Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Awards
Timeline
Generic

Jennifer Hodgson

Washington,DC

Summary

Demonstrates strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills, with proven ability to quickly adapt to new environments. Eager to contribute to team success and further develop professional skills. Brings positive attitude and commitment to continuous learning and growth.

Overview

20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Supervisory Academic Exchange Specialist

U.S. Department of State
04.2024 - Current
  • Company Overview: This is a federal job
  • Directly supervise a team of 8 employees and 2 grantee organizations with 25-40 staff members each.
  • Develop and manage the English Language Fellows, Specialist, and Virtual Educator and the English Access Scholarship programs in coordination with 2 cooperating agencies by providing oversight and policy guidance for academic exchange grant programs for approximately 600 American English language teachers annually and 1000s of English language learners, and an extensive alumni network across 80 different countries.
  • As the global program manager, responsibilities include: supervisory and leadership; budget and financial management; developing, updating and implementing program policy, plans, projects and initiatives; monitoring and evaluation; marketing and recruitment of program participants and raising the profile of the program to the public; event management; crisis management; communicating with many stakeholders; website maintenance and development; database creation and management; strategic planning and strategy development; support mission goals by providing professional assistance to field officers that support ministries of education in the conduct of their English-teaching programs and teacher-training activities.
  • This is a federal job
  • Created and managed project plans, timelines and budgets.

Technical Writer/Editor

U.S. Department of State
09.2011 - 04.2024
  • Company Overview: This is a federal job
  • Develop and manage the English Language Fellows, Specialist, and Virtual Educator programs in coordination with our cooperating agency/NGO by providing oversight and policy guidance for academic exchange grant programs for approximately 600 American English language teachers annually and an extensive alumni network.
  • As the global program officer, responsibilities include: budget and financial management; developing, updating and implementing program policy, plans, projects and initiatives; monitoring and evaluation; marketing and recruitment of program participants and raising the profile of the program to the public; event management; crisis management; communicating with many stakeholders; website maintenance and development; database creation and management; strategic planning and strategy development; support mission goals by providing professional assistance to field officers that support ministries of education in the conduct of their English-teaching programs and teacher-training activities.
  • As the Grants Officer Representative, responsibilities include: developing and overseeing the solicitation process, monitoring the cooperative agreement, and providing oversight of program funding allocations. This grant is approximately 15-20 million dollars annually.
  • Develop content for print publication and online content for website and social media with updated teaching methodology and appropriate public diplomacy messaging for a diverse overseas audience of English teachers and learners.
  • Present to internal State Department colleagues including both small high-level briefings as well as large presentations, external partner organizations and exchange participants on the programs, resources, and opportunities to connect with the Office of English Language Programs.
  • Created a new initiative - a temporary virtual program due to the pandemic to continue meeting the needs of the field. After assessing the results, led the team that turned the temporary program into a permanent program due to its success both in meeting the needs of the field and interests of our American participants.
  • Managed the evacuation of almost 200 EL Fellows from 80 different countries, monitoring the evacuation 24/7 which included the need for swift decision making, timely communication, flexibility, and collaboration.
  • Relaunched the EL Fellow program by monitoring and evaluating the pandemic country-by-country and implementing new policy to increase health precautions.
  • Other responsibilities and abilities include managing a large portfolio while prioritizing competing demands managing multiple projects with short deadlines; conducting training for new cooperating agency staff as well as ECA/A/L staff; planning work to be accomplished and setting priorities for cooperating agency; evaluating the performance of cooperating agency; assigning and supervising the work of others; adapting to a constantly changing environment; managing work pressures and difficult situations; encouraging and considering diverse points of view; evaluating people and situations with objectivity and fairness during hiring processes, mishaps, and changes in direction; communicating effectively orally and in writing; drafting internal State Department paper; completing taskers; working in a multi-stakeholder and cross-cultural environment to include overseas U.S. embassy staff, regional bureaus, cooperating agencies, exchange participants, partner organizations, and U.S. TESOL professionals; maintaining relationships in the field of TESOL with U.S. academic institutions, associations, NGOs, and foreign governments; leading working groups on large office events such as the International TESOL convention, mid-fellowship events across the world, Fellow orientation, and the 50th anniversary of the Fellow program.
  • Received 9 awards, participated in multiple trainings and professional development, attended and presented at many professional conferences, and traveled overseas for English language programming.
  • This is a federal job

Materials Writer/Editor

Abbtech
09.2010 - 09.2011
  • Wrote & edited English language materials for publication by the State Department to support English language programming and public diplomacy initiatives at U.S. Embassies around the world.
  • Brainstormed and established standard operating procedures and guidelines for materials development projects.
  • Managed technology and set up of English language teaching webinars for a worldwide audience.
  • Briefed foreign service officers about the English language materials produced in the Office of English Language Programs.
  • Corresponded with writers and other English language teaching professionals in the U.S. TESOL community.
  • Wrote English language activities for the quarterly journal English Language Teaching FORUM.

English Language Fellow

University of Lome
09.2009 - 07.2010
  • Worked with the national teacher-training team of English language teachers to evaluate current teaching methodology, develop and implement a training schedule, design and conduct trainings for in-service English teachers at the local and national level.
  • Presented weekly programs at the American Corner to University students of Togo related to American culture, film, technology, discussion, public diplomacy, and community service.
  • Developed a national teacher's association with an elected board, wrote by-laws, established monthly meetings, and events. This association became recognized as an official association recognized by the government and spread from the capital city throughout the whole country and a TESOL International affiliate.
  • Organized a weekly community service programs with university students and a local orphanage to visit and prepare a variety of activities with the children.
  • Conduct Internet training for English teachers.
  • Set up English clubs at local junior and senior high schools.
  • Traveled country-wide to work with English teachers and students.
  • Organized the first city-wide spelling bee for junior and senior high school students where the U.S. Ambassador gave opening remarks at the program.
  • Worked closely with U.S. embassy staff on special projects such as organizing, promoting, and attending cultural events.
  • Organized a conversation club among Togolese English teachers, students, U.S. Embassy staff and other members of the expat community.
  • Attended and presented at a regional seminar in Dakar, Senegal with teacher's organizations from around West Africa.
  • Managed budget for additional activities allowances and grants provided by the Embassy.

Course Director/Lead Trainer

TEFL International
04.2008 - 08.2009
  • As the director of the school, I oversaw all aspects of the business, finance, hiring, marketing, curriculum, and daily tasks, challenges, and solutions.
  • Managed, interviewed, and hired staff and trainers in a multi-cultural setting.
  • Managed school finances and budget.
  • Managed a business and navigated bureaucracy in a foreign country.
  • Educated pre-service English teachers based on current methodology in English language teaching.
  • Taught demonstration lessons.
  • Organized free English classes for local community.
  • Observed and critiqued pre-service teacher lessons and provided feedback.
  • Redesigned curriculum and materials.
  • Create marketing tools for recruitment of new trainees.
  • Offered job and resume assistance to current and past trainees.
  • Corresponded with future trainees on logistics.

Live-in English Instructor/Counselor

WELS America
01.2008 - 02.2008
  • Selected as the live-in english instructor and counselor for an English language cultural exchange program for Korean students.
  • Organized English lessons, cultural and extracurricular activities, and daily logistics.
  • Monitored children overnight.
  • Organized and led weekend cultural outings.
  • Managed daily issues and expectations.

ESL Test Marker and Writer

Second Language Testing Inc
09.2007 - 12.2007
  • Selected as a team member for a new project related to test development for a major English language assessment company.
  • Marked responses as research for new test development for a graduate level English proficiency test.
  • Wrote and edited new assessment items for new test development.

English Teacher

Hot English Magazine
10.2006 - 07.2007
  • Taught business English for a variety of levels for in-company classes around Madrid.
  • Assessed students and developed curriculum based on needs of students and company.
  • Integrated cultural magazine, Hot English, into curriculum.

English Instructor

Madrid School
10.2006 - 07.2007
  • Taught private lessons to children of all ages & levels.
  • Assess students and developed lessons, materials, and curriculum based on needs.
  • Taught in intensive summer program.

English Instructor

EC-European Centre
07.2006 - 09.2006
  • Taught intensive English courses to a variety of levels and nationalities.
  • Assessed students and developed lessons based on needs.
  • Worked in a multi-cultural diverse environment.
  • Managed students who were not in their home country.

English Instructor

Lingua House
04.2006 - 07.2006
  • Taught in-company business English Lessons in businesses around Warsaw.
  • Utilized the unique language learning technology developed by Lingua House.
  • Assessed students and developed lessons based on needs.
  • Taught intensive weekend programs.
  • Taught English to high-level government officials.

English Instructor

Academia Della Lingua
03.2006 - 06.2006
  • Taught a variety of English language courses to different levels of students including conversation, exam preparation, and business English.
  • Assessed students and developed lessons based on needs of students.
  • Worked in a multi-cultural environment.

English Instructor

Lado International College
07.2005 - 12.2005
  • Taught in the intensive English program in a multi-cultural classroom.
  • Organized and taught business English workshops and conversation workshops.
  • Organized or attended many cultural and other student activities.

Education

Master of Arts - International Education

Framingham State University
Framingham, MA

Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration

James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA

Skills

  • Strategic planning and leadership
  • Budget and financial management
  • Proposal development
  • Content and materials creation
  • Cross-functional teamwork
  • Policy and procedure development
  • Program design and evaluation

Certification

120-hour TEFL Certificate program

FSI Marketing College

FSI Adobe Connect Training

Adobe Connect Federal Users training

GOR training

Awards

Add details about 9 awards here

Timeline

Supervisory Academic Exchange Specialist

U.S. Department of State
04.2024 - Current

Technical Writer/Editor

U.S. Department of State
09.2011 - 04.2024

Materials Writer/Editor

Abbtech
09.2010 - 09.2011

English Language Fellow

University of Lome
09.2009 - 07.2010

Course Director/Lead Trainer

TEFL International
04.2008 - 08.2009

Live-in English Instructor/Counselor

WELS America
01.2008 - 02.2008

ESL Test Marker and Writer

Second Language Testing Inc
09.2007 - 12.2007

English Teacher

Hot English Magazine
10.2006 - 07.2007

English Instructor

Madrid School
10.2006 - 07.2007

English Instructor

EC-European Centre
07.2006 - 09.2006

English Instructor

Lingua House
04.2006 - 07.2006

English Instructor

Academia Della Lingua
03.2006 - 06.2006

English Instructor

Lado International College
07.2005 - 12.2005

Master of Arts - International Education

Framingham State University

Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration

James Madison University

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