Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Community Development
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

AMY CHACON

Santa Fe,USA

Summary

Patient and compassionate Special Education Teacher with experience in devising and implementing effective special education strategies. Skilled at individualizing instruction based on students' needs and interests. Strong background in creating positive learning environments, fostering parent-teacher relationships, and managing Individualized Education Programs (IEP) to support student success. Previous work has resulted in improved academic performance for special needs students.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience

Work History

Co-founder, Special Education Teacher, Gifted Program Coordinator

THRIVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Santa Fe, NM
01.2021 - 06.2025
  • Charter planning, writing, application and full approval process through NM Public Education Commission
  • Collaborate with the co-founding team to develop an outstanding charter application which received strong approval and support from the community and PEC
  • Provide subject matter expertise regarding but not limited to the following topics: Mission, Vision, Values, Talent & Recruitment of Staff, Retaining High Quality Staff, Compensation models, Equity & Inclusion, Governing Board
  • Attend any relevant community outreach meetings with relevant stakeholders (i.e. families, community members, public officials)
  • Provide updates to the founding board along with the co-founding team
  • Contribute to the successful application and interview process for New Schools Venture Fund, CSP, and other relevant funding opportunities which created critical funding streams for the first three years of operations
  • Develop and support all student and staff recruitment initiatives
  • Development of Special Education programming, systems, protocol and practice, specifically for Gifted Education
  • Case management of all students with IEP’s during first year of operation, following with a caseload of 25 students with IEP’s in the second and third year of operation
  • Development and implementation of all gifted education curriculum
  • Write and present the school Gifted LEA plan to PED

Special Education Teacher

EDWARD ORTIZ MIDDLE SCHOOL
Santa Fe, NM
08.2020 - 12.2020
  • Develop and execute English Language Arts and Gifted Curriculum for 6th and 7th grade students
  • Case manager for 22 students with IEP's to include IEP writing, meeting organization, and facilitation
  • Identified learning needs of students with disabilities and implemented appropriate interventions.
  • Monitored the educational progress of each student according to established timelines.
  • Created a safe environment conducive to learning for special education students.
  • Utilize diverse, interactive online learning platforms and tools to enhance student success through digital education

Senior Director of Talent Acquisition

MEOW WOLF, Human Resources
Santa Fe, NM
08.2019 - 02.2020
  • Spearheaded establishment of recruitment and selection office for Meow Wolf.
  • Supervise and direct Recruitment Coordinators.
  • Administer and optimize all employment pipelines.
  • Monitored industry trends and made recommendations on how they could be leveraged by the organization.
  • Recruited top talent from various sources in order to meet staffing requirements.
  • Administer talent acquisition and retention policies, grant allocations, budget oversight, and contract negotiations.

Talent Acquisition Strategist – Q Clearance

LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY, Human Resources
Los Alamos, NM
01.2016 - 08.2019
  • Develop and implement institutional hiring strategies based on staffing projections, immediate need and budget allocation
  • Provide counsel to Lab leadership towards holistic talent acquisition, recruitment, and communication campaigns to ensure the appropriate talent targeting (engineering, business/operations, science/R&D, construction, students)
  • Advise HR Leadership on vendors addressing recruitment and staffing demands, supervise complete procurement operations, and control all account activities once procured.
  • Direct management of career-focused social media channels, achieving steady increases in followership and engagement
  • Orchestrated 40k advertising budget dedicated to addressing specific laboratory staffing demands
  • Establish and maintain pipeline programs with specific universities that meet the talent need of the organization, specifically targeting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs that service marginalized populations
  • Program development and management of university consortium partnership placing top Native American, Latino, and African American Graduate and PhD students into Laboratory GRA and PostDoc positions, supporting an increase of 72% hire rate of external diverse talent
  • Craft and implement cohesive career branding and marketing strategy, featuring website revamp, marketing collateral line, recruitment banners, and efficient print and online advertising efforts.
  • Assess primary recruitment obstacles and collaborate with IT leaders to design a specialized web application database to tackle these issues, minimizing process errors while improving institutional efficiency, communication, and tracking
  • Served as lead recruiter for the Global Security, Science, Technology, and Engineering directorates, sourcing, interviewing and communicating with top tier candidates
  • Direct management of institutional LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor career pages and contracts to uphold unified branding and high-touch recruitment initiatives
  • Deliver application process training sessions at local community colleges, universities, and New Mexico Workforce Connections

Education Administrator

NEW MEXICO STATE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Albuquerque, NM
02.2014 - 01.2016
  • Develop effective systems of compliance monitoring and oversight of state charter education programs
  • Facilitate school leader trainings related to all facets of charter school applications, monitoring, and renewal application process
  • Support school leadership with resources and guidance on state laws and educational policy to maintain effective, compliant, educational programming
  • Evaluate 20+ schools annually to ensure program requirements, staffing needs, and budget needs were addressed at the state level
  • Formal recommendations for closures and opening of school programs throughout the state of New Mexico

Manager of Diversity Recruitment and Credential Initiatives, Human Resources

SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, Human Resources
San Francisco, CA
01.2013 - 01.2014
  • Increased ethnic and racial diversity of newly hired faculty by 10% in five months.
  • Developed two pipeline programs to facilitate entry of aspiring educators into paid teaching roles.
  • Identified and eliminated barriers to professional entry for local community members.
  • Conducted intensive community education initiatives to connect residents with education employment opportunities.
  • Collaborated with district, community, and university partners to sustain recruitment outreach efforts.

Human Capital Support Specialist, Recruitment Unit

SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, Human Resources
San Francisco, CA
01.2010 - 12.2012
  • Conducted the assessment, recruitment and placement of highly qualified educators throughout all San Francisco public schools
  • Thought partnered with school site administration in recruitment, selection and retention strategies
  • Developed and facilitated strategic staffing trainings for all district administrators to ensure effective recruitment, selection, and hiring practice

Diversity Program Specialist, Recruitment Support Unit

PEACE CORPS HEADQUARTERS
Washington, D.C.
02.2008 - 07.2009
  • Executed national recruitment and outreach programs to diversify Peace Corps volunteer base.
  • Represented agency's diversity initiatives at conferences and public presentations.
  • Managed Office of Diversity Recruitment and National Outreach budget totaling $100,000.

Language Testing Coordinator, Staff Training Unit

PEACE CORPS HEADQUARTERS
Washington, D.C.
10.2006 - 02.2008
  • Coordinated Language Proficiency Testing workshops for staff across 20 countries.
  • Analyzed and maintained statistical data on volunteer language assessments.
  • Managed contracts for Peace Corps consultants conducting language tester training conferences.
  • Conducted overseas travel and communication to monitor Peace Corps language testers, ensuring success for over 70 programs.

Education

Teacher Preparation Program - Special Education Teaching License with endorsements in: Gifted Education, Science, Psychology

Santa Fe Community College
Santa Fe, NM
05.2023

Master of Arts - Equity and Social Justice in Education

San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA, USA
05.2011

Bachelor of Arts - Human Development, with an Emphasis in Child Development

California State University at San Marcos
San Marcos, CA, USA
05.2006

Skills

  • IEP development
  • Behavior management
  • Community engagement
  • Effective communication
  • Careful student support
  • Co-teaching experience
  • Leadership and collaboration
  • Student-centered focus

Community Development

  • Peace Corps, Rio Bamba, Ecuador, Summer 2005, Assistance with microfinance/community banking training
  • AEC-TEA - Ponto de Cultura da Bahia, Capim Grosso, BA, Brasil, 10/12-01/14, Instructed English language development courses for students ages 12-30, Created 4 levels of language courses for culture and heritage exchange program, Presented at university conference on teacher education programs in the US, Developed and facilitated community physical education programs

Affiliations

  • Capoeirista-Brazilian martial arts practitioner
  • Reader of anything that will challenge what I think I know
  • Aspiring writer, poetry and blog development

Timeline

Co-founder, Special Education Teacher, Gifted Program Coordinator

THRIVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
01.2021 - 06.2025

Special Education Teacher

EDWARD ORTIZ MIDDLE SCHOOL
08.2020 - 12.2020

Senior Director of Talent Acquisition

MEOW WOLF, Human Resources
08.2019 - 02.2020

Talent Acquisition Strategist – Q Clearance

LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY, Human Resources
01.2016 - 08.2019

Education Administrator

NEW MEXICO STATE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
02.2014 - 01.2016

Manager of Diversity Recruitment and Credential Initiatives, Human Resources

SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, Human Resources
01.2013 - 01.2014

Human Capital Support Specialist, Recruitment Unit

SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, Human Resources
01.2010 - 12.2012

Diversity Program Specialist, Recruitment Support Unit

PEACE CORPS HEADQUARTERS
02.2008 - 07.2009

Language Testing Coordinator, Staff Training Unit

PEACE CORPS HEADQUARTERS
10.2006 - 02.2008

Teacher Preparation Program - Special Education Teaching License with endorsements in: Gifted Education, Science, Psychology

Santa Fe Community College

Master of Arts - Equity and Social Justice in Education

San Francisco State University

Bachelor of Arts - Human Development, with an Emphasis in Child Development

California State University at San Marcos

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