Akufuna Sitali Ngonda
Silver Spring,USA
Summary
Hardworking professional focused on maximizing quality, code compliance and efficiency while meeting budget and design guidelines. Demonstrated strategic thinking and confident decision-making abilities. Collaborative individual commended for massively slashing overhead costs.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Network Builder East County
IMPACT Silver Spring
Silver Spring, USA
07.2025 - Current
- Community engagement and mobilization: Build trusting relationships with community members, elected/appointed leaders, and partner organizations, especially those from underrepresented communities, to create and manage initiatives that address specific community needs.
- Equitable program development: Co-design and implement programs that directly address systemic inequities. Organize quarterly workshops centered on racial equity and advocacy, promoting a collective approach to learning and engagement.
- Strategy and planning: Developed and executed creative engagement tactics, managed community network plans, and organized virtual and in-person events to fulfill community objectives.
- Equity and Capacity Building: Conducted annual training sessions on equity and facilitation for community members, fostering active engagement and deeper understanding of equity issues.
- Member support and retention: Created strategies to attract and retain community members, enhancing support through valuable content, events, and resources.
Research Fellow, Programming Consultant, and Special Correspondent
Africa World Now Project and the Radio Program Africa Now! WPFW-Radio Pacifica 89.3 FM and WSNC-FM 90.5 FM, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU's NPR)
Washington, USA
01.2015 - Current
- Conducted qualitative research and evaluated human capacity development, formulating data analysis and authoring white papers on the African Diaspora to inform policy discussions.
- Analyzed human rights initiatives addressing political, economic, cultural, demographic, and geographic issues faced by people of African descent to identify areas for advocacy and intervention.
- Https://www.africaworldnowproject.org/
Deputy Director
AmeriCorps Project CHANGE
08.2022 - 07.2025
- Analyzed strategic policy issues for Executive Director, enhancing AmeriCorps' engagement with Maryland Governor's Office, community partners, and Department of Service and Civic Innovation.
- Collaborated with program and operational leadership to develop policies and grant proposals aligning with AmeriCorps' mission and agency leadership priorities.
- Managed human resource functions, supervising assigned staff and facilitating recruitment of additional personnel as needed.
- Performed human resource management functions, including direct supervision of assigned staff members and supported hiring additional staff.
- Represent AmeriCorps Project CHANGE at external events, including meetings with elected officials, national associations, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Led Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council initiatives to promote inclusive practices.
- MYSCORE (Social and Emotional Learning Skills Instrument) is a cohort team member and curriculum instrument adviser.
OnCorps Administrator
AmeriCorps Project CHANGE
10.2019 - 07.2025
- Ensure compliance with all relevant AmeriCorps and Maryland Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism regulations for the program.
- Managed relationships with community partner organizations to enhance collaboration and service delivery.
- Strengthened partnerships with various community organizations with community partner organizations.
- Prepared and monitored program calendar to ensure timely execution of initiatives.
- Adjusted scheduling of tasks to optimize workflow and service projects.
Team Leader Member and the George B. Thomas Learning Academy's Saturday School Program
AmeriCorps Project CHANGE
10.2019 - 08.2022
- Coordinated team schedules to align with project objectives and enhance workflow. They also coordinate project logistics with unit leaders and project sponsors.
- Provided mentoring to team members to enhance their work habits and interpersonal skills.: Team leaders mentor members to help them develop good work habits and career and interpersonal skills.
- Acted as a liaison to strengthen communication between the team and the community partner.: Team leaders serve as liaisons between the team and the community partner.
- Planning: Coordinated team schedules to meet project objectives. They also coordinate project logistics with unit leaders and project sponsors.
- Delivered tutoring and mentoring programs to support the academic success of high-risk youth.
- Facilitated social and emotional learning initiatives to promote life skills and academic success.
Production Manager
Human Technology Inc
McLean, USA
05.1998 - 12.2016
- Designed and implemented skill-based performance improvement solutions for executives, management, and workforce, focusing on leadership, organizational, and communication development; job/task analysis; and needs assessments.
- Delivered professional instruction on-site and off-site, engaging participants through interactive facilitation.
- Oversaw assembly and distribution of leadership development course materials, ensuring alignment with client account requirements.
- Maintained Inventory sustainability by ordering research and instructional materials while retaining the leadership development course materials library.
- Reconcile the billing and invoicing of all leadership development course material orders.
- Planned site and training logistics and communication.
- Acted as senior staff liaison, responding to all vendor inquiries.
- Developed and implemented a monitoring and evaluation system with standard indicators and feedback loops to enhance program effectiveness.
- Ensure project monitoring information is kept up to date across internal and external databases.
Education
Associate of Arts Degree - International Studies
Montgomery College
Rockville, MDBachelor of Science Degree - Political Science/Philosophy
University of Maryland University College Europe
Bonn, Federal Republic of GermanySkills
- Community engagement
- Community Advocacy
- Grassroots mobilization
- Advocacy management
- Advocacy Campaigns
- Policy Advocacy
- Policy Research
- Stakeholder Analysis
- Stakeholder relationship building
- Organizational audit
- Organizational sustainability
- Strategy execution
- Digital Engagement
- Content Creation
- Platform Expertise
- Public Speaking
- Writing
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Access
- PowerPoint
- Team Collaboration
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Team direction
- Team motivation
- Staff Training & Coaching
- Leadership provision
- Multinational leadership development
- Multicultural
- Analyzing Situations/Data
- Team direction
Timeline
Network Builder East County
IMPACT Silver Spring
07.2025 - Current
Deputy Director
AmeriCorps Project CHANGE
08.2022 - 07.2025
OnCorps Administrator
AmeriCorps Project CHANGE
10.2019 - 07.2025
Team Leader Member and the George B. Thomas Learning Academy's Saturday School Program
AmeriCorps Project CHANGE
10.2019 - 08.2022
Research Fellow, Programming Consultant, and Special Correspondent
Africa World Now Project and the Radio Program Africa Now! WPFW-Radio Pacifica 89.3 FM and WSNC-FM 90.5 FM, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU's NPR)
01.2015 - Current
Production Manager
Human Technology Inc
05.1998 - 12.2016
Associate of Arts Degree - International Studies
Montgomery College
Bachelor of Science Degree - Political Science/Philosophy
University of Maryland University College Europe