Previous Roles

A narrative description of the roles I’ve held

Upon completing my Master’s Degree in Gender, Globalisation, and Human Rights, I held the position of Youth Education and Access Researcher for a small non-governmental agency in Greece. In that role I conducted an independent research project that led to the design and implementation of the first youth education program in a refugee camp of 700 residents. I was successful in my role and credit this to my knowledge of working with vulnerable populations, exceptional project management skills, strong leadership, and a talent for working with youth. In this role I gained incredible cross-cultural knowledge that I bring with me to better serve students from diverse backgrounds.

My drive to continue serving refugee youth led me to create the United ReSisters in Green Bay, WI. This group works to build empowerment in female refugee youth by applying Nalia Kabeer’s empowerment framework. The grassroots organization provided a safe place for young Somali women to meet and make connections with other female community members while learning about college, career options and community resources. Our group created two pieces of art that are now stored in the permanent collection at the Neville Public Museum to build awareness and appreciation for refugee journeys and the growing Somali influence on the Green Bay community. The group published their first book in April 2019 titled The First Winter which shares 12 group members stories to a wider audience. Since publication, the group has represented at several conferences and in many college classes. The book is now a required reading for area high school students and has been selected as a required text for many college courses at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

I then moved into my role as the Assistant Director of a one-of-a-kind experiential learning program at St. Norbert College. In this role I travelled to domestic and international destinations with a group of college freshmen and facilitated their on-the-ground learning. The program was rooted in international principles and works to cultivate personal growth, develop cross-cultural awareness, and promote global citizenship. I was responsible for planning the entire semester travel with partner organizations throughout the U.S. and in Guatemala. I would lead academic discussions on various social justice topics as the students encounter these issues in the field. Back on campus, I provided academic advisement for programs and courses, organized social gatherings and continued to work with the students through any cognitive dissonance they may have experienced. This position has grown my basic Spanish language skills and allowed me to gain significant experience working in a developing country.

In 2019, I was offered the opportunity to become the very first Community Schools Resource Coordinator with the Green Bay Area Public Schools. In this role, I have led the district’s Community Schools initiative at the first designated Community School, Howe Elementary. This has included conducting an annual comprehensive needs assessment with stakeholders inside and outside the school community, goal setting in alignment with the community schools priorities of authentic family engagement and extended and enriched learning time, as well as building partnerships and raising funding to support sustainable programming that meets the needs of the community. One of the programs I am most proud of is the founding of a school-based vision program which brings needed vision exams into the school building and provides student’s with access to glasses.

Experience Prior to Receiving MA

My previous work inside a university Financial Aid Office provided me with extensive first-hand experience managing large databases and partnering with Admissions to utilize scholarship dollars as a tool for recruitment. I oversaw two free standing programs, including the university endowed and annual scholarship funds totaling a million dollars annually and the Federal Work Study program which ran at $400,000. Both programs required detailed tracking, record keeping, and the submission of final federal reports. I worked across divisions and departments to collaborate with Admissions, Academic Advising, and others, to create greater understanding of these two programs and build partnerships that benefited campus culture.

In 2010, I founded an access to education project, FLITE, at an area high school. The group ran for five years from 2010-2015 and provided a space for first-generation and undocumented students to build their own pathway to higher education. The group held fundraisers and awarded scholarships each year to it’s members to support college. It was supported by the University of Wisconsin Green Bay’s Phuture Phoenix Program and was absorbed by the organization. It was through this experience that I became interested in studying the complex situation of undocumented youth and their struggle for equal access to higher education in the United States.