Sandy Liang
Appleton
Summary
Outcomes-driven professional with a passion to connect people and ideas for collective impact. Seeking to leverage research, strategic planning, and partnership building experience to empower clients in ways that improve outcomes for underserved children.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
5
5
Certifications
Work History
Outreach Specialist, Division of Extension
University Of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison
11.2013 - Current
- Responding to community needs with research-based programming and leadership that supports thriving, resilient Wisconsin families.
- Leading non-profits, schools, and coalitions/networks in strategic planning processes to develop vision and mission statements, goals, and sustainable action planning in engaging ways.
- Using needs assessments, data collection and analyses, and evaluations to drive direction of future work and to share outcomes in innovative ways with stakeholders.
- Developing educational resources to promote best practices rooted in research
- Progressive leadership roles through professional affiliations and project management; supervising students through local universities and internship opportunities.
- Collaborated with non-profits, public agencies, to support implementation of best practices and collective impact.
Project Manager
AmeriCorps*VISTA/University of Wisconsin-Superior
07.2012 - 07.2013
- Managed and coordinated multiple projects within University of Wisconsin-Superior's Center for Academic Service-Learning to match undergraduate student learning with community needs addressing poverty and healthy lifestyles.
- Identified and developed over 13 new partnerships between the university and local community to support service-learning efforts within one year through asset mapping and targeted goals.
- Worked with professors to develop needs assessments and student learning outcomes for courses in service-learning.
- Co-leading local coalition through strategic planning and community partners to promote healthy lifestyles in low-income families.
- Successfully obtained local, state and national grants during service year to support local programming.
Head Teacher
Next Generation Early Childcare Center
Champaign
01.2011 - 01.2012
- Engaging with children to promote positive educational, social and emotional growth.
- Designing and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum to support learning outcomes.
- Developing positive rapport with parents/caregivers.
Policy Intern
Purdue University
West Lafayette
01.2009 - 12.2010
- Organized annual Family Impact Seminars, a series to connect state policymakers with nonpartisan, solution-oriented research on issues relating to child development.
- Responsible for compiling list of speakers with expertise in educational policy; invitation and communications with legislators.
- Designed and analyzed participant surveys.
Research Assistant
Purdue University
West Lafayette
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Leading team of five to recruit 34 preschool centers to participate in research projects: successfully coordinated and scheduled completion of approximately 230 child assessments.
- Administered and scored various child assessments: CELF (Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals) and WJ-III (Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement, version III) and Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA-3); conducted parent interviews on attitude towards literacy.
- Designed questionnaires for teachers and parents using literature reviews and modified scales; responsible for scheduling and coordinating with participating sites.
- Worked collaboratively to obtain national grant funding for early childhood research projects.
Research Assistant
Michigan State University
East Lansing
01.2007 - 2008
- Collaborated on multidisciplinary team on the revision of a risk assessment for recidivism of parents in cases of abused and neglected children in with the Department of Psychology and Ingham County Court.
- Performed data coding/organization of participant materials with a focus on reliability of assessment domains predicting child abuse and neglect; performed risk assessment modification through factor analysis.
National Science Foundation Research Intern
Western Kentucky University
06.2006 - 08.2021
- Performed literature reviews, organized participant materials, scored questionnaires, data entry using SPSS, and data analysis; trained in behavioral coding for videotaped parent-child play interaction.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Denison University
Granville, OH 05.2001 - 12.2008
Master of Science - Child Development and Family Studies
Purdue University
Skills
Grant writing
Additional Information
Liang, S.(2020). Math Readiness.. Parenting the Preschooler. Available at: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/parentingthepreschooler/files/2021/04/PTP-Math-Readiness-final.pdf
Liang, S. (2000). Appreciate Differences. Parenting the Preschooler. Available at: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/parentingthepreschooler/files/2021/05/PTP-Appreciate-Differences-final.pdf
Liang, S. (2017). Ella Earns Her Own Money. Dollars During Development, Available at: https://finances.extension.wisc.edu/files/2021/03/Ella-Earns-Her-Own-Money.pdf
Beckendorf, J. and Liang, S. (April, 2016). “Friday Field Notes”. Military Families Learning Network. U.S. Department of Defense. Available at:http://bit.ly/1YxF9Al
Liang, S. (2015). Issue 3: Planning for Tax Time. Money Smart in Head Start. University of Wisconsin-Extension. Available at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/moneysmartheadstart/files/2011/08/FINAL-issue-3-taxes1.pdf
Abert, C., Liang, S., and Veroff, D. (2015). Child Abuse Fact Sheet in Adams County [Fact sheet]. University of Wisconsin-Extension. Available at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/wi4hvolunteers/files/2015/05/Adams-County.pdf
Evangelou, D., Dobbs-Oates, J., Bagiati, A., Liang, S., & Choi, J.Y. (2010). Talking about artifacts: Preschool children\'s explorations with sketches, stories, and tangible objects. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 12. Available at: http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v12n2/evangelou.html.
Selected Presentations
Liang, S., Vance, N., Walsh, J., and Wunnicke, C, (October, 2019). Small Savings Build Big Dreams. Presented at the 2019 National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Hershey, PA.
Liang, S. (March, 2017). "Expanding Access to the Latino/Hispanic Population in Waupaca County [Video webinar]". Sustainable Equitable Engagement Process (SEEP) project and the Civil Rights Leadership Team (CRLT).
Beckendorf, J. & Liang, S. (March, 2016). From Education to Action: A Story. Presented at the UW- Extension North Central Region All Colleague Conference, Minocqua, WI.
Bertsch, Bob. (2016). "Jessica Beckendorf and Sandy Liang, Episode 85 [Audio Podcast]. Working Differently in Extension.
Liang, S. (March, 2016). Building Bridges across Communities: connecting with leaders in the Latino/Hispanic Community to create community change. Presented at the UW-Extension North Central Region All Colleague Conference, Minocqua, WI.
Kirchner, H., Liang, S., Tidemann, M.D., and Wiese, L. (September, 2015). Polish and Reset for Brilliance: Wisconsin Bookworms™ Program Reader Training. Presentation at Wisconsin Association State WAHCE Conference, Stevens Point, WI.
Liang, S. (April, 2015). Building Blocks for Financial Futures: program process to begin community collaboration. Poster presentation at Joint Council of Extension Professionals, Wisconsin Dells, WI.
Liang, S., & Dobbs-Oates, J. (April, 2011). Train-the-trainer as a method of professional development. Roundtable presentation at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Liang, S. & Dobbs-Oates, J. (March, 2011). Disseminating Dialogic Reading: Investigating Barriers and Motivations for Implementation. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, Montreal, Canada.
Dobbs-Oates, J., & Liang, S. (September, 2009). Furthering faculty research goals while serving Extension and the community. Presented at the National Outreach Scholarship Conference, Athens, GA.
Accomplishments
- Wisconsin Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (WEAFCS) Rosalie Powell Financial Management Award, 2019-Small Savings Build Big Dreams
- National Extension Association for Family & Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) Communications Award, 2017-Money $mart in Head Start Newsletters
- National Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) Distinguished Team Award, 2017-Dollars During Development Workgroup
- Joint Council Extension Professionals (JCEP) Team Award, 2017-"Building Bridges across Communities": Waupaca County Outreach Efforts to Latino/Hispanic Families
- Wisconsin Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) Diversity Team Award, 2017-Responding to Veterans in Crisis in Waupaca County
- Wisconsin Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) Team Award, 2017-Dollars During Development Workgroup
- WEAFCS Communication Newsletter Team Award, 2017-Money $mart in Head Start Newsletters
Affiliations
- Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP), 2013-present
- National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS), 2014-present
- Wisconsin Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (WEAFCS), 2013-present. Special roles: Vice President/Editor (2018-present), Co-chair of Public Policy Subcommittee (2017-2019)
- Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP), 2014-present
Certification
Certified Story Stitch Facilitator-Green Card Voices
Timeline
Outreach Specialist, Division of Extension
University Of Wisconsin-Madison
11.2013 - Current
Project Manager
AmeriCorps*VISTA/University of Wisconsin-Superior
07.2012 - 07.2013
Head Teacher
Next Generation Early Childcare Center
01.2011 - 01.2012
Policy Intern
Purdue University
01.2009 - 12.2010
Research Assistant
Purdue University
01.2008 - 01.2010
Research Assistant
Michigan State University
01.2007 - 2008
National Science Foundation Research Intern
Western Kentucky University
06.2006 - 08.2021
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Denison University
05.2001 - 12.2008
Master of Science - Child Development and Family Studies
Purdue University
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