Ava Stone

Promotes and provides expert assistance and support for all bureaus and offices to increase and improve the use of collaborative decision-making and ADR processes. Including CORE PLUS Mediation and Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution (ECCR), consistent with relevant with laws, regulations, directives, and Departmental policy and procedures. Assists in carrying out the functions of the Department’s Dispute Resolution Specialist including participation in strategic planning and policy development that addresses improvements or enhancements to the current DOI Integrated Conflict Management System.

Program Management:

• Develops reports and other communications on CADR activities and initiatives, including data collection and analysis, and customer satisfaction surveys.

• Assists with the implementation of the tracking and evaluation systems for CORE PLUS and the ECCR program and instructs CORE PLUS collateral duty roster members on the use of the tracking system.

• Identifies opportunities to expand and improve use of CADR tools, as well as barriers and obstacles and recommends actions and feasible plans for implementation of improvements.

• Represents the CADR office at a variety of meetings, conferences, forums, work groups, committees and events and builds strong working relationships within the Department and in the Federal ADR community and with non-governmental parties and partners.

• Recruits, trains, and manages an in-house roster of third-party neutrals
• Manages and works in collaboration with external contracts to ensure departmental access to external third-party neutrals

Direct Service Practitioner: Serves as an in-house coach, facilitator, mediator, and ombuds.

• Provides and ensures timely responses to inquiries and requests for information.
• Advise and provide guidance to address a variety of issues and concerns that range from simple and routine, to more complex situations where there is minimal to no precedent from which to reference.
• Conducts early informal and formal internal assessment to assist parties in determining whether ADR or a collaborative process is appropriate.

Training, Education, and Awareness:

• Educates DOI managers and employees about best practices in the use of ADR processes and develops marketing strategies and conducts outreach to expand and improve the Department’s ability to manage conflict effectively, to increase the Department’s efficiency and effectiveness in accomplishing its mission.
• Serves as a certified trainer for CADR curriculum. Delivers training for all bureaus, offices, program areas and training centers on communication and conflict resolution skills to support increased awareness and use of different ADR tools, resources, and process options available to DOI employees.
• Keeps abreast of literature and studies in the fields of public engagement, collaborative problem-solving and ADR, and assists the Director in accomplishing the clearinghouse function of the CADR office, including maintaining and disseminating information and educational material and contributing to the continuous improvement and development of an interactive CADR website.

The Americorps VISTA Program leader for AIHEC recruits, trains, and hires Americorps VISTAs from across the country to serve as environmental conservation and co-stewardship assistants in disparate federally recognized tribes and tribal universities/colleges. The VISTA leader partners with partners to design service opportunities and program agreements between AIHEC and the partner organization.

• Identified VISTA program weak points and implemented corrective actions to resolve concerns.
• Evaluated VISTA skills and knowledge regularly, training, and mentoring individuals with lagging skills.
• Served as a mentor and professional coach to Americorps volunteers
• Investigated and resolved issues and concerns raised by partners and VISTAs in the program.
• 
  

The Community Outreach Associate for the Design Studio for Community Solutions at Arizona State University served as a program support to the Survivor Link, domestic violence awareness and advocacy program at ASU and assists in the development of an emerging community development initiative with a human-design and community asset-based approach.

• Coordinated between local organizations, community members and leaders to establish partnerships and design interventions: Resulted in a formal partnership with an MLB team to provide youth entrepreneurship programs.
• Partnered with a grassroots community organization to design a culturally adapted training and awareness campaign around domestic violence.
• Partnered with other public service groups to increase focus in an under-served community.
• Co-created a process in which ASU initiates and supports community-based programs to improve education and other specific needs.
• Prepared data and data visualization reports on program outcomes.
• Researched and analyzed data to support program initiatives.
• Provided technical assistance to community partners and team.
• Attended community meetings as a representative of the program and build lasting connections and trust with the community,

Served as a Social Impact Consultant to private sector clients in the hospitality industry engaged in crisis management and recovery as a result of the Category Five Hurricane that devastated and disrupted the economy of St. Maarten.

• Delivered outstanding service to clients to assist in business recovery strategies with a systems change approach and corporate social responsbility in mind.
• Aligned non-governmental organizations, local non-profits, and government effort to rebuild the local economy with client business strategies and outcomes.
• Researched best practices and proven ways that a hospitatily business can postively integrate and impact local communities.
• Attended Shared Value and Collective Impact Conferences to represent private sector interests and build partnerships with NGOs and Non-Profits engaged in international development.
• Analyzed problematic areas to provide recommendations and solutions.

• Served as a subject-matter expert for Education & Youth and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Coordinated and executed special projects on Microaggressions Awareness Campaign and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. :
• Created a culturally adapted DEI training for consultants located at the European office.
• Elected to serve as a member on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Council.
• Assisted with social impact consulting projects, specifically in the Education & Youth sector.
• Used Salesforce to log and monitor new business developments, monitor and close projects, and create data reports.

• Researched topics in internional affairs and American-Euro relations to create memos for members of parliament as guidance on voting decisions.
• Researched timely topics in current internal affairs and development related to migrant integration, U.S.-Russia Relations, American Economic Trends, and human rights to produce reports for the European Parliamentary Research Service.
• Attended meetings and panel discussions hosted by international think-tanks to create memos and reports for members of parliament.

• Conducted research to created issue briefs for the Special Advisor for meetings within Open Society, the State Department, the World Bank and NGO partners.
• Served as the liaison between the State Department’s Roma Working Group and the European Roma Advocacy Network led by the Open Society Initiative for Europe.
• Went to meetings on behalf of the Special Advisor to oversee collaborative sessions between thematic program representatives of Open Society and their programmatic counterparts at the World Bank.
• Institutionalized a cross-network thematic community of practice around Roma/ African-American civil rights advocacy.
• Monitored, tracked, and closed out grants in Salesforce.
• Prepared clearly written and formatted documents and reports for european program advocacy initiatives on good governance and human rights.

Conducted research on policy initiatives on various subjects including: anti-human trafficking strategies in public education, career pathways programs in the U.S., middle skills development initiatives, disabled worker’s support programs, and public partnerships in state-led workforce development efforts.

• Assisted with the logistical planning and coordination of the 2011 Trust Factor conference in Washington, DC -an annual opportunity for community leaders, organizations, and scholars to understand the benefits of Inter-Faith and Inter-Racial Dialogue.
• Assisted with training and outreach for the "Unpacking the 2010 Census: The realities of race, class, and jurisdiction" - A study by John Moesir: An initiative of Virginia Inclusive Communities and Hope in the Cities.