Kira Vaughns
Alamogordo,NM
Summary
To dedicate my passion to the Program as Program Specialist with a strong commitment to community peer education, aiming to support incarcerated individuals in their transition back into society. Focused on returning to the basics—providing education, resources, and guidance to empower individuals for successful reintegration. Develop skills in building partnerships with organizations and stakeholders to bridge gaps in support systems, and enhance public safety. Seeking to leverage expertise in program development and community outreach to create meaningful change and strengthen community resilience Motivated Peer Educator with experience in developing and implementing educational programs. Strong interpersonal communication skills, adept at relating to diverse individuals and groups. Demonstrated ability to impact community through preventive education initiatives and health promotion activities. Notable strengths include effective team collaboration, leadership abilities, and creative problem-solving skills.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Community Peer Educator
UNM Project ECHO – Community Peer Educator Program (CPEP)
Albuquerque, NM
08.2024 - Current
- Oversee program operations, procedures, and workflows to ensure fidelity to CPEP policies and contractual agreements.
- Conduct emergent and structured trainings for peers, onboarding new staff, and maintaining a professional and supportive team environment.
- Ensure confidentiality of participants and program data while upholding ethical and legal standards.
- Maintain collaborative relationships with NMCD Probation & Parole, NM Department of Health, and other agencies.
- Develop and update CPEP procedures, ensuring accessibility of the most current revisions for daily operations.
- Coordinate and facilitate in-person activities, events, trainings, and workshops, including preparing materials, and providing follow-up reports.
- Provide peer-to-peer engagement to a caseload of 7–75 participants using evidence-based approaches (e.g., SMART Recovery, Motivational Interviewing, Stages of Change).
- Develop and maintain the New Mexico Resource Guide for returning citizens, researching and documenting best practices.
- Co-create, review, and finalize controlled documents to support program structure and consistency.
- Perform quality control and assurance through regular audits, DAP note reviews and updating reports/dashboards.
- Utilize SmartSheet, BOX, Microsoft 365, and other platforms to track projects, and operations tickets.
- Routinely present case studies using the ECHO model, contribute to session agendas, and deliver topical presentations for peer educators.
- Facilitate peer workshops, track attendance and engagement, and document outcomes within 24 hours.
Community Peer Educator
UNM Project ECHO
Albuquerque, NM
08.2023 - 08.2024
- Provided peer support to individuals on supervision, helping them navigate reentry resources and comply with probation/parole requirements.
- Created and facilitated virtual workshop presentations on relevant reentry topics.
- Represented the peer experience through storytelling and case presentations during ECHO sessions.
- Assisted with in-person peer events to foster community engagement and support networks.
- Managed caseload of participants by providing peer engagement, sharing resources, and encouraging supervision compliance.
Peer Educator
UNM Project ECHO
New Mexico
09.2014 - 03.2023
- Delivered education and outreach on communicable diseases, harm reduction, and community health initiatives to justice-involved and underserved populations.
- Developed and presented case studies to support program learning, professional development, and peer training.
- Collaborated with team members to design and facilitate workshops, ensuring participant engagement and topic relevance.
- Managed inventory and distribution of program supplies to support community outreach activities.
Education
Associate of Liberal Arts -
Mesalands Community College
Tucumcari, NM12-2022
Skills
- Program development and coordination
- Peer support and engagement strategies
- Evidence-based facilitation
- Training and onboarding facilitation
- Confidential data management
- Quality control and audit processes
- Workshop and event coordination
- Multi-platform proficiency
Certification
- Overdose Prevention & Response
- Suicide Awareness & Prevention
- SMART Recovery Facilitation
- Certified Peer Support Worker (CPSW), State of New Mexico
- Comprehensive Community Support Services (CCSS)
Additional Information
Experienced in justice system reentry, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care., Strong interpersonal communication, time management, and organizational skills., Committed to maintaining a positive role model presence and fostering growth mindsets.
Timeline
Senior Community Peer Educator
UNM Project ECHO – Community Peer Educator Program (CPEP)
08.2024 - Current
Community Peer Educator
UNM Project ECHO
08.2023 - 08.2024
Peer Educator
UNM Project ECHO
09.2014 - 03.2023
Associate of Liberal Arts -
Mesalands Community College
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