Chris O'Brien
Staten Island,NY
Summary
Talented educator and program director skilled in handling administrative, operational and outreach program functions. Wears many hats to accomplish dynamic objectives. Ready to apply two decades of experience in creative education to new professional challenges with a growth-oriented organization.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Director/Educator
Staten Island/Futureworks Makerspace
01.2018 - 01.2024
- Collaborated with leadership team to design and deliver engaging educational programs for youth and adult community members
- Worked closely with New York City's EDC and CUNY to develop curricula, workshops, and training sessions for ApprenticeNYC, a citywide manufacturing apprenticeship
- Conducted assessments and evaluations to measure program effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and implement enhancements to optimize learning experience for participants.
Founder
Lower Bay Learners Guild
01.2014 - 03.2020
- Founded and operated this successful educational consulting company specializing in building maker spaces and project-based STEM learning programs for over three dozen New York City public elementary and middle schools
- Collaborated with school administrators, educators, and stakeholders to design and implement customized curricula aligned with each school's educational standards and student needs
- Managed all aspects of the business, including client relations, project planning, budgeting, and resource allocation, ensuring the successful delivery of services and achievement of program objectives working as a contractor for various organizations including the D.O.E, PAL, New York Edge, UFT, and smaller nonprofits.
Teacher
NYC Department of Education
01.2009 - 01.2013
- Implemented a creative pedagogical approach that resulted in measurable student growth and earned professional respect as an ESL and U.S
- History teacher in two dynamic Brooklyn schools: William McKinley Middle School and Brooklyn Science and Engineering Academy
- Collaborated with colleagues, administrators, and support staff to develop interdisciplinary curricula, assess student progress, and implement targeted interventions to support struggling learners.
- Managed classroom behavior effectively by establishing clear expectations, modeling appropriate conduct, and consistently enforcing established rules and consequences.
Education
M.A. ESL Education -
Hunter College
New York, NY01.2011
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
College of Staten Island of The City University of New York
Staten Island, NY01.2010
Associate of Arts -
Art Institute of Colorado
Denver, CO01.2007
Skills
- Team Leadership
- Strategic Thinking
- Curriculum Development
- Entrepreneurial and Innovative
- Adaptable and Flexible
- Performance Assessments
Writing and Projects
- Salon: Last night's Michael Grimm debacle: What really went wrong in Staten Island, https://www.salon.com/2014/11/05/last_nights_michael_grimm_debacle_what_really_went_wrong_in_staten_island
- NPR: 3 Challenges As Hands-On, DIY Culture Moves Into Schools, https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/07/21/486046973/three-challenges-as-more-makers-move-into-schools
- Yankee Pot Roast: ‘Out of the Blue’, http://www.yankeepotroast.org/archives/2005/06/out_of_the_blue.html
- Richmond County Field Recording Society: This multimedia project about a fictional esoteric civic organization that operated on Staten Island includes the writing, designing, publishing of a bi-monthly zine “The Journal of Anomalous Events on Staten Island,” and creating fictional field recordings from the group’s expansive archive. As of issue #4, the RCFRS has 100+ loyal subscribers., http://www.rcfrs.org
- Composite Beast: What started with sound experiments and comedy videos in my basement has grown into a weekly 2 hour sound collage and comedy show on Maker Park Radio with over 200 hours of archived recordings., www.compositebeast.com
- Field House: Using a grant from Staten Island Arts, the RCFRS field house is a large-scale diorama of the RCFRS editorial office inside a 19th Century outhouse on the grounds of Historic Richmondtown. Part installation, part audio/video project, the Field House doubles as an oral history recording booth used to archive contemporary voices.
- Ghost Tales: I write, produce, and host a monthly live variety talk show at Historic Richmond Town. Whether I am running a large scale bingo game with the crowd, getting a haircut and tattooed on stage, each show features both established and up and coming comedians, musicians, academics, and garden variety characters.
Timeline
Program Director/Educator
Staten Island/Futureworks Makerspace
01.2018 - 01.2024
Founder
Lower Bay Learners Guild
01.2014 - 03.2020
Teacher
NYC Department of Education
01.2009 - 01.2013
M.A. ESL Education -
Hunter College
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
College of Staten Island of The City University of New York
Associate of Arts -
Art Institute of Colorado
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