Jil Elizabeth Cardona
Trussville,AL
Summary
Highly passionate and dedicated to make the world a better, safer place especially for the most vulnerable populations. Accomplished humanitarian enthusiast with 10+ years serving and working alongside diverse and at-risk populations through living abroad, volunteer experiences, and careers. Joyful and independent leader with 6+ years supervisory experience working with diverse populations and languages in foster care and refugee resettlement.
Myers-Briggs Personality Survey: ENFP - works well with people, imaginative and open-minded, full of energy and enthusiasm, and a gifted communicator.
CliftonStrengths top strengths: maximizer, includer, compassion, adaptability, and woo.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
HS/PRS Training Administrator
Bethany Christian Services HQ
05.2025 - Current
- Enhance employee performance by developing and implementing comprehensive training programs.
- Partner with external and internal subject matter experts to provide specialized trainings expanding internal capabilities.
- Collaborate with the HS/PRS leadership team,
National Training Coordinator and Branch Directors to ensure all trainings are compliant with federal,
state, and local labor laws as well as funder and licensing requirements.
Refugee Resettlement National Training Coordinator
Bethany Christian Services HQ
01.2022 - 02.2025
- Develops effective training plans based on department needs and objectives.
- Provides quarterly on-site technical assistance to resettlement staff.
- Collaborates with subject matter experts to create accurate and up-to-date content for monthly live webinars for 30 resettlement staff members.
- Utilizes Articulate to design training for employees to assist in increasing the organization's retention rates.
- Conducts needs assessments to identify gaps in performance and develop targeted learning solutions.
- Manages multiple projects simultaneously, maintaining strict deadlines and high-quality deliverables.
Transitional Foster Care - Foster Parent Recruitment and Training Coordinator
Bethany Christian Services
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Recruited, trained, and licensed 18 families in one year to achieve the agency's goal of licensing 24 beds for unaccompanied minors.
- Accepted direct border placements and transfer requests from the Office of Refugee Resettlement and determined which foster family had the capacity to care for the specific needs of unaccompanied minors.
- Built strong connections and relationships with community partners to plan and carry out recruitment events which led to speaking engagements in Spanish and English for community outreach events, local news channels and radio networks.
- Educated foster families in the TN KEY and post approval state foster care trainings as well as CPR and First Aid.
Transitional Foster Care - Refugee Lead Teacher
Bethany Christian Services
12.2018 - 01.2020
- Produced ESL educational assessments, lesson plans and curriculum to unaccompanied minor students and uploaded all pertinent documents to the UC Portal and Extended Reach.
- Created a safe and fun learning environment for at-risk, unaccompanied children by incorporating the Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) model in the classroom.
- Developed strong relationships with students, foster parents, and colleagues by maintaining open lines of communication and fostering a supportive learning environment.
- Modified lessons and curriculum to accommodate diverse learners by using strategies such as peer-assisted learning and group work.
Post Release Services (PRS) Case Manager
Baptist Children and Family Services (BCFS)
04.2018 - 12.2018
- Coordinated referrals, service planning, and accurate documentation of services for assigned caseload of approximately 35 unaccompanied minors.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments, developed treatment plans, and made independent decisions in the field regarding the safety and well-being of assigned children and families.
- Advocated for client rights when interacting with external stakeholders, including legal providers, immigration court, Child Protective Services, Law Enforcement, and Office of Refugee Resettlement.
- Fostered open lines of communication with clients' families and support networks, involving them in the case management process as appropriate.
English Teacher
CEAD Christian School
08.2013 - 06.2014
- Developed innovative lesson plans including project-based learning activities to engage students in grades 7, 8, and 9 in English language learning.
- Promoted a positive learning environment by modeling respect, empathy, and active listening skills during all interactions with students.
- Designed and implemented assessments to measure student progress in English language learning.
Assistant English Teacher
Colegio Nazareth Olaya
05.2011 - 12.2011
- Assisted in creating a safe and nurturing classroom environment that promoted emotional well-being and academic growth for all students.
- Enhanced student comprehension by incorporating diverse teaching methods and instructional materials.
- Provided one-on-one support for students enabling them to excel in their coursework.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Spanish Language And Literature
Lee University
Cleveland07.2013
Skills
- Intercultural communication skills
- Collaborative networking abilities
- Enthusiastic demeanor
- Effective problem resolution
- Organization and multitasking
- Informed decision-making
- Emotional intelligence
- Crisis Intervention
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Portuguese
Limited Working
Certification
- Certified TESOL/TEFL/TESL Instructor, Oxford Seminars - 120 hours
- Certified Verbal Intervention CPI Instructor, Crisis Prevention Institute
Timeline
HS/PRS Training Administrator
Bethany Christian Services HQ
05.2025 - Current
Refugee Resettlement National Training Coordinator
Bethany Christian Services HQ
01.2022 - 02.2025
Transitional Foster Care - Foster Parent Recruitment and Training Coordinator
Bethany Christian Services
01.2020 - 01.2022
Transitional Foster Care - Refugee Lead Teacher
Bethany Christian Services
12.2018 - 01.2020
Post Release Services (PRS) Case Manager
Baptist Children and Family Services (BCFS)
04.2018 - 12.2018
English Teacher
CEAD Christian School
08.2013 - 06.2014
Assistant English Teacher
Colegio Nazareth Olaya
05.2011 - 12.2011
Bachelor of Arts - Spanish Language And Literature
Lee University
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