Valerie Larsen
Minneapolis,MN
Summary
Confident and motivated individual with progressive career experience in Public Health. 20 years experience bringing people together and reaching consensus on the public health needs identified by the American Indian community.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
American Indian Specialist
Columbia Heights School District 13
Columbia Heights, MN
10.2016 - Current
- Work with American Indian Parent Committee, teaching and learning staff, and counseling staff, to insure that American Indian students are met.
- Oversee curriculum for biases against American Indian students.
- Provide Check and Connect services for K-12 students.
- Arrange culturally appropriate field trips for students and families ..
- Plan and implement annual powwow where students are honored for academic improvement and graduation from high school.
Community Resource Specialist
MIGIZI Communications, Inc.
04.2010 - 10.2016
- Work in team environment
- Fielded user queries and service requests to address problematic issues.
- Built partnerships with related organizations to develop support and gain greater attention for important issues
- Used Microsoft Word and other software tools to create documents and other communications
- Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions
- Developed and maintained courteous and effective working relationships
Director
Education Development Center, Seventh Generation National Tribal Youth Mentoring
Waltham, MA
02.2014 - 04.2016
- Director responsible for $400,000 from Office of Juvenile Justice Programs to develop a cohort of mentoring sites providing one-on-one mentoring to 200 youth nationwide
- Developed training modules for mentors, managed mentor coordinators at each site, conducted monthly meetings and performed site visits to assist mentor coordinators with recruiting and retaining mentors and youth.
Division Director
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwa
10.2014 - 01.2015
- Direct Twin Cities operations for urban Leech Lake enrollees
- Supervise 16 staff and 5 volunteers
- Manage $500,000 budget from several sources
- Improve billing systems to raise additional revenue
- Participate in team management along with other Division Directors
- Planning for expansion and development of new initiatives.
- Trained staff and provided successful techniques to improve overall service to customers.
- Attended weekly meetings to discuss and optimize strategies.
- Established departmental performance goals and provided feedback for underperforming areas.
- Trained staff and provided successful techniques to improve overall service to customers
Division Director
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
05.2009 - 12.2010
- Direct Twin Cities operations for urban Leech Lake enrollees
- Supervise 12 staff and 5 volunteers
- Manage $500,000 budget from several sources
- Improve billing systems to raise additional revenue
- Participate in team management along with other Division Directors
- Planning for expansion and development of new initiatives.
Principal Planner- Community Specialist
Minnesota Department of Health
01.2002 - 04.2009
- Grant Manager for 14 community grantees including tribal governments.
- Develop state health policies that improve health status of American Indians and populations of color.
- Managed $1,000,000 in state grant funds to eliminate health disparities in these populations.
- Designed request for proposals and training materials for use with grantees.
- Provided training and technical assistance.
- Financial management including invoice processing and reconcilement of grants monthly.
- Gathered, organized and input information into digital database.
- Collected, arranged and input information into database system.
- Provided reporting for forecast analysis and ad-hoc reporting in support of decision-making.
- Collaborated with Grant Mangers from underrepresented populations to determine funding for community grantees annually
- Generated reports detailing findings and recommendations
- Maintained energy and enthusiasm in fast-paced environment
Community Outreach Coordinator
University Of Minnesota
01.2001 - 01.2002
- Networked with local organizations, leaders and consumers, resulting in establishment of new and lasting partnerships and relationships.
- Conducted community workshops to promote different programs and educate public on available services.
- Connected individuals with available and relevant resources.
- Wrote content for newsletters, social media pages and informational packets.
American Indian Community Advocate
City Of Minneapolis Department Of Health
01.1994 - 01.2001
- Individual and group advocacy for American Indian constituents in areas of health, housing, employment
- Recruited 56 American Indians as firefighters to settle federal discrimination lawsuit against City of Minneapolis
- Provided cultural competency training for Minneapolis Police recruits
- Provided cultural competency training for Minneapolis Public Housing employees
- Worked with Mayor and City Council to develop public policies affecting American Indian health, employment, housing and community relations.
- Worked with clients to improve life choices and maximize benefits of programs.
- Conducted recruiting activities in community to increase program reach.
- Worked as team with family services and education staff throughout program.
Education
B.A. - Public Policy/Community Studies, Indian Child Welfare
NAES College
Minneapolis,MNSkills
- Knowledge of needs of under-represented communities
- Establish relationships and build consensus
- Create access and equity to city services
- Analyze information and make policy recommendations
- Knowledge of principles and best practices of engagement and resident participation
- Ability to collaborate across agencies
- Skilled at creating agreement across multiple communities and leadership levels
- Relationship building
- Leadership skills
- Strategic planning
- Verbal and written communication
Timeline
American Indian Specialist
Columbia Heights School District 13
10.2016 - Current
Division Director
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwa
10.2014 - 01.2015
Director
Education Development Center, Seventh Generation National Tribal Youth Mentoring
02.2014 - 04.2016
Community Resource Specialist
MIGIZI Communications, Inc.
04.2010 - 10.2016
Division Director
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
05.2009 - 12.2010
Principal Planner- Community Specialist
Minnesota Department of Health
01.2002 - 04.2009
Community Outreach Coordinator
University Of Minnesota
01.2001 - 01.2002
American Indian Community Advocate
City Of Minneapolis Department Of Health
01.1994 - 01.2001
B.A. - Public Policy/Community Studies, Indian Child Welfare
NAES College
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