Making a difference through assessment and planning

I have a genuine curiosity about communities and how we can work together to improve the lives of all our neighbors and community members. I've been fortunate to be involved with a number of community assessments and planning projects that have helped shape local funding, policy and program to do just that. A few examples include:

  • City of Tacoma: Developed two human services strategic plans that drive City funding and other resources in meeting community needs.
  • City of Lakewood: Developed the Human Services Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan for 2008-2011.
  • Food Lifeline: Developed recommendations to the Metropolitan King County Council, food banks, food distributors and the food industry to address growing hunger needs in King County.
  • Wahkiakum County: Developed the Countywide Six Year Strategic Plan for 2007-2013 for the Prevention-Intervention-Treatment-Aftercare Continuum for Substance Abuse.
  • United Way of Snohomish County and United Way of Yakima County: Facilitated community survey processes to ensure diverse community voices in setting priorities for United Way support of human service agencies.
  • Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators: Developed the implementation plan for the Community Juvenile Accountability Act to reduce recidivism by youth offenders.

Helping agencies measure their success

I provide evaluation services to a number of clients. Currently, I am the external evaluator for three 21st Century Learning Centers which provide after-school programming for low income and at-risk children and youth. In my evaluation work, I am committed to finding strategies for measuring success that are well-integrated in day-to-day program management, and provide useful feedback to programs so that they can make mid-term corrections that increase program impact. Other evaluation clients have included:

  • Southern Puget Sound Inter-Tribal Planning Agency (SPIPA)
  • Together! - a substance abuse prevention coalition in Thurston County.
  • Wahkiakum Community Network
  • Seattle Housing Authority
  • Rochester Weed and Seed
  • Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
  • King County Veterans' Project
  • City of Renton
  • Church Council of Greater Seattle