Sandra C. Harris 4101 Nasa Parkway - Houston, Texas 77586 Phone: 832.385.3357 Email: sandraharrisc@gmail.com

Executive Summary

With almost twenty successful years in the non-profit sector, I have maintained the

highest performance standards within a diverse range of areas: Administration, Non-

Profit Executive Management, Program Director and, Fund & Youth Development. My

experience has culminated into synergizing and facilitating operations on behalf of

community organizations, boards, volunteers, and faith organizations; assisting them to

achieve their highest potential.

I execute: strong leadership & organizational skills, the ability to translate missions and

visions into executable goals, and possess a strong passion for serving the community.

My personal standard of excellence and proven qualifications will be a key asset to the

overall development, continued success, and reach of any organization.

Consistently met organizational, and fiscal goals while guiding teams of 10 - 200 +

Professional Profile

Organized executive and project manager with a proven track record of executing timelines, and project goals for

organizational effectiveness and sustainability

A flexible, articulate, and highly motivated leader/player who exhibits exceptional interpersonal skills. I possess

excellent communication, coordination, problem solving, and fiscal management skills

Experienced at researching, writing, & reporting for persuasive/and competitive grants/proposals through a variety of

registers: federal, state, corporate, foundation and individual donors

Highly skilled at translating missions and visions into executable goals and objectives

Professional and creative facilitator/presenter to diverse corporate/urban communities

The demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain comprehensive administrative, and program processes that

improves the efficiency of day-to-day operations

Proven record of providing strong executive leadership, and ability to make winning connections…

Professional Experience

Obadiah’s Court Consulting Firm August 2005 – Present

Consultant Obadiah’s Court provides project management, administrative and non-profit consulting services: grant writing, fund

development, program design, business formation services to non-profit and faith organizations

I Have a Dream-Houston June 2007-August 2010

Program Director/Executive Director Youth Development Drop-Out Prevention Mentoring Program

Responsible for day-to-day executive and program operations: HR, fiscal management, staff, volunteer/Board management

and training. This includes but not limited to: grant writing, fund development/special events, program(s) & curriculum

creation to ensure decrease school dropout of HISD students from age 9-21 years.

administrative systems to ensure quality control organizational/department success

Ensure overall strategic goals were met: create/ensure program outcome measures, client recruitment & retention,

forecasting, marketing and special events

Establish and maintain community relationships with new and potential donors, Clients, stakeholders, including

academic corporate presentations (HISD, BP, Houston Endowment, Shell, Wells Fargo, City of Houston, etc.)

Fiscal management of organizational and program budget over 500K annually

Serve as representative in community forums, advisory committees, collaborative, within Houston non-profit sector

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Administration

Non-Profit Executive

Management

Program Director

Grant Writer & Fund

Development

Sandra C. Harris 4101 Nasa Parkway - Houston, Texas 77586 Phone: 832.385.3357 Email: sandraharrisc@gmail.com

The Houston READ Commission: The Mayor’s Coalition on Literacy July 2006 –June 2007

Executive Assistant to President Adult Literacy Program: ESL, GED, and reading comprehension services

Responsible for all day-to-day administrative operations:

Preparation and compliance of grants and proposals, travel and calendar coordination, etc.,

Maintained fund development systems and data base, including fun-raising events and executive Board events

Designed and managed adult literacy programs and services

Literacy Consortium Liaison with Barbra Bush’s office on literacy, and Mayor Michael White-City of Houston: Board

appointments, administrative timelines and coordination of all activities and communications

Responsible for all correspondents, minutes and reports for/to President and Board members, Stakeholders, etc.

Work with Mayor’s office regarding Board appointments, strategic plans, etc.,

The Bridges Mentoring Center for Youth Development Cleveland, Ohio 1995-August 2005

Program/Executive Director Youth Development Mentoring Program serving youth ages 10-21 years

Assisted with the non-profit formation of youth mentoring program from start-up. (Federal filing,

program/organizational design, etc.)

Oversee all day-to-day executive and administrative operations of organization: HR, budget, recruitment & training,

program design, program evaluations, volunteer training, etc.,

Responsible for the all fund-raising initiatives including grant writing, fund development, gala’s etc.

Ensured program goals and objectives were met, and increased outcome measures by 87%

Created curriculums for 6 programs:

One-to-One Mentoring Component – Co Designed Model

Group Mentoring Component – Co-Designed Model

Academic Mentoring Component – Designed Model

Educational Forums for Black Boys – Designed Model

Workforce Mentoring Component – Designed Model

Partners for Potential Scholarship Program (PFP) – Co-Designed Model

Establish and maintained community partnerships and collaborations with 20+ Greater Cleveland non-profits, and

for-profit businesses and 9 Greater Cleveland School Districts

Education, Training & Certifications

1985-1987 Kent State University Social Science/Sociology Kent, Ohio

1989-1991 University of Akron Sociology/Social Work Akron, Ohio

2001-2003 Cleveland State University Youth Development/Urban Studies Cleve, Ohio

Certified in Microsoft Office Professional Suite: 2000, 2007

United Way of Greater Houston: Non-Profit Leaders 2008, Quality Employee Appraisal, Star Volunteer Trainer

The Cleveland Foundation: Excellence in Grant-Writing, Evaluating & Developing Your Program, Program

Management, etc.

Presenter: The National Mentoring Partnership, Mentoring & Today’s Youth, Evaluating & Developing Your Program,

Mentoring.org.

Presenter: US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Faith Based Grant Writing Workshop, Program Development

Grant Reader/Scorer: U.S. Dept. of Education

Volunteerism, Community Service & Memberships (partial list)

Advisory/Committee Memberships: Urban League-Cleveland, The Greater Cleveland Partnership (Young

Professionals) Collaborative for Children/College Bound Beginnings at Birth Initiative, Children’s Defense

Fund/Cradle to Prison Pipeline Initiative, Travis High School-Fort Bend ISD

Impact Kingdom Center– Licensed/Ordained Pastor, 2011-present

National Spokeswoman for Girls Scouts of America, 2013

Ms. July and contributing writer for 40Z Rock women’s monthly magazine