Deana Ervin PhD MBA MPA
Executive Strategist
Atlanta,GA
Summary
- High-achieving senior organizational leader bringing an entrepreneurial, forward-thinking mindset and demonstrated track record of accomplishment in strategic planning, community building, and process improvements.
- Exceptional networker and partnership builder across foundations, government, corporations and non-profit organizations.
- Creative visionary with forward-thinking, resourceful strategies that empower stakeholders, staff, and communities.
- Exceptional leader, change manager and complex problem solver recognized for collaborative leadership style and keen ability to tackle complex operational challenges with unique approaches.
- Proven leader with a strong executive presence, capable of blending big-picture viewpoints with tactical considerations to inspire, build trust, and achieve targeted outcomes while motivating and empowering all involved.
- Thrives when projects advance DEI&B and empower underserved populations.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
CEO
Childrens Defense Fund KC Freedom Schools
06.2007 - 11.2010
- Executive responsibility for 300+ staff serving 2,500 youth and managing 19 sites throughout Kansas and Missouri of 140 sites nationally
- Provided overall leadership and strategic direction, fiscal management, fund development, HR, board development, and community relations oversight
- Managed annual budget of $2.3M, and $15M multiyear grant
- Increased efficiency of organizational operations through automated enrollment processes and interactive web design tool which streamlined reporting, demographic analysis, annual HR processing of 300+ and enrollment of 2,500 youth
- Generated 10-month cost savings of $305K through streamlined expenditures and bundled service contracts of 16 sites and HQ offices
- Mandated partnerships with providers offering rebates resulting in $100,000+ in revenue over previous fiscal year; average $8,000 reimbursement per site
- Designed and produced fundraising showcase leveraging 30+ organizational sponsorships, a private national circus performance, and 500+ donated items for silent auction fundraiser at Kemper Arena
- Used expansive community and faith-based networks to recruit and direct hundreds of volunteers to coordinate all aspects of Kemper Arena daylong event and silent auction fundraiser
- Developed 2010 Saturday Teen Leadership Academy series offering Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, financial literacy, college planning, career awareness, and intergenerational mentoring of 100 teens
- National trainer on Grantwriting, Creative Resource Strategies, Program Evaluation for 140 national sites
Founder
Black & College Bound Scholars
Atlanta, GA
01.2012 - Current
- Program design, delivery, and evaluation for school districts, churches, and youth serving organizations seeking intentional strategies to equip students and families with college and career readiness skills
- Specializing in culturally relevant pedagogy and diversity initiatives for students at all stages, preschool through PhDs
- National partnerships with STEM industry funders investing in students of color & underperforming school districts to build college bound cultures through customized programs for students, staff, & parents
Executive Director
W.E.B. DuBois Learning Center
Kansas City, MO
12.2014 - 05.2017
- Provided leadership and direction for 42-year institution offering K-12 academic tutoring & technology programs
- Grant writing, board development, program design, partnerships and outreach with funders, partners, schools & youth agencies
- Led $1.5M capital campaign & secured funding to purchase building
National Senior Director Program Effectiveness
Camp Fire USA National Headquarters
Kansas City, MO
09.2011 - 04.2012
- Program Planning & Effectiveness: Designed and implemented national strategies to enhance system wide adoption of Youth Program
- Uality Assessments and $1.3M partnership with Thrive Foundation which teaches adolescents to cultivate their "sparks" using goal setting, reflection, and redirection strategies
- Integrated organizational and program systematic strategies to strengthen 75 national council affiliates
- Coordinated with CEO, CFO, and COO to strategically integrate trainings and conferences focused on achieving targeted youth outcomes through enhanced direct delivery and organizational capacity building partnerships with cutting-edge, research-based external partners
- Directed system wide learning, training and coordination of outcome measurements in support of national partnerships with Ready by 21, David P Weikart Center, Forum for Youth Investment, Geek Squad Academy, and the Thrive Foundation
- National Chair, Annual Professional Development Conference - Designed tracks, session content, learning targets, presenters & logistics
- Presenter at Nonprofit Leadership Alliance conference with 600+ nonprofit leaders and collegiate attendees, National Leadership Conferences
- Plenary Presenter at "Promise to Practice" Professional Development Conference
Missouri Kauffman Scholars Coordinator
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Kansas City, MO
01.2003 - 01.2007
- Established framework for college prep program that inducts annual cohorts of 300+ urban 6th grade students then awards full 4-year college scholarships upon successful completion of program
- Designed academic and social interventions including tutoring, SAT/ ACT prep, life skills coaching, and mentoring as scholars matriculate from seventh grade through college graduation
- Managed school and community partnerships, designed parent education tracks, coordinated partnerships with KS and MO school partners, while personally mentoring 75 students through weekly meetings and academic tutoring sessions.
Regional Coordinator
US Dept HUD (White House Interagency Initiative)
01.2001 - 01.2003
- Directed regional implementation of a Presidential initiative to end chronic homelessness in ten years
- Synchronized funding programs of local, state, and federal agencies in their collective efforts to combat homelessness
- Served as a technical advisor in MO, KS, IA, NE - advising governors, mayors, city, county, state, and federal executives
- Worked to facilitate and enhance the development of federal interagency collaboration, state interagency councils on homelessness, and 10-year plans to end homelessness in cities and states
- Appointed to Governor's Committee to End Homelessness.
Region VII Community Builder
US Dept Of Housing & Urban Development
, Missouri
01.1998 - 01.2001
- Directed community development initiatives through collaborative relationships with all housing, economic, and community development agencies
- Served as technical advisor to mayors, elected officials, metropolitan agencies, and neighborhood groups managing or seeking federal funding within a four state region
- Assessed community needs, compiled community profiles, conducted regional planning/program evaluations, and managed all White House and congressional correspondence
- Tailored strategies to create viable communities through fair housing initiatives, affordable housing development, M/W/DBE participation, homeownership education, and financial literacy throughout low-income communities
- Provided technical assistance to all sectors of the community including nonprofit, corporate, community, university, city, state, county organizations, and for more than 100 faith-based leaders
- Named Regional Faith Based Coordinator for White House Initiatives
- Consulting/Community Projects
- Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens - coordinate with regional reps to train youth and youth leaders
- College Awareness Programs designed to expose urban youth to college planning process
- Greater KC Youth Technology Project established summer youth employment program teaching urban teens to create & manage their own technology firm; teen business contracts included city's youth website, youth violence summit presentation, community service projects, & creation of metropolitan youth resource directory unveiled by the Mayor to civic and organizational leaders (KC YouthBeat Magazine)
- Meet Me In the Middle Teen Summit Produced empowerment training in financial literacy, career planning, healthy lifestyles, and positive choices attended by 600 urban teens, featured Ben Chavis, national recording Def Jam artists (Jaheim)
- Greater KC Community Foundation; Grants Management Officer - Kansas City, Missouri (Also worked with strategic planning, community development leadership, & Funders Forums)
- 18th & Vine Area Redevelopment (Housing, Jazz & Negro Leagues Museums) Kansas City, Missouri
- Beacon Hill Area Redevelopment (construction of 200 new homes, 100 rehab) Kansas City, Missouri
- Brush Creek Relocation (Lead coordinator with elected officials & agencies -Sec
- 8 relocation from 100 single family homes)
- Downtown KCK Area Development Committee & Legends Shopping Center Project - Kansas City, Kansas
- Metropolitan Transportation System Audit with Mayor Funkhouser - City of Kansas City, Corporate & Strategic Planning: Broadband Project Planning - Sprint, Westwood, Kansas
- Initiative for Competitive Inner Cities, Missouri
- Reas of Expertise
- Ech Immersion Programs to Bridge Digital Divides: Designed summer camps & immersion programs at Google national training facility to expose disadvantaged youth to tech careers and skillsets
- Students who did not have computers in the home learned to code, build their own computer, toured several tech startups, and even 10 top tech firms in Silicon Valley (LinkedIn, Indeed, Google, GitHub, Adobe, HandShake,
- IrB&B)
- Ollege Access Expertise: Founder & CEO of Black & College Bound Scholars Program to educate youth and families of color on the nuances of college & career planning, financial aid, scholarships, and organizations that specialize in resources to assist the matriculation of students of color
- Managed several school and community programs coaching urban at risk youth on life skills and action steps to achieve goals
- (Featured on KKFI, KPRS Generation Rap, and Radio Disney)
Education
Ph.D. - Urban Educational Leadership & Policy Studies
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MOPh.D. - Public Affairs & Administration
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MOMasters of Business Administration - Management /Entrepreneurship
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MOMasters Public Administration - Urban Affairs/Nonprofit Management
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MOBBA - Business Administration
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, TXFederal Executive Certification -
Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
Community Builder Leadership Certification -
Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
Skills
- Systems Thinker
- Executive Leadership
- Operational Analysis
- Complex Problem Solving
- Community Empowerment
- Diversity Inclusion & Equity
- Strategic Planning and Execution
- Leadership & People Development
Skills
Qualitative Research & Analysis
Conference Presentations
Project Management
Program Evaluation
Thought Leader
Grant Writing
Personal Strengths
Strategic Planning
Creative Visionary
Expansive Network
Project Management
Staff/Board Cultivation
Leadership Development
Public & Community Relations
Extensive Consulting Experience
Leading Cross-Functional Teams
Exceptional Conference Presenter
Affiliations
UMKC Minority Affairs Committee
UMKC Alumni Affairs Committee
National Black Child Development Institute
National Forum of Black Public Administrators
National Community Building Network Conference Harvard University Federal Executive Program
Harvard University Community Builder Program Children’s Defense Fund Child Policy Institute (Annual Training Coordinator)
National Council on Educating Black Children (KC 2012 National Conference Hostess & Volunteer Coordinator) National Black Child Development Institute
KC Urban Summit, Education Committee Chair
Conference Planning Team Michael Porter: Initiative for Competitive Inner Cities
Breaking Down the Barriers to Affordable Homeownership Symposium
National Community Building Network Conference Missouri Black Legislative Caucus (Annual Presenter) HUD National Best Practices Conference (Lead Coordinator)
Accomplishments
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
- 100 Most Influential Kansas Citians
- Who’s Who In Black Kansas City
- United Minority Media Association Time Well Spent Civic Leadership Awards
- Regional Advisor, National Society of Black Engineers
- UMKC Doctoral Fellow Award for Interdisciplinary Research
- Past Kaplan SAT/ACT Prep Course Instructor
- Urban League Consultant (5 years)
- KCPS School Improvement Plan Team Member
- Hogan Preparatory Academy School Improvement
- African Centered College Prep ACETI Board Meetings
- Parent University Design & Implementation
- Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy School Board (3 years)
- UMKC & Penn Valley College Awareness Lecturer
- Rockhurst Parents Promoting Diversity Club
- United Minority Media Association Time Well Spent Leadership Award
- UMKC Minority Affairs & Alumni Affairs Committees
- National Black Child Development Institute
- National Forum of Black Public Administrators
- National Community Building Network
Timeline
Executive Director
W.E.B. DuBois Learning Center
12.2014 - 05.2017
Founder
Black & College Bound Scholars
01.2012 - Current
National Senior Director Program Effectiveness
Camp Fire USA National Headquarters
09.2011 - 04.2012
CEO
Childrens Defense Fund KC Freedom Schools
06.2007 - 11.2010
Missouri Kauffman Scholars Coordinator
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
01.2003 - 01.2007
Regional Coordinator
US Dept HUD (White House Interagency Initiative)
01.2001 - 01.2003
Region VII Community Builder
US Dept Of Housing & Urban Development
01.1998 - 01.2001
Ph.D. - Urban Educational Leadership & Policy Studies
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Ph.D. - Public Affairs & Administration
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Masters of Business Administration - Management /Entrepreneurship
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Masters Public Administration - Urban Affairs/Nonprofit Management
University of Missouri - Kansas City
BBA - Business Administration
Prairie View A&M University
Federal Executive Certification -
Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
Community Builder Leadership Certification -
Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
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