Nan Benally
Snohomish,United States
Summary
Experienced professional program manager with 10+ years of expertise supporting and empowering underrepresented groups by designing and leading initiatives to forward critical objectives to address diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to elevate the acumen of manager and leaders to address the needs and experience in coordinating projects, programs and improvements in creating an inclusive workplace culture.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Research Consultant
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA
11.2021 - Current
- Streamlined research processes to meet tight deadlines for 3 year grant project.
- Collaborated with leadership team to identify relevant questions and determine best methods of collection.
- Targeted qualitative and quantitative research by focusing on specific demographic parameters for northern CA tribes.
- Wrote research papers, reports, reviews and summaries regarding Murdered & Missing Indigenous Persons.
- Used MAXQDA to determine data-set correlations while initiating qualitative functions.
- Engaged research team through Asana on project deliverables and successfully met key milestones.
- Used qualitative and quantitative information to model national trends in MMIWP and prepare reports.
- Generated data models, performed STADA and analysis and helped produce reports outlining results.
Tribal Grants Program Manager
Council Of State Governments, CSG
Lexington, KY
11.2017 - 09.2021
- Led multimillion dollar projects during tenure with international association focusing on diverse underrepresented groups (tribal, ethnic, women, LGBTQI) while increasing business opportunities by 25% in areas of membership, retention and support though training, networking, outreach and direct support of leaders, community members and allies
- Designed and built new programming strategies focusing on successful reentry initiatives enhancing social justice mission of stakeholders and diversify offerings toward key goals of inclusion and equity resulting in 3 publications for international distribution focusing on issues of social justice in community corrections for underrepresented groups, focusing on Alaska Native/Native Americans (AN/NA), African American, 2-Spirit (LGBTQI) groups and white papers in support of legislative initiatives focusing on minority issues in areas of women (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), Violence Against Women (VOWA), Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) presented during national listening sessions.
- Oversaw 8 projects each year from concept through final delivery with 95+% delivery success rate while directly supporting leaders with scheduled outcome reports for project deliverables, timelines, budget and biannual performance measures reports.
- Tracked and reported (verbal,written) monthly program results to customers and stakeholders (number of trainings, customers served directly/indirectly, new product developments, financial overview, contingency planning) to facilitate change management activities for all active projects and input into national federal database or other management system. Reports were presented at International meetings , local community groups, tribal nations and other underrepresented groups adhering to local tribal customs regarding language, dress, time and place among such considerations for consideration of maximum inclusion.
- Designed infrastructure solutions to help professionally develop business partners, stakeholders, program managers, HR partners to resolve programmatic business issues and improve delivery processes resulting in average of 95% Highly Satisfied rating for all training and program implementations resulting from exit interviews.
- Launched monthly holistic and tribal training programs for international audiences via web-based media programs and partnering with renowned thought leaders in areas of timely diversity equity and inclusion topics such as restorative justice from an indigenous worldview, tribal justice strategic planning process and justice work with native women with an average of 70 members per training sessions with 95+% Very Satisfied rating in exit interviews of all participants.
- Developed, evaluated and provided pilot training for national and international legislation on underrepresented minorities in areas of domestic violence, women, legal responsibility resulting in publication. Developed policy briefs for consideration with policy change to serve as a template for continued work in this area and outreach to 85% of 574 federally recognized tribal nations in the United States as well as international nations from Canada, Australia, New Zealand to name a few.
Counselor
Administrative Office Of The Courts - Jefferson Co
Louisville, KY
05.2013 - 08.2014
- Advised and supervised for successful compliance and facilitated psychoeducational and cognitive behavioral therapy group and individual sessions in outpatient setting with average caseload of 30 clients per week and 95% from underrepresented minority groups.
- Increased coordinated referrals for support services through national and international affiliates and included holistic approach with integration of multidisciplinary treatment team
- Established innovative sentencing options and alternatives for drug offenses and maintained client privacy and followed HIPAA privacy and security regulations.
Neuropsychometrist
Norton Brownsboro Hospital - Neuroscience Institut
Louisville, IL
08.2011 - 11.2012
- Offered psychological assessment services and diagnosed mental disorders for complex or unusually difficult patients with Alzheimer's, Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), dementia and other neurological disorders by administering from array of 100+ standardized psychological assessments requiring 90% administration accuracy for testing software to produce in-depth reports detailing statistical parameters to assist in independent and multi-disciplinary evaluations to formulate diagnostic impressions and provide treatment plans.
- Conducted average of 6 weekly neuropsychological intake and assessments at staged intervals (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) during course of client treatments while collaborating and facilitating liaisons with multidisciplinary treatment team (neurosurgery, rehabilitation, admissions , scheduling, financial, long term placement facility , spiritual, and family)representatives for collaborative input to achieve 75+% increased positive clinical treatment outcomes while streamlining coordinated delivery of services.
- Prepared variety of different written and oral communications, reports and documents to ensure equity in access for family and client as well as any additional treatment team members to insure optimal level of communications.
- Participated in educational programs, in-service training or workshops to remain current in methods and techniques and to maintain updated on new software updates for each of tests administered.
- Prepared neuropsychological reports using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, direct observations and interviews.
Senior Research Analyst
University Of Louisville - Psych & Brain Sciences
Louisville, KY
09.2010 - 09.2011
- Streamlined research processes to meet tight deadlines for multiple projects.
- Wrote research papers, reports, reviews and summaries regarding Williams Syndrome with preschool children..
- Used STADA statistical and DRAGON qualitative data to model trends in Neurodevelopmental disorders and targeted social referencing parameters of as related to chromosomal markers for preschoolers with Down or Williams syndrome.
- Interacted with over 100 study participants by preparing for examinations, interviews, obtaining consent and collecting data from live observations and resulted in acknowledgement in final academic publication resulting from this dissertation study.
- Performed research into study topics to increase knowledge and to provide valuable contributions and collaborated with research team to develop and implement best practices awhile adhering to timelines.
- Designed and executed study approaches for clients challenged with communication social and developmental skills through innovative brainstorming and continually updated learning in areas of sign language, resources for families with Williams and assisted in interview structure to address issues of diversity challenges in language, ethnic customs and concerns.
Adjunct Professor
Indiana University Southeast
Albany, IN
12.2009 - 08.2010
- Implemented diverse instructional techniques and integrated technology to enhance student learning.
- Prepared and delivered lectures to 60 students/3 classes per semester of undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as intro to psychology, cognitive processes and work motivation and incorporated diversity topics facing underrepresented groups in field of psychology through case studies. research topics and national and international conference participations hosted by organizations, partners and businesses supporting these initiatives.
- Worked flexible hours; night, weekend, holiday shifts.
- Prepared variety of different written communications, reports and documents to ensure smooth operations and utilized software such as BlackBoard, Artemis, SMART Classroom and academic state software for universities to record performance measures on student outcomes
- Received Outstanding Psychology Faculty Award for work with student engagement , at-risk students and crisis management initiatives for students.
- Participated in team-building activities to enhance working relationships.
- Developed and implemented performance improvement strategies and improved student engagement with department by 65% through outreach, mentoring, cross-collaboration with pipeline sources such as other schools, counselors, teachers from other fields of study, national student organizations such as Psi Chi, American Indian Society of Engineering Students (AISES), Latinx in Psychology and Black student organizations.
- Spearheaded outreach into creating Psychology Student Group in field of Education and provided opportunities for mentorship to guide students into diverse field of psychology in STEM, law, social policy, health to support and encourage multidisciplinary career planning and encourage critical thinking skills for research.
- Developed and maintained courteous and effective working relationships while actively listening to customers' requests, confirming understanding as concerns are addressed.
- Evaluated and revised lesson plans and course content to achieve student-centered learning and used variety of learning modalities and support materials to facilitate learning process and accentuate presentations.
Program Services Director
Seven Counties Services Inc.
Louisville, KY
12.2009 - 08.2010
- Promoted direct lines of communication with stakeholders, developing creative solutions to program attendee needs to increase scope of engagement with creation of Parent Committee and including family representative on Human Rights Committee supporting organization's advocacy and self-empowerment mission and goals.
- Developed rigorous onboarding processes for new employees, working to establish strong employee retention initiatives in and collaborated with Human Resources (HR) to include systems review check system to ensure issues of inclusion were adequately addressed.
- Maintained direct communication with organizational support services and external stakeholders, diversifying program offerings such as resources for language interpreter, sign language personnel to assist in communications with family, patients and other stakeholders as well inclusion of these personnel in discussions with national partners regarding placement and transfer resolutions for patients.
- Established consistent communication at program level, holding daily, weekly and monthly shift reports and staff meetings for progress reporting and dissemination of relevant details and increased efficiency and accuracy ratings by 80% in shift-shift transitions.
- Initiated timely project management within budget constraints for multi-faceted problems concerning executive leaders and achieved this by cross-collaborating with other departments to share resources more efficiently to keep costs down while expanding resources for residents netting organization no increase in budgetary expenses while increasing client and family engagement by 75%.
- Hired, managed, developed, mentored and trained 50 staff from three departments (front-line unit supervisors, social work, psychology) for state mental health secured facility for patients with mental disabilities.
- Improved customer satisfaction scores by 45% through application of superior conflict resolution and problem-solving skills through cross-collaboration with Risk Management department by developing internal requirements and standards to minimize regulatory risks and liability across programs such as maintaining certification records of personnel and training standards for staff and personnel.
- Improved office operations by automating client correspondence, record tracking and data communications and trained staff on use of spreadsheets, report format standardization among departments to increase efficiency of tasks and accuracy of reporting measures for executive staff.
- Coordinated nursing activities and staffing with health-related, therapeutic and support services to streamline service delivery through weekly Treatment Team meetings to in-houses case consultations in efforts to evaluate and monitor care and services to continuously improve quality levels in level of care, engagement with family and patients and executive and board mission and goals.
- Implemented successful healthcare program through professionalism, quality of care, medical teaching and patient satisfaction, identifying new areas of scientific research and collaborated with national and international organizations to leverage industry connections.
- Enforced nursing practice standards and recommended unit and institution policies and procedures to boost medical care quality, assuring HIPAA standards regarding confidentiality of records were maintained to industry standards, and fostered excellence by example by "setting pace" and being hands on mentor to clinical staff.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZMasters of Counseling - Counseling Psychology
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZNo Degree - Ph.D. Counseling Psychology
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WINo Degree - Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WISkills
- MS Office Programs proficiency & Web based Training
- Program Leadership and Recruitment
- Organizational Development and Research Grants
- Analytical and Critical Thinking
- Cultural Awareness and Public Relations
- Training and Development
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Excellent Written & Verbal Communication
- Training and mentoring
- Data collection and organization
Affiliations
Alpha Pi Omega (APO), National Native American Women Sorority
American Probation & Parole Association (APPA)
American Psychological Association (APA)
Building Resiliency in Campus Community (BRICC) Coalition, University of Louisville
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Relatives Task Force (NM, AZ)
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
Society of Indian Psychologists of the Americas (SIP)
Toastmasters International, Card Talk, University of Louisville
Languages
Navajo
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Associate Research Consultant
Yurok Tribe
11.2021 - Current
Tribal Grants Program Manager
Council Of State Governments, CSG
11.2017 - 09.2021
Counselor
Administrative Office Of The Courts - Jefferson Co
05.2013 - 08.2014
Neuropsychometrist
Norton Brownsboro Hospital - Neuroscience Institut
08.2011 - 11.2012
Senior Research Analyst
University Of Louisville - Psych & Brain Sciences
09.2010 - 09.2011
Adjunct Professor
Indiana University Southeast
12.2009 - 08.2010
Program Services Director
Seven Counties Services Inc.
12.2009 - 08.2010
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Arizona State University
Masters of Counseling - Counseling Psychology
Arizona State University
No Degree - Ph.D. Counseling Psychology
University of Wisconsin - Madison
No Degree - Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
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