Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Volunteer/Civil Work
Awards
Timeline
Hi, I’m

Cris Johnson

Director Of External Affairs And Communications
Chicago,IL
Cris Johnson

Summary

Seasoned Non-profit professional with over 12 years experience supporting and empowering a vast variety of multicultural communities as director of development and communications, managing of program and initiatives, direct-service, community organizing, volunteerism as well as engagement in local and national Board of Directors.


Multidisciplinary engagement with impacted communities include: Disability justice and community based living using an Independent Living Philosophy, Public Health initiatives utilizing harm reduction models, and LGBTQ homeless youth supports through asset-based empowerment.


My goal is to continue to actively and thoughtfully create bridges and solutions that provide equity and justice to historically marginalized communities using strength based approaches that focus on sustainable solutions.

Overview

13
years of professional experience

Work History

Spark Program Chicago
Chicago, IL

Director of External Affairs and Communications
02.2022 - Current

Job overview

  • Prepared RFP and RFQ responses for new business pitches and presentations.
  • Reviewed marketing materials and documents for brand accuracy and trending design.
  • Built and strengthened industry partnerships to improve product placements, amplify coverage and maximize effectiveness of marketing strategies.
  • Oversaw social media presence and aligned posts to include branding and trending ideas.
  • Taught in-house employees strategies for successful internal and external communications.

Spark Program Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Senior Manager of Programs and Operations
11.2021 - 02.2022

Job overview

  • Provided leadership for continual management and employee training initiatives.
  • Oversaw workforce management planning, volume predictions and capacity planning.
  • Promoted use of multichannel communication strategies, automated chat and social messaging.
  • Managed employee-related issues encompassing labor, turnover and diversity.
  • Prepared documents for internal and external audits.
  • Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness.
  • Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.

Chicago Recovery Alliance
Chicago, IL

Overdose Prevention Manager
01.2020 - 11.2021

Job overview

  • Organized over 190 national and local harm reduction organizations/collectives, health care providers, mental health clinics and sex worker rights groups through curating a collective drive of resources as well as a regular meetings to temperature check issues being faced by the community, problem solve, cross-train and support
  • Trained 168 individuals on opioid overdose prevention using harm reduction, anti- oppression and trauma-informed models
  • Expanded local pool of partnerships to include more organizations serving the Latinx and transgender and gender-non conforming communities
  • Developed relationships with every SEP in the state in order to engage more rural areas with urban areas
  • Supported outreach and drop-in at Chicago’s south and west side locations by providing Naloxone, sterile syringes, condoms, lubrication, safer smoking kits, safer snorting kits, HIV testing, Hepatitis testing, Hepatitis Vaccines and Flu Vaccines as well as snacks and PPE to community members 3-4 times weekly.

Access Living
Chicago, IL

Advocacy Manager
09.2018 - 09.2020

Job overview

  • Manage staff of 7 policy analysts and community organizers with project implementation covering a wide variety of topics including: immigration/Latinx topics, racial justice, healthcare, housing, transportation and Chicago Public School issues all through a disability lens
  • Supported Director of Advocacy through large scale program and events inline with Access Living’s Mission and Vision, including a Mayoral Candidate Forum, IDD town hall as well as a partnership with Ernst and Young in order to increase information and access for people with disabilities.
  • Supported weekly, monthly and quarterly quantitative and qualitative reporting for all staff in advocacy department.
    Organized and facilitated community led groups as needed in lieu of staff
  • Processed needs and goals of each staff member while supporting them in meeting their key result areas.

Access Living
Chicago, IL

Community Supports Coordinator
03.2010 - 09.2011

Job overview

  • Provided measurable successful customer service daily.
    Directly manage over 500 accounts through Chicago’s MOPD program.
  • Provide quantitative and qualitative reports to a variety of funders and board members.
  • Support and organize peer-led groups following an independent living model.
  • Focused on creating sustainable plans in order to reach or maintain community involvement with individual clients per their own goals.
  • Organized, designed and facilitated ADL trainings for over 80 people with disabilities in Chicago.
  • Provided one-on-one support directly to an annual caseload of over 100 clients

Center On Halsted
Chicago, IL

Youth Organizer
08.2009 - 03.2011

Job overview

  • Created program by which involved youth could be promoted to leadership positions.
  • Designed and implemented an intensive personal and professional leadership program for LGBTQ and HIV positive youth who were experiencing homelessness.
  • Facilitated workshops externally on LGBTQ issues, harm reduction, motivational interviewing and anti-oppression frameworks to Chicago Public Schools and local non-profits.
  • Established relationships with various non-profits, government entities, community stakeholders and educational institutions.
  • Empowered young people to identify and create action plans within their own communities utilizing lobbying and NVDA organizing models

Education

DePaul University
Chicago, IL

Bachelor of Arts from Global Business Management And Entrepreneurship

University Overview

GPA: 3.98. Summa Cum Laude, Dean’s List

Skills

Social media coordination

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Volunteer/Civil Work

Volunteer/Civil Work
  • 2021-Present, Member at Large. Board of Directors, Howard Brown Health (local, LGBTQ, Public Health)
  • 2020-2021 Community Advisory Board Member, Howard Brown Health (local, LGBTQ, Public Health)
  • 2018-2020 Vice President of the Board of Directors, SWOP USA (national, Public Health)
  • 2009-2010 Ally, Public Allies Chicago, AmeriCorps (local, LGBTQ)
  • 2009-2010 Collective Member, Write to Win Collective (Statewide, support for incarcerated people, LGBTQ)
  • 2008-2009 Food Pantry Manager, Elam Davies Social Service Center (Local, homelessness issues)


Awards

Awards

Windy City Times, 30 Under 30 for LGBTQ activism/empowerment. 2010

Timeline

Director of External Affairs and Communications
Spark Program Chicago
02.2022 - Current
Senior Manager of Programs and Operations
Spark Program Chicago
11.2021 - 02.2022
Overdose Prevention Manager
Chicago Recovery Alliance
01.2020 - 11.2021
Advocacy Manager
Access Living
09.2018 - 09.2020
Community Supports Coordinator
Access Living
03.2010 - 09.2011
Youth Organizer
Center On Halsted
08.2009 - 03.2011
DePaul University
Bachelor of Arts from Global Business Management And Entrepreneurship
Cris JohnsonDirector Of External Affairs And Communications