Technical Competencies

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Conference Presentation
  • 2003 Spring Transition Conference in Frankenmuth, MI, presented a session on coordinating a transition conference for
    students.
  • 2004 & 2005 Spring Transition Conference presentation on the MiConnections project.
  • 2004 Michigan Works Conference in Mt. Pleasant presentation on the MiConnections project.
  • 2005 Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in Traverse City on the MiConnections project.
  • 2009 Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in Grand Rapids on Micro Enterprise for people with disabilities.
  • 2010 (September) MI Association of Community Mental Health Boards (MACMHB) Home and Community Based
    Conference presentation on micro enterprise for people with disabilities with two micro business owners with disabilities.
  • 2010 (October) MACMHB's Fall Conference in Traverse City presentation with panel of experts on micro enterprise
    development on new statewide data, tools, and resources
  • 2010 (November) MARO"s Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in Traverse City presentation as part of a Round Table of
    micro enterprise data, tools, and resources.
  • 2011 (October) Poverty Reduction Initiative's Voices for Action meeting, a presentation on micro enterprise as a way of
    generating income for those that have disabilities and disadvantages.
  • 2011 (November) MARO's Michigan Rehabilitation Conference in Grand Rapids presentation on social networking for
    micro enterprise. A detailed tour of the site www.micro2e.org and its use of a facebook page, a blog, and a wiki as a
    business directory, information and resource portal, and social network.

Group Facilitation
  • As co-chair of the Kent Community Transition Council (three years), facilitated monthly meeting of 20 to 35 people from
    diverse sectors: K12 and post-secondary education, non-profits, government agencies, and parents.
  • As coordinator of the Kent County MiConnections project, developed and facilitated a Local Steering Council and work
    groups.
  • Master's level Group Facilitation class in Master of Management program.
  • Facilitate the Micro Enterprise Club at Hope Network for people with disabilities and community partners.
  • Facilitate the Advisory Council for program participants at Hope Network to develop leadership and advocacy skills.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Website development and social networking
  • Created and published a website for the MiConnections project and a personal “Virtual Life / Work Portfolio; including a
    career portfolio.
  • Maintain the "Career" and "Community" resources sections on a church website.
  • Developed the Make a Difference Network on Ning
  • Developed the Micro2\Enterprise Network on Ning
  • Developed the Kent Micro Enterprise blog on Wordpress
  • Worked with Davenport University students to develop the Micro2E website integrating a wiki business directory and a
    blog.
  • Created numerous personal spiritual journey blogs and groups on facebook, Wordpress, MySpace, Xanga, and Ning

Internet and e-mail
  • Have greatly increased effective communication, project coordination, grant development, and information dissemination
    in my work through the use of e-mail.

Listserv
  • Developed and maintained a listserv communication system for disseminating information on transition and coordinating
    activities in Kent County as part of the Community Transition Council and the MiConnections Local Steering Council.
  • Developed and maintained listserv communication system for disseminating micro enterprise resource, events, and
    informationn throughout Kent County.

Digital Presentation
  • Have developed numerous presentations for trainings and conferences with the use of PowerPoint.

COMPUTER COMPETENCIES

Macromedia Dreamweaver and Microsoft FrontPage
  • Created and maintain website for professional and personal marketing and information resources.

Microsoft Publisher
  • Developed flyers, brochures, and certificates for events.

Microsoft Word
  • Developed electronic document research papers of 25 to 30 pages complete with inter-document links, hyperlinked table
    of contents, footnotes, and hyperlinked list of sources.

Microsoft Excel
  • Developed spreadsheets to track expenses, record information for community contacts, and to track referrals for
    vocational assessment.
  • Worked with a professional company to develop a statewide data collection system for MiConnections.

Microsoft Access
  • Developed database to register over 400 students for a conference, assigning sessions, generating lists for schools,
    sessions, and name tags.

Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Have developed numerous presentations for training and conferences.

ENTREPRENEURIAL & BUSINESS SKILLS

Entrepreneurial and strategic thinking
  • Through the Master of Management Degree, I have learned to integrate strategic / entrepreneurial thinking into my work
    life. Have put it into practice through starting up and piloting MiConnections in Kent County as a model or prototype for the
    State of Michigan.

Strategic audit
  • Ability to perform a strategic audit on an organization and then develop a strategic plan for improvement or reconstruction.

Marketing plan
  • Have developed several marketing plans for Management Degree. As a team member, am developing the statewide
    marketing plan for MiConnections.

Business plan
  • Have developed business plans for Management Degree.
  • As Micro Enterprise Coordinator at Hope Network, train staff in developing business plans for clients.

Small Business
  • Started an ran a consulting business.
  • Started and run a small sharpening business.

Independent Contractor
  • Contracted services in maintenance
  • Contracted services in employment services

Full time entrepreneur, independent consultant

Full time Micro Enterprise Development Specialist
  • With Hope Network
  • Working with people with developmental disabilities