Christa Gaudinier
Murrayville,GA
Summary
Accomplished leader skilled in creating safe, effective, and engaging learning experiences for children. Successfully motivates staff and inspires children and families through discipleship. Expertise in coordinating facilities, supplies, staff, and volunteers to meet diverse needs. Highly organized, resourceful, and creative-thinking leader who trains and supervises staff and works hard to foster strong relationships with kids and parents.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Grade School Minister
Lakewood Baptist Church
01.2013 - Current
- Lead an effective grade school ministry environment that includes staff and volunteer leaders investing in the spiritual lives of kids through building relationships and teaching biblical truth.
- Lead a team of staff and volunteer leaders to fulfill the mission and goals of our Grade School ministry while also reflecting our values and core beliefs.
- Foster a welcoming atmosphere leading to increased attendance and active participation.
- Design engaging kids ministry programming that incorporates creative activities, team-building exercises, and age-appropriate discussions.
- Give oversight to our weekly grade school ministry environments and strategic ministry events, training adult and youth leaders, communicating with parents and choosing and teaching curriculum.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive Grade School Ministry strategy that is in line with the vision, values and mission of the church.
- Communicate and shepherd a team through team and individual meetings, emails and other forms of communication, encouragement, training and ministering to their specific needs.
- Communicate with parents on a regular basis to share the vision of this ministry and keep them informed of weekly and strategic events.
- Work with our staff team to develop a comprehensive plan for recruiting, training and coaching our volunteer leadership team.
- Review and choose curriculum, teach in large and small groups, train leaders and provide resources along with ongoing communication to both staff and volunteer leaders.
- Organize and Coordinate the strategic events, as well as recruit and train the volunteer leaders for our Grade School Ministry events such as: Kids Camp, Vacation Bible School, Music/Drama Camp, Pumpkin Fest, Family Christmas Caroling, Christmas Musical, and Family Easter Celebration to foster unity and connection among our kids and families.
- Protect the kids in this ministry by making sure all our safety policies are clearly communicated and followed by all our staff and volunteer leaders.
- Help to update our policies and ministry environments as needed.
- Collaborate with our administrative assistant to make sure our website and social media channels are updated with current information.
- Meet with kids and parents as needed to counsel them and minister to their specific needs.
- Oversee the Kids Ministry budget by advocating for the financial needs of this ministry, staying within budget, and ordering necessary supplies and resources.
- Work with our Kids Ministry Staff team to develop systems for follow-up with kids and families.
Adoption and Foster Care Ministry Liaison
Lakewood Baptist Church
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Help foster or adoptive families assimilate well upon their initial time at church with children.
- Call ahead and get children's information to put in church database and to ensure preparation for any additional accomodations needed.
- Gather and report where new kids will go and who their teachers will be.
- Train volunteers to know how to work with foster and adoptive children and their specific needs.
- Maintain contact with foster and adoptive families to ensure there are no unmet needs.
Mentoring Program Director (Missions Associate)
Lakewood Baptist Church
01.2014 - 01.2019
- Maintain an apartment for use as a mentoring environment.
- Balance budget that provides for all furniture, supplies, hosting and benevolence needs in community.
- Created a program that fosters a safe and structured environment for learning both academically and spiritually.
- Recruit, schedule, and train volunteers in developing/maintaining mentoring relationships.
- Spearheaded fundraising efforts to secure resources necessary for program sustainability and success.
- Organized and coordinated field trips to expose kids to world outside school/apartment complex.
- Disciple teenagers individually, meeting outside of program time to deepen relationships to aid in their success.
- Organize special events/summer activities including on-site VBS, summer reading program, book bag drive/giveaway and Christmas events for entire families.
- Endeavor, at all times, to build relationship with parents of children in mentoring program.
Foster Care Worker
United Methodist Children's Home
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Recruited and trained prospective foster parents to ensure they provide safe, nurturing homes for foster children.
- Systematically gathered information and documentation, maintained accurate records of children and parents.
- Developed and maintained good relationships with children and parents to educate and to ensure that they felt encouraged and supported.
- Conducted assessments of potential foster homes to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for placements.
- Developed strong relationships with community partners, increasing access to resources for families in need.
- Educated prospective foster parents on the requirements and expectations associated with the role, promoting informed decision-making.
- Maintained detailed case files, ensuring accurate documentation of services provided and progress made.
- Empowered youth through life skills training sessions focused on building self-sufficiency and personal responsibility.
- Provided crisis intervention services when necessary, addressing urgent issues to promote stability within the foster home.
- Improved placement stability by matching children with compatible caregivers based on thorough evaluations of needs and preferences.
- Promoted open communication between biological families and foster caregivers by mediating meetings that addressed concerns or celebrated successes.
- Assisted in family reunification efforts, closely monitoring progress and adjusting plans accordingly.
- Decreased instances of placement disruption by providing ongoing support to foster families and addressing challenges as they arose.
- Managed caseloads efficiently, prioritizing time-sensitive tasks while maintaining high-quality service delivery.
- Increased community awareness of the foster care system by participating in outreach events, delivering presentations, and engaging with local organizations.
High School Teacher
Hope Christian Schools
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Established a positive classroom environment by setting clear expectations and fostering open communication between students and teachers.
- Created engaging lesson plans, fostered culture of discovery and provided well-organized classroom structure to help students succeed in program.
- Planned, developed, and executed lessons reflecting high school curriculum and core educational standards.
- Created study guides, research materials and syllabi for students.
- Collaborated with colleagues to develop interdisciplinary lesson plans, connecting subjects for a more cohesive learning experience.
- Offered supplemental and individualized instruction for at-risk and struggling students.
- Supported diverse learners with individualized instruction and accommodations tailored to their unique needs.
- Addressed consistent behavior problems with students, parents and senior staff.
Habilitation Tech
A Small Miracle, Inc.
01.2007 - 01.2008
Off-site Coordinator
Banks D. Kerr YMCA
01.2005 - 01.2007
Children's Director Intern
Lincolnton Bap. Ch.
01.2005
Intern
Safe Homes of Augusta
09.2004 - 12.2004
Missionary
YUGO Ministries
01.2001 - 01.2003
Education
Master of Social Work -
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA01.2025
M.A. - Intercultural Studies
Southeastern Seminary
Wake Forest, NC01.2008
B.A. - Sociology, Social Work and Psychology
Augusta State University
Augusta, GA01.2004
Skills
- Classroom management
- Staff management
- Staff hiring
- Curriculum planning
- Safety compliance
- Professional ethics
- Fostering positive environment
- Problem-solving abilities
Accomplishments
- Supervised team of 15 staff members with a volunteer base of 100 or more.
- Used Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Google Docs, to develop inventory and informational tracking spreadsheets.
- Collaborated with a team of 25+ in the development of Music and Drama Camp, executing annually for 11 years.
Activities
- Single parent to my nephew
- Mentor and disciple students
- Drink lots of coffee and build relationships with people
- Local Mission Projects
- Mission Work in Mexico, Thailand, China, Israel, Guatemala and Costa Rica
Languages
Spanish
Limited Working
Timeline
Adoption and Foster Care Ministry Liaison
Lakewood Baptist Church
01.2019 - 01.2022
Mentoring Program Director (Missions Associate)
Lakewood Baptist Church
01.2014 - 01.2019
Grade School Minister
Lakewood Baptist Church
01.2013 - Current
Foster Care Worker
United Methodist Children's Home
01.2011 - 01.2015
High School Teacher
Hope Christian Schools
01.2009 - 01.2010
Habilitation Tech
A Small Miracle, Inc.
01.2007 - 01.2008
Off-site Coordinator
Banks D. Kerr YMCA
01.2005 - 01.2007
Children's Director Intern
Lincolnton Bap. Ch.
01.2005
Intern
Safe Homes of Augusta
09.2004 - 12.2004
Missionary
YUGO Ministries
01.2001 - 01.2003
M.A. - Intercultural Studies
Southeastern Seminary
B.A. - Sociology, Social Work and Psychology
Augusta State University
Master of Social Work -
Liberty University
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