Education, Trainer, Leadership

L A K E N A T. D U N H A M

E D U C A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N & C O N S U L T I N G N O N – P R O F I T M A N A G E M E N T

******@************.*** 910-***-**** 3651 Prairie Waters Dr. #5212, Grand Prairie, TX 75052

empowergirlsinc.org lakenadunham.com linkedin.com/in/lakena-dunham

Professional Summary

Resilient, collaborative, resourceful and compassionate best-selling author, educational consultant, and non-profit administrator with over 20 years of experience in transformational teaching, motivating and guiding underperforming students to achieve the “aha!” moment despite their learning difficulties, and empowering parents, teachers, volunteers and community leaders with the tools needed to educate students on a higher level tailoring instruction to each student’s individual needs.

Key Competencies

Leadership

Mentorship

Special Education

Recruitment & Hiring

Training & Development

Program Development

Budgeting & Fundraising

Financial Planning

Public Speaking

Community Outreach

Conflict Resolution

Documentation & Reporting

Academic Assessments

Grant Proposals

Presentations

Classroom Management

Lesson Plan Development

Career Highlights

Controlled all aspects of administration for 16 classrooms, a staff of 30, and 308 students over a three-year period

Implemented professional development training on classroom management and dealing effectively with challenging students

Facilitated case conferences which fostered a productive partnership between parents and school personnel ensuring that the individual needs of each student were met

Wrote 4 books and 3 became best-sellers

Established a thorough working knowledge and practical understanding of various academic assessment tools

Demonstrated excellent oral and written communications skills with the ability to speak on broad range of topics reflecting depth and understanding of the resources and programs available to the special needs’ community

Orchestrated program needs for students and coordinated the interactions of support professionals, including but not limited to: Pediatric Psychologists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech/Language Pathologists, and Reading Specialists

Coached parents at a 6-week workshop on children who “march to a different drum”

Co-chaired a parent support and education group serving parents of special needs children

Education and Certificates

M.A. in Theological Studies – Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

M.A. in Education Administration – Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ

B.A. in Marketing – Lakeland College, Sheboygan, WI

Elementary Principal Certificate – Association of Christian Schools International

K-6 Teacher Certificate – Association of Christian Schools International

Special Education & Differentiated Learning Certificate – The Hill Center

CPR & First Aid for Adults & Children

Training & Professional Development

City of Oceanside – Customer Service & Research Methods Training

The Hill Center – Elementary Study Skills & Multi-Sensory Teaching (Math, Reading & Writing)

Fayetteville Technical Community College – Reading & Writing Methods

East Carolina University – Social Studies Teaching Methods

Professional Experience

Founder & Director of Operations – Hewalenamo Girls, Inc. 2010-Present

Mission: Educating impoverished girls to lead change in their communities, the nation, and the world.

Created strategic plans for fund development and increased funding each year by at least 15%

Developed Social Enterprise that increased funding for programs by 41%

Authored a winning grant proposal for a Girls Empowerment & Leadership program for 120 girls

Formalized the mission, vision, and purpose of a start-up non-profit organization

Formulated metrics to evaluate student performance and program effectiveness

Engage and collaborate with community partners for continued business development

Adhere to state and federal regulations defined for nonprofit organizations

Recruit, train and lead a team of volunteers and employees leveraging their expertise to educate and empower economically disadvantaged girls

Owner & Director – Bricks 4 Kidz – N. SD County 2012-2015

Bricks 4 Kidz was a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) enrichment company.

Interviewed, hired, trained and oversaw a staff of 10

Presented program offerings to elementary and middle schools in three counties where the program was accepted and offered at 21 school sites with a 94% client retention rate the following year

Re-registered students at a rate of 89% for additional classes

Instructed 4th-8th grade students in robotics, engineering and basic programming

Educational Consultant & Private Teacher – Stepping Stone Learning Center 2006-2013

Stepping Stone Learning Center was a homeschool co-op I owned. I served 7 families with students who were performing 2-4 grade levels above their age. Traditional schooling was not meeting their needs.

Designed custom learning paths for 10 students that were tailored to each child's ability and learning style

Maintained accurate records each school year, detailing each student's attendance, strengths, areas needing improvement and work samples

Delivered one-on-one attention to each student while simultaneously focusing on the group

Employed special education techniques to improve

Reference & Children’s Librarian – Oceanside Public Library 2009-2012

Planned, organized, and directed 6-8 children's programs per month

Launched a program to improve communication skills for 4th-6th graders

Coordinated children's services at two branch libraries and one book mobile

Interacted with parents to help develop a reading habit in children

Administered reference services to patrons of all ages

Elementary Principal – Fayetteville Christian School 2004-2007

Increased number of students reading above grade level by 20% by implementing an incentive program

Applied for and received an $80,000 playground renovation grant

Pioneered a workshop for parents/guardians whose children recently were diagnosed with a learning difference

Initiated curriculum mapping for all core content areas to elevate the quality of education

Headed the textbook review committee and reviewed, selected, and purchased learning resources

Selected to serve on a school accreditation team for the Association of Christian Schools International

Introduced a Peer Observation Program for new teachers or those needing to improve classroom management skills

Additional Relevant Experience

Librarian – Vista Christian School 2007-2008

K-8 Principal – AGAPE International Academy 2002-2004

First Grade Teacher – Fayetteville Christian School 2000-2002

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