professional experience

Bronx Borough Director
Power of Two
October 2019 – Present / New York City

Power of Two brings the science of attachment directly to families to build resilience and strengthen communities. Our goal is to bring our model to New York City’s most underserved communities with the ultimate aim of disrupting the intergenerational cycle of poverty that affects too many families.

As the Director of the Bronx office, I have the privilege of:

  • Managing and growing the Brownsville office and supervising a team of ~20 professionals

  • Hiring, coaching, and creating the conditions for team members to succeed and work to their full potential

  • Ensuring compliance with city and state regulations

  • Overseeing program delivery, finances, and evaluation

  • Building community partnerships and collaborations

  • Representing Power of Two at city- and state-wide coalition and committee meetings

Co-Developer, Advanced Generalist Practice & Programming Online Degree
Columbia University School of Social Work
September 2019 – Present / New York City

In order to increase accessibility to the Advanced Generalist Practice & Programming (AGPP) method of social work at Columbia University, currently only offered in the residential MSW program, I am working with a colleague to co-develop curriculum to bring AGPP to Columbia’s online degree program. Students across the world will soon be able to study and earn a Master of Social Work degree in this integrative, cross-system method of social work praxis.

  • Selected to participate in Columbia University’s Fall 2019 Institute on Pedagogy and Technology for Online Courses. Through this Institute, I am learning best practices in virtual pedagogy, active online learning, community building in digital spaces, and use of technology in learning.

  • Adapt existing AGPP method course curriculum and develop new curriculum to ensure fidelity and engagement within new online model

  • Employ Canvas, Adobe Connect, Proctorio, and additional technology to create a quality degree offering that maintains the high educational standards of Columbia University’s residential MSW program and creates a deep sense of community that will support online MSW students

Associate Director of Community
100Kin10
March 2018 – June 2019 / New York City

100Kin10 is a national network of 280+ organizations - from science museums to school districts, federal agencies to media outlets - all working to ensure that we have 100,000 ("100K") highly trained STEM teachers to provide world-class science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. What began as a call to action from President Obama in 2011 has evolved into a nimble and diverse coalition engaged in experimentation and networked impact.

As Associate Director of Community, I built strategy, designed programs, and led on emergent projects for 100Kin10, charting a clear path forward to ensure our network has the support it needs to strengthen STEM education in America.

My adaptive, fast-moving, community-centered role included and accomplished the following:

  • Developed a successful SXSW EDU proposal + session for the 2019 conference, sharing a guiding framework I defined for 100Kin10's unique approach to building engaged networks that can be mobilized to tackle our most challenging problems

  • Created a communications management process to facilitate intentional, effective, digital outreach from our team to the network

  • Partnered with the National Director of Community and the Co-Founder/Executive Director to co-create a strategy that guided shifts to our network's structure and the opportunities we offer partners as we approach our initial ten-year goal

  • Applied human-centered design principles to the planning and implementation of collaborative problem-solving programs for grantees and funders within our network

  • Led the growth of the network, a complex process that involved managing the budget, working with external consultants and designers, and developing bespoke content and strategy to solicit nominations of candidates for partnership, recruit hundreds of strong applicants, manage dozens of candidate vetters (including national leaders in STEM education), and welcome a prestigious cohort of new organizational partners to the 100Kin10 network

Adjunct Lecturer
Columbia University School of Social Work
August 2016 – June 2017 / New York City

I serve as an adjunct lecturer at Columbia University's School of Social Work. I've joined the faculty to teach T7133: Advanced Generalist Practice and Programming and T7134: Proposal Development, helping students to develop knowledge and skills in cross-systems, integrative social work practice.

  • Developed and teach innovative hybrid course on Proposal Development, including an intensive in-person section for 7 students and an online guided independent study section for 5 students who are completing international placements in Mongolia, Zambia, and Kazakhstan

  • Instructed weekly class of 25 graduate students in Fall 2016, using active learning and inclusive pedagogical strategies

  • Administer creative curriculum linking theory with practice, with a focus on developing clinical, programmatic, and strategic planning skills to enable students to work across system levels and issue areas

Associate Director of Civic Engagement
Barnard College, Columbia University
October 2014 – March 2018 / New York City

As Associate Director of Civic Engagement for Barnard College, I manage the New York City Civic Engagement Program (NYCCEP) and assist Barnard students in taking ethical, informed action and integrating civic engagement into their academic and professional life.

  • Strategize, develop, and implement all components of the New York City Civic Engagement Program (NYCCEP) to professionalize civic engagement and empower students to cultivate a community-oriented practice regardless of their professional industry

  • Manage social justice training and education program to help students expand their definition of service and activism

  • Supervise 5 civic engagement fellows, providing training in program planning, proposal writing, and social justice leadership

  • Develop and manage NYCCEP’s online presence and communications strategy, including social media platforms, blog, digital and print marketing, and a complete re-branding to align mission and messaging with institution

  • Counsel over 200 students annually through exploration of social impact careers and internships; while part of Career Development office, administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (certified practitioner) and Strong Interest Inventory

  • Establish successful partnerships with campus & community colleagues, streamlining services and providing new jobs, internships, and service opportunities to students

  • Serve on executive search committee for Director of Student Employment Services

 

Director of Brooklyn Initiatives
The Center for Community Leadership at JCRC-NY
September 2010 – October 2014 / New York City

I managed all of the Brooklyn-based programming for the Center for Community Leadership at JCRC-NY. I developed and implemented the We Are All Brooklyn program, in addition to overseeing alumni engagement, board relations, and other special projects for the department.

  • Led committees on grant-making and development, providing funds to Brooklyn-based organizations and training leaders to understand development from multiple perspectives

  • Developed, facilitated, and evaluated a leadership fellowship for 25 non-profit, faith, and community professionals annually

  • Supervised staff and interns, assigning tasks and ensuring the success of their projects and professional growth

  • Collaborated with leaders, including politicians, heads of state, CEOs of major organizations, and university presidents, on community building projects and strategic planning

  • Consulted to non-profit organizations to assist them in running programs more effectively and impactfully

  • Built multi-stakeholder coalitions to assess community needs and create clear, achievable plans and deliverables

 

MSW Intern
Queens Community House - Social Adult Day Program
September 2009 – June 2010 / Forest Hills, Queens

  • Conducted intakes, assessments, and outreach for a social adult day program for individuals with memory loss

  • Led a monthly discussion and reminiscence group for participants, as well as a weekly support group for home health aides

  • Provided weekly one-on-one counseling to a client whose primary language was Spanish

  • Organized a political advocacy project and facilitated the participation of program members, increasing their sense of agency, independence, and power

  • Increased accessibility by creating multi-lingual and large print versions of agency forms

 

Clinician
Community Substance Abuse Centers
2009 – 2010 / New Bedford, MA

  • Provided weekly one-on-one counseling to 4-9 adult clients with history of opiate use

  • Worked as part of a team of social workers, counselors, and medical staff to help clients maintain sobriety

  • Employed in summers of 2009 and 2010

 

MSW Intern
East Fairhaven Elementary School
September 2008 – June 2009 / Fairhaven, MA

  • Led social skills groups and provided individual counseling to students in Pre-K to 5th grade

  • Facilitated a sister-school partnership with the Family Life Institute in Chennai, India and organized a donation drive that resulted in over 3,000 in-kind donations

  • Created a community-based service project and a community service after-school club

professional involvement

 

Orientation Facilitator - Professional Development and Self-Awareness (PDSA)
Columbia University School of Social Work
August 2019 / New York, NY

  • Facilitated training on identity, privilege, systemic oppression, and their impact and intersections with professional social work for incoming social work graduate students.

 Treasurer
Political Action for Candidate Election, NASW-NYC
March 2017 – Present / New York, NY

PACE is the official 501(c)4 political action arm of the NYC Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. We:

  • Mobilize social workers to engage in political campaigns, advocacy, and volunteering

  • Research, interview, and endorse local candidates to assess their commitment to social work values

  • Develop and facilitate political engagement CEU (continuing education) courses for NASW

 

Co-Facilitator; Committee Member
European Dissent - Anti-Racist Group
August 2015 – April 2018 / New York, NY

  • Nominated to co-lead monthly group of 40+ anti-racist organizers for a term of 6 months (July 2016 - December 2016)

  • Engage in monthly trainings and activism to promote community and end racism

  • Serve on Workshop & Recruitment subcommittee, working to plan an Undoing Racism workshop as well as engage new activists in our work

 

Greening Fellow
Jewish Greening Fellowship
February 2013 – September 2014 / New York, NY·   

  • Chosen from a competitive pool of candidates to create eco-conscious organizational change

  • Refined skills in storytelling, consensus building, and strategic planning with an environmental focus

research & publications

Lead Researcher of Independent Study  
Adrian Tinsley Grant Program                                                                                                         
May 2008 - October 2008 / Bridgewater, MA                                                                                                                   

  • Prepared a competitive grant proposal and was awarded funds to conduct an independent study on using

  • Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as a treatment for trauma.

  • Presented report and findings at collegiate conferences in Bridgewater, MA and Chennai, India

  • Research article published in Bridgewater State College’s Undergraduate Review, Volume V


Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Implementation and Utilization of EMDR as a Treatment for Trauma
The Undergraduate Review - Bridgewater State University
April 2009

Medeiros, K. A. (2009). Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Implementation and Utilization of EMDR as a
Treatment for Trauma. Undergraduate Review, 5, 32-36.

Trauma is a pervasive global issue that affects both children and adults. It is officially defined in DSM IV-TR as an event that threatens death or serious injury, and that elicits a response of fear, helplessness, or horror (American Psychiatric Association, 2002). Other respected definitions include a “sudden, unexpected, overwhelmingly intense emotional blow....[that] quickly becomes incorporated into the mind” (Terr, 1992, p. 8), and something that makes “both internal and external resources...inadequate to cope with external threat” (Van der Kolk, 1989, p. 393). Literature suggests that people who have experienced trauma may present with symptoms including depression, anxiety, insomnia, phobias, delayed development, difficulty maintaining social relationships, and personality disorders. In this independent study, I researched the application of Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as a treatment for trauma, and highlight unexpected benefits discovered by practicing clinicians.

honors & awards

Emerging Social Work Leadership Award, National Assc. of Social Workers - NYC Chapter
Dec. 2016

Graduated Summa Cum Laude, Bridgewater State University
May 2009

Inducted into Phi Alpha National Honor Society, Beta Chi Chapter
Jan. 2009

Recipient of Conference Presentation Scholarship, Adrian Tinsley Undergraduate Research Program
Jan. 2009

Recipient of Research Grant, Adrian Tinsley Undergraduate Research Program
May 2008

Awarded Lester G. Houston Memorial Award for excellence in social work
May 2008