Ravita Maharaj
Silver Spring,MD
Summary
Accomplished, resilient Director with an excellent track record in advancing organizational goals, excelling in developing high quality programs, management and implementation of evidence-based practices. Spearheaded initiatives improving outcomes by 75%, secured over $4M in funding, and enhanced system-wide assessments. Expert in data utilization and delivering high-impact results, fostering cross-functional teamwork, diverse stakeholder alliances, and consistently maintaining product revenue by 90%.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
DIRECTOR, ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS
American Association On Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities
06.2010 - Current
- Champion best practices, strategies, and partnership approaches with state developmental disabilities agencies to set into place systems change initiatives.
- Provide significant technical and training (TAT) support with implementation activities of evidence-based assessments, offering viable solutions to domestic and global customers.
- Deliver contracted standardized trainings annually to over 20 state disability agencies and 3rd-party contractors, with support from senior Trainers to ensure adherence to national standards.
- Leverage effective state partnerships to consistently maintain product revenue by 90%.
- Foster active role in knowledge translation among Association's research platform and state systems of care.
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION COORDINATOR
Community Connections, Inc.
06.2007 - 06.2010
- Crucial to maximizing outreach, recruitment, and reassessment goals by 75% to align with grant proposal guidelines.
- Improved at least 50% of project participants' outcomes through coordinated operative efforts to integrate research and assessment with clinical services.
- Performed bi-annual fidelity audits of three evidence-based practices, combining them with clinical and direct services.
DIVISION DIRECTOR | DIRECTOR
Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute/Catholic Charities
06.1995 - 05.2007
- Fueled improvement with self-sufficiency goals for high-risk populations in cooperation with local, state and policy makers, along with workforce and business partners.
- Co-authored and submitted five major proposals that secured $3M in federal funding.
- Integral to obtaining over $1M in state and federal funding that supported three distinct programs.
- Streamlined processes to achieve financial sustainability of four-year demonstration grant for Homeless Outreach Prevention Evaluation from Social Security Administration.
- Acted in core capacity during organization's accreditation initiative, effectively championing development and implementation of quality assurance (QA) protocols.
Education
Certificate in Mixed Methods Research (MMR) - Research Methodology And Quantitative Methods
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI06.2020
Ph.D. - Social Work
Catholic University of America
Washington, DC12.2009
Master of Social Work - Social Work
Howard University
Washington, DC12.1993
Skills
Implementation
Program/Division Management and Administration
Technical Assistance and Training Development
Research to Practice
Data Analysis and Evaluation
Documentation & Reporting
Functional Teamwork and Staff Coaching
Partnerships and Stakeholder Alliances
Additional Information
- Farber, M. L. Z. and Maharaj, R. (2005). Empowering high-risk families of children with disabilities. Research on Social Work Practice, 15(6), 501-515.
- Wolf, E., Dahl, J., Maharaj, R., Manwar, A. (2012). Provider perspectives on refining services for homeless people with histories of co-occurring disorders and criminal justice involvement. Offender Programs Report. Online ISSN: 2334-5713, 15, 5, 65-75.
- Kramer, J. M., Schwartz, A.E., Watkins, D., Peace, M., Maharaj, R ., et al. (2019). Improving research and practice: Priorities for young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental health needs. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities. Online ISSN: 1931-5872. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2019.1636910.
- Maharaj, R ., & Nygren, M. A. (2022). From face-to-face to virtual instruction: Developing competencies to administer a standardized assessment during COVID-19. Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education.
- Thompson, J.R., Schlock, R.L., Shogren, K.A., Tassé, M.J., Wehmeyer, M.L., Craig, E.P.M., Hughes, C.M. (2023). Supports Intensity Scale-Adult Version (2nd Ed.) User's Guide. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. [ Project Editor, credited on acknowledgements.]
Additional Information
Reviewer, Culture of Health Leaders Program, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Grant Reviewer/Panel Moderator, United States Department of Education
Grant Reviewer, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
Member, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Member, National Association of Social Workers, DC Metro Chapter
Member, Society for Social Work Research
DC Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)
Timeline
DIRECTOR, ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS
American Association On Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities
06.2010 - Current
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION COORDINATOR
Community Connections, Inc.
06.2007 - 06.2010
DIVISION DIRECTOR | DIRECTOR
Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute/Catholic Charities
06.1995 - 05.2007
Certificate in Mixed Methods Research (MMR) - Research Methodology And Quantitative Methods
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ph.D. - Social Work
Catholic University of America
Master of Social Work - Social Work
Howard University
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