Zachary Patton
Maryville,TN
Summary
I am a dedicated and highly organized professional with a background in military service and extensive experience in administrative support, project coordination, and student mentorship. With a Top Secret SCI security clearance, I bring a disciplined and detail-oriented approach to managing complex tasks and building strategic partnerships. My experience includes coordinating large-scale events supporting academic and policy initiatives, mentoring students toward success, and engaging in student teaching that fosters learning and leadership. Proven ability to excel in fast-paced, high-pressure environments, I am committed to bridging the gap between government, academia, and community outreach. I am eager to apply my leadership, communication, and organizational skills to help advance the mission of the Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
UTCVM- University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine
Knoxville, Tennessee
07.2023 - Current
- Duration: 2 yrs
- Provide executive-level administrative support, including managing email, correspondence, calendar, phone, and daily visitor operations for the Associate Dean.
- Assist visitors, monitor email, schedule meetings, and respond to phone and other requests efficiently.
- Manage petty cash or travel reimbursements, office supplies, and digital files.
- Collect and maintain confidential student records and provide academic histories and documents for student information requests.
- Coordinate all details of the college's hooding ceremony and certificate ceremonies for clinical or visiting students.
- Lead and coordinate the annual Job Fair for veterinary students and employers.
- Manage annual events and meetings with the TVMA, including Music City Veterinary Conference and Day on the Hill.
- Assist the team with recurring and special events such as Tennessee Camp and Welcome, orientation, White Coat Ceremonies, Scholarship and Honors events.
- Provide documents, support, organization, and minutes for Admissions, Academic Progress, and Scholarship/Awards committees.
Unit Program Coordinator
United States Department of Defense
Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
04.2022 - 07.2023
- Duration: 1 yr 4 mos
- Directly assisted the commander/director in managing all administrative support program functions, serving as the primary source of information and administration.
- Acted as the resident subject matter expert for all mandated administrative support programs.
- Functioned as the unit liaison to military and civilian personnel offices, monitoring personnel action requests, tracking personnel, manpower, and training transactions, and providing status reports to management.
- Performed a variety of clerical and administrative duties to support the office/organization, offering advice and guidance on administrative, clerical, and procedural requirements.
- Demonstrated extensive knowledge of organizational and functional responsibilities and operations within the organization.
- Proficient in utilizing various office automation software programs, tools, and techniques to produce a range of documents including letters, reports, spreadsheets, databases, and graphs.
- Skilled in fact-finding, problem analysis, resolution, and the development of concrete action plans to address problems.
- Exhibited strong abilities to gather, analyze, and present facts, and communicate effectively with tact and courtesy.
- Highly capable of planning, organizing work, and meeting deadlines.
- Successfully planned and organized management programs and functions of the organization.
- Coordinated with other departments to ensure timely completion of projects.
Secretary
United States Department of Defense
Offutt AFB, NE
12.2020 - 04.2022
- Duration: 1 yr 5 mos
- Prepared a wide variety of recurring and some nonrecurring correspondence, reports, and documents; reviewed and finalized correspondence/documents prepared by others in handwritten or electronic drafts.
- Composed routine nontechnical correspondence, including instructions on office procedures, requests for information, and letters of acknowledgment or notification.
- Reviewed and processed incoming and outgoing correspondence, materials, publications, regulations, and directives.
- Screened incoming mail to determine items requiring supervisor's attention, referral to appropriate staff, rerouting to other organizations/offices, or personal handling.
- Utilized multiple office automation software programs to produce a wide range of documents requiring complex formats, such as graphics or tables within text, and edited/reformatted electronic drafts.
- Performed clerical and administrative duties to support the office/organization, establishing, updating, and maintaining various office records to ensure efficient operations.
- Maintained the supervisor's calendar, coordinated meeting arrangements, and scheduled meetings and/or conferences.
- Scheduled appointments and meetings in accordance with the supervisor's policies and priorities, coordinating as necessary.
- Received telephone calls and greeted visitors, determining the nature of calls or visits and handling them as appropriate.
- Responded to customer inquiries via email or telephone in a polite and professional manner.
- Ordered supplies as needed; tracked inventory levels and placed orders with vendors when necessary.
- Proofread documents before submission; corrected any errors found in grammar or punctuation.
- Prepared documents such as memos, letters, reports, spreadsheets and presentations using Microsoft Office applications.
- Handled confidential documents with discretion.
- Compiled data from various sources into clear, concise reports that could be used by management for decision-making purposes.
- Provided assistance with onboarding new employees by preparing orientation materials.
- Maintained filing systems for confidential documents; organized files for easy retrieval of information when requested.
- Performed data entry into computer systems; ensured accuracy of all entered information.
- Coordinated meeting logistics such as room reservations and catering services.
- Reviewed billing statements for accuracy prior to submitting them for payment processing.
- Organized and maintained filing systems for important documents.
- Created agendas and took minutes during meetings; distributed notes in a timely manner afterwards.
- Created and updated spreadsheets to track and report data.
Weight Room Supervisor
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
08.2019 - 08.2020
- Duration: 1 yr 1 mo
- Ensured the safety of participants and security of equipment in compliance with rules and regulations.
- Adhered to all departmental policies, practicing safety and risk management for hundreds of patrons daily.
- Provided exceptional customer service by greeting members, prospective members, and guests.
- Answered phones in a friendly manner, assisting callers with various inquiries.
- Conducted club tours for prospective members, showcasing facilities and amenities.
- Addressed member questions and concerns promptly and professionally, escalating issues to the Manager when necessary.
- Assisted in maintaining the cleanliness and organization of the club facilities to provide a welcoming environment.
- Monitored compliance with applicable policies, rules, and regulations concerning facility usage.
Student Teacher
McMillan Middle/Thomas Jefferson High School
Omaha, NE
01.2019 - 12.2019
- Encouraged positive behavior by creating an inclusive environment where all students felt safe and respected.
- Instructed classes on proper exercise techniques to ensure safety while participating in physical activities.
- Created lesson plans that focus on developing physical literacy skills such as running, jumping, throwing and catching.
- Developed and implemented lesson plans that emphasize health-related topics such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and disease prevention.
- Counseled struggling students on how they can make healthier choices in their lives.
Administrative and Relations Staff
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
09.2018 - 06.2019
- Duration: 10 mos
- Scheduled appointments and provided exceptional guest service, handling phone inquiries and office-related questions.
- Addressed benefits-related queries, transferred calls, and greeted guests warmly.
- Performed janitorial duties and maintained office inventory to ensure a well-organized workspace.
- Conducted scanning and faxing of files, generating and updating spreadsheets proficiently.
- Screened incoming calls based on importance, determining the need for full-time staff involvement.
- Executed various clerical duties to support office operations effectively.
Maintenance Supervisor
United States Air Force
Offutt AFB, NE
10.2013 - 03.2018
- Duration: 4 yrs 6 mos
- Managed maintenance of air collection equipment on a WC-135 aircraft, completing up to 130 maintenance tasks.
- Monitored and oversaw 8 vital programs including Fitness, Vehicles, Calibration Equipment, and Safety & Security.
- Orchestrated cargo movements for mission supplies worldwide and handled shipping and receiving of mission equipment.
- Provided training for personnel, revised and maintained 30+ standard operating procedures, and managed the storage and use of radioactive sources.
- Tracked flight hours and training requirements for a team of 20+ personnel, ensuring compliance and readiness.
- Executed operations of collection equipment on WC-135 aircraft and maintained, inspected, cleaned, and prepared mission sampling equipment.
- Fostered relationships with 9+ organizations, including 2 National Laboratories, and meticulously oversaw 3 mission systems for optimal performance.
- Provided technical support to operations staff as needed to resolve complex problems with equipment or processes.
- Assisted in training new hires on proper operation and maintenance techniques for various types of machinery.
- Maintained records of repairs and parts inventory usage to optimize future planning efforts.
- Ensured that safety regulations were followed by employees while performing maintenance tasks.
- Supervised technicians on repair and installation of machines or systems according to manufacturer's specifications.
Satellite Operations Specialist
United States Air Force
Colorado Springs, Colorado
04.2010 - 10.2013
- Duration: 3 yrs 7 mos
- Analyzed state of health data for the Nuclear Detection System package on Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, evaluating real-time mission data.
- Submitted special activity worksheets to modify program capabilities on satellites, facilitating the enhancement of operational functionalities.
- Assisted in the launch of new IIF GPS satellites, contributing to the successful implementation of advanced satellite technology.
- Conducted training programs and analyzed equipment tests conducted by prominent research laboratories such as San Diego and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
- Operated correlation and display systems to analyze real-time data, ensuring accurate interpretation for mission-critical decision-making.
- Managed two key programs overseeing operational logistics and program effectiveness.
- Provided training and guidance to staff on operational procedures, policies, and regulations.
- Created documentation related to operational procedures such as SOPs.
- Conducted regular reviews of operational procedures to ensure compliance with company standards.
Education
Master of Science - Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN12-2025
Bachelor of Science - Political Science, Psychology
University of Nebraska At Omaha
Omaha, NE12-2023
Skills
- Office Administration
- Email Management
- Microsoft Office
- Research skills
- Team Coordination
- Communication
- Customer Service
- Organizational Skills
- Time Management
- Communication skills
- Team collaboration
- Event coordination
- Executive management support
- Scholarship discovery
- Transporting files
- Conference planning
- Internet research
- Letter preparation
- Document management
Certification
- FEMA - IS-100.c: Introduction to Incident Command
- FEMA - IS-111.s: Livestock in Disasters
Clubs and Organizations
- The National Society of Leadership and Success - Jan 2025 - Present
Timeline
Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
UTCVM- University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine
07.2023 - Current
Unit Program Coordinator
United States Department of Defense
04.2022 - 07.2023
Secretary
United States Department of Defense
12.2020 - 04.2022
Weight Room Supervisor
University of Nebraska at Omaha
08.2019 - 08.2020
Student Teacher
McMillan Middle/Thomas Jefferson High School
01.2019 - 12.2019
Administrative and Relations Staff
University of Nebraska at Omaha
09.2018 - 06.2019
Maintenance Supervisor
United States Air Force
10.2013 - 03.2018
Satellite Operations Specialist
United States Air Force
04.2010 - 10.2013
Master of Science - Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications
University of Tennessee
Bachelor of Science - Political Science, Psychology
University of Nebraska At Omaha
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