Christina Kirsch
Hanover Park,IL
Summary
Dynamic leader with a proven track record at Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, enhancing program offerings and expanding outreach through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions. Skilled in program development and team collaboration, I increased community partnerships by 75% and significantly boosted participant engagement. Expertise in strategic planning and problem-solving abilities ensures impactful program improvements and organizational growth. Results-driven program management professional with strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results. Prepared to bring strategic planning, program development, and stakeholder engagement skills to drive impactful outcomes. Known for flexibility in adapting to changing needs and reliability in delivering consistent, high-quality results.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Programs
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
05.2021 - 08.2024
- 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.
- Launched new initiatives that addressed identified gaps in services, expanding the organization''s offerings to better meet community needs.
- Developed strategic plans for organizational growth, resulting in increased program reach and impact.
- Optimized resource allocation by analyzing financial data, ensuring efficient use of funds across all programs under my supervision.
- Managed a team of program managers, fostering professional development and consistently meeting departmental goals.
- Evaluated program performance using data-driven approaches to inform decision making and future planning.
- Championed the integration of technology into program delivery, improving access to resources and increasing participant engagement.
- Ensured compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards, maintaining a strong reputation among peers and partners.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging team members to share feedback and ideas for enhancing program quality.
- Enhanced communication within the organization by establishing regular meetings with key stakeholders and creating comprehensive progress reports.
- Created an inclusive work environment that encouraged diverse perspectives, ultimately leading to more effective problem-solving within the team.
- Increased collaboration between departments by initiating cross-functional teams and joint projects.
- Implemented innovative solutions to challenges faced by programs, contributing to improved outcomes for all participants involved.
- Monitored programming schedules, conformance to guidelines, and quality.
- Facilitated programming by coordinating resources and deliverables between departments.
- Identified risks and developed mitigation plans.
- Improved program offerings based on changing trends, audience feedback and directives from station owners.
- Oversaw staff schedules and assignments to handle programming demands.
- Created and enforced programming standards to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Monitored programming trends to keep content relevant and up-to-date.
- Managing departmental budget over $1,000,000, including quarterly forecasting, yearly projects, staff training, and overhead.
- Led and professionally developed a 5 full-time employees and 21 seasonal staff members
- Implement two customer relationship management databases to provide GSNI with savings of $10,000 yearly
- Established & maintained relationships with community partners to organize and execute seasonal programs. Increase community partnerships by 75% over 5 years.
- Developed and implemented a paid facilitator program increased participation and bookings by 200%
- Volunteer “buy in” created STEW, a leader retreat Organize and planned a volunteer retreat with a budget of $5,000 with over 40 volunteers in STEW support. Over 750 participants last 10 years, premier GSNI networking event.
- Jumpstarted GSNI travel program post-Covid using GSUSA travel progression guidelines from Midwest travel trip to grant-supported Switzerland trip, GSUSA Convention 2023 in Orlando. Over 100 participants with a clean safety record.
- Understanding the American Camp Association (ACA) audit process and certification, Camp Dean was named one of the top 10 America's best summer camps in 2023 by Newsweek.
- Researched and cultivated in-house high-adventure training for a savings of $12,000 annually
- Create a pipeline for camp staff training through a CIT program with over 100 older Girl Participants. Converted 30 participants to counsel and mentor from program aide to seasonal camp staff.
- Cultivated $25,000 fundraising campaign for naming rights for a camp lodge.
Outdoor Program Manager
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
12.2018 - 05.2021
- Managed and supervised administrative and daily program operations, complying with policies and regulations.
- Established strong relationships with key stakeholders, ensuring support for program initiatives.
- Developed strategic plans, setting clear objectives and achievable milestones for the team.
- Managed cross-functional teams for successful project completion within deadlines and budgets.
- Conducted comprehensive program evaluations, identifying areas for improvement and recommending actionable solutions.
- Identified program obstacles and communicated possible impacts to team.
- Utilized data-driven decision-making approaches to inform strategy development and optimize outcomes.
- Met with project stakeholders on regular basis to assess progress and make adjustments.
- Ensured regulatory compliance by closely monitoring adherence to industry standards and guidelines throughout the program lifecycle.
- Addressed and resolved technical, financial, and operational concerns by working with team members and directors.
- Improved program efficiency by streamlining processes and implementing time-saving solutions.
- Championed best practices in project management, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Collaborated with business leadership to set priorities based on business needs, resource capacity and risk exposure.
- Increased customer satisfaction through effective communication of program goals and expectations.
- Implemented risk management strategies to mitigate potential barriers to project success.
- Led change management efforts, supporting staff through transitions and promoting buy-in for new initiatives.
- Participated in vendor selection and management process for program initiatives.
- Researched industry best practices in support of training development and program content.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors, securing favorable terms that supported budgetary constraints.
- Interacted with customers and clients to identify business needs and requirements.
- Maintained positive customer relations by addressing problems head-on and implementing successful corrective actions.
- Successfully managed budgets and allocated resources to maximize productivity and profitability.
- Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost company morale and promote employee retention.
- Developed detailed plans based on broad guidance and direction.
COVID-19 Response Frontline Case Investigator
DuPage County Health Department
09.2020 - 04.2021
- Offered basic guidance regarding testing and medical consultation for those exposed to people with COVID-19.
- Developed strong relationships with patients, fostering trust during sensitive conversations regarding personal health information.
- Contacted people exposed to individuals with COVID-19, assessed symptoms and referred for testing.
- Reduced the risk of community transmission by promptly identifying close contacts of confirmed cases.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams, sharing insights from case investigations to inform broader public health initiatives aimed at combatting COVID-19 transmission.
- Enhanced data accuracy in tracking systems through meticulous documentation of case investigation findings.
- Managed the COVID-19 response by efficiently conducting case investigations and contact tracing.
- Reached out to people newly diagnosed with COVID-19 to determine contact histories and potential exposures.
- Collected and recorded information in electronic medical records.
- Supported local health authorities in establishing quarantine measures for high-risk contacts based on investigation outcomes.
- Played an instrumental role in reducing local infection rates through vigilant monitoring of case trends, early identification of potential outbreaks, and targeted interventions as appropriate.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities related to COVID-19 best practices, staying informed on emerging trends and strategies for effective outbreak management.
- Maintained patient confidentiality while gathering critical information needed for successful case investigations and contact tracing initiatives.
- Lent daily assessment of health screen and symptom data.
- Communicated with documented COVID-19 patients and other exposed persons via phone call, text, e-mail and other platforms.
- Managed enrollment, transportation, and paperwork for individuals to take advantage of community resources.
Volunteer Support Specialist
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
08.2012 - 12.2018
- Maintained detailed documentation of support interactions, ensuring valuable insights are preserved for future reference and analysis.
- Acted as a liaison between clients and development teams, ensuring timely communication during critical incidents.
- Responded to customer inquiries and resolved complaints to establish trust and increase satisfaction.
- Optimized internal workflows to expedite incident escalations, leading to faster problem-solving efforts from specialized teams.
- Managed high-priority tickets with professionalism, ensuring timely resolutions while maintaining excellent rapport with clients.
- Improved customer satisfaction by addressing and resolving technical issues swiftly and efficiently.
- Utilized ticketing system to track customer requests and prioritize urgent needs.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement effective support strategies.
- Trained new team members on support protocols and tools, enhancing team efficiency and service quality.
- Improved customer retention with empathetic and efficient handling of support cases.
- Acted as liaison between support team and other departments to ensure unified approach to customer satisfaction.
- Resolved complex customer issues, ensuring high satisfaction rates with personalized support solutions.
- Improved team morale and cohesion by initiating regular team-building activities and feedback sessions.
- Conducted regular follow-ups with customers to ensure their issues were fully resolved and to gather feedback for service improvement.
- Provided detailed reports on support activities and outcomes, enabling strategic improvements in service delivery.
- Generated reports to track performance and analyze trends.
Membership Specialist
Girl Scouts Of Greater Chicago And Northwest Indiana
10.2009 - 08.2012
- Increased member satisfaction by providing exceptional customer service and addressing their needs promptly.
- Assisted in organizing and executing successful member events, improving overall engagement levels.
- Monitored membership trends and reported on key performance metrics during monthly team meetings, helping inform future strategies.
- Identified areas of improvement within our existing suite of offerings by soliciting direct feedback from long-term members who had seen multiple iterations over time.
- Collaborated with other departments to provide seamless support for all member-related inquiries and issues.
- Fostered a welcoming environment at the physical locations where our members regularly interacted with one another or attended events together.
- Implemented new processes for tracking member feedback, enabling proactive improvements to be made based on real-time input from our clients.
- Maintained accurate records of all memberships, ensuring timely renewals and updates as needed.
- Offered personalized assistance to members seeking specific resources or services within the organization, demonstrating genuine care for their needs.
- Enhanced membership retention by developing strong relationships with members and understanding their preferences.
- Maintained membership database, ensuring that all information was current and accurate.
- Prepared marketing materials that would be sent out to members, which detailed new events, promotions, and activities that were coming up.
- Contacted customers and prospects to generate new business to achieve company growth goals.
- Used CRM software to record customer interactions and track general sales activities for review and follow-up.
- Connected customers with services based on individual needs and vendor capabilities.
- Performed cold-calling and follow-ups with leads to secure new revenue.
- Set up appointments with potential and current customers to promote new products and services.
- Pursued existing and potential customers by phone, email and text message to generate leads and close sales.
- Proactively managed client correspondence and recorded tracking and communications.
- Boosted brand awareness, implemented promotional campaigns, and employed sales tactics as part of territory development.
Membership Registrar
Girl Scouts Of Greater Chicago And Northwest Indiana
08.2004 - 10.2009
- Organized, reviewed, and filed paperwork for secure recordkeeping.
- Greeted every guest with personable approach and provided knowledgeable service.
- Answered and managed incoming and outgoing calls while recording accurate messages for distribution to office staff.
- Ensured accurate membership records by diligently maintaining and updating information in the database.
- Updated computer system with latest information to keep records current and accurate.
- Improved data integrity by conducting regular audits of membership records and making necessary corrections.
- Monitored enrollment processes to meet regulations and accreditation standards.
- Improved office efficiency by training staff on new database management software.
- Managed sensitive membership information with utmost confidentiality, building trust within academic community.
- Enhanced data accuracy in membership records with meticulous attention to detail in updating and maintaining databases.
- Performed regular quality and validation assessments on membership data to verify accuracy.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Computer Information Systems
DeVry University
Villa Park, IL06.2013
Skills
- Event Coverage Planning
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Attention to Detail
- Problem-solving abilities
- Multitasking
- Reliability
- Excellent Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Customer service experience
- Organizational Skills
- Team Collaboration
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Effective Communication
- Decision-Making
- Effective leader
- Relationship Building
- Strategic leadership
- Team building
- Staff Hiring and Evaluations
- Task Prioritization
- Self Motivation
- Operations Management
- Administration knowledge
- Goal Setting
- Program Operations
- Professionalism
- Task Delegation
- Public Speaking
- Strategic Planning
- Written Communication
- Project Management
- Program Improvements
- Content Development
- Crisis Management
- Data Analysis
- Program Scheduling
- Program Leadership
- Business Management
- Event Planning
- Social Media Management
- Partnership Development
- Budget coordination
- Program Development
- Policy and procedure improvements
- Brand Development
- Network Management
- Promotional planning
- Program Requirements
- Program Guidelines Adherence
- Budget Administration
- Advanced knowledge of technology
- Program Evaluation
Timeline
Director of Programs
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
05.2021 - 08.2024
COVID-19 Response Frontline Case Investigator
DuPage County Health Department
09.2020 - 04.2021
Outdoor Program Manager
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
12.2018 - 05.2021
Volunteer Support Specialist
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
08.2012 - 12.2018
Membership Specialist
Girl Scouts Of Greater Chicago And Northwest Indiana
10.2009 - 08.2012
Membership Registrar
Girl Scouts Of Greater Chicago And Northwest Indiana
08.2004 - 10.2009
Bachelor of Science - Computer Information Systems
DeVry University
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