This is just about my professional experiences, which I call fun because I generally enjoy the twists and turns my career has taken and how I've grown along the way.
Operations Management Contractor, February 2024 to present, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
Events and Operations Manager, September 2024 to present, Amqui Station, Madison, TN - no detail below.
Front of the House Guest Services, November 2023 to present, SideKicks Cafe, Madison, TN - no detail below, all duties not specific to the owner or chef, consulting, website and food delivery application management, and graphic design.
Chief Operating Officer, January 2021 to September 2023, Greater Nashville REALTORS, Nashville, TN.
Executive Director, July 2012 to December 2021, Tenn-Share, Nashville, TN.
Independent Contractor/Consultant, July 2011 to June 2012, DT2, Nashville, TN.
Director, December 2003 to July 2011, American Library Association-Allied Professional Association, Chicago, IL.
Reference Librarian (part-time), 2001, Nashville Public Library, Nashville, TN - no detail below.
Special Projects Librarian, March 2001-July 2001, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Informatics Apprentice, June 1998-May 1999, Vanderbilt University Eskind Biomedical Library, Nashville, TN.
Information Specialist, May 1995-May 1998, Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC.
Outreach Coordinator, September 1994-May 1995, New York Academy of Medicine, New York, NY
Associate, September 1993-August 1994, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD
DETAILS
Operations Management Contractor
February 2024 - present
Tennessee State University, Campus Operations and Planning, Development and Construction, Nashville, TN.
Assist Assistant Vice President and Director with physical audits and documentation related to risk management, insurance claims, compliance, and budgeting.
Catalyst for moving projects forward.
Content provider for SACSCOC Accreditation and other assessments.
Writer, editor, and ideation partner for departmental team members.
Review department's policies and process structures, identify gaps, and develop new policies, processes, and standards.
Develop systems for inventorying vehicles and large equipment.
Chief Operating Officer
January 2021 - present
Greater Nashville REALTORS, Nashville, TN.
First Chief Operating Officer of a REALTOR association with 15 staff and 6500+ members.
Co-led the Board of Directors and staff, alongside the CEO, in successfully developing and implementing a three-year ambitious Strategic Plan, driving organizational growth and success.
Ensured the Strategic Plan and commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) were effectively integrated into goals, procedures, and program execution organization-wide, fostering a more inclusive and diverse environment.
Successfully managed the member Leadership Academy, overseeing the engagement of graduates and facilitating their professional development.
Acted as a liaison to, and rebuilt relationships with, local multicultural real estate organizations, fostering partnerships and promoting collaboration within the community.
Served as a valuable professional development resource for department directors and staff, actively monitoring success stories and identifying barriers to success, resulting in improved performance and growth.
Orchestrated impactful leadership events and provided assistance in organizing membership-focused events, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience for participants.
Effectively managed multiple budget lines, totaling over $200,000, for Board expenditures, the Leadership Academy, staff outings, and supplies, demonstrating strong financial acumen and resourcefulness.
Executive Director
July 2012 - December 2022
Tenn-Share, Nashville, TN. http://www.tenn-share.org
Administration
Create and manage budget of $100K operational, $1.5M pass-through.
Supervise bookkeeping contractor.
Oversee statewide courier service contract, facilitating training, customer service, billing, and communication for more than 200 participating institutions.
Guided transition to new association management system to increase the organization’s and its members’ independence, and to streamline membership renewals and event registration.
Outlined organization expectations and payment structure for vendors to improve relationships.
Board Relations
Ushered Board through operations focused; exploration of organizational value; and increased investment in member-driven programs and services strategic plans.
Monitor performance metrics to achieve goals.
Developed efficient Board orientation, including interdependent expectations and accountability, which was noted by a Director of the largest academic library in Tennessee to be superior to any he’s received at any institution.
Established performance reviews, Board meeting evaluations, and Board member exit interviews.
Conference Planning
Coordinate annual professional development conference and trade show, using data, feedback, and needs assessments from attendees, presenters, and vendors to enhance the total experience.
Cultivate relationships for an ever-expanding roster of sponsorship for annual vendor showcase and professional development event that serves 200 attendees and 30 vendors.
Financial management
Encouraged Finance Committee to build policy and invest in reserves, which netted impressive interest in the first year.
Negotiate cost-effective contracts with technology, product and services vendors.
Addressed gaps in procedure and detail, and the need for a more sophisticated accounting software, as acting bookkeeper for 7 months.
Initiated an investigation about the necessity of an audit and how revenue was reported in IRS 990s, which resulted in an exemption from registration with a state office.
Marketing
Established branding standards and strategies - She is able to convey her work's value with clarity and vigor, using her excellent communication skills.
Independent Contractor/Consultant
July 2011 to June 2012
DT2, Nashville, TN.
Expertise in non-profit management, project management, certification program management, data analysis, grants management, research and publishing.
Wrote narrative for federal grant for national association.
Analyzed membership website for local association and drafted website featuring suggestions from report.
Refreshed donor relations materials for local association.
Documented policies and procedures for association and certification programs.
Wrote business and marketing plans for certification programs.
Edited and recruited writers for national online newsletter.
Director
December 2003 to July 2011
American Library Association-Allied Professional Association, Chicago, IL,
First staff director of a 501c6 certification-granting and pay-equity advocacy organization founded by the American Library Association, serving its 60,000 members. www.ala-apa.org - "Within major constraints for limited funding and staff, she is able to spread the message and organize successful programs".
Administration
Translated and expanded all administrative and operations functions from an initial business plan for a multifaceted new service organization.
Reporting relationship to Board of Directors and governing Council.
Proactive manager to staff, interns and ten volunteer committees.
Managed a budget of $200,000, with full responsibility for generating revenues, containing costs, and fundraising.
Supervised staff and project directors, interns and 10+ volunteer committees - She is the perfect "glass half full" person everyone needs on every project.
Grants management
Co-wrote and administered two federal Institute of Museum and Library Services grants totalling more than $1M to develop and expand a voluntary national certification program for library support staff – project 1 was one year ahead of schedule.
Member relations and benefits
Employed finely-honed interpersonal skills to create and leverage a network of members, nonmembers, individuals and institutions to enrich the quality and reach of association services.
Coached individuals to improve resume and cover letter writing, and interviewing skills.
Enlisted a network of members, nonmembers, individuals and institutions to support mission.
Published online monthly human resources-related magazine, Library Worklife: HR E-News for Today’s Leaders, a major benefit for 3000 ALA institutional and individual members – www.ala-apa.org/newsletter/current.html - which strengthened communication and updated membership records.
Certification and standard setting
Oversaw all aspects of two national rigorous professional development programs, including development of standards, marketing, operations, negotiation with educational partners and evaluation.
Event planning and management
Respected and requested speaker on career management topics.
Planned, hosted and presented national events and workshops that responded directly to member needs, had stated outcomes, and met financial targets.
Conceived “MBA for Librarians” series to introduce managerial tenets to a bootstrap audience.
Envisioned, designed and acted as spokesperson for a national day of celebration that focused on saluting individuals as “stars.”
Fundraising
Marshaled 59% increase in donations per person and secured corporate sponsors for an organization that was a difficult sell even in good economic times.
Marketing
Advanced marketing and promotional aspects of two national programs, including analysis of market research and design of online and print collateral.
Training
Designed and presented negotiation and self-advocacy trainings to hundreds of professionals and students that resulted in more confident attendees who improved their preparation for often more profitable salary negotiations.
Key accomplishments
Spearheaded first national certification programs in an industry, including development of standards, marketing, operations, securing educational partners, and online and face-to-face course evaluation, integrating input from board, committees, project managers, and potential candidates - Her methodical, diligent professionalism, combined with her charismatic personality, empowered the association to flourish from its infancy.
Corrected historical cost problem by identifying new vendor, contracting for data ownership, reducing annual expenses by 67 percent, and adding transparency to publishing process.
Administered budget of $200,000, increasing revenues up to 20% while reducing expenses an average of 1% annually.
Mentored and instilled self-confidence in students and professionals with personalized training, resulting in successful hiring, promotions, and higher salaries.
Conceptualized and emceed the ALA-APA Angels fifth year anniversary fundraising honors event.
Led the team to design, on schedule and at cost savings, getajob.ala.org (now defunct), a scalable resource to help job seekers, with the collaboration of more than 10 departments and members of ALA.
Built a strong team concept around streamlining the vehicle and promotion for online learning opportunities, with a team comprised of representatives from 18 ALA divisions and offices, publishing, information technology and membership services.
Conceptualized MBA for Librarians series.
Broadened and deepened product line for annual national salary survey, assisted by a partnership with the Association of Research Libraries.
Special Projects Librarian
March 2001-July 2001
Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/biolib/
Key accomplishments
Prepared key staff to incorporate knowledge management (KM) best practices throughout organization and into National Library of Medicine grant submission.
Designed, developed content and streamlined access to Web-based research tools for the Digital Library.
Assistant Director
June 1998-February 2001
Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN.
Worked simultaneously for one year at Meharry and Vanderbilt. www.mmc.edu
Implemented informatics principles in the training and practice of physicians, students, faculty and staff.
Integrated relevant principles of medical informatics and technology in Meharry internal medicine department, hospital and classrooms.
Implemented software and information-filtering training courses for patrons
Monitored $40K budget for procuring computer hardware and software for computer lab and staff use.
Supervised librarian and unionized-technology staff.
Key accomplishments
Raised awareness of library value through change management strategy, which increased use of library resources in medical and dental education and patient care.
Revitalized clinical librarianship program in hospital, providing current research to physicians for inpatient care.
Brokered agreement between county hospital and campus technology department to install intranet-ready computers near patient care centers to ensure ready access to medical databases.
Modernized content, design and internet accessible resources on website to enhance usability.
Informatics Apprentice
June 1998-May 1999
Vanderbilt University Eskind Biomedical Library, Nashville, TN.
Recruited to be first participant in the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, a partnership between a historically Black and a major medical school to use strengths of both programs to increase medical students’ options in rotations, specializations and resources. www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/biolib/
Instructed in the history, theory and practice of medical informatics.
Information Specialist
May 1995-May 1998
Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC.
AED is a nonprofit organization working globally to improve education, health, civil society and economic development--the foundation of thriving societies. www.aed.org
Main researcher and librarian for domestic and international contracts and projects.
Managed $10K discretionary budget.
Key accomplishments
Assumed responsibility as interim webmaster, maintaining organization’s site and coordinating bids for website redesign.
Converted a stand-alone database of institutional memory to an intranet accessible system that reduced redundancy for proposal and report writing in health, education and civic divisions.
Received several performance- and service-related awards for improving information access and volunteerism.
Outreach Coordinator
September 1994-May 1995
New York Academy of Medicine, New York, NY. www.nyam.org
Trained, provided technical assistance to medical professionals using medical databases for patient care.
Associate
September 1993-August 1994
National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD. www.nlm.gov
Selected for competitive fellowship to understand the library’s mission, management, role in shaping the practice and research of medicine and medical librarianship.