GJAM Resume

EDUCATION / TRAINING
BA in Studio Arts, Hunter College, New York, New York
BS in Social Sciences, Liceo Manuel Piar, San Felix, Venezuela
German Language, Ludwig Maximilians University, Germany
Professional Coursework, Community College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO ADULT AND AGING COMMISSION, Sacramento, CA • 11/5/2013 –
Commissioner
• Appointed by the County of Sacramento Board of Supervisors, as a General Public Representative Commissioner, for the Adult and Aging Commission.
My duties as commissioner will be to:
• Advise the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on matters related to older and dependents adults.
• Promote, educate, inform, seek alternatives and build partnerships with the community- including area 4 Agency on aging and senior adult services.

EPISCOPAL COMMUNITY SERVICES OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA • 12/17/12-06/28/13
Support Services Case Manager III
• Provided supportive and /or therapeutic counseling on an ongoing basis
• Performed interviews with housing applicants and contributed to decision to offer housing
• Conducted psychosocial evaluations and assessments of tenant’s needs for services
• Helped develop and implemented new programs with the Support Services Manager
• Acted as Support Services Manager and supervised on site staff, including interns and volunteers

GJA ONLINE VISUAL STUDIO GALLERY, San Francisco, CA • 2009 – 2012
Artist/Consultant/Curator/Art Historian
Acted as logistic liaison between business office and production floor to ensure coordinated workflow
Worked with Project Manager and Principal Designer. Art consultant to galleries, museum and other art entities
Web designer and public relations manager, for major art exhibitions

CITY & COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COMMISSION, San Francisco, CA • 2004-2010
Immigrant Rights Commissioner: Served as Chairman, Program & Access Committee charged with implementing Equal Access to Services Ordinance. Planned and implemented amendments to city’s Equal Access to Language Services. Worked with city department heads, Board of Supervisors and other elected officials to resolve civic, legal, labor, equal rights and human rights issues.
• Developed immigrant community survey.
• Drove significant improvements to commission Website.
• Improved efficiency by increasing electronic filing of city departments’ annual compliance reports.
• Earned Immigrant Rights Commission Certificate of Honor for “extraordinary service and commitment”.
• Directed a staff of 14 commissioners, including the commission’s Executive Director and office staff

CITY & COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, San Francisco, CA • 2003-2009

Public Health Program Specialist/ HW III: Conducted psychosocial evaluations, created written findings and collaborated with team members to develop treatment plans. Provided comprehensive crisis intervention services and therapy. Planned and conducted client individual and group meetings and training. Provided administrative support to Program Director.
• Saved Department of Public Health millions of dollars by reintegrating clients discharged from Institute of Mental Disease back into community; obtained income, placement, psychiatric care, medical care and other facilitating resources to avoid client return to hospital or Institute of Mental Disease.
• Earned Department of Public Health Employee Recognition Program Certificate “for exceptional service and excellent performance.”

JACOB A. RIIS NEIGHBORHOOD SETTLEMENT HOUSE, INC., Long Island City, NY • 2001-2003
Program Director/ Coordinator: Created, implemented and directed Immigration/Refugees Assistance 2000 program funded by New York City Department of Youth & Community Development to serve clients in largest public housing development in US. Managed translation, family budgeting, consumer education, housing assistance, advocacy, English as Second Language, and other immigrant-related services. Engaged in public relations
presentations and other interactions with public, other not-for-profit organizations and local, state and federal government agencies.
Created and managed annual budget. Supervised staff, interns and volunteers.
• Coordinated agency-wide community events.
• Founded cultural group to increase Hispanic/Latino participation in agency activities.
• Developed 1st bilingual computer class.
• Established new Quality Control Guidelines for delivery of agency services.

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL, CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, Washington, DC • 2000
Bilingual Child Support Enforcement Officer: Initiated child support cases for clients on public assistance and Medicaid and non-public assistance clients. Located absent parents, established paternity, collected funds and monitored distribution. Conducted interviews, initiated correspondence, established legal actions and maintained narrative activity record in automated Child Support system. Delivered customer service in English and Spanish.
• Reduced rate of welfare cases due to absent parent non-support by aggressively pursuing paternity suits and child support cases.

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, INCOME MAINTENANCE ADMINISTRATION, Washington, DC • 1998-2000
Bilingual Income Maintenance Specialist: Identified, interviewed (English and Spanish) and qualified clients for Medicaid, Food Stamps, Social Security Income, Supplemental Security Income, Veteran’s Pension and other benefits. Interacted extensively with other local and federal agencies.
• Provided continued benefits and steady income to more adults, family and disabled individuals by sharply reducing number of discontinued cases.
• Slashed incidence of duplicate benefits and fraud.
• Utilized all available resources to stimulate return of clients to work force and society.

CITY & COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, MEDI-CAL PROGRAM, San Francisco, CA • 1989-1997
Senior Bilingual Financial Benefits Analyst: Conducted client interviews in English and Spanish by phone and at various locations to document and evaluate Medi-cal program eligibility. Prepared and analyzed often-complex documentation for aged, blind, disabled, medical indigent, long-term care and skilled nursing facility clients.
• Planned and implemented first Medi-cal community outreach for HIV/ARC/AIDS clients.
• Represented Department of Human Services at VIII International Conference on AIDS in Netherlands.

ADDITIONAL HISTORY

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, Washington, DC • 1998-2000
Volunteer Survey Coordinator
• Participated in gallery’s audience survey conducted in 1998-99.
• Collaborated in compiling information essential to enhancing visitor and patron service quality.
• Interacted with other associated cultural and not-for-profit entities.

Bilingual

Fluent in English, French, German and Dutch. Conversant in Italian, Spanish