The Resume

Melanie J. Pembleton

15248 Larkspur Lane • Dumfries, Virginia 22025 • 435-830-0996 • Mel.Pemble@gmail.com

Education

Strayer University 

Manassas, Virginia,  June 2011

Master of Public Administration                                                                                           

• Member Alpha Chi Honor Society, D.C. Gamma: 2011 – Current    
• Member American Society for Public Administrators: 2011 - Current
• VP of Communications, Strayer Public Administration Association: 2010 – 2012

Utah State University

Logan, Utah, June 1996

Bachelor of Science, Social Work  

                                                                                                       

Experience

Utah Division of Child and Family Services  

Tooele, Utah, August 2006 – August 2008   

Case Worker for Child Protective Services                                                                                       

• Investigated all allegations of child abuse through evidence collection including individual child, parent, and alleged abuser interviews
• Made critical and legal recommendations to ensure safety of the child and when appropriate, removed and placed child in legally accepted safe dwelling
• Maintained confidentiality, as required by law
• Managed the largest caseload in the team with an average of 17 clients per month
• Mentored and trained three new co-workers on processes, policies, and procedures
• Served as unofficial supervisor when supervisor was absent by providing information and answers as well as making critical recommendations

Utah Division of Child and Family Services 

Tooele, Utah, February 2003 – August 2006

Case Manager for Tooele County Domestic Violence Shelter                                               

•  Guided an average of 64 clients each year in accessing agency services
• Taught clients parenting skills, decision-making skills
• Communicated client regulations, alternative resolutions and best emotive response to staff
•  Updated policy and procedures in compliance with State of Utah shelter parameters
• Obtained maximum available grant from the Tooele County Department of Health Safety
• Reviewed, edited and updated the Domestic Violence Shelter Resident Handbook
•  Initiated organization and automation of office materials. Converted all paper files to data files for electronic record keeping. Updated and digitized 80 worksheets and revised file format
• Acted as Chairperson Tooele County Domestic Violence Coalition from 2004 – 2005

Tooele County Domestic Violence Coalition

Tooele, Utah, June 2004 – July 2005

Volunteer Chair                                                                                                                                   

•  Led a group of 20+ community players concerned about domestic violence in the county
•  Transformed a group of professionals into a working coalition by creating and implementing mission statement, bylaws, and organizational structure
•  Conceptualized and wrote a complete manual of organizational policy and procedures to ensure the 501(c) eligible of the organization

 Jewish Family Services  

Salt Lake City, Utah, October 2001 – February 2003

Service Coordinator at Friendship Manor                                                                                

• Monitored and coordinated services and activities for residents of subsidized housing facility with 115 apartments for seniors and disabled individuals
• Developed, wrote and published weekly Service Coordinator Bulletin for residents
•  Quarterly trained an average of 15 staff members on assertiveness, sexual harassment and HIIPAA
• Developed Annual Health Fair for clients and local community members that provided free medical diagnostics
• Coordinated vendor participation which increased by 60% the second year
• Participated as active member of Utah Gerontological Society, Professionals for Seniors Association and American Association of Service Coordinators.
• Certified with Health Insurance Information Program (HIIPAA)

 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah (BBBSU)  

Salt Lake City, Utah, September 1998 – October 2001

Case Manager 

• Managed caseload of over 500 clients (volunteer and child) to ensure success of relationship while addressing concerns and monitoring for safety
• Presented Developmental Asset Model at BBBSU Regional Conference

 Activities Director

• Planned monthly and quarterly activities for up to 600 people
• Managed  activities committee of 30 volunteers on monthly basis
• Organized numerous successful large scale special events under budget
• Reported remaining under activity budget costs to BBBSU Board quarterly.

 High School Mentoring Manager

• Researched, developed, implemented, and evaluated the community high school mentoring program
•  Implemented change recommendations of high school mentoring program which resulted in participation doubling the second year
•  Developed new policies and procedures using core program standards as a backdrop for high school mentoring
• Reported monthly statistical evaluation and results to county government grant funding official
  

My Sister the Sip Snatcher

I love going about my usual activities, when something will trigger a memory embraced in a moment.   Delightfully, today reminded me of how much I love my lunatic sister. (I only have one, so I will safeguard her identification!).  The memory trigger?  McDonald's.   Normally I crave a blizzard, medium sized, with oreo's.  Today, I wanted something similar, because my stomach and intestines insisted on matching the freezing temperature outside.  For some reason, anything ice cream related tastes best on the cruelest of days.  McDonald's must have updated their poster, because all of a sudden, the strawberry shake out-shined the rest.  It even had a cherry on top, which I don't understand, it seems it should be a strawberry....but I digress.  "Do you want medium or large?"  By reflex I almost stated , "Large", but then I remembered, my sister is in Utah, thus my temporary investment in this succulent treat was protected.  I no longer had to safeguard the amount for my portion.  "I would like a medium".

Yes, what would life be like without sisters to keep us on our toes and stay in our hearts?  I remember the warm autumn day.   I had stopped by my sisters house, to pick something up.    She eyed the shake in hand, and asked if she could have "Just a sip".  With a granted nod, I asked her to hold my precious treat while my occupied arms carried some elusive items to the car.    I reasoned she was the best guardian, as placing anything on the counter top or table indicated given ownership to the whiskered creature.   Little did I consider that the later was the better option.  Upon returning to retrieve my strawberry shake, the sip snatcher looked at me with guilty eyes, "I am so sorry...it just tasted so good, I just kept taking a few sips, until....well...here."   In sip measurement, I had maybe three left.  "I will buy you another one..."  Her guilty eyes were so earnest.   Instead of being upset, I chuckled.  Ah, who can really explain sister-hood unless you live it?

Sometimes I want to stand on the street with a sign in my hand that states, "Will smile for quarters".  Or maybe something written like, "Phew!  Need quarters for laundry, will create fresh aroma".  Oh how I miss having my own washer and dryer where I can throw something in the wash, and not worry about assuring the machine is empty when the spastic spin cycle is through.  Instead, I start to negotiate the acceptable visual aesthetic of wearing pajamas in public.  It is then when I succumb to the torturous task of counting quarters for laundry.  It never fails, I am always short by one.  Hence, I debate wearing dirty clothes if they pass the sniff test.  Yes, I hate doing laundry this much. 

But I try to stay on task, and add the extra tedious chore of getting a roll of quarters.  Why does laundry have to cost quarters anyway?  Why not dimes, or nickles?    To make matters worse, I cannot consolidate the quarter task with the shopping task, because, for some reason, stores are in serious shortage of quarter rolls and cannot spare to trade with customers.   I pick up milk, and ask for a roll of quarters when the cashier directs me to the lay away/customer service desk.  The line wraps around the building twice.  When I achieve the coveted first in line, I am told that they no longer trade for quarters.  What?!  When did this happen?  Its a new policy, just implemented last week.  Seriously?  Everyone got together and discussed quarters?  Why?  Are they too heavy for some of the staff?  Is staff forgetting to get the traded bills?  Or is this another way of trying to cut down a pathetically long line of answer seekers?  The clerk looks at me with a blank stare.  I stare back, debating whether recommend posting a sign indicating this policy change.  I am tired, cranky, and hungry.  Plus, I have three Mount Everest piles sitting in my apartment.

I go to the bank. 

In the meantime, I have discovered the solution to my situation, and if I ever own a laundry mat, it will be implemented.  Instead of quarters, there will be debit cards that can be provided, and money can be placed on the card, and then swiped per each machine.  Credit cards will also be accepted, with a little bit of user cost tacked on.   I would also make it where you didn't have to pay for laundry until it was done....and the doors would remain locked until receipt of payment.  This would assure safety of persons clothes.

I dunno.  It is really late and my brain is fog.  Perhaps tomorrow this blog will seem silly to me...but right now, even with access to flecks of brain matter, I am having a blast writing this crazy nonsense!