Reading and Math, Inc. Lara Dreir, Senior Manager of Federal Iniatives, College Possible National Anthony Nerino, Research Analyst/Statistician, CNCS Sadie O’Connor, Managing Director, Reading and Math, Inc. Lily Zandniapour, Research and Evaluation Manager, CNCS

CNCS is interested in the scale-up of evidence-based programs in order to use national service to bring effective solutions to communities in need. Since 2016, CNCS has spearheaded an effort to deepen the agency's understanding of the most effective program innovations, its knowledge base on scaling them, and factors that facilitate or hinder scaling. This session will introduce the goals, framework, and process that guides this work and highlight their broader implications.

Target Audience: State commission staff, especially Program Officers

3:30 PM-5:00 PM Richmond

Innovative Partnerships to Advance State Service

Renee Bade, Executive Director, Serve Idaho Rachel Bruns, Deputy Director, America's Service Commissions Heather Foster, Executive Director, Volunteer West Virginia Scott McFarland, Executive Director, Serve Illinois


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Monica Ritchie, Executive Director, Volunteer Mississippi LaDawn Stoddard, Executive Director, UServeUtah

State Service Commissions are developing partnerships to advance service and volunteerism, while addressing critical community needs. This session will be an opportunity for commission staff to hear about numerous partnership opportunities from commission peers.

Target Audience: State commission directors

3:30 PM-5:00 PM Crystal

What I Wish I Knew in Year 1

Greg Bates, National Service Program Manager, UServeUtah Beth Binkley, Program Officer, CNCS Curtis Cannon, Program Officer, CNCS Maureen K. Eccleston, Executive Director, PennSERVE Jeanne Haster, Executive Director, Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest Jessie Permar, Senior Director for National Service Programs, Rebuilding Together Tova Pertman, Program Officer, CNCS Dianna Yeung, Associate Director, Great Oaks Foundation

This session will provide an opportunity to learn about the successes and challenges of managing an AmeriCorps program from a variety of program and commission leaders. It will include a panel discussion of common challenges in the first year of an AmeriCorps program's operation and recommendations for navigating the challenges to build strong new AmeriCorps programs.

Target Audience: New staff of AmeriCorps programs and commissions

5:00 PM-5:15 PM Transition Break


State Commission Town Hall

Chester W. Spellman, Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS

This is an optional meeting with the Director of AmeriCorps State and National. This session will include time for Q&A with the Director.

Target Audience: State commission directors and staff

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13


Registration Open

8:00 AM-8:45 AM

Richmond

ASC Mentor Program Meeting

Rachel Bruns, Deputy Director, America's Service Commissions

This is a meeting of State Service Commission staff who are participating in the America’s Service Commissions Mentor Program in 2018.


8:00 AM-8:45 AM

Yorktown

Listening Session: National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service

Sandy Scott, Senior Advisor to the CEO, CNCS

Join CNCS and representatives of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service.



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8:45 AM-9:00 AM Transition Break

9:00 AM-10:15 AM Virginia Ballroom

The Member Experience

Ben Duda, Managing Director for Corps Members and Alumni, Service Year Alliance Chester W. Spellman, Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS

Adrienne Andrews, Executive Director, Notre Dame Mission Volunteers-AmeriCorps Nneka Anosike, AmeriCorps Alumna, Earth Conservation Corps Whitney Faison, AmeriCorps Alumna, Rochester AmeriCorps and the Episcopal Service Corps Carolyn Lynn, Director, Literacy Division, Communities in Schools of Jacksonville Shelly McAlpin, Executive Director, ServeWyoming Steven Yang, AmeriCorps Alumnus, Minnesota GreenCorps In this session, AmeriCorps alumni, program staff, and commission leaders will share stories and strategies for fostering transformational AmeriCorps member service experiences. Participants will hear from a diverse panel and examine best practices and lessons learned from members and programs across the AmeriCorps network.


10:30 AM-12:00 PM WORKSHOP BLOCK 2

10:30 AM-12:00 PM Monroe

NSCHC: Using Truescreen and Fieldprint

Michael Carnation, Account Executive, Truescreen Tom Harrison, National Sales Executive, Truescreen Liz Jung, Financial and Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Risk Officer, CNCS Suzanne Sorge, Executive Account Manager, Truescreen

Conducting the National Service Criminal History Checks (NSCHC) correctly and in a timely manner are crucial compliance requirements for nearly all recipients of CNCS funding. This year, CNCS has contracted with Fieldprint and Truescreen to provide CNCS grantees compliant and adjudicated FBI, State, and NSOPW checks. Participants in this session will learn how to use these new services, including how to set up accounts and access adjudication reports to get onto the path of NSCHC compliance. This is a repeat of the presentation in Workshop Block 1.


10:30 AM-12:00 PM Roanoke

Get Your Hands Dirty Digging Through Budgets

Thea Becton, Grants Officer, CNCS LaJuan Howard, Grants Officer, CNCS Rachel Turner, Grants Officer, CNCS

Congratulations! You submitted an AmeriCorps application and worked with CNCS to make sure your budget was accurate, compliant, and allowable. How do you keep it that way? Join CNCS staff to review the keys to budget compliance: analyzing allowable and unallowable line items, discovering best practices for budgeted-to-actual expense comparisons, and recognizing the triggers that warrant a budget amendment. Participants will leave this session knowing that their budget is a roadmap to compliance and success! Note: This session is an expanded and experiential version of the Budget Management workshop offered during the 2017 AmeriCorps State and National Symposium.

Target Audience: Tribal, national, and multi-state AmeriCorps program staff


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10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Richmond

Governor Engagement to Advance Service and Address Critical Needs

Rachel Bruns, Deputy Director, America's Service Commissions Bonnie Hazelton, COO, Volunteer Florida Adam Lounsbury, Executive Director, Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service Bob Shogren, Director, Arizona Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family Jim Snell, Executive Director, Volunteer Tennessee

State Service Commissions are at the forefront of addressing critical community needs through service. Commissions are a key tool in each Governor's toolbox to address their priorities from education to public health. This session will share strategies to engage Governors in both meeting the Governor's priorities while advancing a culture of service across the state.


10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Yorktown

CNCS Research and Evaluation Office Hours

Carrie E. Markovitz, Principal Research Scientist, NORC at the University of Chicago Roshni Menon, Research Analyst, CNCS Kristen Neishi, Research Scientist, NORC at the University of Chicago Laura Qin, Research Analyst, CNCS Jennifer Scolese, Senior Research Analyst, NORC at the University of Chicago Greg Wallinger, Research Analyst, CNCS

Staff of the CNCS Office of Research and Evaluation and NORC will offer open office hours at three tables to provide one-on-one technical assistance on evaluation and information about the Member Exit Survey. These office hours are for staff of AmeriCorps programs and state commissions who want to troubleshoot questions about evaluation planning and reporting.


10:30 AM-12:00 PM Crystal

Defining and Improving Program Culture: Building Social and Emotional Competencies for AmeriCorps Members

Cheryl Hollis, Director of Programs, WINGS for Kids

Program culture is defined by the adults who support and lead programs – including AmeriCorps members – and has a strong impact on outcomes and effectiveness. In this session, we will explore ways to create a positive program culture by building the social emotional competencies of site supervisors and members. Learn what social emotional competencies are and their value; understand how to build and model social emotional skills; and take home concrete strategies and techniques to help AmeriCorps site supervisors and members develop five key social emotional competencies.


10:30 AM-12:00 PM Williamsburg

How to Build a User First Social Media Strategy

Shuhei Yamamoto, Managing Director, Social Media Marketing, Teach for America

Marketing should put the user front and center, especially on social media, where focusing on the user while staying true to your brand improves their experience and increases your engagement. Learn how to gear your marketing toward improving the user experience and create a social media strategy geared toward user needs. Participants in this session will learn why organizations should put the user first in their marketing efforts; learn how a social media strategy can be geared toward user needs and a user journey; and learn how to prioritize audience and objectives.



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2018 Excellence in AmeriCorps Awards Luncheon

Eileen Conoboy, Acting Director, VISTA, CNCS Chester W. Spellman, Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS During this luncheon plenary, the Director of AmeriCorps State and National will present the 2018 Excellence in AmeriCorps Awards. The award recipients will also address the Symposium participants and share brief stories of their programs and community impact.


1:45 PM-3:15 PM WORKSHOP BLOCK 3


Strategic Reflection for Member and Program Development: Going Beyond “How did you feel?”

Margo Drakos, Founder and CEO, ArtistYear Joe Follman, Program Officer, CNCS Hawley Harrigan, Director of AmeriCorps, Nevada Volunteers Heather McDonald, Program Officer, CNCS Tisha Nickenig, Director of National Health Corps, Health Federation of Philadelphia Olga Prokhorova, Program Officer, CNCS Britney Tonning, Program Officer, CNCS

Member reflection is an AmeriCorps program requirement that can bring significant value to members' experiences at all stages of service, as well as help programs with on-going self-assessment and improvement. And while all programs include member reflection, some employ this strategy far more extensively, strategically, and effectively than others. Programs that give short shrift to reflection miss out on its many potential benefits for both members and program implementation/improvement. This interactive session will define effective member reflection, offer best practices from grantees, and provide concrete ideas and tools for strengthening member reflection in AmeriCorps programs.



Controlling Budget Resolutions by Intensifying Commission-level Budget Approvals

LaJuan Howard, Grants Officer, CNCS Bonnie Janicki, Senior Grants Officer, CNCS Philip Kolling, Executive Director, SerVermont Phillip Stonecipher, Grants Officer, CNCS

Budget resolution is a drag for everyone involved. Nevertheless, it is often required for CNCS to assure that budgets are accurate and compliant before awarding grants. In this session, CNCS Grants Officers will demonstrate their process for reviewing and approving budgets and help commission staff build their knowledge and skills to provide the same high-level assessment before submitting applications to CNCS. Attendees will also learn how to assess organizational compliance, including SAM analyses, and address both real and potential noncompliance issues.

Target Audience: State commission staff

1:45 PM-3:15 PM Richmond

Deep Dive into Rural Program Development

Michael Ashmore, Program Development and Training Officer, Maine Commission for Community Service Caitlin Brooking, Deputy Director, Volunteer Mississippi Rachel Bruns, Deputy Director, America's Service Commissions Jamie Orozco Nagel, Program Development Officer, Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service


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Hannah Stone, AmeriCorps Program Officer, Volunteer West Virginia Heather Uhi, Grants Officer, Serve Idaho

Every State Service Commission has geographic areas of their state that are underserved. This session will focus on strategies to develop programming to expand service in underserved communities with a focus on rural areas. Commission directors will learn from their colleagues who have had success and strategize together to discuss how AmeriCorps can collectively expand service to be accessible for all communities.


1:45 PM-3:15 PM Yorktown

National Service Supporting Disaster Resiliency, Response, and Recovery

Parc Smith, Executive Director, American YouthWorks Tyler Wilson, Director of Government Relations, The Corps Network

As disasters increase in frequency, cost, and severity, national service programs can play an important role in all aspects of the disaster cycle. This workshop will feature multiple perspectives on service in disasters and wildfires, and how programs can improve their disaster-related efforts or begin these activities. Existing programs will learn about additional opportunities to engage in a different aspect of the disaster cycle, and programs with no disaster experience will learn about opportunities to support local projects. For seasoned programs, we will highlight operational challenges and best practices for resolving them.


1:45 PM-3:15 PM Williamsburg

Flint and Michigan’s Place-based Service Strategies: Lessons for Other States and Communities

Marsha Hazen, AmeriCorps Partnerships Coordinator, Michigan Community Service Commission Jennifer McKardle, Civic Engagement Manager, United Way of Genesee County Kari M. Pardoe, Associate Program Officer, Mott Foundation In this presentation, participants will learn about a place-based strategy to expand national service and address critical community needs through service. The presenters will describe the Flint National Service Accelerator model, a collaboration between local and state government agencies, the foundation community, national service programs and community agencies. This model has grown AmeriCorps in Flint from about 25 members to 200 in a few years. The Michigan Community Service Commission will also describe new approaches to maximize national service resources, like the Commission Investment Funds, expand collaborations with funders and community-based partners, and build support in all regions of the state.


1:45 PM-3:15 PM Monroe

CO-llaboration: A Model to Maximize National Service in Your State

Daniel Dunlap, Colorado State Program Director, CNCS Antonio Mendez, Executive Director, Serve Colorado Dana Platin, NCCC Deputy Region Director for Programming, CNCS

In this session, presenters will discuss best practices for increasing collaboration among the three streams of national service. Join this session to learn how all three groups worked together in Colorado to create a stronger, measurable State Service Plan that led to a state-wide initiative and recognition from the CNCS CEO, Barbara Stewart. By the end of this session, participants will be able to develop a collaborative strategy for national service in their states.Target Audience: All


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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14: Wear Your National Service Gear Day!


Registration Open

7:30 AM-8:15 AM

Richmond

Volunteer Generation Fund Grantee Meeting

This is an optional meeting for 2018 Volunteer Generation Fund grantees.


7:30 AM-8:15 AM

Williamsburg





8:30 AM-10:00 AM WORKSHOP BLOCK 4



CNCS Leadership Panel

Mal Coles, Director, Office of Field Liaison, CNCS Eileen Conoboy, Acting Director, VISTA, CNCS Debbie Cox-Roush, Director, Senior Corps, CNCS Gina Cross, Acting Director, NCCC, CNCS Michael Cys, Director, Office of External Affairs, CNCS Lori Giblin, Chief Risk Officer, CNCS Mary Hyde, Director, Office of Research and Evaluation, CNCS Joe Liciardello, Director, Office of Grants Management, CNCS Chester W. Spellman, Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS

During this session, CNCS staff will provide updates on new initiatives, organizational developments, and guidance for AmeriCorps State and National grantees.


AmeriCorps State and National Updates

Jennifer Bastress Tahmasebi, Deputy Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS

This presentation will include updates on policies and funding that effect all AmeriCorps State and National grantees in 2018-2019.


5:15 PM-6:00 PM

Crystal

AmeriCorps National and Tribal Program Town Hall

Chester W. Spellman, Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS

This is an optional meeting with the Director of AmeriCorps State and National. This session will include time for Q&A with the Director.

Target Audience: National and Tribal AmeriCorps program directors and staff


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8:30 AM-10:00 AM

Crystal

Promoting Social and Emotional Wellness in Members

Lisl Hacker, Director of Training and Technical Assistance, Massachusetts Service Alliance Kerry Lupher, Program Officer, CNCS Margaret Mattinson, Program Officer, CNCS Victoria Nicholas, Program Director, CNMI Public School System Angela Pinckard-Hale, National AmeriCorps Director, SBP Britney Tonning, Program Officer, CNCS

The National Institutes for Health defines emotional wellness as the ability to successfully handle life's stresses and adapt to change and difficult times. AmeriCorps members find new experiences and opportunities with service, and many serve in high-stress environments. Some witness or experience traumatic events, while others support those who have. In this session, participants will talk about how to best fortify members’ social and emotional wellness. Shared stories, strategies, and lessons learned will address how to support resiliency and help members foster inclusion, understand personal boundaries, recover from disaster, or cope with the trauma of violence or death.


8:30 AM-10:00 AM

Monroe

Office of Inspector General: Safeguarding Federal Funds

Carol Bates, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Audits, CNCS-OIG Special Agent Jessica Nelson, Team Leader, CNCS-OIG

AmeriCorps grantees, commissions, and programs are responsible for all aspects of grant management and for being good stewards of public resources. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is a key partner in the safeguarding of the public trust and taxpayer dollars. The OIG provides agency oversight to ensure adequate internal controls are in place, executes an annual audit plan, and conducts investigations of AmeriCorps programs and personnel. This session will provide an overview of the OIG, common audit and investigative findings, indicators of fraud, fraud prevention tools, and reporting requirements to ensure Federal funds are used appropriately. This session will be repeated in Workshop Block 5.


8:30 AM-10:00 AM

Richmond

Understanding Our Environment: Nonprofit Landscape and Trends

Rachel Bruns, Deputy Director, America's Service Commissions Tiffany Gourley Carter, State Policy Counsel, Council of Nonprofits

As a State Service Commission leader, it is important to understand the nonprofit landscape and how it impacts grantmaking across the state, program development, and commission operations. This session will focus on the current landscape and trends impacting the nonprofit sector.


8:30 AM-10:00 AM

Yorktown

Barriers to Evaluation and How to Overcome Them

Kathy Brennan, Research and Evaluation Advisor, AARP Foundation Heather Foster, Executive Director, Volunteer West Virginia Martha Galvez, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute Katy Hussey-Sloniker, Program Officer, CNCS Roshni Menon, Research Analyst, CNCS Peter Nelson, Assistant Research Director, Minnesota Commission on National and Community Sean Seepersad, Evaluation Officer, Connecticut Commission on Community Service Sarah Shah, Director of Evaluation and Impact Measurement, National College Advising Corps Colin White, Program Officer, CNCS


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Sarah Yue, Program Officer, CNCS Lily Zandniapour, Evaluation Manager, CNCS

Evaluation is a core grant requirement for AmeriCorps programs and is an essential tool for improving the quality and effectiveness of program activities. However, some programs struggle with how to plan and carry out a high-quality, meaningful evaluation. This session is designed to identify common barriers to evaluation and give programs the tools and strategies they need to overcome those barriers. A panel of grantee and commission staff will share insights about how they have dealt with evaluation challenges in their own programs and states, and small group discussions will give participants the opportunity to engage in collaborative problem-solving with their peers.


8:30 AM-10:00 AM

Roanoke

Subgrantees: Starting and Staying Strong

Bonnie Janicki, Senior Grants Officer, CNCS Tracey Seabolt, Grants Management Specialist, CNCS Anne Smith, Program Development Officer, Oklahoma AmeriCorps Phillip Stonecipher, Grants Officer, CNCS

Are you responsible for providing subgrantee grants administration training, so your programs have the knowledge and skills needed to administer a fiscally compliant award? Where do you start? Whether provided through live, virtual, or blended instruction, subgrantees need core competencies to remain compliant. In this session, Grants Management Specialists will share highlights from CNCS grants administration trainings and strategies for delivering content with confidence and ease. Attendees are encouraged to bring their subgrantee training agendas and handouts to receive collaborative feedback. All participants will leave with resources to enhance subgrantee education and foster grant compliance.

Target Audience: State commission staff


10:15 AM-11:45 AM WORKSHOP BLOCK 5

10:15 AM-11:45 AM

Yorktown

Guiding Subgrantees and Sites in Data Collection

Daniel Barutta, Program Officer, CNCS Curtis Cannon, Program Officer, CNCS Sarah Foster, Assistant Program Officer, CNCS Arminda Pappas, Program Officer, CNCS Jamie Welch, Program Officer, CNCS Colin White, Program Officer, CNCS Sarah Yue, Program Officer, CNCS

Collecting and reporting high-quality programmatic data can be a challenge, especially for subgrantees or sites that are relatively new or don't have much experience with data collection. This interactive workshop will explore ways that state commissions and multi-state grantees can support AmeriCorps sites/subgrantees in developing effective data collection strategies. We will discuss common questions and challenges that programs face, brainstorm potential solutions to those challenges, and work collaboratively on several coaching scenarios related to data collection. Session attendees will also have opportunities to share best practices and lessons learned from their own experiences working with sites and subgrantees.


10:15 AM-11:45 AM Oversight and Accountability: Fiscal Monitoring of AmeriCorps Subgrantees


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Roanoke

Thea E. Becton, Grants Officer, CNCS Andrea Chism, Grants Officer, CNCS Charles Ciano, Finance Director, City Year, Inc. Steven Yule, Senior Program Officer, Serve Wisconsin

We've all heard the terms oversight and accountability, but what do they mean and how do we know we are providing appropriate levels required to keep members, communities, and taxpayer dollars safe? Subgrantee monitoring isn't an annual activity; grantees must incorporate it into everyday actions as part of their oversight and use it to guide technical assistance. In this session, participants will apply theory to expand monitoring confidence, competence, and consistency by assessing organizational policies and procedures, reviewing sample personnel expense documentation, and testing the allowability of expenses.

Target Audience: Direct grantees, including commissions, that subgrant CNCS funds

10:15 AM-11:45 AM

Monroe

Office of Inspector General: Safeguarding Federal Funds

Carol Bates, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Audits, CNCS-OIG Special Agent Jessica Nelson, Team Leader, CNCS-OIG

AmeriCorps grantees, commissions, and programs are responsible for all aspects of grant management and for being good stewards of public resources. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is a key partner in the safeguarding of the public trust and taxpayer dollars. The OIG provides agency oversight to ensure adequate internal controls are in place, executes an annual audit plan, and conducts investigations of AmeriCorps programs and personnel. This session will provide an overview of the OIG, common audit and investigative findings, indicators of fraud, fraud prevention tools, and reporting requirements to ensure Federal funds are used appropriately. This session is a repeat of the presentation in Workshop Block 4.


10:15 AM-11:45 AM

Crystal

Tools and Strategies for Recruiting and Developing High Quality Programs in Your State

Kyle Ismail, Program Officer, CNCS Oksana Jensen, Program Officer, CNCS Cat Keen, National Service Programs Director, Volunteer Florida Sueko Kumagai, Senior Program and Project Specialist, CNCS Heather McDonald, Program Officer, CNCS Beth McGuinness, Director of Programs, Massachusetts Service Alliance Jessica Noble, Executive Director, Kansas Volunteer Commission Logan Rice, Program Officer, New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism Samuel Sokoloye, Executive Director, New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism

This session will provide an opportunity for commission staff to reflect on the challenges and lessons learned in recruiting and developing quality AmeriCorps programs. The discussion will focus on overcoming challenges and identifying specific tools, such as planning grants and technical assistance initiatives, that commission staff can utilize to build an AmeriCorps portfolio that successfully addresses local needs.


10:15 AM-11:45 AM

Richmond

National Service 2017 Hurricane Season Review

Jen Murphy, Lead Disaster Services Specialist, CNCS Christy Rojas, CERT Program Manager, Volunteer Florida Taylor Wolter, Disaster Services Program Officer, OneStar Foundation Iliana Malaret Yordán, Executive Director, Voluntariado Ciudadano y Servicio Comunitario


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The CNCS Disaster Services Unit, state commissions, national service programs, and volunteer organizations responded at an unprecedented level to the 2017 hurricanes. With responses to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, CNCS and its partners convened thousands of volunteers to assist disaster survivors. Through partnerships with FEMA, states and volunteer organizations responded in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. In this session, attendees will learn about the disaster response efforts from CNCS and better understand their application within their states. Speakers will detail the response efforts and share first-hand challenges and solutions to national service disaster response.


10:15 AM-11:45 AM

Williamsburg

Harnessing the Creative Power of Millennials to Solve Recruitment Challenges

Sawyer Boyles, Account Director, CLAgency Scott Meyer, Chief Marketing Officer, University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts Lisa Winkler, Vice President of External Relations, ServeMinnesota

Recruiting college students and millennials remains an elusive goal for AmeriCorps programs nation-wide. ServeMinnesota partnered with a student-run communications agency at the University of Minnesota to tackle this challenge head-on. This session will reframe recruitment marketing for the digital age and illustrate how youth-driven messaging is activating Minnesotans. This campus-based model is bringing recruitment to the target market’s front door and is highly replicable with colleges across the country. Attendees will gain critical insight into connecting with this demographic and learn how to implement this ground-breaking model in their own state to enhance brand awareness for AmeriCorps.


11:45 AM-12:00 PM Transition Break

12:00 PM-1:00 PM

Virginia Ballroom

Be the Greater Good: Spotlight on AmeriCorps Recruitment

Michael Cys, Director, Office of External Affairs, CNCS Chester W. Spellman, Director, AmeriCorps State and National, CNCS Barbara Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, CNCS

During this session, CNCS will unveil a new Public Service Announcement showcasing AmeriCorps service and highlight the Join AmeriCorps initiative. The plenary will include a discussion of recruitment and the agency’s commitment to engaging talented AmeriCorps members in programs across the network.

1:00 PM Adjourn

1:30 PM-4:30 PM

Crystal

America’s Service Commissions Membership Assembly

This is the annual meeting of the State Service Commissions.



Presenter Biographies | 1

PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES

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Adrienne Andrews is the Executive Director of Notre Dame Mission Volunteers-AmeriCorps. Adrienne became the Executive Director in 2016, after serving for 10 years as the program’s Associate Director. She first met the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 2004 as a volunteer in Watsonville, California. Adrienne has a BA in sociology from Case Western Reserve University and a certificate in organizational leadership from the Duke Divinity School.

Nneka Anosike is an AmeriCorps Alumna with over 1,000 hours of service at Earth Conservation Corps, a nonprofit that helps “endangered youth reclaim the Anacostia River, their communities, and their lives.” During her service, Nneka led environmental stewardship projects, organized events to educate communities on sustainable practices, and served as a liaison between government agencies and communities. Currently, she is a Compliance Program Specialist supporting the DC Department of Energy and Environment’s Air Quality Division. Nneka is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from the University of Maryland University College, and is the founder of Girls Think Green.

Michael Ashmore is the Program Development and Training Officer for the Maine Commission for Community Service. He provides outreach and training to new applicants and helps make AmeriCorps more accessible to small rural nonprofits. Prior to his current role, Michael was also the commission's Grants Officer and oversaw the Maine portfolio of AmeriCorps State grants. Before joining the commission, Michael directed a nonprofit that helped youth with disabilities transition from school to adulthood. Michael was also a teacher and school district administrator for 20 years and was the Director and Coordinator of Volunteers for the NAMES Project-Maine AIDS Memorial Quilt.

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Renee Bade is the Executive Director of Serve Idaho, the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism. Renee received her BS in political science and criminal justice from the University of Idaho, and her MPA from Boise State University. Outside of work, she is the volunteer/civic engagement chair for the Boise Centennial

Rotary Club and a member of the advisory committee for One Stone, a local youth empowerment organization.

Daniel Barutta is an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer, He has been in Federal service for over 25 years, including two years as a VISTA with Catholic Charities in San Francisco, three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica, six years as a Placement Officer at Peace Corps Headquarters, and 18 years with CNCS. Daniel attended the University of CA Santa Cruz for his undergraduate degree in history and has an MSW from San Francisco State University.

Carol Bates is the Acting Assistant Inspector General for Audits in the CNCS Office of Inspector General (OIG). In this role, Carol leads the CNCS Audit Division. Carol graduated from the University of Maryland and is a Certified Public Accountant. Her federal career has included work over several years with the CNCS OIG and the Architect of the Capitol.

Greg Bates is the National Service Program Manager with UServeUtah and oversees the state-wide implementation of the federal AmeriCorps program in Utah. He is a Utah native and joined UServeUtah in June 2016, after working for the Department of Workforce Services for eight years. During that time, Greg spent two years as an eligibility specialist for public assistance programs, two years as an investigator, and four years as a supervisor of the specialized refugee eligibility team. Greg earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal law from Weber State University.

Thea E. Becton is a Grants Officer at CNCS Headquarters, serving in that role since June 2015. Prior to joining the DC staff, Thea was an Assistant Program Director at the Atlantic Region campus of AmeriCorps NCCC. Thea is committed to lifelong learning and believes that service is a way to develop skill and facilitate change for a better world.

Beth Binkley is an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer. She joined CNCS as a Program Officer in March 2013. In this role, she oversees a diverse portfolio of commission and program grantees and contributes to a variety of critical projects and teams at CNCS. In addition to a variety of professional experiences, Beth has served as State AmeriCorps Director for the



South Carolina Commission for National and Community Service and Service Director for City Year Columbia.

Lisa Bishop is the Senior Advisor for Education Initiatives at CNCS. She previously served as a Director in Baltimore City Public Schools' Office of Human Capital and as Chief of Staff at the Maryland State Department of Education. Lisa was also a Special Assistant at Communities in Schools. She began her career as an AmeriCorps VISTA and subsequently served as a staff member and commissioner with the Maryland Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism. Lisa has an MBA from Loyola University-Maryland and a bachelor's degree in public administration from James Madison University.

Sawyer Boyles is Account Director for CLAgency, a student-run communications and PR agency at the University of Minnesota, which partnered with ServeMinnesota to improve marketing, branding, and social media presence to recruit young adults.

Kathy Brennan is a Senior Research and Evaluation Advisor at AARP Foundation. She leads all external evaluation efforts for Experience Corps, a program that matches volunteers age 50+ with students who are struggling to read in classrooms across the country. Kathy has 18 years of experience managing government, nonprofit, and foundation social welfare initiatives. She began her career in the nonprofit sector at the Urban Institute, evaluating Welfare-to-Work programs. Subsequently, she worked at Innovation Network, overseeing mixed-methods evaluations of initiatives that help vulnerable children and families. Prior to joining AARP Foundation, Kathy served as Director of Evaluation at Living Cities.

LaVal Brewer is the Executive Director of Playworks California. LaVal brings more than three decades of experience in nonprofit management, much of it in executive roles. He recently supported the work of Southern California nonprofit and for-profit corporate employee volunteer programs as a consultant through the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership and OneOC (formerly the Volunteer Center of Orange County). LaVal has also directed several YMCAs in California. He is a trainer for CaliforniaVolunteers, serves on the board of the California Community Access Foundation and Capistrano Unified School District Foundation, is a Rotarian, and regularly volunteers in his community.

Caitlin Brooking is the Deputy Director at the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service. She previously served

as the Director of Program Development. She is responsible for coaching applicants for new AmeriCorps State grants, providing technical assistance to meet grant requirements, and creating effective programs with high impact. In 2016, Caitlin completed a master's degree in sociology at the University of Mississippi. Caitlin has previously served as Director of Programs for Hands On Gulf Coast, including an AmeriCorps State program and large community service projects, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Caitlin has a BA in psychology from Boston University.

Rachel Bruns is Deputy Director of America's Service Commissions, Previously, Rachel served as Strategy and Development Officer for the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, launching the Service Enterprise Initiative and leading the Governor's Council on National Service. Rachel has also served as Director of Volunteer Wisconsin, Executive Director of Iowa Campus Compact. and Volunteer Engagement Coordinator at United Way of Central Iowa. Rachel is a proud Drake University alumna, where she earned a master's degree in public administration with a concentration in public policy, a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication, and a BA in law, politics, and society.

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Laura Cameron is a three-term AmeriCorps member with Jumpstart’s Howard University program. Laura is a Senior and a journalism major. During her time at Howard, Laura has served as a Jumpstart Corps member and Team Leader. She also looks forward to continuing to make an impact through her continued service with Jumpstart in the next school year as a Volunteer Coordinator. Laura is also involved in the Howard Gospel Choir, Her Campus, National Council of Negro Women, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and the Howard chapter of the National Association for Black Journalists.

Curtis Cannon is an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer at CNCS. Active in the nonprofit and national and community service sectors for more than 15 years, his professional career includes extensive experience in nonprofit management, community development, and volunteer coordination. Prior to joining CNCS, Curtis served as the Executive Director of the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism. Curtis is also a proud two-term AmeriCorps alumnus.

Tiffany Gourley Carter is the State Policy Counsel at the Council of Nonprofits Team. She moved to DC from



Honolulu, where she served as a legislative attorney for the Hawai'i Legislature, supporting legislators on a wide range of issues. Previously, Tiffany was an attorney for the Hawai’i legislature and worked at the Hawai’i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations and the Hawai’i Attorney General's Office Tiffany has a BA, magna cum laude, from the University of Colorado-Boulder and a law degree from the University of Hawai'i.

Andrea Chism is a Grants Management Specialist with the CNCS Office of Grants Management. Upon receiving a BA in sociology/criminal justice, Andrea began her career managing federal grants with the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs. In 2006, after receiving an MS in project management, Andrea joined the Department of Homeland Security as the Closeout Coordinator.

Charles Ciano is the Finance Director at City Year, Inc., overseeing the financial grant management functions of over $70 million in public funding, including AmeriCorps grants in over 28 cities. Charles started his career in national service as a Program Officer with the Massachusetts Service Alliance. Prior to joining the state commission, Charles worked at YouthBuild USA and YouthBuild International, where he managed subaward financial monitoring for national and international grantees. Charles has a BS in integrated marketing communications from Emerson College and an MS in human services with a focus on nonprofit management from Northeastern University.

Mal Coles is the Acting Director of the CNCS Office of Field Liaison, which oversees the network of 46 State Program Offices. He began his career in service as a VISTA Volunteer assigned to the White Mountain Apache Tribal Council in 1967, serving three years on the reservation in Arizona. Mal’s background in national service has included positions with the federal Office of Economic Opportunity, the ACTION Agency, and CNCS, and has spanned the tenure of 10 US Presidents and 15 Administrations.Eileen Conoboy is the Acting Director of Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). Eileen joined CNCS in 2014 as the Deputy Director of VISTA. Prior to this, Eileen served in a variety of positions at the Peace Corps, including the Director, Office of Third Goal and Returned Volunteer Services, Regional Manager, and Recruitment Coordinator and Recruiter. In addition, Eileen was the Senior Management Analyst/Team Lead at the Administration for Native Americans and the Program Manager of LIR Anti-Racism Program. Eileen also served

as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, and as a VISTA in North Dakota.

Gina Cross is the Acting Director of the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). Gina joined NCCC in 2012, as the Director of Policy and Operations, after working in the CNCS Budget Office and Senior Corps. Gina’s responsibilities include overseeing the operations and management of NCCC as well as financial management and reporting, policy development, and oversight of national operations. Gina is dedicated to mission oriented work and began her career serving with the AmeriCorps NCCC program in Class 2 in San Diego followed by a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Covington, Kentucky.

Michael Cys is the Director of the CNCS Office of External Affairs. Mike has an extensive public affairs, communications, and government relations background and most recently served as President of Protecting America Now. He also has served as the Vice President, State and Political Affairs at the National Retail Federation, as well as the Director, Political and Legislative Grassroots at the American Medical Association. Mike began his career as a newspaper reporter and then joined the staff of the Illinois House of Representatives as Communications Director. Mike received a BA in journalism from Valparaiso University.

- D - Rose David is an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer at CNCS. Rose was previously a Program Manager and Training and Technical Assistance Provider serving American Indian and Alaskan Native communities through diverse federal contracts, including the Native American Center for Excellence, the Department of Defense Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program, the Indian Health Service Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative, the Department of Justice Radiation Exposure and Compensation Act Outreach Program, and the Environmental Protection Agency National Tribal Caucus Analytical Support Project. Rose is from Chimnissing First Nation in Ontario, Canada.

Lindsay Dolce is the Chief Advancement Officer for the Reading and Math Foundation. Lindsay brings extensive national and state-level advocacy and outreach experience to the position, having served as Executive Director of Serve Colorado and Colorado Reads. Lindsay has also worked as the Senior Program Manager for the



David and Laura Merage Foundation, a domestic relations attorney, and a staff member for US Senator J. Robert Kerrey and President Bill Clinton. Lindsay received a BA from William Jewell College, attended Oxford College, and received a JD from the University of Missouri at Kansas City.

Margo Drakos is a former professional cellist, US military spouse, and Founder and CEO of ArtistYear. Margo spent the past decade working with institutions leveraging technology and strategic alignment to realize scale, revenue generation, and sustainability. Margo entered music conservatory at 15 in cello and composition and graduated from Curtis Institute of Music. As a cellist, she performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician on five continents. Margo was honored as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and received a master's degree in human rights from Columbia University.

Lara Dreir is the Senior Manager of Federal Iniatiatives at College Possible National. Lara has served in various capacities at College Possible for over 10 years, including 8 years directly managing programming, and most recently overseeing the organization's federal grants, projects, and evaluations. Since she joined the team, College Possible has grown from a small, single-city program to a national organization hosting nearly 300 AmeriCorps members. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from Augsburg University.

Ben Duda is the Managing Director for Corps Members and Alumni at Service Year Alliance. Prior to this, Ben served as Executive Director of AmeriCorps Alums since 2011 and helped lead the acquisition that brought AmeriCorps Alums to Service Year Alliance. Ben has also worked with KaBOOM!, the Baltimore Mayor’s Office, and was an emergency responder with the American Red Cross after 9/11/01. Ben is also an NCCC alum, and he has a BS from Cornell University and an MPP from Johns Hopkins University.

Daniel Dunlap is the Colorado State Program Director in the CNCS Office of Field Liaison. Dan began serving as the CNCS Colorado State Program Director in April, 2013. After serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA Member, Leader, and Supervisor in Oklahoma City, Dan was a Learn and Serve America coordinator for the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Dan then worked as a CNCS State Program Specialist for 12 years in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas. Dan is also an AmeriCorps

alumnus, and he is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

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Maureen K. Eccleston is the Executive Director of PennSERVE, the Pennsylvania State Service Commission. A self-described national service lifer, Maureen started her AmeriCorps journey in 1999 with the sixth class of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). Since then, she’s served and worked with NCCC, VISTA, AmeriCorps State and National, and Learn and Serve. Maureen also has had the unique opportunity to serve with state commissions in both Maryland and Pennsylvania. Maureen has an MA in nonprofit management from Notre Dame of Maryland University and a BA in English from York College of Pennsylvania.

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Whitney Faison is a proud AmeriCorps State and National alumna; she served in Rochester AmeriCorps in 2011, and in the Episcopal Service Corps in 2012. Whitney's life-changing AmeriCorps experience became the catalyst for her dedication to nonprofit work as a career. Whitney has a master’s in strategic communication from American University and currently serves as the Digital Marketing and Communications Manager for Meals on Wheels America. As a Syracuse, NY native, she enjoys sitting on the board of AmeriCorps Alums of DC, checking out the live music scene, and eating her way through as many DC restaurants as possible.

Brian Finch is the Director of Business Transformation at CNCS. Brian brings more than 20 years of management experience, having held positions in the nonprofit sector and at JPMorgan Chase. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Greater Washington Partnership. Since 2015, Brian has also served as the Vice Chair of the Board of the George F. Baker Scholars at Georgetown University. Brian received a BA in government and English literature from Georgetown University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Joe Follman, EdD has been an AmeriCorps Program Officer at CNCS since 2016. Previously, he coordinated AmeriCorps VISTA programs at George Washington University and in Florida, and he directed the Learn & Serve America program in Florida, which engaged nearly one million students in service-learning. Joe also previously worked in military intelligence. He has authored



several books on education and volunteering; his doctoral dissertation examined co-managed volunteer programs in national parks.

Heather Foster has been the Executive Director of Volunteer West Virginia for three years. Never afraid of a challenge, her curiosity, energy and get-to-yes leadership result in innovative new programs like West Virginia Disaster Corps and the Be Kind, #VolunteerWV Campaign. Before she leaves this post, Heather wants to leave a legacy that motivates future service leaders to relocate and stay in West Virginia. A 1996 AmeriCorps alumna, Heather has continued to serve her community in state government, nonprofits, and through volunteering.

Sarah Foster is an Assistant Program Officer at AmeriCorps State and National, where she provides support to CNCS Program Officers in all aspects of grants management. Sarah specializes in creating data reports to provide analysis and tools for better performance. Sarah is a proud AmeriCorps alumna who served three terms of service with AmeriCorps State and National and NCCC. She has a BA from Boston College and an MPA from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington.

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Martha Galvez is a Senior Research Associate at the Urban Institute. Before joining the Urban Institute, she worked in research and data analysis at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. She has held positions in the West Coast Poverty Center at the University of Washington, Seattle Housing Authority, New York City Department of Small Business Services, and New York City Citizens Housing and Planning Council. Martha has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in urban planning and a doctoral degree in public policy and administration from New York University.

Cindy Galyen is an Audit Resolution Specialist with the CNCS Office of Grants Management audit resolution team. Cindy previously worked in the Chief Risk Office as a Portfolio Risk and Compliance Specialist focusing on National Service Criminal History Checks and as an Assistant Program Officer with AmeriCorps State and National. Cindy got her start in national service during four years of VISTA service in Washington and North Dakota. She has a BA in English literature from Randolph-Macon Woman's College.

Lori Giblin is the CNCS Chief Risk Officer. In this role, she is responsible for the agency’s four primary risk assessment programs: enterprise risk management, internal controls, criminal history check and improper payment compliance, and grant monitoring assessment. Lori joined CNCS in 2016, and comes to the agency with over 20 years of federal and state government experience in community development and finance. Lori has a master’s degree in public administration from Arizona State University and serves on the steering committee of the Association of Federal Enterprise Risk Management’s small agency community of practice.

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Lisl Hacker is the Director of Training and Technical Assistance with the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA). She is mainly involved in MSA's Service Enterprise work, leading a bi-annual state conference on service and volunteerism, and other training initiatives, as well as working closely with the AmeriCorps team to support their training and technical assistance needs. Lisl's varied work experience has ranged from teaching environmental education and coaching tennis to supporting those with mental illness in a residential facility and those with developmental disabilities in an employment program, to most recently serving as an AmeriCorps Program Officer at YouthBuild USA.

Hawley Harrigan is the Director of AmeriCorps at Nevada Volunteers. She has over 10 years of nonprofit experience and a master's degree in public administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. She originally became involved with AmeriCorps as a host site supervisor and later as the AmeriCorps Compliance Specialist for Nevada Volunteers. Her experiences working with members has shown her what dedicated and amazing people choose to serve their communities through national service. AmeriCorps members, program directors, and the organizations that support them continue to inspire Hawley every day.

Jeanne Haster is beginning her 15th year as Executive Director of Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) Northwest with more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and educational arenas. JVC Northwest has a 60+ year history and entering its ninth year as an AmeriCorps National Direct Program. Jeanne directed the Centre for Justice and Spirituality in Brisbane, Australia; chaired the Queensland Earth Charter Committee; taught college students through middle schoolers; served as a Volunteer



in Central America and the US. She has two masters' degrees in the Theologies of Justice and Peace from the Maryknoll School of Theology, New York.

Bonnie Hazelton is the Chief Operating Officer at Volunteer Florida. Prior to that, Bonnie served three years as the Director of the Office of Open Government for the Governor. Bonnie also served four years as Director of the Office of the Ombudsman and Public Services for the Department of Environmental Protection. Her background also includes working with the State Office on Homelessness and in the field of psychology. She earned a BA in psychology, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and she earned a master's degree in clinical psychology, with honors, from St. Mary’s University.

Jane Hodgdon is a Senior Education Program Specialist with the US Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement. She leads the Department’s Place-based Initiatives Pilot Team that improves cradle-to-career educational opportunities in Promise Zones and other priority communities by building partnerships, leveraging federal resources, and distributing promising practices. Jane earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After four years of teaching in Denver and Colorado Springs, Jane completed the University of Maryland’s Masters of Applied Anthropology program.

Cheryl Hollis is the Director of Programs for WINGS for Kids. Cheryl started with WINGS for Kids in 2003, and served as a WINGS Leader for three years. After four years teaching and developing curriculum, she returned to WINGS as Program Director in 2010. Cheryl brings a wealth of experience in child assessment, curriculum design, program operations, and frontline training and coaching. She has an undergraduate degree from the College of Charleston and a certification in Early Childhood Education Administration from DeKalb Technical College.

Ginna Holmes was appointed Executive Director of the Michigan Community Service Commission in 2013. Prior to this, Ginna was the Director of Academic and Career Planning at Alma College, Executive Director of the Alma Public School's EXPLORE Program, Executive Director of the Alma Public School's K-12 After-School and Summer Program, and Assistant Director of the Center for Student Development at Alma College. Ginna began her professional career as a high school teach. She received a bachelor’s degree in health education from Michigan

State University and a master’s degree in counseling education from Duquesne University.

LaJuan Howard is a Grants Officer in the CNCS Office of Grants Management. She is native Washingtonian and one of CNCS's most seasoned Grants Officers, managing awards to state commissions and territories. While a Bowie State University student, LaJuan entered a cooperative program in grants management at the National Institutes of Health. After graduating, she was responsible for managing a large portfolio that allocated millions of research dollars. Prior to joining CNCS in 2004, she worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, managing multiple research awards.

Katy Hussey-Sloniker, MBA/MSW is a Program Officer for the AmeriCorps State and National Social Innovation portfolio. She has over 20 years of experience in program management and development with military social service agencies, veteran service organizations, local nonprofits and federal agencies. Katy is is passionate about program evaluation that ensures outcomes achieve results, military and veteran families, social justice for vulnerable populations, and empowering people through evidence-based interventions. As a military spouse, she is proud to say she has worked for the betterment of each of the 13 local communities where she and her family have lived.

Dr. Mary Hyde, a community psychologist and professional program evaluator, is the Director of the CNCS Office of Research and Evaluation. Mary is responsible for advancing the evidence base for national service programs as well as fostering a culture of evaluation within the agency and the national service field. Prior to joining CNCS, she was a Principal with ICF International and responsible for a portfolio of projects related to strengthening families and communities. Prior to joining ICF, Mary developed her unique skill set by directing and managing both national and local program evaluations.

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Kyle Ismail is an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer, and he joined CNCS in 2015. Before joining CNCS, Kyle was the National Program Manager at Islamic Relief USA, the Director of the SHARE Network, and the Associate Director at IMAN. Kyle has a BS in journalism and an MA in history from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.



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Bonnie Janicki is a Senior Grants Officer for Grant Operations in the CNCS Office of Grants Management. She supervises a team of Grants Officers responsible for the daily grants management of a diverse portfolio that includes, among others, AmeriCorps State and National, Social Innovation Funds, and Martin Luther King, Jr. grants. Bonnie began her Federal service with CNCS in 1994.

Oksana Jensen is an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer. Before joining the AmeriCorps team in 2011, Oksana spent nine years at international development organizations where she managed youth development, civic engagement, anti-trafficking, and international education programs in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Oksana has a BA in international affairs and economics from the University of Maine and an MA in international politics from the School of International Service at American University.

Liz Jung is a Financial and Management Analyst in the Office of the Chief Risk Officer at CNCS. Liz is going on her fifth year with CNCS and was previously the AmeriCorps VISTA Recruitment Specialist and a New Jersey State Office Program Officer. She also served as a VISTA with the Billings, Montana Metro VISTA Project. Liz has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.

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Cat Keen is the National Service Programs Director for Volunteer Florida. She oversees $23 million annually and leads the grant management, technical assistance, training, and compliance oversight of federal grants, including AmeriCorps State and the Volunteer Generation Fund. Cat received a BA in cultural anthropology and an MSW from Florida State University. She also received an MBA from the University of Phoenix and has studied community systems in 11 countries. She serves on the Board of Directors of The School of Arts & Sciences Foundation and as Board President Elect of America’s Second Harvest Food Bank of the Big Bend.

Philip Kolling has spent his career working for organizations during phases of startup, expansion, and reorganization. Phil was appointed Executive Director of SerVermont in May of 2013, where he works to expand Vermont service opportunities through AmeriCorps and other initiatives. Phil served two AmeriCorps terms,

working with opportunity youth and building trails. Phil currently serves on the boards of the American Association of State Service Commissions and Granite City Grocery Cooperative. Phil has an MS in management of mission-driven organizations from Marlboro College Graduate School and a BS in community development from the University of New Hampshire.

Robert (Bob) Kovar is Director of the Northwoods NiiJii Tribal AmeriCorps Program, which he started in 2009 to help tribal substance-abuse prevention coalitions across Wisconsin recruit members from their own communities to get their prevention work done. A long-time advocate and ally to American Indian communities, Bob has helped find solutions to remove historical barriers that lead to academic and social failures, and perpetuated health disparities. Bob has also been a founding member of several local foundations and grassroots efforts to improve life and protect the environment in his community; and he is currently President of Kovar Consulting Company LLC.

Sueko Kumagai is a Senior Program and Project Specialist in AmeriCorps State and National (ASN). Sueko joined CNCS in 2001. In her current role, she manages a variety of projects, including AmeriCorps State and National staff on-boarding and development. In prior years, she served as a Team Leader and a Program Officer within ASN. Before joining CNCS, Sueko worked at the Peace Corps and the World Learning/School for International Training. Sueko’s commitment to service began in 1992-1994, when she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia group 1.

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Charndrea Leonard is a Senior Program Officer at CNCS and has worked with the agency since 2003. In this role, she supervises a team of five AmeriCorps State and National Program Officers and has been instrumental in expanding the AmeriCorps investment in Native American communities across the country. Charndrea is a proud AmeriCorps alumna, having served with City Year in Columbia, SC. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, serves on the advisory council for Warrick Dunn Charities, and volunteers with numerous organizations. Charndrea has a BA in journalism and an MPA from the University of Georgia.

Jennifer Brown Lerner is the Assistant Director for Policy and Partnerships at the National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development. Previously, Jennifer served as the Deputy Director of the American



Youth Policy Forum, where she managed the organization’s work on a range of education issues. Jennifer was also a classroom teacher and communications officer for schools in the Boston area. Her career began supporting the creation of a Summerbridge (now Breakthrough Collaborative) site in Georgia. Jennifer has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Morgan Levey is the Public Engagement and Partnership Officer for the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. Morgan joined the commission in April; prior to that, she served as the Senior Marketing and Communications Manager at Points of Light and the Deputy Field Director at Service Nation. She has a BA in history and communication arts from Linfield College, and a master’s degree in political communication from American University.

Joe Liciardello is the Director of the CNCS Office of Grants Management. the Director of the CNCS Office of Grants Management. Acting Chief Grants Officer at CNCS. Previously, he worked for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the US Department of Homeland Security, FEMA Region III as Grants Management Chief, and the US Department of Justice. Joe began his public service with the Philadelphia Police Department, where he served as Commanding Officer for Strategic Planning and Grants Administration and Acting Deputy Budget Director for the city. He has an MPA from Wilmington University and undergraduate degrees in English and biology from the University of Notre Dame and Saint Joseph’s University.

John Lira is the Research Team Lead for National Service at the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. John is a US Marine Corps veteran, and has over 10 years of experience producing public policy-focused and government sponsored research projects and initiatives to support military and governmental decision makers. He currently works at the Small Business Administration and worked with CNCS prior to his current position. John has a BA in from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and an MS in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Adam Lounsbury, appointed by Governor Vilsack in 2003, Adam has helped maintain a bipartisan commitment to service in Iowa for over 15 years. As Director of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, he has led efforts to increase national service and volunteer opportunities while helping organizations utilize service as a strategy to

fulfill their missions. Adam is a graduate of Iowa State University. He is the former Chair of America’s Service Commissions and former Chair of the Public Policy Committee. Adam began his career in national service in 1993, serving with the Iowa Conservation Corps.

Kerry Lupher has served as an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer for over five years, working extensively with American Indian Tribes, US territories, and state commissions. She brings over 20 years of experience providing leadership, management, and research consulting to schools, governments, nonprofits, foundations, corporations, institutions, a museum, and a zoo. Kerry is passionate about engaging leaders and communities from across the street, across the nation, and across the aisle to ask the right questions, find clarity in vision, create common understandings, and implement transformative strategies that build a better world.

Carolyn Lynn is the Director of the Literacy Division of Communities in Schools of Jacksonville. Under Carolyn’s leadership, the program has expanded to become the largest literacy program of its kind in Florida - from serving 230 students in five schools to serving more than 6,000 students in 25 schools annually. The program has expanded opportunities to serve by providing more than 400 trained AmeriCorps reading tutors to serve the Jacksonville community.

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Margaret Mattinson is an AmeriCorps Program Officer and for 13 years has supported impactful and compliant programs. She is a disaster program expert and part of the CNCS Disaster Cadre. Before CNCS, Margaret managed US food relief activities in South America and Moldova. In these sustainable agriculture and disaster relief programs, she ensured that US policy and project interests were effectively represented. Margaret is a strong advocate of social justice initiatives and interactive adult education. She has a master of science degree in agronomy at the University of Florida and is active in community-building and photography.

Shelly McAlpin was appointed Executive Director of ServeWyoming in 2012, and has been with ServeWyoming for 12 years. Her resume includes over 15 years of experience in nonprofit management, grant administration, program coordination, emergency volunteer coordination, fund development, policy administration, and new program development. She has a master's degree in political science and foreign policy from



the University of Wyoming and is certified in volunteer management. Prior to her current appointment, Shelly was the Program Director for ServeWyoming, coordinating and developing the VolunteerWyoming component of ServeWyoming while also supervising the AmeriCorps VISTA program.

Heather McDonald is a Program Officer with AmeriCorps State and National, where she has worked since November 2009. In her current role, she manages a portfolio of grants supporting AmeriCorps members throughout the United States. Additionally, Heather serves as one of the department's Healthy Futures subject matter experts. Her prior experience includes working as a Program Assistant in AmeriCorps State and National, as a Country Desk Assistant in the Africa Region of the Peace Corps, and as an Administrative Clerk in the Peace Corps Placement office.

Scott McFarland joined Serve Illinois in 2006, and was appointed Executive Director by the Governor in 2014. Scott earned his BA in history with a Teacher's Certification from Western Illinois University in 2006, and his master's degree in public administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield in 2008. He is currently a Doctor of Public Administration candidate at the University of Illinois at Springfield. Scott is an Eagle Scout, and he received the President's Call to Service Award for over 4,000 hours of volunteer service.

Erin McGrath is the Deputy Director of Senior Corps. Erin has worked with CNCS for eight years, and she has served in a variety of leadership roles. Prior to her current position, Erin was the CNCS Program Officer and State Program Director in New Jersey. She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at Middlesex College and the Director of the National Bonner Leader Program at the Bonner Foundation. Erin received a BA in political science from the College of New Jersey and an MA in urban affairs and public policy from the University of Delaware.

Beth McGuinness joined the MSA staff in 2001 and has served in several capacities during that time - first in a training role, then as a Program Officer overseeing youth service-learning and mentoring programs, and finally assuming the Director of Programs role in 2007. As the Director of Programs, Beth oversees MSA's AmeriCorps portfolio, the Commonwealth Corps program, and focuses on the development of new service-based programs to address unmet needs in Massachusetts. Prior to that, Beth served as a Program Coordinator for a literacy-

tutoring program. Beth has a bachelor's degree in history and an MPA.

Jennifer (Jenny) McKardle is the Civic Engagement Manager at United Way of Genesee County. Prior to her current position, Jenny was the Chief Service Officer for Flint, MI, and was instrumental in creating the National Service Accelerator Model. Jenny has also served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Program Manager and as a VISTA and VISTA Leader in Michigan. She has a BA in global development studies from Coe College and an MA in international development from Ohio University.

Antonio Mendez is the Executive Director of Serve Colorado, the Governor’s Commission on Community Service. In that role, he oversees the AmeriCorps State and National program for Colorado. He has worked in public service for almost a decade and recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor Donna Lynne. Antonio has a BA from Colby College and a JD from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Antonio has previously served as a Teach for America Corps member, a Senior Trainer at the Posse Foundation, a Fulbright Scholar, a Colorado Legislative Fellow, and a White House intern.

Roshni Menon is a Research Analyst with the Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) at CNCS. She works primarily on evaluation capacity building and technical assistance and also assists with ORE's research grant competitions for institutions of higher education. Roshni has more than 10 years of experience designing and implementing evaluation studies, and her expertise lies in the areas of evaluating teacher professional development programs and teacher and principal evaluation systems. Roshni has a PhD in family studies and human development from the University of Arizona.

Scott Meyer, Chief Marketing Officer for the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts, manages alumni engagement, marketing strategy, and community relations. In 2004, he started CLAgency, now consisting of 35 students representing more than 18 majors.

Jen Murphy is the the Lead Disaster Services Specialist for the Disaster Services Unit (DSU) at CNCS. She is responsible for managing national service disaster response operations, coordinating with FEMA, state emergency management, and other national and local partners. Jen leads the DSU team in supporting State Service Commissions, grantees, and national service



programs throughout all phases of disaster. Prior to joining the DSU, Jen was an Assistant Program Director with AmeriCorps NCCC in Mississippi. During her time at NCCC, she managed projects and special events in the Gulf Coast, established the campus in Vicksburg, and supported multiple disasters.

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Jamie Orozco Nagel is the Program Development Officer at Volunteer Iowa, where she has worked since 2009. At Volunteer Iowa, Jamie leads AmeriCorps program development work and also serves as staff liaison to the commission's policy and development committee. Jamie has an MSW from the University of Iowa and is a volunteer and former board member of the National Association of Social Workers, Iowa Chapter.

Special Agent Jessica Nelson joined CNCS-OIG in 2014, and has more than eight years of experience in Federal law enforcement. Jessica was recently promoted to Team Leader and is responsible for overseeing the operations of the Investigative Section of CNCS-OIG, which consists of four Investigators. Prior to joining CNCS-OIG, Jessica worked on criminal investigations, where she was assigned as the lead case agent for investigations related to child abuse, homicide, and sexual assault.

Peter Nelson is the Assistant Research Director at the Minnesota Commission on National and Community. Before joining the Minnesota commission, Peter was an Assistant Professor of School Psychology at Penn State University and a Master Coach with the Minnesota Math Corps. Peter received a BA in psychology at St. Olaf College, an MA in curriculum and instruction at the University of Mississippi, and a PhD in school psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities.

Anthony Nerino is a Research Analyst/Statistician in the CNCS Office of Research and Evaluation. His primary responsibilities include managing research projects for national service programs including Scaling Evidence-based Models, designing research studies, program evaluations, managing systematic evidence reviews, and analyzing and reporting findings on volunteering and civic engagement. Prior to this position, Anthony worked as a Research Associate in the Community Health Department at Lehigh Valley Health Network. He coordinated public health research projects on a range of topics including racial disparities in health care delivery and measuring cultural sensitivity within the health care system.

Victoria Nicholas is the Program Director for the CNMI Public School System AmeriCorps Program. Victoria brings more than 28 years of experience in the private and public sectors to the CNMI Public School System, all of them in managerial and leadership roles. As a director and passionate advocate of youth empowerment and leadership, Victoria has spent many years helping CNMI's youth strengthen their skills and build their resiliency to meet the challenges of an evolving and uncertain future.

Tisha Nickenig has served as the Director of National Health Corps, an AmeriCorps National Direct Service program of Health Federation of Philadelphia, since 2014. Tisha has worked extensively in the areas of public health program, policy, research, and business development for a range of nonprofit, government, academic, and philanthropic institutions internationally and in the US. She currently serves as the Vice Chair on the Community Service Advisory Board for PennServe and is a part-time lecturer for the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania for a service-learning course focused on gender-based violence and health disparities.

Jessica Noble is the Executive Director of the Kansas Volunteer Commission. In this role, she oversees the state commission programming related to AmeriCorps, mentoring, volunteering, and civic engagement. Jessica has a master's degree in public health and a bachelor's degree in biology. She is also completing her doctorate degree in social and cultural studies in education from the University of Kansas.

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Sadie O'Connor is the Managing Director of Reading & Math, Inc., a national nonprofit that incubates evidence-based AmeriCorps programs including Reading Corps, Math Corps, Opportunity Corps, and Recovery Corps. Part of Reading Corps’ leadership team since 2003, Sadie helped grow it from a small, local program with 25 tutors to one that engages 2,000 tutors annually. Sadie was also the Vice President of Reading Corps National Replication at ServeMinnesota and focused on innovating and scaling the program nationally. Sadie is an AmeriCorps alumna and a Minnesota native. She has a BA in mass communications from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

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Arminda Pappas joined CNCS in 2015 as a Program Officer and manages a portfolio that includes tribal, state,



and national AmeriCorps grants. Prior to joining to CNCS, Arminda worked at an environmental policy think tank in Washington, DC, managing the organization's subgrant portfolio. She also had several years of experience working with a USAID contractor managing training programs for international non-governmental organizations. Arminda served with the Peace Corps in Armenia and spent several years working overseas on humanitarian aid and development projects.

Kari M. Pardoe is an Associate Program Officer working in the areas of after-school, service, and volunteerism at the Mott Foundation. She arrived at Mott with substantial experience in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. Before joining the Michigan Nonprofit Association in 2006, she was Manager of Community Relations at the Pistons Palace Foundation for Palace Sports and Entertainment. Kari also worked for the Council of Michigan Foundations and managed grant requests for the Isiah Thomas Foundation. A graduate of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, she has an MPA in nonprofit administration from Grand Valley State University.

Leah Pearson is a Teacher at Eagle Academy, a Jumpstart program partner. Leah is an experienced educator, having taught for the past 13 years at Eagle Academy PCS in Southeast DC, and she has been a partner teacher with Jumpstart at Howard University for the last two years. She is passionate about educating children, which is not a surprise since Leah started her career volunteering in early childhood classrooms. Leah has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Ashford University.

Jessie Permar is the Senior Director for National Service Programs at Rebuilding Together. Jessie has six years of AmeriCorps National Direct grant management experience and served in AmeriCorps NCCC and AmeriCorps State.

Tova Pertman joined CNCS as an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer in 2012. Prior to that, Tova worked in international education and development for 12 years with IREX in Washington, DC, and Moscow. During that time, she managed a large education exchange and development program focusing on the Eurasian and South East Asian regions. She also has work experience with the International City/County Management Association and the Associated Press Broadcast Services. Tova is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park. Tova is also a proud Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and she served in the Republic of Moldova.

Angela Pinckard-Hale has over 20 years of experience with AmeriCorps, beginning in 1998, when she served as a full-time AmeriCorps member. She has worked on staff and as Program Director for various AmeriCorps programs in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. After her work with the Arkansas commission, Angela joined the Delta Regional Authority, where she served as the Program Manager for DeltaCorps. Most recently, she joined SBP as the National AmeriCorps and HR Director, where she helps ensure that over 280 AmeriCorps members serve their communities in Disaster Recovery across five states.

Dana Platin is the Deputy Regional Director for Programming in the NCCC Southwestern Region. In this role, Dana oversees leadership training of Corps Members and project development, partnerships, and evaluation for the nine states in the Southwest region. Dana has a master’s degree in public health, a bachelor’s degree in social work and is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Previously she served as the Deputy Director for the United States Peace Corps in Ecuador for nearly two decades working in community development, program design, implementation, evaluation and training design, facilitation, and assessment.

Olga Prokhorova joined CNCS as an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer in 2015. She manages a portfolio of single and multi-state programs. Before joining CNCS, Olga managed a large portfolio of international programs that focused on community development, child protection, higher education, youth and volunteerism, migration, public health, protection of flora and fauna, public entrepreneurship, and business ethics. She has worked with USAID, the US Department of State, and the National Endowment for Democracy. Olga has a master's degree in public and international affairs from Virginia Tech University.

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Laura Qin is a Research Analyst in the CNCS Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE). In this role, she supports the Member Exit Survey, ORE's research grant competition, and the systematic review of evidence generated through grantee program evaluations. Prior to joining CNCS, Laura was the Director of Institutional Research at Three Rivers Community College, providing consultation and analytical support on strategic planning, assessment, and evaluation projects for academic, student affairs, and operational units. She has a BA from Wellesley College, an MBA from Babson College, and an



EdD in higher education leadership from Johnson and Wales University.

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Logan Rice is the Program Officer for the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism. Logan grew up near Santa Fe, where his parents ran a summer camp for 45 years. Growing up at camp allowed Logan to have a unique childhood and instilled in him a sense of service to others at a young age. After high school, Logan went to Fort Lewis College, where he helped lead a service project in New Orleans to rebuild a neighborhood after Hurricane Katrina. Logan also served in the Peace Corps, teaching English in rural high schools on the coast of Madagascar.

Monica Ritchie, Volunteer Mississippi Executive Director, has been a Mississippian since 1996. Monica has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in business administration as well as a master's in health education. She attended Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi State University.

Christy Rojas is the CERT Program Manager at Volunteer Florida. Christy has an extensive emergency management and volunteer engagement background. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and social science and an advanced Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Florida State. Christy began her career as the Public Support Associate with the American Red Cross before transitioning to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. In 2018, Christy received her Florida Professional Emergency Manager Certificate, the highest honor of professional achievement available from the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association.

Autumn Rose is the Senior Grants Officer for Audit Resolution and Policy with the CNCS Office of Grants Management. Autumn previously served as an Audit Resolution Specialist in the CNCS Office of Grants Management and the Program Officer for the CNCS Maryland/Delaware State Office. She began her national service career as an AmeriCorps VISTA and VISTA Leader, serving three terms of service in Kentucky and Maryland. Autumn has an MS in development management from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in political science and geography from Eastern Kentucky University.

Mary C. Rousseau is the GED Program Director of the Sitting Bull College AmeriCorps program. Mary is Lakota

(Sioux) from South Dakota and Oneida from New York. She was raised in the Wakpala community on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reservation. Her education included degrees in business at Standing Rock Community College and Oglala Lakota College and Native American studies at Sitting Bull College. Mary's work experience includes Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Tribal Health, Education, and Welfare Clerk, Indian Child Welfare Act Representative, and Higher Education Director. She has also worked as the Sitting Bull College Education Access Director and Coordinator for Academics.

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Sandy Scott is the Senior Advisor to the CNCS CEO. Sandy has served at CNCS since 1995 in a variety of positions including Senior Communications Advisor, Director of Public Affairs, Director of Government Affairs, Senior Writer, Press Secretary, and Speechwriter. Prior to CNCS, he worked for seven years on Capitol Hill as a professional staff member of the House Interior Committee and as a legislative assistant for a Member of Congress from Minnesota.

Tracey Seabolt is a Grants Management Specialist in the CNCS Office of Grants Management (OGM), manages a portfolio of AmeriCorps awards and leads the unit's training efforts. Tracey joined CNCS in 2006 as a Learn and Serve America Program Coordinator, transitioned to a State Program Specialist for Senior Corps and VISTA programs in the District of Columbia and Maryland, and joined the OGM team in 2012. Prior to her federal service, Tracey managed service-learning and volunteer programs for nearly 15 years. She is a passionate volunteer for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, as an advocate, fundraiser, and trainer.

Sean Seepersad, PhD is an Associate Director for the Connecticut Office of Higher Education (OHE) and serves as the Evaluation Officer with the Connecticut Commission on Community Service. In this capacity, Sean provides individual consultations and a variety of trainings to AmeriCorps programs, including introduction to evaluation, logic models, data collection, and data quality. Sean is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Connecticut and teaches courses such as Research Methods. He has an applied PhD from the University of Illinois in human development and family studies with a focus on program development and evaluation.

Sarah Shah is the Director of Evaluation and Impact Measurement at College Advising Corps. Before joining



the College Advising Corps, Sarah was the Education Pioneers Policy Fellow in Newark Public Schools and a 3rd grade teacher in Arkansas. Sarah began her career with Dumas Public Schools as a Teach for America Corps Member. Sarah has a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's degree in public policy from Duke University.

Bob Shogren is the AmeriCorps Director and ASPIRE State Manager in the Arizona Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism. Bob served six years on the Executive Committee of America's Service Commissions and chaired the Membership Committee. In the past, Bob worked for 20 years for the Mammoth-San Manuel Schools, first as an eighth grade teacher and then as the Director of the Community Schools programs. Bob is the Charter President of the Casa Grande Daybreak Rotary Club, and serves Rotary District 5500 as the Visioning Facilitation Chair. He has a master's degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University.

Joscelyn Silsby is the Senior Advisor for Monitoring and Evaluation at the AARP Foundation. She oversees the external evaluation of Women’s Economic Security Initiative, a workforce development initiative at five community colleges. Prior to her work at AARP, Joscelyn was a Research and Evaluation Specialist at CNCS, where she was a member of the team that created and implemented the initial evaluation policy and guidance for the Social Innovation Fund. Joscelyn served in the Peace Corps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has a BA from UCLA and an MPH from UNC, Chapel Hill.

Anne Smith joined the Oklahoma Commission in the fall of 2015 and serves as the Program Development Officer. She passionately believes in communities uniting to help one another succeed. Prior to AmeriCorps, Anne's work and service were in local churches in Michigan, Virginia, and Oklahoma and included mission work, both locally and overseas. Her ministry background has well prepared her for AmeriCorps, where she enjoys training program leaders to strengthen their programs and expand their impact in their own communities.

Parc Smith became the Executive Director of American YouthWorks in 2010, after serving more than 15 years at the agency. He began as a crew leader in 1995, and later became a Texas Conservation Corps Program Coordinator, then Texas Conservation Corps Program Director in 2000. He is passionate about service to the community, environmental preservation, and creating

education and career opportunities for young people in Austin.

Jim Snell has served as the Executive Director of Volunteer Tennessee for 11 years. During that time, he oversaw the creation of the Tennessee Conference on Volunteerism and Service-Learning and implementation of the Governor's Volunteer Stars Awards. Prior to joining Volunteer Tennessee, Jim co-directed an AmeriCorps program in Nashville. Jim also served in the first class of AmeriCorps, 1994-1995, in the TenneSenior Service Corps, where he provided health outreach to rural senior citizens. Jim attended Vanderbilt University, where he earned a BS in anthropology, and he has completed coursework towards an electrical engineering degree at Tennessee State University.

Samuel Sokoloye was appointed Executive Director of the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism (NMCCV) in September of 2016. Previously, Sam served as Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico. With more than 20 years of experience in administration, financial resource development, and community organizing, Sam began his career as a Detroit Housing Commission Community Service Fellow before taking positions with the Citizens Committee for New York City and the American Jewish Committee in New York and San Diego. Sam has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Temple University and the University of Michigan.

Sonya Soloway is the Senior Site Manager of Jumpstart at Howard University. Sonya began her career in education as a Preschool teacher in Watertown, MA working with primarily ow-income immigrant families. She joined Jumpstart in 2014, and has grown Howard’s program into a ‘Super Site.’ In this role, she has created mentoring programs for new Corps members and built professional development trainings that help members connect their service to their future careers. Sonya has always valued education. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Vermont and a master’s in elementary education from Howard University.

Chester W. Spellman was appointed by the White House to serve as the Director of AmeriCorps State and National in August 2017. Before joining CNCS, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Volunteer Florida, the Florida State Commission, for over five years. Chester has more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including serving at several faith-based organizations. He is the



past chair of America’s Service Commissions and Connect Florida, a program of Leadership Florida. Chester earned a BA from Southeastern University and an MA in organizational leadership from Regent University. In 2016, he was recognized as the Young Floridian of the Year by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida.

Barbara Stewart is the CEO of CNCS. Barbara brings more than 25 years of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to CNCS, including high-level corporate and government leadership roles. As a consultant, board member, and volunteer, Barbara has spent many years helping nonprofits strengthen their governance, operations, and sustainability so they can better pursue their missions and achieve community impact. Barbara co-founded the Bowe-Stewart Foundation, served as a Trustee of the Adler Planetarium and the Civic Federation of Chicago, and sat on the Boards of Christopher House, the Baltimore Urban Debate League, and the Center for Urban Families.

LaDawn Stoddard is the Executive Director of UServeUtah, the Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism. With a degree in business management and an extensive background in finance, she began working for the commission in 2004 as the Grants Officer and then went on to fill the role of Development Coordinator. In 2007, she became the National Service Program Manager, and, in 2012, was appointed by the Governor as the Division Director of the Commission. Early in her career, LaDawn owned and managed a small business which allowed her to work closely within her community.

Hannah Stone is the AmeriCorps Program Officer at Volunteer West Virginia. Hannah is a West Virginia native and AmeriCorps Energy Express alumna with a background in nonprofit direct service, program development, and community outreach. She is currently working on a post master's certificate in program evaluation which focuses on conducting research, evaluating social service programs, and working with stakeholders.

Phillip Stonecipher is a Grants Officer at CNCS Headquarters, serving in that role since November 2017. Prior to joining the DC staff, Phillip was a Program Officer in CNCS's Louisiana State Office. Phillip's interest in volunteerism started when he served in Peace Corps Mongolia from 2007-2009. He earned his MSW in 2011,

and has continued his commitment to community development through civic engagement ever since.

- T - Jennifer Bastress Tahmasebi is the Deputy Director of AmeriCorps State and National. Jennifer has worked in national and community service for over 20 years. Before her appointment at CNCS in 2010, she was a Vice President at YouthBuild USA, where she oversaw all of the agency’s AmeriCorps programming. At YouthBuild, Jennifer held various positions over 11 years. Prior to her work at YouthBuild, Jennifer was a Search Consultant at Isaacson Miller in Boston and a Program Officer in AmeriCorps from 1996-1998. She also worked at CampusOutreach Opportunity League and Youth Service America.

Britney Tonning is an AmeriCorps State and National Program Officer at CNCS. Prior to her position with CNCS, Britney held leadership roles in volunteer management, engagement, and program development. Britney's educational background includes a variety of studies in nonprofit management. Both international and domestically, she has had the opportunity to develop community-based programs focused on environmental education and sustainability through her service with the Peace Corps and as a two-term AmeriCorps member.

Rachel Turner is a Grants Officer in the CNCS Office of Grants Management (OGM). She began her career serving in AmeriCorps National and AmeriCorps VISTA. Following her service terms, Rachel worked at a nonprofit, coordinating Martin Luther King Day of Service and other year-round volunteer initiatives across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Rachel joined the AmeriCorps NCCC Southern Region Campus in 2013 as a Unit Leader, where she led geographically disbursed teams in disaster and non-disaster mission assignments for FEMA. Rachel joined the CNCS OGM in November 2016, and she currently manages a diverse portfolio of awards.

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Heather Uhi is the Grants Officer for Serve Idaho, the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism. Heather received a BA in secondary education with an emphasis in English and speech from Idaho State University. She then went on to serve as a public educator for six years while pursuing an MPA at Boise State University. During her studies, Heather focused on developing knowledge of nonprofit management and conflict management. She is passionate about national



service and served as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the Idaho Foodbank and the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force.

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Greg Wallinger is a Research Analyst at CNCS. Prior to joining CNCS, Greg served as Principal of Rose City Projects, a project management firm in Oregon, and as Research and Policy Director for the City Club of Portland. Greg received an MPA from Portland State University, and a BA in political science from Susquehanna University. He also served two AmeriCorps terms in Montana—one with VISTA focused on subtance abuse prevention, and a second term as a Senior Crew Leader with the Montana Conservation Corps.

Jamie Welch is a Program Officer with AmeriCorps State and National, where she manages a portfolio of state, national, and tribal AmeriCorps grants. Jamie has more than six years of program management experience, including grant administration, program design, and volunteer management. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kyrgyzstan, teaching elementary and high school ESOL. Prior to joining CNCS, Jamie worked with Migration and Refugee Services, where she provided program oversight for domestic refugee resettlement.

Colin White is a Program Officer with AmeriCorps State and National and an AmeriCorps alumnus. Colin has worked extensively in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining CNCS, Colin worked at the US Green Building Council, providing management support and expertise to regional offices while leading financial and organizational audits. He has also spent time at a Fortune 500 company analyzing international sales data. Colin earned his BA from Duquesne University and his MS in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Tyler Wilson is the Government Relations Director at the Corps Network. In this role, Tyler focuses on developing and advocating legislative and policy initiatives for the Corps Network; providing analysis and tracking of Congress, the White House, and federal agencies; and working with advocacy organizations here in DC on improving the outlook for youth development and other issues for Corps. He also focuses on raising Corps’ federal and legislative profile, improving internal government relations operations, representing The Corps Network publicly, and developing new Corps initiatives on education and workforce development, along with other key Corps issue areas.

Lisa Winkler is the Vice President of External Relations at ServeMinnesota, the Minnesota state commission. In this role, Lisa leads the college student recruitment project with CLAgency to develop relevant marketing tools and replicate the project at other colleges across the state.

Taylor Wolter is the Disaster Services Program Officer at the OneStar Foundation. In his role, Taylor coordinates and oversees all AmeriCorps Disaster Services activity in Texas. Taylor was appointed as Federal Taskforce Lead for both Volunteer and Donations Management for Hurricane Harvey as well as the lead for the Federal AmeriCorps Mission Assignment with the State Service Commission. As a two-time AmeriCorps ADRT alumnus and former Program Manager of the Texas Conservation Corps ADRT Program, Taylor now serves as the lead on AmeriCorps Disaster Services with OneStar Foundation and as a state subject matter expert in volunteer and donations management.

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Shuhei Yamamoto leads Teach For America's national social media team. He is in his 10th year on staff at Teach For America, previously working in recruitment and development before finding his niche in social media marketing. Based in Chicago, Shuhei is a former musician who now spends his spare time obsessing over his pet corgi.

Steven Yang is an AmeriCorps alumnus of the Minnesota GreenCorps. Steven served in the GreenCorps in the Capitol Region Watershed District, which covers most of Saint Paul. He and his family have also worked closely with Habitat for Humanity and College Possible. Steven majored in political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studied abroad in Iceland, and began a master’s program in environmental management at Duke University in August, 2018.

Dianna Yeung currently serves as the Associate Director of AmeriCorps Programming at the Great Oaks Foundation. In her role, she manages program operations for the organization's 270 full-time member National Direct AmeriCorps program, the Great Oaks Tutor Corps. Dianna is an AmeriCorps alumna, having served two years with City Year New York in 2009 and 2010.

Iliana Malaret Yordán is the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (PRCVCS). Prior to joining the PRCVCS, Iliana spent five years in public service working



in various roles, including directing the Office of Legal Advisement for the PR Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration and as a legal advisor to the PR Healthcare Ombudsman and PR Veterans Ombudsman. Iliana is a licensed attorney admitted to the PR state and federal bar. She is also a licensed school and counseling psychologist.

Sarah Yue is a Program Officer with AmeriCorps State and National, where she manages a diverse portfolio of multi-state grantees and State Service Commissions. As the unit's Impact Lead, Sarah also helps to set strategic direction for AmeriCorps State and National in the areas of performance measurement, evaluation, and data collection. Sarah has a combined 10 years of experience managing grants for CNCS, the National Science Foundation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She also spent a decade teaching science at US and international high schools.

Steven Yule is the Senior Program Officer at Serve Wisconsin. In this role, he manages an AmeriCorps subgrants portfolio and the commission’s Education Award Program AmeriCorps members services contract; trains new staff; oversees the commission’s part-time auditor; manages the annual subgrants contracting, IPERIA, and 2018 SSN/citizenship verification processes;

and serves as primary liaison for state financial, legal, and purchasing services. Steven was an America’s Service Commissions (ASC) commission staff mentor, serves on ASC’s Membership Committee and National Service Criminal History Check Work Group, and manages the commission’s ASC After-school Program Development Grant.

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Lily Zandniapour is a Research and Evaluation Manager at CNCS. She designs, implements, and oversees research and evaluation initiatives and capacity building efforts in support of agency mission and priorities, as well as program and policy goals. She currently provides oversight to a portfolio of projects that includes Scaling Evidence-based Models, Systematic Evidence Reviews and Synthesis, Evaluations of Senior Corps and AmeriCorps programs, and agency Evaluation Capacity Building efforts. She is also a member of the American Evaluation Association and Washington Evaluators. Lily has a BA and PhD in economics from American University.

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