Tor Chavarria
Program Management & Community Engagement Specialist
Minneapolis,MN
Summary
A knowledgeable & committed advocate for the advancement of equity and inclusion. Dedicated to foster positive environments through a keen understanding of the nuances and sensitivities in leading the way to cultural transformation. A strategic leader confident in their abilities to develop relationships, build community, and assist in creating change for historically marginalized communities.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Managment Analyst
City of Minneapolis - Div. Legislative Research & Oversight
02.2024 - Current
- Manage and work collaboratively with multidisciplinary project work teams, drafting the project scope, scheduling meetings and tasks to facilitate discussions, and developing reports or presentations.
- Participate and facilitate in supporting legislative research, policymaking, and programmatic analysis. And/or oversight and evaluation activities.
- Research and analyze a broad range of policies, procedures, and practices using a variety of analytical techniques to develop policy briefings and reports.
- Collaborate with council offices, City administration, and external groups to conduct comparative analyses that help identify barriers or opportunities for policy revision, replacement, and framework design.
- Coordinate primary and secondary research efforts, including best practice studies, literature review, academic or professional reports, and survey work to provide support to legislative policymaking and oversight.
Program Manager
City of Minneapolis - Arts & Cultural Affairs
12.2021 - 02.2024
- Coordinate projects as assigned to ensure deliverables are on time and in approved formats.
- Compiled required documentation to keep contracts compliant with Procurement requirements.
- Establish network relationships with industry professionals to enhance community awareness and promote services.
- Conduct community workshops to promote different programs and educate public on available services.
- Design and implement surveys for current department programs for data analyzation to identify community needs for future program development.
- Collaborate with consultants to publicize programming via multifaceted outreach strategies targeted on improving information and participation from BIPOC communities.
Equity & Inclusion Consultant
Freelance
06.2019 - 12.2022
- Plan and facilitate anti-racism workshops in accordance with personalized curricula, employing varied methods to maximize attendance.
- Help meet changing demands by recommending improvements to organization systems or procedures.
- Liaise with senior managers to development outreach strategies and marketing tools to reach broader audiences.
- Plan outreach events for various arts organizations catering to BIPOC communities to provide exposure to arts and culture.
- Collaborate and create social media content across multiple platforms according to content calendars and promotion schedules for various organizations.
- Develop network relationships with industry professionals to enhance community awareness and encouragement of equity and inclusion practices.
Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
UMN, College Of Design, Graduate Research Asst.
09.2020 - 05.2022
- Identified community organizations and leaders to establish and nurture relationships to help build awareness of equity and inclusion efforts being done at college.
- Oversaw preparation and management of department budget ($20,000) to deliver programming at or below projected costs.
- Developed training materials to unify contract management processes and procedures.
- Managed creative and administrative logistics of event planning, event booking, and event promotions.
- Provided support and assistance to curriculum development professionals for enhanced equitable & inclusive classroom practices.
- Worked with recruiting teams and human resources to develop recruiting strategies to attract diverse candidate pools.
- Established and maintained effective communication with students, faculty, and staff to promote department programs and visibility.
Box Office Supervisor
Guthrie Theater
05.2011 - 09.2020
- Hired and cross-trained staff members for various event-specific functions and assessed employees' understanding of associated processes and procedures.
- Financial reconciliation: prepared daily deposits, handled cash and receipts, ensured established money-handling procedures were followed (around $50,000 per shift).
- Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost organization morale and promote employee retention.
- Developed and nurtured lasting relationships with patrons through dedicated assistance, issue resolution and active listening.
Education
MPP - Masters of Public Policy
Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Minneapolis, MN 05.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Theater Arts
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN 09.2007 - 05.2009
Associate of Arts - Music
El Paso Community College
El Paso, TX 09.2000 - 05.2006
Certificate - Community Equity Program
Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
Saint Paul, MN 09.2021 - 05.2022
Certificate - Avanzando Liderazgo Program
LatinoLead
Minnesota 01.2023 - 06.2023
Certificate - IAP2 2024 Skills Symposium
International Association For Public Participation
Minneapolis, MN 09.2020 - 05.2022
Skills
- Content Facilitator
- Analytical and Critical Thinking
- Outreach Management
- Curriculum Development
- Data Collection
- Social Media Expert
- Bilingual: Spanish
Timeline
Managment Analyst
City of Minneapolis - Div. Legislative Research & Oversight
02.2024 - Current
Certificate - Avanzando Liderazgo Program
LatinoLead
01.2023 - 06.2023
Program Manager
City of Minneapolis - Arts & Cultural Affairs
12.2021 - 02.2024
Certificate - Community Equity Program
Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
09.2021 - 05.2022
Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
UMN, College Of Design, Graduate Research Asst.
09.2020 - 05.2022
Certificate - IAP2 2024 Skills Symposium
International Association For Public Participation
09.2020 - 05.2022
Equity & Inclusion Consultant
Freelance
06.2019 - 12.2022
Box Office Supervisor
Guthrie Theater
05.2011 - 09.2020
Bachelor of Arts - Theater Arts
Saint Cloud State University
09.2007 - 05.2009
MPP - Masters of Public Policy
Humphrey School of Public Affairs
05.2001 -
Associate of Arts - Music
El Paso Community College
09.2000 - 05.2006