Qualifications Profile

Growth-focused, results-driven, and highly analytical professional, offering extensive experience with immigration management and operations. Adept at leading and motivating high-caliber teams of professionals; designing and implementing innovative processes, systems, and programs; increasing organizational efficiency and productivity. Adept at conducting public outreach engagements. Articulate communicator with well-honed interpersonal skill in cultivating and maintaining positive working relationships with all levels of professionals. Technically proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and outlook).

Summary of Relevant Experience

Administrative Functions and Support

Performed administrative support functions, including planning, workload analysis, conducted job interviews and resume reviews, performance and program monitoring and evaluations, office reviews, and issue resolution within operations and administrative lines

Guaranteed attainment to the Newark, New York and Philadelphia district offices daily production interview quotas as well as efficiency, quantity, and quality of performance for adjudicators

Executed appropriate cross-training and proper equipment/material for employees and subordinate supervisors to effectively perform their duties

Provided assistance in resolving problems including complex phases of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and unexpected situations requiring interpretation and application of policy through effective program

Employee Benefits Management and Goal Setting

Effectively handled the company resources in alignment with production goals including cross-training initiatives implementation for every officer to evaluate both adjustment of status and naturalization applications

Provided immigration benefits and services to the general public for the Naturalization Program

Closely interfaced with the district director to institute an ongoing discussion to attain set goals and responsibilities of the office and supporting the entire district

Managed all administrative immigration programs and benefits, as well as activities and daily operations associated to naturalization and customer service for the New York District

Policy Implementation and Regulatory Compliance

Ensured adherence to broad program objectives and policies implemented by the district director, Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) headquarters, and the Northeast Regional Office in directing adjudications

Spearheaded projects and policies implementation and analysis, as well as updated stakeholders regarding activities and events for critical agency wide-programs with national or international impact

Inter-professional Collaboration and Organizational Relations

Carried out Philadelphia District integral requests in coordination with expertise staff, including quality management specialist, records manager, community relations officer, training officer, operations, support supervisor, Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) supervisors, staff assistant, and business interface representative

Served as liaison with other federal, state, and local government agencies and community-based organizations, legal groups, and attorneys and the general public

Fostered teamwork and cooperation by conducting staff team meeting

Collaborated with the construction personnel for the design layout remodeling of the customs and immigration Federal Inspection (FIS) government areas at the Continental Facility (Terminal C) at Newark International Airport

Acted as personal consultant to senior executive in handling broad projects and programs while providing sound recommendations to resolve complex issues

Served as representative on behalf of the district director in agency conferences and meetings concerning program functions

Staff Administration and Support

Provided guidance to passport specialist on new leader program from Philadelphia Passport Agency for a 45-day developmental assignment

Expertly supervised the Newark District Naturalization unit by monitoring and assessing all personnel and material needs to guarantee maximum costs-effectiveness in the programs operations

Guided the Philadelphia District supervision and staff in executing the five Quality Workplace Initiative (QWI) Employee Working groups; career growth and development; mentoring; peer-to-peer network, rewards and recognition and teamwork

Institutional Process Improvement

Directed the 7th floor renovation and expansion of additional offices for the New York District by working closely with local operations support staff and General Services Administration (GSA)

Offered strategic supervision to the daily operations which included the evaluation of effectiveness of the New York District unit's personnel

Took part of the Local Leadership Management Team at Newark International Airport to conceptualize plans for the nation-wide merger establishment of three government agencies to develop the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agency

Served as integral part of the Inspection Team at Shannon Airport, Shannon, Ireland that developed first pre-inspection immigration clearance port-of-entry in Europe. Consequently, the success of the Shannon Airport project led to the opening of another permanent immigration pre-inspection port-of-entry at Dublin Airport, Dublin, Ireland

Growth and Development Impacts

Played a pivotal role in the development of the Philadelphia District Labor-Management Pre-Decisional Involvement (PDI) Charter agreement, and the District’s employee Telework and Alternate Work Schedule (AWS) initiatives

Enhanced Immigration Service Analyst (ISA) career/s by designing and implementing a shadowing program to monitor interviewing and understand Immigration Service Officer (ISO) responsibilities

Successfully developed and executed the initial Philadelphia District Post-academy Training sessions for ISO’s who return from BASIC Training in close coordination with training officers

Boosted program efficiency by providing discussions and recommendations to local management regarding shifts in workloads, priorities, and the resources

Received cash awards in 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016; Time-Off Award in 2007; and Quality Step Increase in 2008

Earned the following awards for exemplary performance;

Certificate of Appreciation from INS Commissioner for the naturalization backlog reduction initiative

Plaque from the INS Commissioner in providing service as an immigration inspector in the pre-inspection trial program at Shannon Airport, Shannon, Ireland

Special Achievement Act (cash award) in recognition of a life-threatening incident at JFK Airport

Work Chronology

United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) Field Office Directorate (Headquarters), Hartford, CT

Special Assistant 2016–2017

United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) Philadelphia District Office (District 5), Philadelphia, PA

Chief of Staff 2014–2016

Acting District Director 2014–2015

United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) New York District Office (District 3), New York, NY

Field Office Director 2010–2014

United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) Newark District Office (District 4), Newark, NJ

Section Manager Supervisory Immigration Services Officer 2007–2010

CBP, Newark Liberty International Airport

Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, Newark, NJ

Branch Chief (For Passport Operations) 2005–2007

Acting Branch Chief (For Passport Operations) 2003–2005

Department of Justice, Immigration, and Naturalization Service (INS), Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, NJ

Acting Port Director 2000-2003

Deputy Port Director 2000-2000

Department of Justice, Immigration, and Naturalization Service (INS),

New York District Office (District 3), New York, NY

Site Manager Supervisory District Adjudications Officer 1999-2000

Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS),

JFK International Airport, Jamaica, NY

Assistant Area Port Director 1988-1999

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration, Major in Management Bernard Baruch College, New York, NY

Associate of Science in Marketing and Sociology Queensborough Community College, Bayside, NY

Professional Development

Federal Law Office Academy Training

Affiliation

Pre-Inspection Clearance Experimental Program, Member

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