Axé Owens
Arlington,VA
Summary
Strategic and results-oriented business leader with experience in strategy, planning and operations. Skilled in developing and executing programs to maximize engagement, profitability, streamline operations and maintain compliance with industry regulations. Proven people leader motivates and optimizes staff performance and productivity.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Managing Director of Operations
Extraordinary Scholars
01.2024 - Current
- Serves as a consultant for a startup nonprofit organization, providing expertise and guidance in website design, member engagement, curriculum development and social media marketing
- Collaborates closely with organization's leadership team to achieve strategic insights to support growth and impact
- Designs robust curriculum to ensure optimal engagement
- Collaborates with CEO to identify and address operational challenges, driving initiatives to improve quality, efficiency, and organizational success
- Collaborates with CEO on website design and development, leveraging expertise in industry trends, to emphasize an engaging user experience
- Establishes strong relationships with key stakeholders, including schools, clients, and families, to ensure alignment and collaboration on organization objectives
- Implements risk management strategies to identify and mitigate potential challenges to business operations, ensuring continuity and resilience in the face of adversity
- Leads the development and implementation of the organization's social media strategy, including content creation, community engagement, and platform optimization
- Manage day-to-day operations.
Director of Programs
Generation Teach
01.2022 - 01.2024
- Collaborated with Regional Directors and CEO to secure diverse funding sources by accurately representing organizational needs in grant proposals, serving as primary contact for partners and team members.
- Partnered with school administrators to build and maintain relationships, facilitating planning and execution of summer programs to enhance student learning and engagement.
- Worked with national directors to ensure seamless program implementation across all sites, focusing on strategic planning.
- Represented organization at various events, schools, and job fairs, effectively communicating its mission, vision, and roles.
- Maintained up-to-date and accurate internal system information
- Recruited and onboarded new team members by managing application review (150+), interview, and onboarding processes.
- Fostered effective communication with professional leaders, teaching fellows, and families to ensure successful engagement.
- Recruited and enrolled 200 diverse students in Boston, ensuring inclusive student body.
- Co-led Leadership Residency Training, leveraging instructional design principles to deliver impactful teacher development content.
- Managed and facilitated both in-person and virtual team meetings and trainings.
- Built and maintained relationships with local schools and partners to discuss program goals and outcomes.
- Developed and distributed quality learning initiatives, including webinars, to over 500 individuals via LMS.
- Provided intensive training on DEI, history of U.S. education, and culturally responsive teaching.
- Co-created and implemented innovative projects within organization, collaborating with peer directors to drive objectives.
- Engaged community members using culturally sensitive communication and linguistically accessible materials.
- Fostered a collaborative and growth-centered environment, enhancing mission investment and productivity.
- Led programming across states, directing fellows and professional leaders mentoring middle school teachers.
- Cultivated partnerships with local schools and educational partners for collaborative initiatives and resource sharing.
- Developed STEAM Academy content, training curricula, and managed day-to-day operations for a 7-week summer program with 60 fellows, 10 teachers, and 200 students.
- Provided feedback and career counseling to 12-15 college seniors annually, achieving a 75% matriculation rate into education careers.
- Formulated strategic plans and established detailed performance targets for professional teachers, converting them into practical goals and tasks to be measured.
- Collected and analyzed program metrics, preparing presentations for stakeholders to improve learning outcomes and satisfaction.
- Advocated for STEAM education for all students, especially those from underserved communities.
- Built partnerships with external organizations that enhanced program offerings and expanded outreach efforts.
- Designed evaluation tools that measured the success of various programming aspects against organizational objectives.
- Led staff training sessions on best practices in program delivery, increasing overall effectiveness across the organization.
- Evaluated program performance using data-driven approaches to inform decision making and future planning.
- Secured funding for programs through successful grant writing and relationship building with donors, leading to greater financial stability.
- Championed the integration of technology (BAND, SPED resources, etc) into program delivery, improving access to resources and increasing participant engagement.
Assistant Director
Kingstowne KinderCare
01.2022 - 01.2022
- Recruited, screened and interviewed potential new staff
- Oversaw ADP payroll for a staff of 15-20
- Co-Lead the planning of engagement events, field trips and all activities
- Co-Lead and planned staff meetings and trainings
- Cultivated relationships with parents to maintain parent engagement by organizing events
- Served as first point of contact for all
- Assisted with the hiring process for new employees including conducting interviews and doing reference checks
- Maintained enrollment, ratios for licensing and budget for entire center
- Maintained records and databases on all students, families and staff.
- Streamlined communication between teachers, parents, and administrators to foster a collaborative learning environment.
- Implemented effective conflict resolution strategies for resolving issues among faculty members or between students.
- Conducted regular safety drills to ensure preparedness in case of emergency situations at school premises.
Art Instructor
Christina Seix Academy
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Created 'The Collective', a social justice art class helping students understand social issues, develop their own stances and express their views healthily, teaching them the importance of advocacy and autonomy
- Created and implemented a curriculum that fully achieves all goals for elementary to middle school students
- Established techniques and procedures for painting, sketching, designing and sculpting while finding inclusive ways to assess student's achievement
- Cultivated complete classroom management and organization while capturing and maintaining student interest through innovative and creative projects.
Residential Educator
Christina Seix Academy
01.2019 - 01.2021
- Oversaw and managed a 10-20 child household of fourth to sixth grade students in a residential space
- Led with trauma-informed practices ensuring the safety and overall health of students with diverse needs and backgrounds including housing insecurity
- Worked with SLT (Senior Leadership Team) to strategic plan, setting operations and engagement goals that further the organization's mission, vision and values
- Coordinated whole school and community events with a focus on parent and community engagement and student participation as well as strategic planning
- Supported student safety, personal growth, character development, academic, athletic, and artistic endeavors of a diverse student body
- Developed and nurtured strong relationships with families in order to enhance the availability of resources that support parents
- Organized and implemented evening programming schedule
- Served as first contact for students and parents
- Served on Strategic Planning Committees focused on continuous organizational growth and improvement
Site Director
New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL)
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Managed a team of 8-10 staff members, ensuring high-quality performance and adherence to company standards and assessed performance with monthly evaluations.
- Developed recruitment strategies to increase and maintain site registration, encouraging parent and community development and involvement while maintaining student engagement
- Managed and maintained site budget for equipment, trips, payroll, staff training, hiring and all aspects of the program
- Implemented a high-quality program, fostering community partnerships with the local library and school
- Analyzed participant data and kept accurate records of registration, attendance, staff and participant information
- Coordinated events for students, staff and families.
- Maintained state compliance with regulatory requirements while continuously seeking opportunities for process improvement based on best practices.
Academic Counselor
SMILE/Gearup
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Guided students from marginalized communities in course and program selection, class scheduling, study habits, college admission and career planning
- Counseled students to help them overcome issues that may affect their academic progress by assessing student needs
- Used interviews, transcripts, report cards, and tests to recruit students who meet programs requirements
- Facilitated follow-up interviews with students for colleges/universities to provide cultural enrichment
- Planned trips and activities including multi-day college tours to expose students to colleges/universities
- Maintained records and databases on student and program activities
- Made regular presentations to schools, community organizations, and social service agencies.
- Partnered with teachers to create customized learning plans that aligned with each student''s unique strengths and weaknesses.
- Provided ongoing support for students during their transition from high school to college or post-secondary opportunities.
- Facilitated communication between students, parents, and school staff to ensure a supportive learning environment.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - Psychology
Chestnut Hill College
Philadelphia, PA05.2016
Skills
- Operations Management
- Staff Management
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Staff hiring
- Relationship Building
- Mentoring and training
- Strategic Planning
- Project Management
Certification
- Teach English Foreign Language (TEFL) Certified
- CPR Certified
- Project Management Trained
Languages
Spanish
Limited Working
Timeline
Managing Director of Operations
Extraordinary Scholars
01.2024 - Current
Director of Programs
Generation Teach
01.2022 - 01.2024
Assistant Director
Kingstowne KinderCare
01.2022 - 01.2022
Art Instructor
Christina Seix Academy
01.2020 - 01.2021
Residential Educator
Christina Seix Academy
01.2019 - 01.2021
Site Director
New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL)
01.2018 - 01.2019
Academic Counselor
SMILE/Gearup
01.2016 - 01.2017
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - Psychology
Chestnut Hill College
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