Michelle West
Rainier,Washington
Summary
Driven by a passion for community service and bolstered by exceptional interpersonal skills, I excelled in roles at Thurston County Foster Care, demonstrating adaptability and leadership by enhancing child welfare and supporting military families. My proficiency in computer skills and commitment to teamwork have consistently produced positive outcomes in complex environments.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Volunteer
Sunbreak Missionary Baptist Church
07.2012 - Current
- Assists with Kid Skilz program, Vacation Bible School, for children from the church and community.
- Supports public relations efforts by representing the organization at various community events and building positive relationships with potential supporters.
- Maintains clean, neat, and operational facilities to serve the church's needs.
- Supports engaging, fun, and smooth-running events by helping with organization and planning.
- Greeter, welcoming approximately 50-60 people.
- Missionary Work teaching English and the Bible to children in Romania for 2 weeks during the summer of 2023, 2024, and 2025.
- Represented Sunbreak Church organization positively and professionally while providing the Romanian community with much-needed services.
- Coordinated food drives for improved local food bank stock levels.
- Uses strong interpersonal communication skills to convey information to the Women's Ministry Program which consists of approximately 18-25 women monthly.
Foster Care Provider
Thurston County Foster Care
06.2016 - 12.2017
- Managed daily routines and schedules, fostering consistency and stability for 3 foster children.
- Maintained open communication with caseworkers and support teams to ensure that the needs of each child were being met effectively.
- Participated in ongoing training opportunities to stay current on best practices in foster care provision.
- Cared for foster care children who had some special needs.
- Maintained accurate records of foster children's progress, including medical appointments, medications, school achievements, and behavioral issues.
- Assisted foster children with completing homework assignments and improving their overall academic performance.
- Assisted children through recovery from difficult home or school situations.
- Enhanced the well-being of foster children by providing a safe, nurturing environment and addressing emotional, social, and educational needs.
- Implemented creative problem-solving techniques to address challenging behaviors exhibited by some foster children while maintaining a supportive atmosphere within the home setting.
- Advocated on behalf of each child in court hearings as necessary.
- Coordinated with therapists, counselors, and other professionals to create individualized plans for each child's development.
- Developed trust-based relationships with each child by offering emotional support and empathetic listening skills when needed most.
- Supported education of children under care through consistent attendance at school and attentiveness to homework assignments.
- Worked with schools to develop Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for students.
- Collaborated with school personnel, and mental health providers to maintain a comprehensive and integrated approach to student services.
Court Appointed Special Advocate
Thurston County Family Court
09.2012 - 11.2014
- Provided emotional support for approximately 4 children throughout the legal process, helping them feel safe and heard.
- Facilitated family reunification when appropriate by monitoring progress toward goals set forth in court-approved plans.
- Enhanced courtroom efficiency by preparing detailed reports and delivering clear presentations of findings during hearings.
- Researched each client's case to become familiarized with their background by carefully reviewing available documents.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive plans addressing the needs of at-risk youth.
- Improved child welfare by providing effective advocacy for children in the court system.
- Assisted judges in making informed decisions by conducting thorough research and presenting accurate data on each case.
- Provided ongoing support to children in court proceedings by attending all hearings, offering emotional guidance, and ensuring their rights were protected.
- Promoted child well-being through regular visitations ensuring their physical, mental, educational, and emotional needs were met.
- Provided assessments and made recommendations to the court.
- Empowered children's voices by representing their interests during critical decision-making processes affecting their lives.
- Testified in court and provided a voice for severely abused and neglected children.
- Utilized strong interpersonal skills when interacting with children in difficult situations, building trust and rapport to gather vital information for their cases.
- Completed extensive training programs to stay current on laws, regulations, policies, and best practices related to child advocacy work.
- Conducted interviews with parents, foster parents, school officials, and other individuals to better understand the client's needs.
Sales Associate
The Home Depot Inc
02.2012 - 11.2014
- Organized racks and shelves to maintain store visual appeal, engage customers, and promote specific merchandise.
- Built relationships with customers to encourage repeat business.
- Managed returns, exchanges, and refunds following store policy.
- Participated in team meetings and training sessions regularly for continuous professional development within the retail industry.
- Greeted approximately 5 - 10 customers daily, qualified and recommended products within the flooring department, garden department, paint department, and appliances to close the sale.
- Certified backup cashier to help when needed.
Family Readiness Group Volunteer
4/160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR
08.2006 - 10.2013
- Provided emotional support to approximately 20 military families, facilitating peer-to-peer counseling sessions.
- Assisted in emergency preparedness planning, ensuring that all families were equipped with essential knowledge and tools needed during crises.
- Organized fundraising efforts to provide monetary assistance to the Family Readiness Group.
- Assisted in the preparation of resource materials for families experiencing deployment or relocation.
- Coordinated Meals on Wheels requests for the Battalion.
- Developed a strong sense of camaraderie among military spouses through regular social gatherings and support groups.
- Boosted morale for deployed service members through the organization of care package drives and letter-writing campaigns.
- Developed and maintained relationships with community organizations and agencies.
- Implemented strategies to disseminate critical information related to deployment, resources, and benefits effectively among FRG members.
- Implemented efficient communication methods by maintaining an updated contact database of military families.
- Organized informative training sessions on various topics that empower family members in managing unique challenges associated with military life.
Education
Associate of Arts - General Studies
Enterprise State Community College
Enterprise, AL05.2007
Skills
- Positive Attitude
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Organized and Efficient
- Attention to Detail
- Community Service
- Adaptability and Dependability
- Computer Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
- Telephone Etiquette
- Leadership Qualities
- Professional Appearance
- Self Motivation
Accomplishments
Nominated and chosen as Fort Campbell's Volunteer of the Year, Army Community Services Programs, 2003.
Awarded Department of the Army Commanders Award for Public Service.
Numerous other awards - available upon request
Raised and raising a family of six.
Additional Information
Training in numerous military programs - available upon request
Training in Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) and raised children with exceptional needs
Timeline
Foster Care Provider
Thurston County Foster Care
06.2016 - 12.2017
Court Appointed Special Advocate
Thurston County Family Court
09.2012 - 11.2014
Volunteer
Sunbreak Missionary Baptist Church
07.2012 - Current
Sales Associate
The Home Depot Inc
02.2012 - 11.2014
Family Readiness Group Volunteer
4/160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR
08.2006 - 10.2013
Associate of Arts - General Studies
Enterprise State Community College
Similar Profiles
ELBERT HAMILTON JR.ELBERT HAMILTON JR.
Executive Pastor at Loving Word Fellowship Church (St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church of Houston, Incorporated)Executive Pastor at Loving Word Fellowship Church (St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church of Houston, Incorporated)
Carol Brown SmithCarol Brown Smith
Associate Minister at Israel Missionary Baptist ChurchAssociate Minister at Israel Missionary Baptist Church
Steven ShaversSteven Shavers
Children's Ministry Volunteer at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist ChurchChildren's Ministry Volunteer at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Peggy SwansonPeggy Swanson
Teacher at Rainier School DistrictTeacher at Rainier School District
Josephine ReedJosephine Reed
I.T. Apprentice at Lil' Pond Techs LLCI.T. Apprentice at Lil' Pond Techs LLC