Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Additional Information
Timeline
Generic

Karen A. Guidarelli

Farmington,NY

Summary

Community focused social entrepreneur energized by caring, respectful, collaborative and diverse workplaces. Skilled at interpersonal communication, interested in best practices and innovative strategies. Passionate about promoting equity and a trauma-informed community.

Overview

40
40
years of professional experience

Work History

Director of Operations

Victor Farmington Food Cupboard
Victor, New York
06.2009 - Current
  • Helped increase capacity of the food cupboard as it went from feeding 100 families per month to over 600 in less than 1 year
  • Roles have included: operations manager, grant writer, fundraiser, volunteer recruitment and coordination, public relations, risk management and special programs coordinator
  • Became first and only paid staff member in September 2019 as Director of Development, took on operations role March 2020.
  • Defined, implemented and revised operational policies and guidelines.
  • Worked collaboratively with functional leaders to implement new procedures and corrective actions to improve quality.
  • Monitored budget and utilized operational resources.
  • Kept up-to-date with industry trends and identified areas of opportunity to drive improvements.
  • Interacted well with customers to build connections and nurture relationships.

Family Advocate

Hillside Family Of Agencies
Rochester, New York
01.2014 - 12.2019
  • For the Medicaid waiver program Bridges to Health
  • Assisted parents working to understand a child’s mental health diagnoses
  • Special Needs Community Advocacy and Supports worker for children with diagnoses who needed educational planning support alongside parent.
  • Identified available community resources and programs for families of disabled children.
  • Collaborated with families to assist in growth, development and education to increase potential.
  • Visited homes of families and maintained appropriate contact as directed by agency procedures.
  • Documented data and completed accurate updates to case records.
  • Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
  • Collaborated with community program leaders and advocates to make resources accessible to those in need.
  • Actively listened to customers, handled concerns quickly and escalated major issues to supervisor.

Program Coordinator

Rochester Education Foundation
Rochester, New York
01.2008 - 01.2010
  • Give Back, Give Books—Private funding and in-kind donations were secured to give thousands of books to low income and underserved students in a book fair format
  • Kidbridge- Under a Civic Engagement grant from the Rochester Area Community. Measurable outcomes and results were delivered. This included collaboration between three school districts, two universities and several corporate partners.


Director of Buddies

Bridges and Brains
Victor, NY
01.2003 - 01.2008
  • Founded and directed nonprofit Buddies, Bridges and Brains to create collaborative opportunities between classrooms and fund shared educational field trips
  • Book and a Blanket Program—This program gave a new blanket and a new book to over 2,000 low income PreK-grade 2 students each year
  • Over 200 volunteers were recruited and coordinated annually and grant funding was sought and managed.

Specialized Foster Parent

Department Of Children And Family Services
Chicago, Illinois
01.1986 - 01.1999
  • Thirteen years as a licensed, for Cook County DCFS
  • Facilitated court ordered visitations with birth families, worked with child welfare and school district staff as well as birth families to plan care, researched support options and arranged diagnostic appointments as necessary for 54 children
  • Cared for medically fragile children in need of extensive support.
  • Supported education of children under care through consistent attendance to school and attentiveness to homework assignments.
  • Assisted children through recovery from difficult home or school situations.
  • Reduced problem behaviors with positive reinforcement and supportive techniques.
  • Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
  • Collaborated with community program leaders and advocates to make resources accessible to those in need.

Education

B.S - Speech Pathology and Audiology

SUNY Geneseo

Skills

* Trained in Motivational Interviewing

* Experience writing and managing grants

* Experience as a presenter and co-presenter at community events

* Experience tracking measurable outcomes and partnering with various agencies

* Experience monitoring budgets

Additional Information

  • Media and Awards , When Kids Need It Most, Foster Families Open Hearts https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-03-09-9403090054-story.html Area Opens its Heart on Day of Caring May 03, 2007 Democrat and Chronicle by Jim Memmott https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/2009/12/03/farmington-woman-shares-warmth- words/45591145007/ Citizen of the Year 2019—Farmington Victor Kiwanis Club Paul Harris Fellow and Betty A. Powers Community Service Award-2014—Victor

Timeline

Family Advocate

Hillside Family Of Agencies
01.2014 - 12.2019

Director of Operations

Victor Farmington Food Cupboard
06.2009 - Current

Program Coordinator

Rochester Education Foundation
01.2008 - 01.2010

Director of Buddies

Bridges and Brains
01.2003 - 01.2008

Specialized Foster Parent

Department Of Children And Family Services
01.1986 - 01.1999

B.S - Speech Pathology and Audiology

SUNY Geneseo

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Karen A. Guidarelli