Carla Garrison
Philadelphia,PA
Summary
Highly organized, resourceful and reliable Administrative Assistant with a proven track record in the corporate housing industry, specializing in meticulous, client managing operations. Strong independent worker providing tailored support that enhances operational efficiency, recognized for accuracy and prompt, team-oriented problem-solving.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Administrative Assistant II
Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation
Philadelphia, PA
08.2021 - Current
- Report directly to the Director of Construction and Rehabilitation.
- Log and track client communications to ensure timely responses and documentation.
- Provide general company information to clients as it relates to servicing, address inquiries and
refer clients to outside resources i.e., Heater Hotline, LIHEAP, Rental
Assistance, etc. - Daily communication with Inspectors, contractors and personnel from other departments i.e.,
Legal Dept., HR, Finance, etc. - Schedule, attend and participate in various weekly team meetings.
- Schedule site visits and phone conferences.
- Represent the Director effectively at meetings.
- Record, transcribe and distribute meeting minutes.
- Provide office support to teams of Inspectors, Supervisors and contractors.
- Work collaboratively as a liaison with the Adaptive Modification Program, Dispatch and
Central Intake Unit. - Examine case history, generate and analyze reports pertaining to discrepancies.
- Manage and resolve client service issues through investigation and delegation to appropriate teams.
- Analyze D365 dashboards and notify Inspectors and Supervisors to review and approve products
and change orders. - Monitor the response time of inspectors and supervisors to client complaints.
- Generate and issue client cancellation and overcost letters.
- Research, prepare, evaluate and track data in Excel and PowerPoint.
- Review literature, evaluate efficiency of current operations and submit recommendations for improvement by oral or written reports.
- Prepare rough drafts of communication for the Director.
- Assume responsibility for any assigned special projects.
- Prepare training manuals and documents for required field staff annual training.
- The voice of PHDC DialPad phone system. Record all outgoing phone messages to the public.
- Represent PHDC at offsite professional events.
- Union Election Committee member and Scholarship Committee member.
Autistic Support Teacher and Case Manager
Upper Darby High School
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
02.2019 - 06.2021
- Oversaw Autistic Support Resource Room, ensuring effective learning environment for students.
- Scheduled and instructed social skills classes to itinerant autistic support and supplemental autistic support students.
- Created and implemented the social skills curriculum.
- Created, updated and managed all digital time sensitive legal documents for a caseload of 20-25 students.
- Maintained daily correspondence with students, parents, teachers, administrators, school psychologists,
guidance counselors, agencies and child advocates. - Organized and led IEP meetings to develop tailored educational plans for students.
- Proctored annual exams (Keystone and MAP).
- Attended professional development and completed annual trainings.
- Taught the summer program, ESY (Extended School Year).
Substitute Teacher
Delta-T Group and Kelly Services
Bryn Mawr and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Managed classroom environments across elementary, middle, and high schools to maintain student focus and engagement.
- Delivered engaging lessons to diverse student groups in various subjects.
- Created a structured and secure learning environment.
- Maintained established routines of the school and classroom procedures.
- Communicated effectively with parents, teachers and administrators.
Administrative Assistant/Volunteer
Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
06.2016 - 08.2018
- Oversaw daily office operations for nonprofit assisting individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Drafted and edited all correspondence (i.e., memos, invoices, reports, emails, etc.).
- Scheduled appointments, staff meetings and maintained calendars.
- Maintained financial records, resolved vendor discrepancies, and verified reconciliations and reports to Treasurer.
- Responded to incoming calls and inquiries while welcoming visitors.
Lead Kindergarten Teacher
The Haverford School
Haverford, Pennsylvania
08.2001 - 09.2017
- Instructed 15-20 students in all major subject disciplines: language arts, math, social studies,
handwriting, computers and character development utilizing theory-proven instructional methods,
thematic units, interactive field trips and special guests. - Administered assessments: Fountas and Pinnell Reading Assessments, Dibels, Everyday Math and
MAP (Measures of Academic Progress). - Developed curriculum with team and curriculum mapping via Atlas Rubicon.
- Collaborated regularly with administrators, faculty, specialists, and parents.
- Trained and mentored assistant teachers, student teachers, and student projects.
- Organized classroom resources and materials for effective daily operations.
- Conducted annual literacy workshop, Open House/Back to School Night for parents, new parent receptions, admissions testing, and admissions receptions.
- Maintained teacher webpage and digital portfolio.
Education
Master of Science - Elementary Education
Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PABachelor of Arts - Communication Production
Howard University
Washington, DCHigh School Diploma -
Harriton High School
Bryn Mawr, PASkills
- Office administration
- Calendar management
- Report generation
- Data analysis
- TechnologyMicrosoft Suite – Outlook, Teams, Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPointGoogle Suite - Gmail, Google Meets, Calendar, Drive, DocsOther software – D365
- Client relations
- Time management
- Technology
Microsoft Suite – Outlook, Teams, Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Google Suite - Gmail, Google Meets, Calendar, Drive, Docs
Other software – D365 - Training and mentoring
- Community engagement
Accomplishments
August 2024 Employee Spotlight Award
Certification
2025 Cyber Security Awareness Training
The City of Philadelphia
The City of Philadelphia
Affiliations
PHDC Turn the Key Open House
Timeline
Administrative Assistant II
Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation
08.2021 - Current
Autistic Support Teacher and Case Manager
Upper Darby High School
02.2019 - 06.2021
Substitute Teacher
Delta-T Group and Kelly Services
01.2018 - 01.2019
Administrative Assistant/Volunteer
Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc.
06.2016 - 08.2018
Lead Kindergarten Teacher
The Haverford School
08.2001 - 09.2017
Master of Science - Elementary Education
Saint Joseph's University
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Production
Howard University
High School Diploma -
Harriton High School