Mariah Shanks

Monitor, analyze and balance over 6.8 million in funding annually. Oversee and manage all budgetary responsibilities of allocated and reimbursable accounts for six separate units within National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC). Work directly with Program Managers (PM), Supervisory Budget Analyst (SBA), Administrative Officer (AO), Assistant Director (AD), and Director’s Office (DO) to monitor expenditure use and budget of annual allocations. Analyze and advise project leaders on accounts, agreement balances, and available spending amounts. Gather and compile annual financial and operating plans for NWRC. Advise executive leaders on financial policies to keep in compliance with NWRC standards. Act as financial point of contact for control of all cooperative and federal resources. Forecast fiscal year spending for allocated and reimbursable accounts. Act as signatory official on expenditure documents for assigned fund centers. Reconcile transactions of expenditures made against allocated and reimbursable accounts to balance weekly. Provide updated Status of Funds (SOF) to PM and AD monthly using Animal Plant Heath Inspection Services (APHIS) Cost Management System (ACMS) to highlight the trends regarding expenditure of funds and rates of obligations. Offer recommendations for spending and account assignment to ensure proper coverage for needs of unit. Conduct weekly analysis of ACMS transactions, compile and review multiple reports to verify accuracy of accounts. Routinely monitor various reports using Financial Management Modernization Initiative (FMMI). Work directly with PM and SBA to resolve all budget and spending issues. Examine and analyze account reports with PM to ensure understanding of allocated funds, obligated expenses, spending projections, and remaining account balances. Reconcile payroll bi-weekly for thirty-two personnel to ensure accurate shorthand code (SHC) utilization and maintain Excel salary spreadsheet for accurate annual salary projections. Create and utilize pivot tables and macros to manipulate data and provide information layouts for multiple situations and audiences. Calculate and create estimated salary projections within ACMS to ensure salary pay is designated to correct account and submit payroll corrections as needed. Review and utilize quarterly Within Grade Increase (WIGI) report to determine and project all upcoming grade/step increases. Determine cost-benefits analysis regarding multiple NWRC accounts. Analyze data to counsel PM, SBA, AO, AD, and Director on annual operating expenses and financial status of future purchases to meet unit needs and requirements. Advise PM and DO of expiration of multiple funding sources and agreements to ensure proper use of all allocated and reimbursable funding. Research and compile documentation addressing organizational needs for upcoming fiscal year to support budget requests from department Directors. Concurrently manage appropriated and non-appropriated budgets with varying periods of performance. Assign SHC and Budget Object Classification Codes (BOC) to fiscal documents to ensure proper disbursement of funds and proper recording of expenditures and obligations. Complete and route account adjustment documents (SU) for any transactions applied to incorrect accounts or payroll adjustments and enter corrections into appropriate accounting system. Review all obligating documents and travel vouchers using Concur. Ensure reports and accounts are balanced by verifying and correcting duplicate transactions or budget errors. Track, organize and assess NWRC documentation including; monthly spending spreadsheets, ledgers, committed items, obligations and annual projections to ensure accurate end of year spending. Compile and present annual budget sheet using multi-source data for units, and lead discussion with PM, AD, and SBA to assist with the determination of annual allocations. Calculate and project individual unit financial need based on personnel costs, outgoing Federal and Non-Federal cooperative agreements (CA), and multi-year contracts. Research and report all remaining balances appearing on Unliquidated Obligation (ULO) report to determine appropriate resolution to de-obligate unused funding. Update and maintain ULO tracking modules within ACMS to ensure proper financial reporting to APHIS headquarters quarterly. Serve as procurement point of contact for NWRC, creating requisitions for purchases above government purchase card (GPC) threshold using Integrated Acquisition System (IAS) in compliance with funding source limitations and federal regulations. Reconcile purchases weekly within US Bank Access Online, with no discrepancies, ensuring proper accounting code usage and documentation. Serve as IPP approver, verifying goods received/services rendered. Reviewing and authorizing payment of incoming invoices and payment arrangements for billing increments.

Manage Cooperative Agreements (CA) and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) for NWRC. Responsible for over twenty separate CA and MOU at any given time. Accountable to review and monitor reports ensuring compliance with financial commitments identified in CA and MOU documents. Work directly with outside funding sources to establish implantation of agreements of outgoing and incoming funding. Closely monitor CA and MOU from inception to completion in coordination with SBA, PM, AO and DO as well as NWRC policies and federal regulations. Creation and approval of cooperator opportunity, application and award creation producing fully executed Notice of Award (NOA) utilizing ezFed Grant system. Advise directors and program managers on agreement regulations to ensure compliance with Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Wildlife Services (WS) policy. Monitor transactions after award completion to ensure compliance with provisions of agreement. Utilize interactive knowledge of CA and MOU as they relate to NWRC procedures and guidelines. Process, record and monitor all transaction for multiple types of agreements in unique and complex situations.

While holding the position of Budget Technician with the United States Department of Agriculture, as part of the National Wildlife Research Center, I fulfilled a critical role in the procurement of goods and services as a Government Purchase Card (GPC) holder, and as the primary point of contact for the creation of requisitions using the Integrated Acquisition System (IAS). All GPC transactions were reconciled using U.S. Bank software weekly with no discrepancies, provided documentation for all purchases and paid invoices. Provided aid to Budget Analysts by updating FY2020 Agreement List Spreadsheet to compile vital information such as: cooperator name, point of contact, start and end date, reporting frequency, etc. Assist Budget Analyst with payroll and transaction reconciliation using Animal Plant Health Inspection Services Cost Management System (ACMS). Knowledge utilizing EzFed Grants System within Financial Management Modernization Initiative (FMMI) to independently create opportunities that are up for bid to outside contractors. Participate in the creation of individual Excel worksheets for the purpose of tracking monies charged against and the balance remaining on specific agreements. Execute the conversion of agreement files from paper to digital in order to meet electronic document compliance standards. Serve as procurement point of contact for NWRC, creating requisitions for purchases above government purchase card (GPC) threshold using Integrated Acquisition System (IAS). Serve as GPC holder, acting as purchasing agent for administrative unit and all units without individual purchasing ability. Determine the proper purchasing mechanism and required components (including GPC and IAS) in compliance with funding source limitations and federal regulations. Reconcile purchases weekly within US Bank Access Online, with no discrepancies, ensuring proper accounting code use and documentation. Serve as IPP approver, verifying goods received/services rendered and authorizing payment of incoming invoices and payment arrangements for billing increments.

As a Court Judicial Assistant my time with the courts has been divided between the clerk’s office performing clerical duties and customer service, and in the courtroom supporting Judicial Officers and parties. In the clerk’s office I managed several duties and areas of responsibility. Entering traffic tickets and scheduling infraction hearings, as part of the county court criminal team. Processed pleadings from attorneys, probation, and pro se parties well within the twenty-four-hour deadline as part of the district court team. Maintained cases by updating parties and case information using advanced data entry skills. Scheduled new court dates, and recalled warrants as ordered. Set initial appearances based on numerous divisions dockets to ensure defendants were brought before the court in a timely manner based on statutes. Answered telephone inquiries while providing excellent customer service. Processed all clerk’s office outgoing mail and certified mail. Created new district and county court cases. While working in a district division I interacted closely with defendants, county and city attorneys, probation officers/staff, victims, and deputies; and have developed strong professional working relationships with all. Transitioned between divisions seamlessly to accommodate coverage needs, adapting to many different courtroom processes and judicial officers. Stepped in as main division clerk, single-handedly running a district docket while my division partner took extended maternity leave. Executed strong multi-tasking skills. I have experience with multiple case types to include: juvenile delinquency, mental health, district and county criminal, treatment courts, and dependency and neglect. While acting as the Protective Proceedings Monitor for Weld County, I filled a critical role as a member of the Probate team. My primary duties included monitoring and maintaining protected guardianship and conservatorship cases. In addition, I acted as a back-up to the Probate Registrar assisting with estate and determination of heirship cases. Daily utilization of strong customer service skills while personally interacting with customers in office, on the phone, and through email or electronic filings. Scheduling of hearings using multiple shared Outlook calendars. I maintained and updated a weekly review docket to ensure timely filing of annual reports required according to state statue. Adhered to state wide timelines regarding the review of annual reports, while exhibiting extreme accuracy and attention to detail to verify the protected person’s personal and financial well-being. Utilized excellent communication skills to determine which cases were appropriate to issue delay prevention orders or set for show cause hearings. Prepared manuals and documents to be utilized in open court by our presiding Probate Judge and Court Judicial Assistant. Developed strong working relationships with Respondents, Guardians, Conservators, Court Visitors, Judicial Officers, Attorneys, and Guardian Ad Litems. Created and processed new Probate cases while verifying that all documents and notices were filed and served in accordance with requirements by statute. Handled intake of funds and deposits daily with 100% accuracy.

Promoted to audit daily sales for all outstations within Great Lakes Aviation. Single handedly compile and generate weekly reports for accounting department. Break down monies earned for bag fees, SSR fees, cargo, freight, and ticket reported daily per station. Utilize strong attention to detail and speed while working independently to meet strict deadlines based on airline standard clearance periods. Work with Excel spreadsheets and formulas daily. Established strong working relationships with other departments as well as management through daily interaction. Ensure correct fees are charged and collected based on airline variations. Guarantee that funds for each day are balanced and accurate. Use Virtual Merchant software to process credit card and DPS transactions, as well as daily batch out of refunds. Handle cash, check, and credit card transactions between passengers and the airline. Validate daily deposits of cash or check payments to each station's individual banking institution. Double check taxes on all paper tickets for accuracy to eliminate error. Maintain monthly FIM and ISC rate updates, allowing for correct pricing of tickets for entire. Key all ticket auditors weekly into company database for end of month call in of revenue totals. Held other key responsibilities such as; maintaining all ACH communications, and updating participant’s accounts as necessary. Primarily responsible for completing daily Radixx uploads, and managing interline tickets from partnering airlines. Responsible for all controlled ticket stock being issued to stations.

Audit flight manifests daily to accurately report and balance passenger totals, to ensure all revenue and non-revenue tickets are accounted for. Mark tickets “used” by utilizing airline software, and balancing counts against airline database. Price local and international tickets daily using PIPPS pricing software, as well as airline pricing standards. Input passenger and ticketing information using typing and ten key skills at a rate of 80+ WPM. Maintain a high level of accuracy, in order to meet weekly deadlines for company reporting and analysis. Work with passenger reservations daily using RADIXX, to check in, board, re-accommodate, or cancel flight segments as needed. Communicated with all outstations on a weekly basis to organize and ensure all RACE arrives to headquarters within the time allotted, in order for timely processing. Worked daily drop out files containing interline tickets in which the server was unable to price and upload automatically. Organize and lead department moral group, organizing functions, and team building activities. Appointed key responsibilities such as; “Missing Tickets Coordinator” where alone I provide department support locating and billing tickets to other airlines, to obtain monies otherwise unaccounted for.