Christina Sullivan-Mutia
Silver Spring
Summary
A purposeful leader with a passion for empowering individuals and teams, Christina brings over 15 years of multifaceted experience spanning education, early career development, and strategic program design. With a proven history of fostering inclusive environments and driving impactful initiatives in both domestic and international settings, Christina excels at cultivating growth, innovation, and collaboration. Her commitment to advancing equity and educational opportunity is evident through her work in higher education, global recruitment, and community engagement.
Professional with solid foundation in career development and support. Demonstrates strong skills in individualized career planning, job search strategies, and interviewing techniques. Known for fostering team collaboration and consistently achieving results. Flexible and reliable, adapting seamlessly to changing needs and priorities. Skilled in effective communication, problem-solving, and building meaningful relationships with clients and colleagues alike.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
College and Career Navigator
Montgomery County Public Schools
Rockville, MD
08.2023 - Current
- Provides comprehensive college and career planning support for over 2,600 high school students.
- Actively contributes to the development and implementation of the district-wide Blueprint for Maryland’s Future College and Career Readiness strategic plan, including launching and executing monthly workforce readiness programs.
- Earned a MCPS grant to develop, execute, and scale executive level functioning programs for Wheaton High School entitled “Wheaton Knight Ready”: Equipping Emerging Leaders for Success.
- Engage in ongoing professional development to stay abreast of best practices in college and career advising, ensuring that students receive relevant and effective guidance.
- Leverages digital platforms and assessment tools to monitor student progress and tailor interventions that support a wide range of academic and career goals.
- Delivers one-on-one and group advising sessions tailored to students’ individual academic and career ambitions, utilizing data-driven approaches to inform decision-making and goal setting.
- Coordinates college visits and in-house workshops/events to raise awareness of various post-secondary pathways, including vocational training, four-year colleges, and community colleges.
- Facilitates national educational partnerships (e.g., SkillUp Coalition, PHEAA, REACH Pathways) and local employers to provide students with firsthand learning experiences and internship opportunities.
- Collaborated with workforce readiness leaders and business partners to enhance initiatives focused on trade apprenticeships, National Association of College and Employers Core Competencies, and college readiness through engagement with college admissions representatives.
- Assisted and mentored students in researching colleges, academic programs, and workforce opportunities. Guides students through application processes, financial aid, and scholarship applications.
- Developed outreach initiatives for FAFSA and MSFAA, educating families on application procedures. Consult with Career Advising teams and other stakeholders involved in college readiness efforts.
- Actively supports student engagement through innovative programming and targeted interventions that address emerging trends in college admissions and workforce readiness.
- Fosters an inclusive environment by collaborating with faculty and staff to identify and remove barriers to student success, while leveraging technology to streamline the advising process.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of evolving educational and workforce landscapes to provide timely guidance and resources, and advocates for policies that promote equitable access to post-secondary opportunities.
- Utilized an initiative-taking collaborative and strategic approach, consistently identified new opportunities to expand student access to experiential learning and career exploration, reinforcing a holistic mindset that bridges academic achievement with real-world readiness.
Early Career Coach and Mentor
Freelance
Silver Spring, MD
08.2022 - Current
- Leveraged expertise in coaching and mentorship by supporting early career professionals on a freelance basis, providing individualized guidance on career planning, resume development, and interview preparation.
- Facilitated virtual workshops and one-on-one sessions to empower clients by navigating transitions from academia to industry.
- Demonstrated adaptability and resourcefulness while managing diverse client needs in a dynamic and evolving job market.
Educator (part-time)
Montgomery County Public Schools
Rockville, MD
04.2024 - 08.2025
- Promoted student learning and well-being through diverse tasks directed by principal and teachers.
- Reinforced instruction and monitored student performance in individual and small group settings.
- Provided instructional and classroom management support alongside administrative assistance for teachers.
Manager, University and College Connections-Global Talent Acquisition
Premier Research
Morrisville, NC
01.2022 - 07.2022
- Designed and implemented a global university recruitment strategy within 90 days to attract emerging leaders pursuing careers in biotechnology and health care related fields.
- Developed recruiting plans in collaboration with HRBPs and senior management across all business lines.
- Spearheaded passive candidate sourcing, revitalizing Premier's Handshake presence and partnering with over four hundred universities.
- Formalized resume storage process for over three hundred resumes collected from university and job fair activities.
- Constructed and monitored KPIs for evaluating recruitment effectiveness, including candidate flow and offer acceptance rates.
- Increased Premier's brand visibility by 10% through targeted engagement at key STEM career fairs.
- Guided organizational development in creating internship programs, enhancing support for implementation initiatives.
- Collaborated with marketing to develop engagement collateral for universities and colleges.
- Reduction in Force
Project Manager
Institute of International Education
Washington, D.C.
07.2017 - 12.2017
- Executed continuous project monitoring, managing forecasts, tracking expenses, and approving payments.
- Created comprehensive project plans with established timelines for critical phases, ensuring timely assignment delivery.
- Developed adjustments to project scope and cost while implementing management processes for real-time updates.
- Reconstructed project plans to align closely with organizational objectives.
- Formulated and delivered leadership training for the Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), achieving a 95% approval rating.
- Six-Month Contract
Manager, Leadership Education and Scholarship Programs (Internships and Fellowships)
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Washington, D.C.
05.2012 - 12.2016
- Designed and implemented DEI career recruitment strategic plan aligning the public sector with private sector hiring goals.
- Monitored philanthropic reporting schedules and grant requirements for internship and fellowship programs (e.g., Walmart and State Farm).
- Drafted supporting materials including budget reports, outcome measurements, and success stories for funders.
- Launched a year-long professional development program enhancing career readiness and increasing stakeholder engagement by 30%.
- Spearheaded inaugural monitoring and evaluation procedures achieving 85% approval rating through performance assessments.
- Executed inaugural study abroad programs in China and Japan, yielding 95% participant satisfaction.
- Coached and supervised thirteen full-time staff members, resulting in a 25% improvement in performance outcomes.
- Created Alumni Program processes, increasing engagement of former participants in CBCF activities by 25%.
Leadership Trainer and Consultant
Horizon Contact Center
Nairobi, Kenya
09.2011 - 12.2011
- Created training curricula, manuals, procedures, and visual aids to effectively accomplish organizational goals.
- Start-up
Leadership Trainer and Consultant
Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies
Nairobi, Kenya
09.2011 - 12.2011
- Directed creation of curricula, instructions, documents, and assessments across multiple training courses.
Training and Recruitment Manager-Human Resources
KENCALL EPZ
Nairobi, Kenya
11.2010 - 03.2011
- Developed and executed recruitment and training programs to boost employee knowledge and performance.
- Supervised six training specialists, optimizing workflows and motivating excellence.
- Enhanced employee engagement and satisfaction through targeted training initiatives.
- (start-up)
Executive Director
DIGITAL ADVISORY LEARNING CENTER
Nairobi, Kenya
03.2010 - 08.2010
- Established and executed strategic growth plans that achieved a 10% productivity increase across multiple departments.
- Directed campus operations across fourteen locations in Kenya, ensuring effective resource management.
- Implemented ambitious objectives in Student Affairs, Marketing Strategies, Training & Development, and Human Resource Policies.
- (start-up)
Administration Officer
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
Nairobi, Kenya
03.2009 - 03.2010
- Formulated and implemented effective operational policies and Human Resources directives, enhancing team productivity while enabling 8 Program Officers overseeing agricultural initiatives to autonomously manage job tasks, resulting in 50% improvement in operational segments.
Trainer-Human Resources
KENCALL EPZ
Nairobi, Kenya
01.2007 - 02.2009
- Developed and facilitated an 8-week skill-building leadership development program titled Pathways: Creating Leaders for Change for current staff, entry, and mid-level managers; emphasized performance management, staff coaching and mentoring, supervision, leadership, diversity, and employee empowerment skills leading to 33% boost in staff productivity and succession planning.
- (start-up)
Education
Master of Business Administration -
University of Maryland, Global Campus
Adelphi, MDMaster of Higher Education - undefined
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Blacksburg, VABachelor of Arts - Sociology
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VASkills
- Handshake
- Jobvite
- Talemetry
- Microsoft Office
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
- EPosterBoards
- Career Eco
- Webex
- Career assessment
- Career counseling
Certifications And Volunteer Roles
- Certified Application Reader, Mandela Washington Fellowship
- Youth Creating Change Mentor
Timeline
Educator (part-time)
Montgomery County Public Schools
04.2024 - 08.2025
College and Career Navigator
Montgomery County Public Schools
08.2023 - Current
Early Career Coach and Mentor
Freelance
08.2022 - Current
Manager, University and College Connections-Global Talent Acquisition
Premier Research
01.2022 - 07.2022
Project Manager
Institute of International Education
07.2017 - 12.2017
Manager, Leadership Education and Scholarship Programs (Internships and Fellowships)
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
05.2012 - 12.2016
Leadership Trainer and Consultant
Horizon Contact Center
09.2011 - 12.2011
Leadership Trainer and Consultant
Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies
09.2011 - 12.2011
Training and Recruitment Manager-Human Resources
KENCALL EPZ
11.2010 - 03.2011
Executive Director
DIGITAL ADVISORY LEARNING CENTER
03.2010 - 08.2010
Administration Officer
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
03.2009 - 03.2010
Trainer-Human Resources
KENCALL EPZ
01.2007 - 02.2009
Master of Higher Education - undefined
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
University of Mary Washington
Master of Business Administration -
University of Maryland, Global Campus