Ella Johnson-McGowan
Chicago,Illinois
Summary
Project Manager with substantial experience in research, grant writing, community relations, and data analysis. Skilled at extracting germane topics from complex findings and making tangible, actionable recommendations to clients. Strong writing skills and a commitment to supporting others while managing multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Graduate Assistant Researcher
The Bush School at Texas A&M
09.2023 - Current
- Researched and gathered quantitative and qualitative data regarding unemployment law, including 3000+ bills spanning from years 2000-2019, utilizing state legislative archives, administrative code, and bill search tools
- Compiled and cleaned data to ensure preparation for analysis
- Analyzed quantitative data for social welfare studies utilizing R coding software to determine findings and relevant implications.
Project Manager - Capstone
The Bush School at Texas A&M
08.2023 - Current
- Led team of 12 individuals on a consulting project for client PAIR Houston - aiding refugees' access to higher education
- Planned and led the execution of the year-long consulting project with five major deliverable reports, multiple client meetings, and client presentations
- Researched and cleaned qualitative policy data, analyzed and prepared data for reporting using MaxQDA qualitative data analysis software.
Grants Manager
Voices for Children, Inc. CASA of Brazos Valley
08.2022 - Current
- Managed all federal, state, and local grants including researching new grant opportunities, writing grant applications, and reporting to meet grant requirements
- Assisted the Executive Director with creating annual program budgets for multiple programs within organization, including expected grant funding
- Responsible for bringing in $150,000 in grant funding and ensuring the reception of federal funds ($500,000+) annually
- Assisted the Executive Director and Development Director in creating and maintaining local donor relationships.
Impact Team Intern (Summer)
Results for America
05.2023 - 09.2023
- Conducted research on factors impacting policy durability within the local, state, and federal government policy realms, including mayoral transitions, policy legitimacy, and resource accumulation
- Conducted interviews with RFA executives and staff regarding the policy process at local, state, and federal levels of government and factors that impact policy durability
- Compiled findings into a toolkit for staff and partner organizations to utilize during administrative shifts, budgetary changes, and other factors impacting policy durability.
Program Director
Voices for Children, Inc. CASA of Brazos Valley
05.2019 - 08.2022
- Oversaw a program of 400+ cases, 850+ children, and 250+ volunteer advocates, ensuring standards were met in all areas of our programming operations
- Led team of 8 individuals, offering support and guidance through challenging legal and case-related issues; helped staff and advocates prepare for court hearings, resulting in improved advocacy work in the program's seven-county region
- Expanded diversity and cultural competency to ensure inclusivity and responsivity to client needs through gaining a certificate in Social Justice Leadership through Texas A&M University and implementing a DEI committee in the organization
- Represented CASA as a professional liaison to the public, government and nonprofit welfare agencies, the district attorney's office, the courts, and other partner organizations
- Collected and tracked all case outcome and demographic data; compiled data to report performance measures.
Advocate Supervisor
Voices for Children, Inc. CASA of Brazos Valley
11.2018 - 05.2019
- Supervised a caseload of 30 cases and 30 volunteers, guiding them through the child protection legal system, ensuring they remained neutral and fact-based in their advocacy to ensure children found a safe and permanent placement
- Ensured minimum case requirements were being met on each case, maintained monthly supervision meetings with all advocates, addressed case-related and personnel-related issues, and developed next steps
- Assisted advocates in identifying and resolving obstacles to permanency for children and families
- Supported the retention of advocates for other cases by coaching new skills, evaluating the advocate's experience, and matching the advocates with future cases that are matched to their interests and skills.
Education
Master of Public Administration - Public Policy Analysis in State and Local Government
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas05.2024
Bachelor of Arts in International Studies - Spanish
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas05.2018
Skills
- Data Collection and Analysis
- Experience with STATA, R, MaxQDA
- Policy & Grant Writing
- Microsoft Suite
- Statistical Analysis
- Reporting Methods
- Academic Research
- Data Analysis
Accomplishments
Insert numerical achievements during your tenure as a GAR
Certification
- Certified Mediator (06/2019)
- Certified in Mental Health First Aid for Youth (06/2021)
- Mission Capital's Implicit Bias Training (02/2021)
- Implicit Biases Focus Group (08/2021)
- Every Victim Every Time Conference (04/2019)
- Institute for Coordinated Community Response: Interviewing Skills Training, Interviewing Victims of Domestic Violence (08/2020)
- Bush School's Certificate in Social Justice Leadership (12/2021)
Leadership Experience
- Bush School of Government and Public Service, Project Manager for Capstone, 08/2023 - present
- Bush School Student Government Association, Secretary of the Executive Cabinet, 11/2022 - 01/2024
- City of College Station Citizens' University, participant, 01/2024 - 03/2024
- Bush School Latin American Club, Secretary, 11/2022 - 09/2023
- Texas A&M Disabilities Services, volunteer peer notetaker, 08/2022 - present
- Brazos County Elections Administration, volunteer deputy registrar, 08/2022 - present
- Big Brothers Big Sisters, big sister, 06/2021 - present
- Texas A&M Bush School of Government and Public Service Certificate in Social Justice Leadership, certificate earned, 12/2021
- Brazos Valley District Attorney's Office Citizen's Prosecutor Academy, student, 01/2019 - 05/2019
- Brazos Valley Domestic Violence High-Risk Team (DVHRT), team member and liaison for Voices for Children, 11/2019 - 08/2022
- Pride Community Center, secretary and board member, 05/2019 - 03/2020
- Junior League of Bryan-College Station, general member, 05/2021 - 05/2022
- Red Cross Heart of Texas Chapter, volunteer during COVID Vaccination HUB, 03/2021 - 04/2021
- Voices for Children, Inc. CASA of Brazos Valley, CASA volunteer, 05/2018 - 11/2018
- Junior Achievement, classroom teaching volunteer, 03/2019 - 02/2020
- Postcards to Voters, volunteer postcard writer, 09/2020
- Aggies for Bernie Sanders, phone bank volunteer, 01/2016 - 08/2016
Languages
Spanish
Professional Working
Timeline
Graduate Assistant Researcher
The Bush School at Texas A&M
09.2023 - Current
Project Manager - Capstone
The Bush School at Texas A&M
08.2023 - Current
Impact Team Intern (Summer)
Results for America
05.2023 - 09.2023
Grants Manager
Voices for Children, Inc. CASA of Brazos Valley
08.2022 - Current
Program Director
Voices for Children, Inc. CASA of Brazos Valley
05.2019 - 08.2022
Advocate Supervisor
Voices for Children, Inc. CASA of Brazos Valley
11.2018 - 05.2019
Master of Public Administration - Public Policy Analysis in State and Local Government
Texas A&M University
Bachelor of Arts in International Studies - Spanish
Texas A&M University
- Certified Mediator (06/2019)
- Certified in Mental Health First Aid for Youth (06/2021)
- Mission Capital's Implicit Bias Training (02/2021)
- Implicit Biases Focus Group (08/2021)
- Every Victim Every Time Conference (04/2019)
- Institute for Coordinated Community Response: Interviewing Skills Training, Interviewing Victims of Domestic Violence (08/2020)
- Bush School's Certificate in Social Justice Leadership (12/2021)
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