Lori Gauger
Charlotte,TN
Summary
Adept at orchestrating complex projects and fostering strategic work partnerships, with earned tenure at the State of Tennessee Department of Children's Services, honing well regarded organizational skills and ability to communicate effectively across diverse groups. Demonstrated proficiency in software programs like Adobe, Microsoft Office suite, FTP, etc to complement my knack for facilitating group coordination, underscoring a track record of impactful program development and data quality enhancement.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Coordinator
State Of Tennessee Department Of Children's Services
09.2013 - Current
- Responsible for maintaining all forms for the Department
- Collaborates with form owners and Forms Committee members on a regular basis in the revision and creation of new forms
- Formats and posts new or revised forms on the State internet and/or intranet server
- Maintains spreadsheet for all forms that have been posted each month
- Organizes both current as well as historical versions of forms in Sharepoint
- Works as part of the Policy Development Unit, collaborating with policy writers
- Facilitates and participates in several work groups for the Department to discuss progress updates, address challenges, and brainstorm solutions for ongoing success
- Establishes strategic partnerships with external organizations, such as foreign language translation company and contract providers, expanding program reach and impact
- Provides exceptional customer service to program participants through prompt response times and attentive assistance with inquiries or concerns
- Facilitates and tracks Memorandum of Understanding and Letters of Support requests from external organizations, collaborating with the Legal division and Commissioner's office
- Has developed a proficiency in Microsoft products as well as Adobe in the creation of forms for the Department
- Collaborates with the Department's Information Technology division as needed to provide functions with forms that help end users
Data Quality Specialist
State Of Tennessee Department Of Children's Services
07.2002 - 09.2013
- Collaborated with the Department's Information Technology division on a regular basis
- Worked with the statewide computer system, TFACTS
- Maintained cleanup reports and worked with program staff to reduce errors in TFACTS and improve data quality
Case Manager
State Of Tennessee Department Of Children's Services
07.1997 - 07.2002
- Worked in the Resource unit (now called Network Development), and was responsible for locating placements for children in foster care
- Worked closely with contract providers as well as case managers to locate and secure placements for children that met each child's needs
- Participated in Child and Family meetings when needed to assist in determining the best placement option for children in need of a new placement
- Worked within the Department's budget constraints in the process of locating placements, and kept a working knowledge of the budget
Case Manager
State Of Tennessee Dept Of Children's Services
07.1992 - 07.1997
- Maintained a caseload of foster children in the Adolescent Foster Care Unit
- Ensured that children in foster care had all of their needs met, including medical, educational, counseling services, and visitation with family members as needed
- Participated in Child and Family team meetings, Educational and Legal meetings as required
- Collaborated with families in the development and implementation of Permanency Plans, to help children achieve permanency in accordance with their goals
- Worked closely with the juvenile court system to ensure court orders were followed and that the children's best interest was protected
- Advocated for client rights when interacting with external agencies or institutions, ensuring fair treatment at all times
Education
Psychology
Belmont University
Nashville, TN12.1990
Skills
- Known for Detail, Quality and Trust
- Ability to move on multiple tasks
- Viewed as working well in difficult situations, with sometimes difficult individuals
- Ability to coordinate groups and facilitate efficiently
- Genuine communication skills
- Exceptional ability in the use of Word, Excel, pdf, Adobe Sign, and other various software applications
- Exceptional organizational ability
- Ability to learn new tasks quickly
Volunteer Positions
- Former Board member for Youth for Christ
- Former Board member for Bellevue Home School and Enrichment homeschool tutorial program
- Former volunteer with American Heritage Girls program, as a shepherd and a group leader
- Experience as Volunteer in various functions through Youth for Christ with at-risk youth and families
- Former Co-Leader with urban outreach ministry for church
- Experience coordinating multiple mission trips with church groups both stateside and abroad
- Current volunteer with Kinsman Redeemer Homeless Ministry
Awards
Employee of the Month for Department of Children's Services Central Office - January, 2022.
Timeline
Program Coordinator
State Of Tennessee Department Of Children's Services
09.2013 - Current
Data Quality Specialist
State Of Tennessee Department Of Children's Services
07.2002 - 09.2013
Case Manager
State Of Tennessee Department Of Children's Services
07.1997 - 07.2002
Case Manager
State Of Tennessee Dept Of Children's Services
07.1992 - 07.1997
Psychology
Belmont University
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