Hi, I’m
Reuben Mwango
Portland,OR
Summary
Organizational Strategist and Donor Relations Expert Compassionate and motivated social justice advocate with comprehensive knowledge of social justice issues and systems affecting marginalized communities. Highly skilled in organizational strategizing and donor relation cultivation with over a decade of experience in developing and executing strategies that drive organizational growth and enhance donor engagement. Proven ability to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with donors, ensuring high retention rates and increased contributions. Adept at aligning strategic initiatives with organizational goals, leveraging analytical and communication skills to optimize fundraising efforts and foster lasting partnerships. Passionate about empowering communities and driving sustainable change through strategic planning, effective donor stewardship, and robust leadership development.
Overview
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Community Alliance of Tenants
Organizational Consultant
12.2023 - Current
Job overview
- Designing marketing materials meant to lure in prospective donors, and provide personalized engagement opportunities, resulting in a 30% increase among donors over the calendar year 2024.
- Organized donor recognition events, including personalized communications, highlighting the impact of their contribution on the community.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously (i.e., donor relationship cultivation, policy advocacy, designing and facilitating employee performance development training) ensuring timely delivery and client satisfaction.
- Utilized Adobe Creative Suite and other Microsoft 365-based apps (including PowerPoint) to produce high-quality visual aids for training sessions.
- Designed, conducted, and facilitated several full-day retreats covering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training Sessions, policy and procedure reformulation, and crafting of organizational Vision and Mission Statements for all 36 Community Alliance of Tenants employees.
Community Alliance of Tenants
Current Board Vice President
01.2019 - Current
Job overview
- Participated in legislative advocacy relating to affordable housing, rental assistance, tenant rights and protections with noteworthy advocacy for the passage of Oregon Senate Bill 611 among other bills.
- Overseeing and consulting in the hiring of the organization’s higher-level management and executive team.
- Providing fiscal oversight over the organization’s approximately $3 million annual budgetary formulation and implementation.
- In-person meetings with state legislators to champion bills aimed at combating homelessness and other housing related issues by establishing and maintaining strong relationships with lawmakers, government officials, and other advocacy groups.
- Assisting tenants via the hotline by recording landlord-related issues, including referring them to appropriate legal authorities and other available assistance.
KBOO Community Radio
Volunteer Radio Host
01.2016 - Current
Job overview
- Stand-in radio host hosting talk shows and music programs covering cultural-centered and community-relevant topics and entertainment.
- Frequent guest commenter covering current affairs affecting the local Oregon population and the nation.
Liberation Literacy
Board Member/Volunteer
01.2014 - Current
Job overview
- Prison reform advocacy, sourcing funding for study materials for liberation studies classes in prison.
- Fundraised for the organization through grant writing and fundraising events for reentry programs. Through these efforts, I was able to secure a five-year $360,000 yearly endowment from a private philanthropist.
- Connecting former prisoners to appropriate community resources and mentors.
- Recruited and coordinated volunteers to offer rehabilitation programs in jails and prisons.
- Spoke and performed music at organizational fundraising and promotional events.
- Mentoring formerly incarcerated youth coming out of the juvenile correctional system.
SEIU LOCAL 503 – Women of Color Caucus
Organizational Consultant
03.2024 - 11.2024
Job overview
- Researched the caucus’ history and presented a concise overview of the purposes and goals that led to its founding. This, then, led to my facilitation of the caucus council members being able to craft their caucus vision and mission statements.
- Developed and facilitated strategy sessions that allowed caucus council members to lay down actionable objective items to be completed in the coming months while ensuring that they were aligned with union goals.
- Other training Sessions designed and facilitated included: Skill-building workshops on negotiation, conflict resolution, and leadership.
- Member Engagement: Strategies to increase member involvement and participation.
- Strategies to create greater visibility and agency for the caucus.
- Planning outreach activities to engage members and recruit new members.
- Action Plans formulated: Performed and facilitated a non-financial forensic exam of caucus operations using SWOT analysis.
- Facilitated setting timelines and responsibilities for upcoming actions or campaigns using SMART goals.
- Created a social media campaign strategy to bolster caucus visibility and helped facilitate the delegation of different action items to caucus council members.
Victory Outreach Church
Creative Arts Director
03.2015 - 11.2023
Job overview
- Developed and implemented creative strategies for cultivating philanthropic organizations and individual donors that could support the church’s two gender-specific addiction recovery homes.
- Recruited and trained volunteers in music theory, playing various musical instruments, and basic sound engineering techniques.
- Formulated and implemented a yearly church operational budget worth $2 million. Provided administrative support with church accounting.
- Created and coordinated community fundraising and outreach events that resulted in doubling yearly fundraising events resulting in a 40% increase in church revenue and, a 20% increase in church attendance over two years.
- Grew music team from 7 to 42 volunteers in one year.
- Use various software programs to create music charts, schedules for the team members and visual arts presentations to be used for service presentations.
Intuit QuickBooks
Technical Support Specialist
06.2013 - 05.2014
Job overview
- Educated clients on product capabilities and basic product accounting tools.
- Providing phone, email, or chat support to customers who are having issues with QuickBooks.
- Troubleshooting technical issues with the software, such as installation problems, error messages, or software bugs.
- Assisting customers with setting up and configuring QuickBooks for their specific needs.
- Answering questions about how to use specific features of QuickBooks or how to perform certain tasks within the software.
- Escalating complex technical issues to higher-level support teams or software engineers for resolution.
- Documenting customer interactions and resolutions in a support ticketing system.
- Providing excellent customer service and ensuring that all customer inquiries are addressed in a timely and professional manner.
- Provided technical support for software deployment.
Multnomah University
Technical Support Specialist
01.2012 - 05.2013
Job overview
- Trouble-shooting various software and hardware issues.
- Providing phone, email, or chat support to customers who are having issues with QuickBooks.
- Troubleshooting technical issues with the software, such as installation problems, error messages, or software bugs.
- Assisting customers with setting up and configuring QuickBooks for their specific needs.
- Answering questions about how to use specific features of QuickBooks or how to perform certain tasks within the software.
- Escalating complex technical issues to higher-level support teams or software engineers for resolution.
- Documenting customer interactions and resolutions in a support ticketing system.
- Providing excellent customer service and ensuring that all customer inquiries are addressed in a timely and professional manner.
- Coordinating deployments for new software and hardware.
- Asset tracking.
- Helping faculty understand the utility of CRM software (i.e., HubSpot, SalesForce, etc.).
- Installation and maintenance of hardware and software tools and managing data migrations.
VW Credit, Inc
Credit and Collections Representative
03.2008 - 05.2009
Job overview
- Evaluating clients' account statements and financial transactions to advise on best practices for account viability.
- Analyzing their credit scores and other financial documents to determine credit eligibility.
- Creating payment plans for outstanding debts.
Kronos Talent Management
Lead Client Services Coordinator
11.2006 - 03.2008
Job overview
- Supervised a group of 8 associates.
- Coordinated client technical support via phone and email.
- Troubleshooting electronic hiring software.
- Overseeing data transfers for solutions with integrations for payroll, background checks and drug tests.
- Provide technical support for client job requisitions.
- Upselling supplemental talent management solutions.
HSBC
Customer Service Representative
01.2005 - 10.2006
Job overview
- Activating credit accounts.
- Selling enhancement products for credit protection.
- Collecting payments and making payment arrangements over the phone.
Mission Press
Studio Session Musician, Performer, Marketing Associate
01.2000 - 10.2004
Job overview
- Performing as a studio musician and producer for the studio’s recording clients.
- Performing politically charged music to advocate for better governance.
- Marketing the studio’s audio and visual capabilities for clients seeking media advertising.
- Being a voice-over artist for T.V. and Radio ads.
Education
Western Governors UniversitySalt Lake City, Utah
Master of Science Degree from Management and Leadership
02.2023
Portland State UniversityPortland, Oregon
Bachelor of Arts Degree from Social Sciences
12.2021
Portland State UniversityPortland, Oregon
Certificate from Global Studies
12.2021
Skills
- Instructional planning
- Goal-oriented planning
- Leadership development programs
- Strong verbal communication
- Strong written communication
- Grant proposal development
- Engaging presentation skills
- Data analysis
- Program evaluation
- Scholarly writing
- Public speaking in media
- Problem-solving skills
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Strong organizational abilities
- Coordinating events
- Fundraising campaign management
Languages
English
Bemba
Chichewa
Chewa
Nyanja
Spanish (current student)
Community And Non Profit Experience
- Community Alliance of Tenants, Portland, Oregon, 2019-01-01 to Present, Current Board Vice President, Former Board Treasurer, Participated in legislative advocacy relating to affordable housing, rental assistance, tenant rights and protections, Overseeing and consulting in the hiring of the organization’s higher-level management and executive team, Providing fiscal oversight over the organization’s approximately $3 million annual budgetary formulation and implementation, In-person meetings with state legislators to champion bills aimed at combating homelessness, Assisting tenants via the hotline by recording landlord-related issues
- Liberation Literacy, Portland, Oregon, 2014-01-01 to Present, Board Member/Volunteer, Prison reform advocacy, sourcing funding for study materials for liberation studies classes in prison, Fundraised for the organization through grant writing and fundraising events for reentry programs, Connecting former prisoners to appropriate community resources and mentors, Recruited and coordinated volunteers to offer rehabilitation programs in jails and prisons, Mentoring formerly incarcerated youth
- KBOO Community Radio, Portland, Oregon, 2016-01-01 to Present, Volunteer Radio Host, Stand-in radio host hosting talk shows and music programs covering cultural-centered and community-relevant topics, Frequent guest commenter covering current affairs
Auxiliary Skills And Awards
- Accomplished multi-musical instrumentalist and singer
- Youngest activist to be targeted by Zambian government for political activism
- Speaker and writer representing several statewide organizations
Media
Feminist Teacher, 2019-01-01, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/femteacher.28.2-3.0124, Community Alliance of Tenants Fundraising Efforts, 2024-01-01, https://katu.com/afternoon-live/lifestyle-health/community-alliance-of-tenants-12-19-2024
Timeline
Organizational Consultant
SEIU LOCAL 503 – Women of Color Caucus
03.2024 - 11.2024
Organizational Consultant
Community Alliance of Tenants
12.2023 - Current
Current Board Vice President
Community Alliance of Tenants
01.2019 - Current
Volunteer Radio Host
KBOO Community Radio
01.2016 - Current
Creative Arts Director
Victory Outreach Church
03.2015 - 11.2023
Board Member/Volunteer
Liberation Literacy
01.2014 - Current
Technical Support Specialist
Intuit QuickBooks
06.2013 - 05.2014
Technical Support Specialist
Multnomah University
01.2012 - 05.2013
Credit and Collections Representative
VW Credit, Inc
03.2008 - 05.2009
Lead Client Services Coordinator
Kronos Talent Management
11.2006 - 03.2008
Customer Service Representative
HSBC
01.2005 - 10.2006
Studio Session Musician, Performer, Marketing Associate
Mission Press
01.2000 - 10.2004
Portland State University
Bachelor of Arts Degree from Social Sciences
Portland State University
Certificate from Global Studies
Western Governors University
Master of Science Degree from Management and Leadership