Christa Fulkerson, BHSM, MBA

• Leadership & Supervision: Provide strategic leadership and supervision to a team overseeing grant management and compliance, ensuring effective collaboration and workflow across departments, and fostering a high-performance work environment.
• Oversight of Administrative Processes: Oversee the development and execution of comprehensive administrative procedures for grant management, ensuring adherence to tribal, federal, and state regulations and facilitating the efficient and effective implementation of programs and services.
• Stakeholder Relations & Government Engagement: Serve as the primary liaison with key stakeholders, including members of Congress, federal agencies, Congressional committees, Tribal leadership, and Bureau management, to align grant activities with strategic priorities and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Complex Analytical & Strategic Planning: Lead complex analytical studies and qualitative assessments of grant programs to evaluate effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategic solutions that enhance operational and financial outcomes for the Osage Nation.
• Cross-functional Coordination & Special Projects: Manage and coordinate cross-departmental projects and initiatives, including investigations and special studies on topics such as economic development, land management, and community resources, driving collaborative solutions across government and Tribal stakeholders.
• Policy Development & Advisory Role: Advise senior leadership on administrative and financial management of grant programs, providing recommendations to shape policies, procedures, and practices that align with organizational goals and promote accountability.
• Executive Decision Translation: Translate executive decisions into actionable policies, procedures, and operational plans, ensuring the successful execution of grants and compliance programs while maximizing the impact of funding.
• Internal & External Compliance Monitoring: Monitor compliance with grant regulations, providing oversight and conducting audits to ensure adherence to legal, financial, and programmatic requirements, while implementing corrective actions when necessary to mitigate risk.
• Reporting & Performance Metrics: Develop, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) for grant-funded programs, providing senior leadership with data-driven insights and actionable recommendations to improve program effectiveness and efficiency.
• Fiscal Oversight & Budget Management: Manage the budgeting and financial oversight of grant funds, ensuring that all expenditures align with grant requirements and that financial reports are accurate, complete, and submitted on time.
• Training & Capacity Building: Provide training to internal teams and external partners on grant writing, reporting, compliance best practices, and policy changes, ensuring that staff and stakeholders are equipped to effectively manage grants and adhere to regulatory standards.

• Developed and implemented comprehensive strategies to improve operational processes and organizational efficiency.
• Directed the organization's daily operations, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Collaborated with senior leadership to set long-term objectives for the organization.
• Recruited, trained, supervised, evaluated and mentored staff members.
• Managed budgeting and financial planning processes for the organization.
• Identified opportunities for improvement in operational performance metrics.
• Conducted regular meetings with department heads to review progress on strategic initiatives.
• Developed policies and procedures to ensure compliance with organizational standards.
• Reviewed internal reports and identified areas of risk or potential cost savings.
• Coordinated resources across departments to maximize productivity levels.
• Created detailed plans outlining timelines, goals, budgets, staffing needs and other requirements for projects.
• Provided guidance on legal matters related to contracts or intellectual property rights.
• Prepared presentations for board meetings summarizing key developments within the company.
• Assessed employee performance against established benchmarks or targets.
• Implemented systems for tracking progress on key initiatives or projects.
• Facilitated collaboration between teams by encouraging open communication channels.
• Partnered with staff to create professional development plans to support personal and business growth.
• Coordinated activities with other departments to expedite work and improve collaboration.
• Monitored industry trends to identify opportunities for expansion and innovation.
• Represented the organization at industry events, conferences, and public meetings.
• Facilitated professional development programs to build a high-performing team.
• Analyzed data to inform decision-making and strategic direction.
• Implemented new technologies to streamline processes and enhance productivity.
• Coordinated with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with laws and standards.
• Oversaw strategic planning and implementation to ensure organizational goals were met.
• Cultivated relationships with stakeholders to secure support and funding for key initiatives.
• Promoted a culture of innovation and encouraged staff to contribute ideas.
• Led cross-functional teams to drive project completion within budget and deadlines.
• Prepared staff work schedules and assigned team members to specific duties.
• Delegated work to staff, setting priorities and goals.
• Provided leadership, insight and mentoring to newly hired employees to supply knowledge of various company programs.
• Formed and sustained strategic relationships with project stakeholders.
• facilitated effective program plans to focus strategic decisions on long-term objectives.
• Directed or coordinated financial or budget activities to fund operations and maximize investments.

• Supervision & Administrative Oversight: Coordinated grant compliance efforts across multiple administrative and operational levels, ensuring alignment with federal, state, and Tribal regulations.
  Managed workflows for highly sensitive and confidential grant-related assignments, maintaining strict adherence to data privacy and security standards.
  Worked directly with ONHS leadership to implement streamlined administrative processes for improved efficiency in grant applications and reporting.
  
• Stakeholder Engagement & Communications: Facilitated interactions with Tribal leadership, federal and state granting agencies, and ONHS leadership to support grant acquisition and program sustainability.
  Delivered comprehensive monthly reports for executive review, summarizing grant expenditures, compliance milestones, and actionable recommendations for resource optimization.
  
• Analytical Studies & Policy Development: Conducted detailed quantitative and qualitative analyses of grant programs to assess financial and operational impacts across ONHS health service programs.
  Developed strategic recommendations for transitioning expiring grants into the ONHS budget, aligning funding decisions with broader organizational objectives.
  Analyzed and proposed enhancements to grant program policies and procedures to ensure compliance with funding agency requirements.
  
• Advisory & Policy Implementation: Provided guidance on administrative and financial management matters associated with ONHS’s federally funded programs.
  Translated executive determinations into actionable policy recommendations and operational strategies for grant lifecycle management.
  
• Project Leadership: Led special initiatives to identify and address compliance challenges related to federal and state funding requirements.
  Partnered with ONHS leadership on the design and execution of budget burn-down plans for grants, enhancing fiscal accountability and transparency.

Key Achievements:

• Delivered actionable insights that enhanced ONHS's capacity to secure, manage, and sustain federal and state funding.
• Ensured compliance with HIPAA and other confidentiality requirements through diligent oversight of grant reporting and data management processes.
• Streamlined workflows and administrative processes, improving ONHS’s operational efficiency in managing grant programs.

• Manage and direct all activities of the Grants Management System
• Work closely with treasury to determine grant funding best practices
• Manage the entire grant lifecycle (pre-award, award, and post-award)
• Oversee all grant projects within the organization
• Serve as Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) on all grant documents as delegated by the Principal Chief of the Osage Nation.
• Collaborate with executive level leadership to develop funding strategies on all organizational, departmental, and separate entity levels .
• Currently manage and secure over $150M in grant funding through researching, writing and submitting grant proposals, satisfying award announcement criteria, reporting, and close-out. This includes, but is not limited to, cost allocations, budget modifications, project management, strategic planning, budget and budget narrative creation, etc.
• Continue to lead the reset of the grants management department; create new positions, reorganize roles and responsibilities, onboard new team members, and build a new higher performing team.
• Establish annual department goals, and policies & procedures.
• Provide training, development and mentoring of all grants management personnel.
• Establish and deepen partnerships within different work groups to enhance effective and valuable funding streams.
• Maintain community involvement within the requirements of a funding opportunity.
• Measure feasibility of a grant project in connection with organizational capacity, grant guidelines, and procurement applicability.
• Create agendas and communication materials for team meetings.
• Provide organization-wide management and trouble-shooting of all internal and external grant portal software.
• Act as a liaison between executive level leadership, Treasury, and various departments to advise on grants management aims.
• Juggle multiple projects and tasks to ensure high quality and timely delivery.
• Handle all delegated tasks within the department and on an organization-wide level.
• Defined strategies and created a plan to achieve ambitious operational objectives in terms of executive level initiatives.

• Secured grant funding through various programs focused on enhancing and providing services.
• Grant writing, budgeting, and budget narratives.
• Brought in over 3 million in grant awards in 2020 in relation to medical care, human services, ranching, domestic violence prevention, behavioral health, counseling, and financial assistance, housing, etc.
• Coordinated with legislative officials to receive sponsorship and initiate match-funding appropriations to achieve funding goals.
• Coordinated strategic goals and worked to secure grants for various projects.
• Motivated and encouraged team members to communicate more openly and constructively with each other.
• Collaborated with department directors to discuss new funding opportunities.
• Worked closely with team members to deliver project requirements, develop solutions and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated leadership by making improvements to work processes and helping to train others.
• Prioritized and organized tasks to efficiently accomplish service goals.