Sharon McDonnell Hubregsen

Provided Animal Assisted Interaction in various inpatient and outpatient medical settings. This included the memory until for older adults with dementia, the inpatient adolescent psychiatric unit of a New York City hospital, a shelter for at risk youth and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC and NJ. Adhered to strict guidelines and maintained training and accreditation required to perform this service. Our visits were designed to lessen patient and family anxiety and distress to help visitors feel more comfortable in a medical setting. These visits were sometimes in emotionally difficult situations. Conducted the visits in a polite, professional manner while tending to my pets (dogs) to maintain their safety and wellbeing.

WWO's mission is to transform vulnerable lives in underserved communities through play based learning. WWO has programs in Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Haiti, Ukraine, the US and Vietnam. The hallmark of WWO's programs encompass the element of play, positive youth development and camp programs. While a part of the board co-chaired the Program Committee. Traveled to Haiti on a mission trip and was privileged to witness the success of WWO's approach first hand.

• Collaborated with other board members to develop and execute programs and initiatives to advance organizational mission.
• Served as advocate and ambassador for organization by fully engaging, identifying, and securing resources and partnerships to advance mission.

Provided case management services for nationally ranked children's hospital that integrated clinical expertise, exceptional research and innovative technology. Worked closely with patients and their families assisting with the complex issues related to life threatening medical diagnoses. Evaluated the the social, emotional, and physical needs of clients and provided supportive counseling, therapeutic group work, psychoeducation and referrals for supportive services. Completed assessments for abuse and medical neglect. Assisted clients in navigating community resources for optimal support and services. Provided crisis intervention services to ensure the safety of clients experiencing mental health emergencies.

• Gained valuable experience working within specific industry, applying learned concepts directly into relevant work situations.

Planned and completed intakes during home visits for families throughout the South Bronx. The goal of the Preventive Services Division was to empower parents to succeed, to safely parent their children and to help families stay together. This was accomplished by offering a continum of services that strove to highlight strengths and make community referrals that would help parents develop lasting behavioral change. I coordinated with the NYC Administration for Children's Services and helped create action plans for parents. This work involved home visits, school visits and appearing at Family Court.

• Mediated between family members to facilitate conflict resolution and build healthy family relationships.
• Assessed program effectiveness using feedback from participants and data analysis techniques, making recommendations for improvement as needed.
• Maintained client reports to track client progress, record interventions and provide relevant data for analysis.
• Supported families in addressing parenting challenges through education, resource connection, and skills training workshops.
• Educated clients on their rights and responsibilities within various social service systems, empowering them to make informed decisions.