Professional Profile
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline

Kristie Zimmerman

Catholic Charities Children's Home
1
Certification
11
years of professional experience

Compassionate and dedicated human services professional with extensive experience supporting adolescents in special education, psychiatric behavioral health, and court-ordered residential treatment settings. Expertise in implementing individualized education plans (IEPs) and utilizing trauma-informed and behavior management strategies to create safe, structured environments that promote academic, emotional, and social growth. Proven ability to establish trusting relationships with at-risk youth while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including educators, clinicians, case managers, probation officers, and families. Committed to advocating for students with disabilities and empowering youth to develop resilience, accountability, emotional regulation, and essential life skills for long-term success.

Work History

Youth Advocate II

Catholic Charities Children's Home | 11.2025undefined

Paraeducator SPED

1 Year
Fulton School District | 11.2024 - 11.2025

Paraeducator SPED

8 Months
Ashley Community School | 09.2021 - 05.2022

Behavioral Tech

4 Months
Cedar Creek Hospital | 09.2020 - 01.2021

Direct care

1 Year 4 Months
Child and Family Charities | 10.2018 - 02.2020

Parenting time supervisor

1 Year 8 Months
Hoskins & Associates | 01.2016 - 09.2017

Residential counselor

2 Years 1 Month
Highfields, INC | 05.2015 - 06.2017

Education

Coursework - Juvenile Justice

Lansing Community College

Degree - Office Management

Career Quest Learning Centers

Externship

Right Turn program Truancy Court

Skills

Youth Advocacy
Navigation through the juvenile justice system
DHS
and CPS protocol
Assisted Juveniles in Teen Court
Pride and wraparound services
Open Family counseling
family visits
continued service
and safety plans
Processed referrals for qualifying juvenile participation in Right Turn Truancy Court
Assisted with Truancy Court participants’ completion of all requirements of their JCO
Four years of direct care in a court-ordered youth placement facility and shelter
Supervised court-ordered parental visits supporting and advocating for displaced children in foster care
Adolescent psychiatric inpatient long-term hospitalization treatment facility
Maintaining therapeutic milieu
15-minute patient safety checks 1:1 direct care for high-risk youth/adult
Specialized academic support services for 25 students 1:1 and small groups with documented success
1:1 student Special ED services assisting with students' all academic and behavioral measures
Implementing 504 plan along with modifying assignments based on students' individual needs

Certification

  • ETS Paraprofessional
  • CPI, Safety-Care QBS, CPR and First Aid
  • Understanding Chemically Dependent Families
  • Understanding Substance Abuse
  • The Nurtured Heart Approach
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Training
  • Beyond Behavior: Cognitive Abilities, The Brain and Cognition, Treating Co-Occurring Disorders
  • Trauma-Informed: Impact on Children, Secondary Trauma for Agency Staff
  • Why Behaviors Occur and How It Is Measured

Timeline

Youth Advocate II

Catholic Charities Children's Home
11.2025 Read More

Paraeducator SPED

Fulton School District
11.2024 - 11.2025Read More

Paraeducator SPED

Ashley Community School
09.2021 - 05.2022Read More

Behavioral Tech

Cedar Creek Hospital
09.2020 - 01.2021Read More

Direct care

Child and Family Charities
10.2018 - 02.2020Read More

Parenting time supervisor

Hoskins & Associates
01.2016 - 09.2017Read More

Residential counselor

Highfields, INC
05.2015 - 06.2017Read More

Right Turn program Truancy Court

Externship
Read More

Career Quest Learning Centers

Degree from Office Management
Read More

Lansing Community College

Coursework from Juvenile Justice
Read More
Kristie Zimmerman