Sofina Gilbert
Portland
Summary
Dedicated education professional with expertise in developing inclusive programming and engaging diverse communities. Strong background in outdoor education, curriculum development, and leading land restoration/stewardship, through a mindful and culturally informed lens.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Education Technician
Metro
01.2022 - Current
- Developing education material and delivering programming through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion, using trauma informed language that acknowledges the history of our land and the peoples we serve.
- Working individually and as a team, taking on many different roles depending on what is needed
- Communicating with teammates, community members, metro staff, and the public
- Working with the land( Planting, harvesting, clearing invasive species, etc.) and guiding community groups in stewardship activities
- Gaining knowledge on wildlife, life cycles, habitat, herbs, plant ID, water ecology, geology, etc., to use for education purposes
- Responsible for company vehicles; driving to and from sites, sometimes with passengers, in a safe and lawful manor
- Supporting community events
- Working with people of all ages and backgrounds
- Taking initiative and stepping in and out of a leadership role depending on group needs
- Advocating within my team for better practices, procedures and/or materials when necessary
Catsitting
Meowtel
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Independently led and directed work: Including scheduling, client management, time management, billing, advertising, Meet & Greets, etc.
- Strong ability to communicate with clients before, during and after booking of my services
- Care and responsibility for live animals: Including feeding, changing litter box, playing, petting, sharing pictures and updates, transparency with clients about care needs, etc.
- Responsible for homes and belongings(Bringing in packages, cleaning, locking doors, etc.)
- Overnight services requiring more care for the home
- Driving my own vehicle for work purposes
Barista
Starbucks
01.2019 - 01.2021
- Customer Service
- Money handling and cash register(POS system) operation
- Food preparation
- Stocking shelves, cleaning and overall maintaining a functional environment
Facilitator & mediator
Oregon Zoo, Youth Advisory Counsel
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Facilitator & mediator between council and Zoo staff
- Assisted in pioneering/establishing brand new advisory council with self-directed goals
- Collaborated in interviewing/selecting members
ZAP Team
Oregon Zoo/Metro Regional Government
01.2016 - 01.2020
- 2019 4th Year ZAP/ Staff
- Trained teens how to operate camping program for kids
- Managed and regulated gear for camping program
- Helped design structured fun/learning for kids
- Care for and support kids, teens, and young adults in an educational environment
- 2018 3rd Year ZAP
- Utilized youth development practices to mentor younger ZAP teens
- Spoke to public and engaged them with educational information
- Self-regulated work responsibilities
- 2017 2nd Year ZAP
- Focused on connecting kids with nature
- Trained on outdoor education
- Led camping trips for historically underrepresented youth
- Worked directly with 150 elementary age youth to provide environmental education on overnight camping trips
- Taught composting and "Leave no trace" Ethics
- 2016 1st Year ZAP
- Delivered 40 education programs to over 4000 individuals
- Publicly engaged people of varied backgrounds and age groups ranging from children to adult
- Worked as a team to gather and present material
- Trained to handle zoo education animals
Youth Leader
Soul River Inc.
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Selected for 7 expeditions
- Traveled with teams of youth leaders and military veterans on conservation based deployments
- Collaborated and worked alongside Indigenous communities in Arctic Circle (Alaska) and Bears Ears National Monument (Utah)
- Assisted community members with conservation projects
- Public speaking including events locally and on deployment
Participant
Center for Diversity & the Environment
01.2017 - 07.2017
- Participated in six-month leadership cohort
- Focused on understanding racial equity in a historical context
- Built community centered around diversifying the environmental movement
Education
High school diploma - Construction
Benson Polytechnic High School
Portland, OR06-2017
Skills
- Curriculum development
- Educational and programming
- Community engagement
- Leading Volunteers
- Public speaking
- Outdoor Education
- Culturally Informed Education
- Traditional Art & Digital Art
- Art Education
- Plant ID & Herbalism
- Land stewardship & restoration
- Admin & documentation
- Software (Adobe InDesign, Outlook, Teams, Word, Smartsheet, etc)
References
- Jody Van Riper, Education Coordinator II, Metro CES Team, 503-525-4236, jody.vanriper@oregonzoo.org
- Jessica Rojas, Education Coordinator II, Metro CES Team, jessica.rojas@oregonmetro.gov
- Makayla Agnew, Public Relations, Nike, makaylaagnew@gmail.com
Work
971-500-0626
Certification
CPR Certified
Timeline
Education Technician
Metro
01.2022 - Current
Catsitting
Meowtel
01.2021 - 01.2022
Barista
Starbucks
01.2019 - 01.2021
Facilitator & mediator
Oregon Zoo, Youth Advisory Counsel
01.2019 - 01.2020
Youth Leader
Soul River Inc.
01.2017 - 01.2019
Participant
Center for Diversity & the Environment
01.2017 - 07.2017
ZAP Team
Oregon Zoo/Metro Regional Government
01.2016 - 01.2020
High school diploma - Construction
Benson Polytechnic High School