Andrea McAllister Long
Dallas,TX
Summary
Experienced with strategic planning, project management, and team leadership. Utilizes these skills to drive program effectiveness and align initiatives with organizational objectives. Track record of fostering collaboration and achieving significant outcomes through adaptive strategies.
Results-driven professional prepared for this role, offering extensive experience in managing regional programs. Adept at designing and implementing strategic initiatives that drive organizational success. Known for strong collaboration and adaptability, ensuring seamless team dynamics and goal achievement. Proficient in project management and strategic planning, with focus on delivering results.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Regional Program Director
Southwest Region – Office Head Start/ Administration for Children and Families
Dallas, Texas
09.2024 - Current
- Provided executive leadership, effective administrative and operational oversight, programmatic direction, and managerial oversight inclusive of grant recipients, supervision of subordinates and devised structure (federal and contracted staff), and devise communication strategies with external and internal partners/ stakeholders.
- Proved success and experience in team building, inclusion, and delivering lectures to and on various platforms/ groups.
- Demonstrated understanding of system’s management, manipulation, and adherence to administrative requirements.
- Demonstrated experience in system’s approach administrative oversight (written/oral communication, tracking, record keeping, data analysis, time management).
- Experienced ability in interpersonal skills, collaboration, cross-department coordination, mediation and conflict resolution.
- Demonstrated ability to improve individual performance measures, assessment, and evaluation.
- Demonstrated ability to ensure group and individual accountability, engage and led adult diverse populations, improved performance measures, and compliance.
- Provided sound decision making and judgement regarding individual development and project management.
- Provided regional leadership to over 100+ federal staff and contracts and 373 early childhood programs (across 10 states); and create learning environment to support comprehensive guidance on ECE institutional knowledge.
- Provided direction on implementation early childhood federal legislation, guidance on applicable procedures and improvement strategies, and consultative training on early childhood principles.
Regional Analyst/ Program Management
Office of Head Start, / Administration for Children and Families
Dallas, Texas
07.2015 - 08.2024
- Provided ECE expertise to 20 early childhood programs grant recipients.
- Experienced in supporting individual program operations in determining, adapting, devising, creating, and implementing high quality early childhood learning environment.
- Demonstrated experience in system manipulation and oversight (written/oral communication, tracking, record keeping, data analysis, time management).
- Experienced ability in interpersonal skills, collaboration, cross-department coordination, mediation and conflict resolution.
- Proved experience in peer-to-peer training, inclusion, and delivering lectures to and on various platforms/ groups.
- Demonstrated understanding of system’s management, manipulation, and adherence to administrative requirements.
- Experienced ability in interpersonal skills, collaboration, and support to diverse ECE programs and comprehensive guidance.
- Demonstrated ability to improve individual performance measures, assessment, and evaluation.
- Demonstrated ability to ensure group and individual accountability, engage and led adult diverse populations, improved performance measures, and compliance.
- Provided sound decision making and judgement regarding individual development and project management.
- Experienced in providing guidance and strategies of improvement strategies, consultative training on early childhood principles, and defining short-long term strategic goal planning.
Program Analyst/ Program Management
Head Start
Dallas, Texas
06.2015 - 09.2009
- Provided responsive services, guidance, and oversight to grant recipients, customers, and external and internal partnerships and collaborations;
- Reviewed applications and proposals, analyzed program and operational management towards adherence to federal legislative or state requirements devised action plan or long range/ short term strategies for correction, ensured no disruption of services, and recommended funding action while maintaining oversight through the lifecycle of the grant;
- Through various leadership projects promoted agency priorities and initiatives among peers through training, mentorship, communication, process consultation—as well as coordinated and enhanced collaboration efforts with external and internal partners in devising or sharing resources;
- Identified operational, programmatic, and fiscal barriers and analyzed data – completed applicable reports, provided recommendation for improvement, jointly worked on resolution with executive leadership and/or training and technical assistance personnel;
- Created, planned, and/or presented at federal, state, local, and national conferences-regarding legislation implementation strategies, networking, and enhancing collaboration;
- Overseen operations indirectly for 30+ grant recipients (i.e., communities, staff, and families) - individual grant recipient approx. total operating budget ranged from $ 5,000,000.00 - $150,000,000.00; and indirectly overseen 50+ contract staff and contracting operating budgetary totals $10,000,000.00.
Executive Director of Early Childhood Program Operations
American Heritage Academy
Carrollton, TX
01.2004 - 01.2009
- Provided leadership and oversight for day-to -day operations for all early childhood locations/sites.
- Developed, revised, and provided oversight to ensure effective implementation of standard operating procedures (SOP) across all sites and departments.
- Developed annual training plan, selection, determine staffing pattern, create individual training plans, complete performance evaluations, and recommend disciplinary actions or termination.
- Ensure staff assurance to ECE principles for staff (i.e. lesson planning, creating conducive learning environment, parent engagement, etc).
- Provided program operational planning, met and succeed organizational goals, ensure federal/state/ local compliance, and ensure communication strategies implemented consistently.
- Fostered collaboration and bridged partnerships with local community programs.
- Represented the agency as state or local meetings and national conferences.
- Overseen operations of annual operating budget approx. $ 12,000,000.00; directly oversee 50+ FTEs.
- Led strategic planning initiatives to enhance educational programs and community engagement.
- Oversaw budget management, ensuring fiscal responsibility and resource allocation aligned with organizational goals.
Executive Director of Early Childhood Program Operations (Lakewest)
Head Start of Greater Dallas
Carrollton, TX
01.2004 - 01.2009
- Led strategic initiatives to enhance program effectiveness and service delivery for vulnerable populations.
- Directed budget management, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with organizational goals.
- Fostered partnerships with community organizations to expand resources and support services for families.
- Implemented staff development programs, enhancing team performance and retention rates.
- Evaluated program outcomes, driving continuous improvement through data-informed decision-making.
- Oversaw compliance with federal and state regulations, ensuring high standards of service delivery across programs.
- Exercised appropriate cost control to meet budget restrictions and maximize profitability.
- Drove significant growth in volunteer engagement by implementing targeted recruitment campaigns.
Head Start Site Operation Manager
Neighborhood Centers
Houston, TX
01.2001 - 01.2004
- Directed strategic initiatives to enhance community engagement and program reach.
- Oversaw budget management, ensuring optimal allocation of resources across multiple programs.
- Mentored staff, promoting professional growth and ensuring adherence to organizational standards.
- Resolved staff member conflicts, actively listening to concerns and finding appropriate middle ground.
- Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
- Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
Education
Master of Science - Family Studies
Texas Women’s University, School of Family Sciences
01-2017
Bachelor of Science - Early Childhood Education
North Carolina A&T State University, School of Health and Human Services
01-1996
Skills
- Strategic Planning/Alignment and Partnership Growth
- ECE Program Improvement
- Program and Team Support
- Collaboration/ Partnerships
- Conflict Resolution
- System Enhancement and Process Consultation
- Conference Planning/Speaking
- Training/ Technical Competence
- Risk Management
- Communication
- Organizational Development
- Project Management
- Leadership/Administration
- Data Analysis and Evaluation
- Human Resources/ Human Capital Management
- Quality Assurance/ Quality Improvement
Accomplishments
- Within various positions, conceptualized and administered multi-level systematic approach to leadership - 1) advanced and positive opportunities for staff professional development/advancement and 2) attainment of agency goal and mission critical priorities.
- Created strategies for ongoing and existing external and internal partnerships (i.e. Collaboration offices and Head Start Associations)- leading to enhanced professional development resources for grant recipients and community’s served, amplifying collaboration and facilitating agreements to foster communication, outlined information and vision sharing, magnified the coordination of services and grant performance support, and increased comprehensive links to resources and consultative services (all through collaborations and coordination with specialty contracts and regional TTA contract).
- Advanced into higher leadership within three different companies
Certification
- Contracting Officer Representative
- TA Steering Committee Advisory Workgroup
- Real Estate Agent (2006-2008)
Timeline
Regional Program Director
Southwest Region – Office Head Start/ Administration for Children and Families
09.2024 - Current
Regional Analyst/ Program Management
Office of Head Start, / Administration for Children and Families
07.2015 - 08.2024
Program Analyst/ Program Management
Head Start
06.2015 - 09.2009
Executive Director of Early Childhood Program Operations
American Heritage Academy
01.2004 - 01.2009
Executive Director of Early Childhood Program Operations (Lakewest)
Head Start of Greater Dallas
01.2004 - 01.2009
Head Start Site Operation Manager
Neighborhood Centers
01.2001 - 01.2004
Bachelor of Science - Early Childhood Education
North Carolina A&T State University, School of Health and Human Services
Master of Science - Family Studies
Texas Women’s University, School of Family Sciences