Sara Parker

• Developed grant and contract proposals for various nonprofit organizations to secure funding. In 2025, raised over $3 million in funding through private foundations, state agencies, and county agencies.
• Researched funding opportunities and created compelling funding strategies for clients' projects and organizational needs in Arts, Social Services, Higher Education, For-Profit, and Non-Profit settings.
• Collaborated with clients of varying sizes ($160,000- over $11 million annual budgets) to outline project goals and needs that meet funding requirements.
• Created budgets and financial plans aligned with grant application guidelines.
• Reviewed and edited grant applications for clarity and compliance with requirements.
• Established relationships with funding agencies to enhance proposal success rates.
• Analyzed previous grant submissions to improve future proposal strategies.
• Provided technical assistance on grant writing techniques and proposal development.
• Maintained records of all activities related to grant seeking efforts; tracked outcomes of submitted proposals.
• Managed multiple projects simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines imposed by granting agencies.
• Attended conferences and workshops related to grant writing topics such as budgeting, research methods.

• Discussed diverse yoga disciplines and specific poses with students, ensuring that students have an in-depth understanding of yoga.
• Cultivated and maintained strong relationships by providing individualized attention amidst group classes.
• Upheld safety standards, adhered to compliance requirements, and attended continuing education courses to maintain credentials.

Teach weekly, open to public dance classes. Faculty member of the High School Youth Program.

• Devised and directed group, couples, and individual dance performances with a group of 25 students, twice a year. Performances premiere to approximately 1,000 audience members over the course of the year.
• Helped with the coordination and administration of the Junior Artist Generator program by mentoring students, aiding in organizing professional development activities, such as workshops and additional performance opportunities.
• Actively engaged in professional development to increase skills, and continue to see improved quality of teaching.

Managed all day-to-day operations of the studio, including staff management, scheduling of classes and instructors, client engagement and retention, teaching, invoicing, stocking studio essentials, equipment maintenance, studio maintenance, social media presence, and all other activities associated with running a small business.

• Taught classes and private sessions in Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis®, while upholding the highest quality of customer service.
• Initiated and executed studio procedures in accordance with OHA and the CDC during the Covid-19 pandemic, and trained all employees on these critical issues.
• Increased visibility and accessibility of studio offerings by partnering with nearby income-restricted housing.
• Collaborated with a New York-based partner studio to facilitate the first Gyrotonic® social media campaign, engaging audiences worldwide, and increasing awareness of Gyrotonic methodologies.
• Increased online bookings in Pilates and Gyrotonic by 58%, and total sales by 25%, over the course of one year.
• Communicated clearly with employees via phone, email, Zoom meetings, and in-person functions, increasing team morale amidst 2020-2021.
• Facilitated in-studio training with a Master Trainer in Gyrotonic for continuing education for studio staff.

Managed all operations of studio for a staff of 25+ including: front desk staff management, teacher management, client engagement and retention, social media presence, grant writing assistance, and payroll.

• Contributed to securing over 100k in Grant/Foundation support for Education Programming in the 2021/2022 season.
• Initiated DEI efforts by actively engaging in and recruiting teachers and classes from diverse backgrounds and abilities. This led to a 100% BIPOC Artist Youth Faculty.
• Led recruiting, hiring and training of qualified front desk staff.
• Monitored program enrollment to communicate further needs to marketing team as well as oversee all hiring for teachers and front desk staff.
  

• Served as dance program chair, dual credit liaison, and director of dance performances. Responsible for teaching and mentoring students of diverse backgrounds and often underserved populations.
• Drove a 30% increase in dance enrollment despite 15% college-wide enrollment decline.
• Applied leadership skills at PCC's multi-campus college to produce 10 dance concerts over the course of three years featuring hundreds of dance students, high school dance companies and local dance artists which helped to foster awareness of the dance program to the Portland dance community
• Invested substantial time and effort into reviewing and changing academic curriculum to increase enrollment; partnered with administrators to ensure student safety and increase the quality of the classroom environments; and motivated colleagues to participate in Learning Assessments.
• Initiated and executed organizing the inaugural Oregon Dance Education Organization conference at PCC. Received Professional Organizational Development grant, and Innovative Project grant and increased visibility of dance at PCC at a state-wide level.
• Partnered with Teaching and Learning Center to host workshop for PCC students and staff with guest speaker Terra Anderson on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Embodying Inclusivity.