Social Services Experience

2005: Service Work in Venezuela

•  Provided elder care: giving massage, reading stories in Spanish, playing flute and singing, making flower arrangements, and engaging in friendly conversation.

•  Facilitated four day workshop in a psychiatric ward: offered massage, created and led art projects, shared inspirational reading, led yoga circles, gave a positive affirmation workshop and a multi-instrument concert; and painted a mural of a positive symbol.

•  Assisted at Foundation Narayana (indigenous word for "original"), an organization that teaches ecology and environmental conservation to children in schools; helping them with curriculum development, presentation performance, photography and fundraising; and creating recycling symbol prototype especially for Venezuela.

1998 -- 2004: The Vashon Island Youth Council , Vashon, Washington

Served as a co-creator, active board member, assistant coordinator and coordinator in a youth directed 5 year old, non-profit that provides opportunities and support for young people. The Council has worked on a variety of evolving projects including community environmental maintenance through protection and restoration, global and political awareness, youth rights, education reform, and providing a place for youth to learn and be safe.

Helped plan and facilitate a community service-learning workshop, which voiced the idea and provided training resources for integrating service learning projects into the standardized curriculum. Spring 2001.

Attended an Institute of Cultural Affairs professional conference that taught leadership skills.

Helped lead several alternative learning workshops at the Washington Alternative Learning Association Conference.

•  Attended a national Service-Learning Conference in Washington D.C to receive a Service Learning Leader School Award and to attended training on linking non-profit organizations with service learning. Summer 2002.

•  Helped organize and participated in a meeting with Washington Governor Locke requesting his assistance to preserve habitat and people's health from a multi-national corporation that proposed to mine 10% of Vashon Island. For now, Vashon is safe from gravel harvest.

•  Attended a 4-H-funded conference to involve Youth with Legislation. Winter 2000.

Work Experience

•  1999 -- 2004: Coordinator of the Vashon Island Youth Council , a King County Grants-funded project, Vashon Island, Washington.

•  Work with the Vashon Youth Council began as a community researcher, then progressed to Youth Leader, Adult Board Member, Assistant Coordinator, and Coordinator.

•  Helped create a Social Study survey to determine needs for community service supporting Vashon Island youth. The survey resulted in bringing together a group who started a club/Youth Council. The nationally recognized Youth Council continues to work with young people and community agencies.

1995 -- 2005: Model

•  Runs own modeling business: performed as an art, runway, and commercial photographer's model, in studio and on location; for advertising, portfolio pieces, Web and CD;

•  Posed for life-portrait drawing for individual artists and artist groups and at the Seattle Art Institute. Seattle and Vashon, Washington, and Montana.

1997 -- 2005: Window Washer, House Cleaner and Landscaper

•  Attention to detail results in sparkling windows, immaculate and luxuriant gardens. Works with minimal supervision. Montana and Washington.

1995 -- 2005: Childcare provider

•  Offering care for infants, toddlers, and special needs children

Livingston, Montana and Vashon, Washington.

1999: Assistant Manager and Barista at the “Chai Hut”

•  Prepared fresh Chai and other fine teas tea House and gift shop. Sold clothes, books and ethnic artifacts. Hosted open jam music nights. Opened, closed, and maintained premises. Vashon, Washington.

Education

2005: Six months of intensive language study in a private program. Venezuela.

Fall 2001: Post-partum Doula Training with the Seattle School of Midwifery; awarded credentials to be a caregiver to mothers immediately after the birth of their child.

2001: Alternative High School Diploma from Student Link

Created independent studies curriculum in youth empowerment through activism, education, and the arts, and service-based performance arts, with a minor in healing arts and care-giving.

As the first student in this school, a part of the Vashon School District, I helped develop the now-thriving program that promotes independent and self-empowered education.

Performance Art Training

Performance Arts Workshops in Montana, Vashon Island, Seattle, Hawaii, and Colorado:

2004 "Beat of the Buddha" sweat your prayers ecstatic dancing weekend intensive with Gabrielle Roth's son

1999-2004 Seattle Rhythm Festival workshop training

2003 Sacred clowning daylong training

1998-2002 featured performer in IsleWilde!, a community activist arts performance that included giant puppets, circus acts, and a politically conscious pageant ritual

2002 Flamenco dance weekend workshop

2002 Intensive Voice Training

2001 Musical training and healing at a scholarship-funded Vox Mundi project (World Voice) workshop in Colorado

2000 Two week intensive belly dance, dunbek drum, and Hula dance workshop, Maui

1999 Summer Film School, 30 days of professional training; worked as assistant art director to create a half hour educational video related to police violence with racially diverse inner-city teens

1997-98 Theater training with Young Peoples Theater on Vashon and participated in High-School Drama

1998 Intensive West African drumming and dance training

1998 Community development youth empowerment workshop with Michael Meade

1994-97 Equinox Improve Theater -- three years of training, including performing a politically charged play “Rhinoceros;”

•  Classical guitar training

1985-1994 Classical ballet training and performance

Innovative Skills

Communicating with and organizing youth, Planning and facilitating meetings and programs; Managing projects; Grant writing and administration; Creating portfolios, presentations, workshops, and media; Networking and Inter-organization communications.

Performing Art – Multi-Media Actress, Singer, Dancer, Percussionist, Guitarist, Flautist, Model.

Writing – Poetry, Journalism, Children's Stories, Screenplays.

Art – Abstract Mixed Media Painter, Logo design, Ceramic Sculpture, Creative Writing, Photography, Cinema Art Design, Flower Arranging, Interior Design, Educational Collage.

Computer Skills -- Proficient at Word Processing, Database Organizing, Basic Computer Programming, and Basic Graphic Design; for Macintosh and PCs.

Outdoor Skills – Backpacking, Snowboarding, Camping, Biking, Body Surfing, Kayaking, Rappelling and Hiking.

Travel Experience -- Venezuela; Mexico; England; Portugal; Spain; Italy; Germany; France; Maui; Thailand; Indonesia

Awards and Scholarships

2005: Received grant from The Celebration Foundation to create a multi-media,

multi-cultural, educational, interactive performance art show.

2001: National Service Learning Leader School Award

Washington Alternative Learning Association Educational Scholarship

2001: Presidents Student Service Challenge Award