Michelle Afanador Sanchez
Bucks County,PA
Summary
Experienced Leader committed to coaching peers through work challenges. Optimizing and developing customized plans for individual team members and group organizations. Engaging and outgoing with strong communication skills. Excited to expand my knowledge while working with diverse teams to fulfill common goals and KPIs.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Family Peer Support Specialist
Philadelphia Family Voice Organization
12.2019 - 12.2020
- Provides information, coaching, and support on the phone, using electronic tools, and in person, as relates to the family’s particular situation.
- Meet with families in their home and/or their community based on need or circumstance.
- Link families to other families, e.g. social activities, education events, support groups, etc.
- Assist families in following through on needed activities and tasks (i.e., request for educational or psychological evaluations or filing complaints)
- Coordinate and help facilitate support group(s) and/or trainings.
- Represent the family perspective in appropriate meetings.
- Attends and acts as family voice at county-sanctioned meetings, county trainings, family meetings, Health Fairs, and support groups as assigned by supervisor.
- Participates in outreach to families, schools, providers, community agencies, health fairs, and at presentations.
- Provides panel representation at CBH scheduled Grievances/Complaints according to regulatory expectations.
- Enhanced Administrative Functions:
- Participates in regular 1:1 supervision and team meetings as scheduled.
- Participates in all required agency staff meetings
- Attends required trainings
- Assignment of new participants in a manner that helps maintain fair and consistent participant assignment
- Assignment and coordination of the Grievance and Complaint panels. This includes all tracking of related documents and data, and the primary contact person for CBH
- Assist with the development of policies and procedures related to the workflow of the FPSS position within Philadelphia Family Voices (PFV)
- Assist with the development of a temporary data collection system to be used in the first months that PFV is operational
- Other administrative tasks as assigned
- Electronic Health Record (EHR)/Database:
- Enters participant data in the Electronic Healthcare Records/ Program Database system upon intake.
- Ensures that all participants’ contacts are documented in EHR/Database according to agency polices.
- Demonstrated extensive knowledge of recovery and wellness principles and shared this information with others struggling during recovery.
- Built relationships with others based upon trust and honesty by using active listening and dynamic communication skills.
ASD Team Program Supervisor
Philadelphia Family Voices
11.2023 - Current
- The ASD Navigator Supervisor will partner with the Program Manager to oversee the operations of the ASD Navigator Team and collaborate with community stakeholders to deliver high-quality programming and services. The ASD Navigator Team Supervisor is responsible for direct supervision of the ASD Navigator program staff and coordination of referrals and day-to-day operations.
- Establish and maintain strong, effective relationships with the Program Supervisor and/or Manager, Philadelphia Family Voices staff, management, and key stakeholders.
- Establish and maintain strong effective relationships with members of the community, including: Families and youth General public Community agencies and organizations The Philadelphia child serving systems [Department of Human Services (DHS), Juvenile Justice (JJ), Early Intervention (EI), Behavioral Health and Autism related services and programs Schools and Education System community Behavioral Health (CBH) Administrators/staff of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual Disabilities (DBHIDS).
- Promote a positive public image of all PFV programs and serve as a representative in assigned committees, task forces, as well as other meetings.
- Promote and model high ethical, professional, and respectful behaviors both within Philadelphia Family Voices and externally.
- Engage in the human resource operations processes: Provide program-specific orientation and training to new staff; Identify and track staff training and development.
- Ensure adherence to contracts, quality implementation, and reporting requirements of programs
- Prepare reports as required
- Ensure consistent and high-quality program services;
- Ensure that accurate results are gathered from the database/EHR in written and/or graph format for review
- Attend all required meetings/conference calls in the community in a professional manner.
- In collaboration with the Program Manager, interview, hire, and develop staff for the ASD team; prepare written staff evaluations for direct reports. In conjunction with the Program Manager, identify and address staff performance concerns.
- Provide weekly strengths-based supervision and mentoring to direct reports; set agendas and facilitate team meetings monthly.
- Track data, including demographics of families served, staff productivity, outcomes, and other relevant trends, for operational use and reports.
- Oversee programs and operations to ensure workflow is open among and across teams and that services meet PFV’s best standards; assign caseloads and notify Program Manager in advance of need for waiting list.
- Provide support and/or training to staff in program-related skills, policies, procedures, and regulations; ensure staff follow the team's manual expectations. Attend family/provider meetings with staff for complex or unusual situations.
- Update Program Manager with staff performance challenges, unusual family situations, incidents, mandated reporting situations, and other challenges or concerns.
- Ensure family satisfaction through written and/or phone communication, shadowing of staff visits, and record reviews.
- Oversee the development and staff assignment of family support groups, workshops, trainings, and education; assist with recruiting individuals to attend.
- In collaboration with the Program Manager, assist with marketing strategies: Identify areas of need for outreach within the community and other system partners; Contribute to social media and website content;
- Identify and attend relevant community events and resource fairs
- Develop, oversee and/or facilitate presentations and trainings (in-person and virtual). Promote team building by maintaining a Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented and Equitable Care (TIROE) environment.
- Participate in planning and implementing collaborations internally and between Family Peer and its partners; maintain strong positive working relationships with the PFV team, community and our partners.
- Responsible for working directly with families based on waitlist and/or staff coverage needs. Other duties as assigned.
- Electronic Health Record (EHR) Data Base
- Responsible for oversight in data entry to ensure that participant data is entered in the Electronic Healthcare Records/ Program Database system upon intake.
- Ensure all participants' contacts are documented in EHR/Database according to agency polices.
- Review and approve staff’s documentation according to best practice and funder regulations.
- Ensure staff document all services and activities (i.e. trainings, system meetings) according to agency policies.
- Provided ongoing direction and leadership for program operations.
- Assisted with community resources for healthcare and mental health.
ASD Navigator Lead
Philadelphia Family Voices
12.2020 - 11.2023
- The overall responsibility of the ASD Family Peer Navigator (FPN) role is to provide confidential, one-on-one support and education to families of children and youth with autism spectrum disorder.
- The FPN is to assist families in navigating educational, therapeutic, and social services systems, coach families on developing advocacy skills and making informed decisions, serve as an emotional support and positive role model to parents and caregivers, and work with families in solving problems related to the care of their child or youth.
- The FPN is responsible for scheduling regular meetings with their assigned families and maintaining documentation of services provided through our electronic database.
- The ASD Family Peer Navigator is to follow the Philadelphia Family Voices family support, empowerment, and family-driven model and philosophy in providing community-based peer-to-peer support to other parents of children and youth with ASD.
- The ASD Family Peer Navigator must understand service systems and the range of resources available for children, youth, and families.
- The FPN must be able to share that knowledge effectively during family meetings and consultations with professionals
- Administrative:
- Participates in regular 1:1 supervision and team meetings as scheduled.
- Participates in all required agency staff meetings
- Attends required training
- Monitor and maintain accurate data using Electronic Health Record (EHR)/Database
- Enters participant data in the Electronic Healthcare Records/ Program Database system upon intake.
- Ensures that all participants’ contacts are documented in EHR/Database according to agency polices.
- Document all services and activities (i.e. trainings, system meetings) according to agency policies.
- ASD Family Peer Navigator may work in a variety of settings, including but not limited to the Philadelphia Family Voices office, through ZOOM or other approved digital meeting platforms, community settings, schools, treatment programs, Children’s Crisis Response Center (CRC), Family Court, Community Behavioral Health office, at Conferences, Events, or Meetings; Locally, Regionally, or Nationally
- Performed comprehensive checklists prior to takeoff to reduce possible safety issues.
Family Advocate
Mental Health Partnerships MHPHOPE
07.2005 - 03.2019
- Draws on his/her own experience of raising a child with emotional or behavioral issues as they work with the parents/caregivers and the team to discover the family’s values and priorities.
- Deliver interventions and activities that meet needs, build on strengths, and achieve outcomes.
- Responsible for assisting parents/caregivers with engaging in the enrollment process by utilizing knowledge and experiences encountered in various service systems (i.e., school, mental health, juvenile justice, etc.). Help parents/caregivers assess their available resources and service needs
- Coach parents/caregivers on self-advocacy skills (i.e., delivering messages clearly and with the desired impact, self-expression, active participation in service plan development, etc.).
- Provide information, referral, and telephone support services to parents.
- Coordinate advocacy activities for parents of special needs children in catchment areas.
- Develop resource directories for parents of special needs children. Update as needed.
- Coordinate workshops for parents of children with special needs.
- Conduct needs assessments regularly.
- Maintain records and data collection.
- Compile monthly and annual reports as requested.
- Collaborated with families to assist in growth, development, and education to increase potential.
- Visited homes of families and maintained appropriate contact as directed by agency procedures.
Education
Customer Service Training Program - Business Administration and Customer Service
Congreso de Latinos Unidos
Philadelphia, PA02.2000
High School Diploma - undefined
Fernando Suria Chavez High School
05.1991
Skills
- Microsoft Office
- Bilingual (Spanish)
- Effective Communication
- Team/Community Builder
- Behavioral health
- Leadership skills
- Administrative principles
- Relationship cultivation
- HIPAA Trained
- Familiarity with Child Find Law and evaluation procedures
- Guidance on community services
Certification
- April 2025 Complaints and Grievances Training – Certificate
- May 2025 Heat Safety: Recognizing, Preventing, and Treating Heat Related Illnesses – Certificate
- June 2025 Mandated Report Training: Virtual Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse - Certificate
- June 2022 Autism Family Navigator Training – Certificate
- October 2021 PPSPM-Parent Peer Support Practice Model - Certificate
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
English
Full Professional
Timeline
ASD Team Program Supervisor
Philadelphia Family Voices
11.2023 - Current
ASD Navigator Lead
Philadelphia Family Voices
12.2020 - 11.2023
Family Peer Support Specialist
Philadelphia Family Voice Organization
12.2019 - 12.2020
Family Advocate
Mental Health Partnerships MHPHOPE
07.2005 - 03.2019
High School Diploma - undefined
Fernando Suria Chavez High School
Customer Service Training Program - Business Administration and Customer Service
Congreso de Latinos Unidos
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