Maika Hefflefinger
Chadron,NE
Summary
Results-driven and analytical-minded service professional with over 10+ years of leadership, instructional, and administrative experience in education, health, and non-profit sector. Experienced in supporting whole-student academic success by developing positive student culture and structured, supportive environments. Offer a unique perspective on the overarching stretch of a student's academic journey after teaching STEM & Humanities for 8+ years at various independent schools in the U.S. and Panama, facilitating the college admissions and application process, administering undergraduate and graduate-level federal and institutional financial aid, counseling students in postsecondary college and career plans, and serving as a resource and guide to students & families navigating the complexities of the higher education landscape. Areas of strength include 1:1 student admissions, financial aid, and career guidance; developing and motivating a team of education professionals; envisioning and building programmatic goals and workflows; providing leadership and execution on challenging projects, and supporting an organization's commitment to diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Admissions Advisor
Chadron State College
- Facilitated recruitment events from college and counseling fairs to preview days that foster and engage prospective students in their college discernment process
- Leverage and monitor PeopleSoft, Liaison EMP, and key data systems to receive, verify, and process admissions applications for undergraduate, master, and post-baccalaureate-level degree programs
- Enhanced overall student satisfaction by providing exceptional customer service and guidance throughout the admissions process
- Reviewed and discussed new students' academic credentials, interests, and educational goals
- Streamlined the application process for prospective students, resulting in increased enrollment numbers
- Strategized with Student Success Team from financial aid to records to ensure an optimal academic pathway unique to each student's background and experience
- Assisted in the development of marketing materials to effectively communicate program benefits and requirements to prospective students
Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Chadron State College
07.2023 - Current
- Co-lead a team of higher education professionals in providing streamline financial aid services to prospective and current undergraduate and graduate student populations
- Oversee the administration of federal, state, and institutional financial aid for undergraduate and graduate programs
- Assist individual students and families transitioning to the new FAFSA for the 24-25 aid year
- Provide FAFSA assistance to regional schools and local college/career fairs and events
- Supervise and lead a team of financial aid professionals in continued professional and personal development in their roles as financial aid administrators as well as valued persons/professionals in higher education
- Serve as an Enrollment Management liaison for educating admissions and advising departments on financial aid processes and policies/regulations (SAP & Return to Title IV)
- Assist in building the Cost of Attendance and Oracle systems to package and award federal and institutional financial aid for the new aid year
- Oversee daily processes of sending & receiving ISIR records/FAFSA data, Pell and Direct Loan Files, certifying Alternative Loans and Outside Scholarships, manually and mass-packaging federal and institutional aid, and disbursing funds to undergraduate and graduate students' accounts
- Conducted regular audits of departmental procedures to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations governing financial aid administration
- Streamlined financial aid processes by implementing efficient workflow systems and reducing processing time
- Established a culture of continuous improvement within the Financial Aid office, promoting a proactive approach to problem-solving and process enhancement
- Collaborated with other departments to create a seamless enrollment process for students seeking financial assistance
Instructor/Instructional Design Coach
Mercy High School
07.2019 - 06.2022
- Provided impactful instruction, academic support, and curriculum design to ensure student success
- Initiated, designed, and implemented 300+ lessons in the areas of New Testament and World Religions
- Coached juniors and seniors in post-secondary college & career plans, including reviewing admissions guidelines and timeframes for selected colleges, brainstorming and assisting in editing personal statement essays, and providing high-quality recommendations for each student seeking additional support
- Advanced and planned DEI initiatives as founding co-chair by collaborating with local Bay Area thought leaders, resulting in 65% more engagement in focused programming for our institution
- Promoted new educational and workflow technologies in curricular design, resulting in increased engagement rate as alumnus of Knowing Technologies Instructional Design and Innovation IT Program
- Served as Sophomore and Junior Class Moderator, overseeing and empowering 25+ student leaders to plan and execute class and school-wide events
Co-Managing Instructor
Cristo Rey De La Salle High School
08.2018 - 05.2019
- Encouraged the implementation of blending learning technologies to support academic success in mathematics
- Co-taught Algebra I to founding freshman class, leveraging tech-friendly tools for a blended learning environment using Teach-to-One software that support personalized and team-based instruction
- Assisted in lesson planning, instructional design, and MAP/PSAT test prep for 45+ students.
Instructor/ Department Chair
Red Cloud Indian School
08.2016 - 05.2017
- Provided classroom instruction and advanced progression towards curriculum development and best practices
- Mentored new first-year science instructors in classroom culture, facilitation, and instructional design
- Supported high school senior Lakota students discern next steps for college and professional training in collaboration with college guidance counselor
- Taught Chemistry, Honors Environmental Science, and Math to 110+ Lakota students
Chief Medical Officer Assistant
San Francisco Health Plan
01.2015 - 08.2016
- Responsible for administrative support, onboarding, and project management functions to Chief Medical Officer
- Provided administrative support to largest department at SFHP, including Chief Medical Officer, 4 directors, 100+ staff, and oversight of 4+ essential committees
- Facilitate onboarding process by collaborating with senior management, I.T., and facilities to create new hire profiles and train new hires on company procedures
- Performed ad-hoc projects for CMO, producing weekly literature reviews on 8+ medical journals, updating online health educational material, and analyzing and compiling key data for Executive Team
Community Education and Marketing Assistant
Workaway
01.2014 - 12.2014
- Supported host family in home-schooling needs and implemented community health programming in local villages
- Developed curricula and lead upcycling and health education classes to the Ngäbe-Buglé population in local villages
- Tutored children in homeschool programs due to the lack of accessibility to schools on the Bocas Del Toro Islands
- Assisted in the construction of a fiberglass pontoon boat and the installment of a septic tank latrine for a local village
- Revamped small business websites and promoted marketing strategies to reach overseas, primarily in the tourist industry
Health Education Organizer
Enroll America
08.2013 - 12.2013
- Led West Maricopa County program outreach to uninsured families and provided available health insurance options
- Built and trained a team of volunteers to educate over a million uninsured residents on affordable health insurance options
- Partnered with community and health organizations to deliver education forums on the ACA and AHCCCS expansion
- Outreached to over 10,000 residents in low income neighborhoods in Maricopa County and exceeded state metrics for the total number of doors knocked, number of commit cards collected, and number of volunteer shifts completed weekly
Instructor
St. Bonaventure High School
08.2013 - 12.2013
- Provided STEM academic support in the capacity of teaching and co-leading after-school programming
- Taught 5 classes in Chemistry and Physical Science over the course of the year
- Tutored all levels of high school math, science, and English after school in the student-learning center
Education
Master of Theology - Moral Theology & Ethics
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA10.2023
Master of Theological Studies - Spirituality And Pastoral Ministry & Counseling
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA05.2019
Bachelor of Arts - Molecular & Cellular Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA05.2012
Skills
- Customer Service
- Attentive Listening
- Facilitation
- Training & Sharing Knowledge
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Inter-Departmental Collaboration
- Conflict Resolution
- Critical Thinking
- Detailed-Oriented
- Process Improvement
- Budget Management
- Data Analytics
- Growth Mindset
- Software - Oracle PeopleSoft, Liaison EMP, Element451, Canvas, Naviance, ImageNow, MS Office 365 Suite, Sharepoint, OneNote, Google Suite, Zoom, Teams, Slack
Certification
- Instructional Design and IT Innovation Program | Knowing Technologies, Burlingame, CA
- Spiritual Director of the Spiritual Exercises by St. Ignatius of Loyola | Los Altos Retreat Center, Los Altos, CA
Education Professional
Financial Aid Administrator | College Admissions Advisor | 6th-12th Grade Teacher
Timeline
Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Chadron State College
07.2023 - Current
Instructor/Instructional Design Coach
Mercy High School
07.2019 - 06.2022
Co-Managing Instructor
Cristo Rey De La Salle High School
08.2018 - 05.2019
Instructor/ Department Chair
Red Cloud Indian School
08.2016 - 05.2017
Chief Medical Officer Assistant
San Francisco Health Plan
01.2015 - 08.2016
Community Education and Marketing Assistant
Workaway
01.2014 - 12.2014
Health Education Organizer
Enroll America
08.2013 - 12.2013
Instructor
St. Bonaventure High School
08.2013 - 12.2013
Admissions Advisor
Chadron State College
Master of Theology - Moral Theology & Ethics
Santa Clara University
Master of Theological Studies - Spirituality And Pastoral Ministry & Counseling
Santa Clara University
Bachelor of Arts - Molecular & Cellular Biology
University of California, Berkeley
- Instructional Design and IT Innovation Program | Knowing Technologies, Burlingame, CA
- Spiritual Director of the Spiritual Exercises by St. Ignatius of Loyola | Los Altos Retreat Center, Los Altos, CA
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