ALEX VALDEZ
Buffalo,NY
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Operations
Camp Walden
06.2021 - Current
- As a member of the leadership team, assists the Director in all camp operations overseeing and implementing all health and safety regulations.
- Manages kitchen, custodial and maintenance operations, and supervises staff members.
- Supports Head Counselor in department operations.
- Oversees transportation logistics for staff and camper arrivals, departures, and off-site wilderness trips.
- Developed and executed strategic plans to achieve organizational goals and drive sustainable growth.
- Established strong partnerships with vendors, suppliers, and key stakeholders to improve collaboration and ensure alignment with business requirements.
- Oversees daily operations across multiple departments, ensuring seamless coordination and efficient execution of tasks.
- Identified opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement, implementing changes that resulted in significant savings.
- Mitigated risks by developing comprehensive contingency plans that ensured business continuity during unforeseen events or challenges.
- Promotes a culture of safety within the organization by enforcing compliance with established regulations, policies, procedures, as well as conducting regular audit checks.
Director of Residential Life
Buffalo Seminary
09.2022 - 03.2024
- Provide strategic direction, implementation, evaluation, and communication regarding all aspects of residential life using research and best practices that align with the school's mission and vision.
- Design, articulate, and implement a residential curriculum in collaboration with administrators and residential staff.
- Contribute to an environment that supports students' academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being,
- Uphold SEM's honor code and maintain and update student and faculty/staff handbooks.
- Maintain active presence in residential life program, serve as primary supervisor to all four student residential homes, and participate in evening and weekend duty shifts.
- On-board, train, and supervise residential staff; maintain duty schedule, hold staff meetings, promote positive working relationships, and ensure residential and community standards are upheld.
- Coordinate student care in collaboration with administrators, residential staff, and medical staff.
- Develop and provide pre-campus communication with incoming students.
- Proactively maintain communication with parents/guardians and serve as primary advocate for students regarding residential life.
- Participate in planning of orientation and prefect training.
- Manage and oversee residential life program logistics, including, but not limited to travel logistics, issuing key fobs, coordinating host families during holiday breaks, room and roommate assignments.
- Plan, develop, and maintain calendar for residential activities, including evening and weekend activities.
- Collaborate with admission team and other administrators to support recruiting efforts of residential students.
- Monitor fire safety compliance and facilitate planning and conducting of fire drills in coordination with appropriate staff.
- Manage dorm facility in collaboration with Facilities Department and advocate for residential facility needs.
- Coordinate and schedule all transportation needs for academic, athletic, and residential programming.
Theater Technical Director
The Webb Schools
10.2011 - 08.2022
- Teaches three technical theatre afternoon activities, where students are taught to design and implement lighting, sound, scenic, props, and stage management skills for department productions and community events.
- Oversees daily operations of the Susan A. Nelson Performing Arts Center, managing scheduling and technical operations for the performance spaces and their 150 annual events, classes and department productions.
- Responsible for the execution and supervision of all scenic, sound, electrical, lighting, and special effects elements used in all performing arts productions and events.
- Maintains written protocols for operations and maintenance of performing arts facilities and equipment; coordinates use of all performing arts spaces and equipment including processing reservation requests and maintaining records of use requests and event plans.
- Schedules, performs, and oversees maintenance and custodial schedules and capital improvement requests for all performing arts spaces, and community gathering spaces.
- Trains faculty, staff, and students on the appropriate and safe use of the performing arts spaces and equipment.
- Oversees use of all venues by visiting companies, rental clients, third party vendors, and crews.
- Consults and assists with technical support and event planning for other major campus events and in spaces outside of the performing arts center.
- Designs, constructs, installs and maintains stage scenery, lighting, audio, visual/media, and stage rigging systems for six annual department productions and and average of 150 annual campus events.
Head of Trips
Camp Walden
06.2019 - 08.2019
- As a member of the leadership team, planned, coordinated and executed all wilderness trips for the summer season.
- Coordinated all meal-planning, logistics, packing and transportation for all wilderness trips, staff and camper arrival and departures.
- Supervised, trained and managed the trips department and its 5 staff members.
- Maintained inventory of all trip equipment.
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
Technical Director
Camp Walden
06.2016 - 08.2018
- Designed and implemented all technical elements for seven musical productions.
- Oversaw day-to-day operations of theater space and scene shop.
- Taught stagecraft activity to campers ages 8-15.
District Audio/Visual Technician
Redlands Unified School District
04.2010 - 06.2017
- Served as liaison between school site and third party lessee.
- Managed events and productions held in three high school performing arts centers.
- Facilitated planning and execution of events at school sites involving lighting rigging, programming, and board operation; audio setup and operation; and projection operation.
- Enforced all health and safety standards throughout events, and acts as authority over life safety.
- Collaborated with event planners to determine appropriate audiovisual solutions, resulting in successful events.
- Provided exceptional customer service by responding quickly to client requests and concerns regarding audiovisual needs.
- Participated in pre-event walkthrough with clients to discuss their specific needs and expectations.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Interdisciplinart Arts
Arizona State University
Phoenix, AZSkills
- Strategic planning and execution
- Schedule Management
- Facility Preparation
- Vendor Management
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Effective Communication
- Attention to Detail
- Crisis Management
- Student Engagement
- Facilities Management
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Organizational Skills
References
- Kathy Jonas, Director | Camp Walden | kathyjonas@campwalden.com | 617-650-4169
- Alex Skomra, Summer at SEM Camp Director | Buffalo Seminary | askomra@buffaloseminary.org | 716-536-8049
- Marnie Cerrato, Associate Director | Camp Walden | marniecerrato@campwalden.com | 716-909-0231
- Stefanie Plumley, Fine Arts Department Chair, Theater Director | The Webb Schools | splumley@webb.org | 626-375-3821
Timeline
Director of Residential Life
Buffalo Seminary
09.2022 - 03.2024
Director of Operations
Camp Walden
06.2021 - Current
Head of Trips
Camp Walden
06.2019 - 08.2019
Technical Director
Camp Walden
06.2016 - 08.2018
Theater Technical Director
The Webb Schools
10.2011 - 08.2022
District Audio/Visual Technician
Redlands Unified School District
04.2010 - 06.2017
Bachelor of Arts - Interdisciplinart Arts
Arizona State University
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