W. KaNeesha Allen
Houston,TX
Summary
Versatile education and nonprofit leader, as well as an emerging voice in mental health, with 20+ years of experience driving organizational change. Expertise in human-centered design, instruction, leadership, civic engagement, and academic advising across nonprofit, higher education, and K-12 sectors. Highly adept in project management, stakeholder engagement, and program development, with a strong focus on fostering inclusion and social impact. A collaborative leader dedicated to sustainable, community-driven change.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Community Collaboration Lead
Dalberg Design
Houston, United States
10.2023 - Current
- Liaises with a portfolio of 45+ agencies, religious institutions, educational entities, and grassroots organizations to support capacity-building efforts intended to increase immigrant naturalization rates in the Greater Houston Area.
- Implemented targeted initiatives that enhanced understanding of Human-Centered Design through active community involvement.
- Orchestrated 59 human-centered design workshops for 200 community stakeholders over the course of 6 months.
- Co-spearheaded the identification and recruitment of 15 high-ranking executive-level leaders to join the Greater Houston Area Citizenship Project Advisory Committee.
Director of Education & Community Outreach
A.D. Players Education Department
Houston, United States
09.2021 - 11.2022
- Supervised the delivery of meaningful performing arts and literacy-based educational programs, as well as outreach initiatives for K-12 and college-aged students, with the purpose of advancing the departmental mission of cultivating a new generation of artists and arts leaders from diverse backgrounds.
- Led the restructuring and expansion of the 30-year-old Education Department, and standardized equitable practices to identify and recruit 150+ new student participants and 12 new staff members into inclusive, creative environments that fostered belonging and artistic development.
- Automated department budget, employee onboarding, payroll, and data collection processes using Google Suite for greater efficiency.
- Negotiated contracts that resulted in seven new performing arts education partnerships.
Program Director
AmeriCorps National Service Programs
Houston, United States
10.2013 - 09.2021
- Directed AmeriCorps national service programs centering immigrants and refugees with a $1 million annual commitment from One Star Texas and the Corporation for National and Community Service
- Recruited and led 162 volunteers to successfully complete over 231,900 civic engagement hours combined within immigrant and refugee serving community based organizations
- Orchestrated organizational capacity building efforts that assisted over 5050 immigrant and refugee adult students acquire English language and naturalization exam preparation skills
- Successfully established and sustained extraordinary partnerships with 20 immigrant and refugee serving non-profit organizations within the city of Houston
- Spearheaded a committee responsible for instituting the intermediary agency's original Justice Statement as a foundation for the implementation of organizational-wide equity, inclusion and belonging practices and procedures
Project Manager & Academic Advisor
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint, United States
08.2005 - 08.2013
- Supervised and evaluated multiple programs for a Workforce Diversity grant with a $3.3M commitment from the Department of Health and Human Services
- Co-chaired the development of the first University of Michigan-Flint Department of Nursing; BSN Early Assurance Admissions program
- Fervently recruited approximately 540 pre-college and college students for enrollment into highly competitive baccalaureate and advanced degree cohorts
- Spearheaded and implemented innovative academic advising, career counseling, and mentoring services for 420 college students
- Accurately collected and maintained student enrollment, retention, and graduation data for 540 pre-college and college students to ensure compliance with university and federal regulations
Education
Masters of Science - Psychology; Marriage and Family Therapy
Our Lady of The Lake University
Houston, TX05.2026
Secondary Education Certification; English & Social Studies -
Marygrove College
Detroit, MIBachelor's of Arts -
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint, MISkills
- Project Management
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Training and Facilitation
- Team Supervision
- Program Management
- Volunteer Management
- Strong Verbal and Written Skills
- Student Engagement
- Grant Proposal Development
- Google Workspace Expertise
- Advanced Microsoft Office Skills
- Organizational Change Management
- Financial Budgeting
- Data Interpretation
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite
- Salesforce Proficiency
- Records & File Management
- Crisis Intervention & Deescalation
Certification
CELTA, Cambridge University Teaching House, 07/01/17, 501/1891/2
Fellowships And Memberships
- Delta Kappa-Sigma Chapter International Marriage & Family Therapy Honors Society, Houston, TX, 08/01/24, Present
- Windcall Institute- Fellow, Oakland, CA, 03/01/21, Present
- American Express Leadership Academy- Fellow, Houston, TX, 10/01/20, Present
- Houston Coalition Against Hate- Member, Houston, TX, 10/01/19, 12/31/23
Timeline
Community Collaboration Lead
Dalberg Design
10.2023 - Current
Director of Education & Community Outreach
A.D. Players Education Department
09.2021 - 11.2022
Program Director
AmeriCorps National Service Programs
10.2013 - 09.2021
Project Manager & Academic Advisor
University of Michigan-Flint
08.2005 - 08.2013
Masters of Science - Psychology; Marriage and Family Therapy
Our Lady of The Lake University
Secondary Education Certification; English & Social Studies -
Marygrove College
Bachelor's of Arts -
University of Michigan-Flint
Similar Profiles
Mercy Wangari KimaniMercy Wangari Kimani
Senior Data Processing Executive at Dalberg ResearchSenior Data Processing Executive at Dalberg Research
BENSON NJUGUNABENSON NJUGUNA
Research Assistant at DALBERG RESEARCHResearch Assistant at DALBERG RESEARCH
Cara BrownCara Brown
Group People and Culture Coordinator at Design Group - Revolution by DesignGroup People and Culture Coordinator at Design Group - Revolution by Design