Marika Patterson
Seminole
Summary
Dynamic program management and grants professional with a proven track record in pre-award and post-award administration, subrecipient oversight, compliance, agreement management, risk assessment, and cross-functional coordination within the education and nonprofit sectors. Expertise in interpreting federal regulations, supporting proposal development, managing subawardees, and ensuring compliance through effective collaboration with finance, legal, and program teams. Recognized for navigating evolving systems while driving process improvements that enhance operational efficiency. Committed to fostering partnerships that support organizational goals and maximize grant impact.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Implementation Program Manager
Digital Promise Global
Washington, D.C.
04.2023 - Current
- Directed comprehensive program implementation and continuous improvement initiatives for adult and working learners across education and workforce development systems. Oversaw project planning and partner engagement to achieve high-quality delivery and measurable outcomes with an emphasis on equity and community impact. Cultivated strategic partnerships to enhance access to career pathways for historically marginalized populations.
- Provided dedicated support to program partners, fostering inclusive engagement and facilitating continuous collaboration.
- Provide comprehensive management and coordination for the planning, execution, and evaluation of multiple learner pathway initiatives.
- Build and sustain collaborative, equity-centered relationships with program participants, funders, educational institutions, workforce agencies, employers, and community-based organizations.
- Ensure adherence to program guidelines, policies, and grant requirements post-award
- Generated comprehensive reports to inform internal and external stakeholders about program progress and performance metrics.
- Provide pre-award proposal support, including review of solicitation requirements, preparation of agreement documentation, coordination with program teams.
- Engaged with finance, legal, and program teams to deliver cohesive outcomes aligned with strategic objectives.
Grant Project Manager
St. Petersburg College
Clearwater, FL
04.2022 - 01.2023
- Under funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Tampa Bay Bridges to Baccalaureate (TB-B2B) program seeks to increase transfer rates of underrepresented minorities across the alliance partners (SPC, HCC, SCF). Responsible for coordinating the operations and activities of the grant and supervising lower-level administration and program support staff.
- Oversee the TB-B2B Alliance statement of work, $1,000,000 budget, and deliverables.
- Serve as liaison between Alliance partners, community organizations, faculty, administration and students.
- Conduct needs assessments with industry and communities.
- Ensure high quality training to subrecipients audiences.
- Oversee agreements and deliverables of sub-awardees.
- Conduct follow-up efforts with Alliance partners, participants, and other stakeholders for valuable feedback as to program process and satisfaction levels.
- Oversee the St. Petersburg College TB-B2B Student Success Specialist
- Communicate with the Federal Program Officer
- Submit reporting and provides technical assistance to the subrecipient to meet data collection needs to the funder
- Conduct monitoring each year to ensure grant compliance
Career and Academic Advisor
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL
06.2021 - 04.2022
- Utilizes a wide range of software and computer systems to track and analyze student progression and retention
- Provides guidance to students individually or in group settings regarding career decisions, degree plans, and transfer opportunities
- Handle student registration requests by coordinating through effective communication and interpersonal skills with appropriate department Deans, Chairs and Professors
- Gathering, interpreting and analyzing data to identify trends and form solutions to improve student retention and academic success
- Conduct outreach and follow-up efforts for students regarding readmission, career research and enrollment assistance
Student Support Specialist (Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC))
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL
03.2021 - 06.2021
- Provide administrative oversight, including producing reports of grant goals/tasks/deliverables and present to Department of Defense consortium
- Leverage SPC resources to identify and recruit target populations to participate in internships including students studying STEM (target audience minority and veteran students)
- Facilitate payment of tuition for internship course and career services workshops provided to students in preparation for STEM internships
- Cultivates internal and external relationships and partnerships and managed grant budget
- Tracks grant funded resource equipment, materials and publications
- Establish process and facilitate payment of stipends to interns and staff members active on the grant
Student Support Specialist (Tampa Bay Bridge to Baccalaureate)
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL
02.2020 - 06.2021
- Coordinates the advisory committee meetings, sub-committee meetings, travel to conferences, meetings and other events for SPC B2B faculty and students.
- Plan and coordinate alliance-wide professional development opportunities & learning community activities (non-cognitive skills and strategies training, targeted advising, faculty mentorship, and peer connections)
- Coordinates the planning and preparation of grant tasks and deliverable for one or more departments; provides guidance and assistance to investigators in the interpretation of NSF/DOD regulations and requirements
- Managed grant budget and analyzed grant funding compliance to perform activities involving grantor reporting, and preparing grant documents for submission
- Develops and maintains specialized databases and systems for recording and tracking grant deliverables, awards, and related statistical information; creates and distributes standard and special reports, studies, summaries, and analyses, as required
Administrative Assistant
Palladium Theater
St. Petersburg, FL
11.2019 - 02.2020
- Track, document and report expenditures
- Organized and prepared internal and external audits
- Reconciled financial discrepancies by collecting and analyzing account information
- Reviewed the payment vouchers and checked receipt vouchers before posting to ledger
- Conduct closing of client accounts utilizing Seat Advisor
OPS Career & Academic Advisor
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL
07.2018 - 02.2020
- Advise students on degree-specific programs and procedure
- Identify at-risk student scenarios and highlighted opportunities for academic success improvement
- Communicate with approximately 600 prospective students providing information on the college and available programs, ensuring SPC is a good school to attend for their educational goal(s)
- Address students’ questions and issues regarding academic courses within a specified timeframe
Women on the Way Program Office Assistant
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL
11.2015 - 03.2018
- Maintained, organized and properly archived student files of participation and activity by entering daily spreadsheet database
- Created and edited various marketing documents and flyers for the organization
- Coordinated, planned and scheduled three major program outreach events per year and over 15 weekly workshops per semester
- Managed high call volume and in office student visits, often dealing with processing roughly 50 new member applications for the program each semester
- Referred students to community resources or to specialists as necessary
Campus Registration Peer Advisor
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL
06.2014 - 11.2015
- Mentored and served about 11,000 students individually, by assisting them in overcoming obstacles in college, adjusting to life, and making proper choices to stay focused
- Guided students through application and registration procedure
- Helped several students learn about the college, the FAFSA process and academic courses available
- Planned and organized student academic pathway schedule
Education
Bachelor of Applied Science - Management and Organizational Leadership
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL05.2018
Skills
- Proposal support and documentation
- Problem-solving
- Project management
- Verbal and written communication
- Contract performance monitoring
- Strategic planning
- Contract compliance
- Detail-oriented
- Remote team management
- Contract development
Timeline
Implementation Program Manager
Digital Promise Global
04.2023 - Current
Grant Project Manager
St. Petersburg College
04.2022 - 01.2023
Career and Academic Advisor
St. Petersburg College
06.2021 - 04.2022
Student Support Specialist (Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC))
St. Petersburg College
03.2021 - 06.2021
Student Support Specialist (Tampa Bay Bridge to Baccalaureate)
St. Petersburg College
02.2020 - 06.2021
Administrative Assistant
Palladium Theater
11.2019 - 02.2020
OPS Career & Academic Advisor
St. Petersburg College
07.2018 - 02.2020
Women on the Way Program Office Assistant
St. Petersburg College
11.2015 - 03.2018
Campus Registration Peer Advisor
St. Petersburg College
06.2014 - 11.2015
Bachelor of Applied Science - Management and Organizational Leadership
St. Petersburg College