SALLY JO SNYDER
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
Pittsburgh,PA
Summary
For over thirty years I have been a community organizer involved in community building, bearing and becoming.
I have created, organized and lead self-advocates in successful campaigns in inclusion, racial justice, educational justice and health care justice.
With a degree in public education, I have taught the basics of community organizing and created curriculum for self-advocates and with those too often most easily labeled and left behind.
I am an established writer and talented public speaker.
Overview
5
5
years of post-secondary education
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Advocacy and Consumer Engagement
Consumer Health Coalition
Pittsburgh, PA
03.2007 - 08.2020
- Began and lead the Advocacy efforts of the agency into a recognized best practice for self-advocates involving over 35000 persons annually. Built disability self-advocate chapters in Allegheny, Washington and Westmoreland Counties
- Provided testimony on Patient-Centered healthcare and advocacy for the Aging Committee of the United States Senate
- Lead intersectional advocacy efforts for including LGBT in the Pennsylvania State Constitutiion
- Directed the regional advocacy efforts for Medicaid Expansion, Paratransit and Public transportation funding and Activated Patient Campaigns.
- Designed self-advocacy curriculum and trained over 35 self-advocates in legislative visits, writing and having published letters-to-the-editor, base-building, creative advocacy projects and public speaking.
- Frequent speaker and organizer of local and state rallies
- Created and oversaw the Human Library Project for Persons with Behavioral Health
National Coordinator Children's Sabbath Program
Children's Defense Fund
Washington, DC
07.2005 - 02.2007
- Increased faith-based institutions national participation and involvement by 60%
- Co-writer for the Children's Sabbath Manual
- Keynote speaker and workshop leader for pubic education reform for events in Alabama, California, Colorado, North Carolina and South Carolina
- Workshop leader for the national Sojourners conference and Proctor Institue
Regional Coordinator
Good Schools Pennsylvania
Erie, PA
02.2002 - 06.2005
- Organized several hundred local community advocates and six campus chapters around public education reform resulting in passage of several state educational policies
- Organized thousands of United Methodists statewide
- Wrote and secured Episcopal support of United Methodist Church advocacy involvement in public education reform
- Regular guest who highlighted children’s advocacy and public education issues on a local radio show with 30, 000 listeners
Education
Bachelor of Arts - English And Secondary Education
Point Park University
Pittsburgh, PA 08.1983 - 05.1987
Master of Arts - Ordained Ministry
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA 09.1989 - 05.1991
Skills
Community Organizer with over thirty years experience
Sought after communicator of the written and spoken word
Educator having taught college, graduate and doctoral level students, community organizations and social justice agencies
Successful grant writer
Leader in building, growing and maintaining diverse community connections
Timeline
Director of Advocacy and Consumer Engagement
Consumer Health Coalition
03.2007 - 08.2020
National Coordinator Children's Sabbath Program
Children's Defense Fund
07.2005 - 02.2007
Regional Coordinator
Good Schools Pennsylvania
02.2002 - 06.2005
Master of Arts - Ordained Ministry
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
09.1989 - 05.1991
Bachelor of Arts - English And Secondary Education
Point Park University
08.1983 - 05.1987