CAMPAIGN YVONNE 2008!

YVONNE S. SPARKS
THE CAMPAIGN २००८!

My name is Yvonne S. Sparks. I have been engaged in a search for a permanent job for the last year. After at least 100 applications and postings on dozens of job websites to no avail, I have decided that drastic measures are required.

So, I have launched this marketing campaign in the hope that I will find the right job or it will find me. However, if I am to win in this race to find permanent, long-term, suitable employment, I need you!

Won’t you join in supporting my efforts by reviewing my credentials then doing what ever you can--large or small to help me find the right job. My skills will work in the public, private and government sectors and I will relocate for the right opportunity!

Just refer potential employers or other you think can help to this website and blog. They can review my resume and cover letter and then contact me at http://www.yvonnesparks.com/Campaign_for_Yvonne_२००८! There is an email button right on the page

Thank for your Kind Consideration and Support!

Profile: I am a seasoned, high-caliber, energetic nonprofit executive with a solid record of successfully helping people, organizations and communities change their lives and solve complex problems while working in extremely challenging environments. Using my analytical, leadership, insight and organizational skills, I have learned how to quickly and effectively identify issues and problems, marshal financial and human resources and inspire people to action to achieve results far beyond what they believed possible. I am currently seeking full-time employment.

Cover Letter:

To Whom It May Concern:

In the course of my career, I have honed my leadership, collaboration, coaching, training, speaking and accountability management skills in tough urban and political environments and highly challenged organizations. I have extensive experience in assessing organizational and community culture and performance issues as well as creating technical and performance-driven solutions that facilitate individual and team success. I have proven ability to formulate and implement strategies that result in effective organizational and human development and to harmoniously work with diverse groups of people whether it is in a community, corporation or nonprofit organization.
Although I have spent much of my career as an executive in not-for-profit organizations, it does not mean that I do not understand business. After all, not-for-profit organizations are businesses that happen not to distribute their excess revenues to stockholders. In fact, not-for-profit organizations are arguably the most difficult businesses to run successfully. Why is that so?

• There is no single bottom line. The mission, not monetary profit, is the motive;
• Nonprofit executives must answer to more than one “boss:” their board of directors (generally none of whom are in the same business as the nonprofit); their mission—the purpose of the organization; their constituents or clients; their funders; their regulators; the government, and; the public
• It requires an extraordinary level of leadership skill, creativity, vision, entrepreneurial spirit and innovation to operate a business in which working capital seldom exists and the potential employee pool is limited and often in need of extensive development.
• Nonprofit executives must exhibit an extraordinary commitment to ethical behavior and integrity—perhaps no more than a for profit business—but with far fewer resources to recover from a lapse in either. This is imperative when building organizational and employee trust.
• Executives often do not control their own destiny. Funding loss, external politics, and the elimination of programs often make for a career comprised of a series of positions in the nonprofit arena. The common themes of my career are leadership, analysis and planning, organizational capacity building, community and employee development. I have experienced my entire career in situations and organizations that were completely new and innovative, emerging or highly challenging.
• Perhaps most challenging is the fact that, for the most part, nonprofit executives must often raise the money to pay their own salaries. There is unrelenting pressure to operate with professionalism, grace, competence and dogged commitment to mission if you are to be successful in this endeavor. Successfully building employee and organizational capacity in the private sector requires the same characteristics and skills.

My personal mission is “to live my life authentically, with the material, intellectual and spiritual freedom to use my presence to change lives through the expression of my passion and talents exercised with integrity and personal discipline.” Experience has taught me that I best express this mission through using my considerable abilities for situational analysis, visionary, big-picture thinking, and organizational and human development.

That is why I formed my consulting company, RealHelp4RealPeople. It was founded it in order to provide everyday people with the support they need to succeed whether it is in their personal lives, in business or a not-for-profit organization. Although RealHelp4RealPeople provides me with gratifying work on a periodic basis it has not yet evolved into a full-time, profitable pursuit.

Experience has taught me that people’s personal lives affect their performance at work. Business, be it for-profit or not-for-profit is not solely about the numbers. It is about people and how they relate, perform and succeed as individuals. It is here that my strengths are best utilized—supporting people and organizations, by using my analytical skills to maximize results and build personal and organizational capacity and success through coaching, training, speaking, teaching and writing.

My resume reveals the details of my successful career and challenging work. Thank you for your consideration of my credentials for full-time, long-term employment!

Sincerely,

Yvonne S. Sparks


RESUME
Yvonne S. Sparks
9201 Garland Road, #225A, Dallas, TX 75218
Phone: 214.324.0097 Cell: 405.315.8661
yss1254@gmail.com

Profile: What I do is help people solve complex problems and deal with important issues in challenging environments. My passion is helping people meet and exceed their goals. I do this by employing my talents for deep insight, my ability to see the big picture and my true empathy for people and their conditions. I use my skills for leadership, astute situational analysis, comprehensive planning for solutions, establishing and managing expectations and accountability structures to help people, organizations and communities win. Through coaching, teaching, training and speaking in ways that guide and inspire with passion and commitment, I help others achieve success.


Professional Experience:

2002 – Current: RealHelp4RealPeople, LLC (formerly SAC Group, LLC), Dallas, TX
I am the founder and principal of a firm that conducts organization assessment and development, strategic planning, capacity building, board training and executive coaching for small businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Recent and former clients include: U. S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services (Washington, D.C.); Faith Center for Community Development (NYC); Leadership for Faith‐Based Community Development (St. Louis, MO); the Federal Reserve Bank System; Ralston Purina (St. Louis, MO); the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (Washington, D.C.); the Deaconess Foundation (St. Louis, MO); Community Service Builders (Dallas, TX),and; the Foundation for Community Empowerment (Dallas, TX).

2005 ‐ 2007 Director of Community Building, Foundation for Community Empowerment, Dallas, TX
Responsible for the creation and implementation of a comprehensive community building strategy for an intermediary organization focused on the revitalization for South Dallas‐a largely African‐American and low-income area. I was responsible for best practices research and application in both formal and informal processes with community residents, organizations and businesses with the goal of building social capital (skill sets, relationships, attracting resources) and increasing individual and community empowerment. This role was eliminated due to a change in organization's focus.

2002 ‐ 2005 Executive Director, Jackie Joyner‐Kersee Foundation, East St. Louis, IL
As Chief Executive Officer of youth‐focused, foundation, I managed a 41,000 square foot community center and sports complex on a 37‐acre site along with three community satellite sites. In this “turn‐around” role I was responsible for all aspects of the Foundation's work including the Center and it affiliated Boys & Girls Club. Major accomplishments include securing over $2 million in new grant funding, completing an operational reorganization, developing and implementing a new marketing plan and significantly improving relationships with funders, other organizations and the community.

2000 ‐ 2002 Executive Director, Vashon/JeffVanderLou Initiative, Inc., St. Louis, MO
I was Chief Executive Officer of a nonprofit, comprehensive community development intermediary organization. This short‐term project was created to facilitate planning and early implementation of the
redevelopment of the 450‐acre JeffVanderLou neighborhood in St. Louis' inner city. Managed the resident-led planning process, needs assessment, research, program design and fund raising. Managed a team of professional consultants and a staff of three in developing plans for: Economic Development, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Infrastructure. Administered a $5 million Danforth Foundation grant. Received the American Planning Association's Award for Excellence in Community Planning in the State of Missouri.

1999 ‐ 2000 Vice President and Regional Manager, Community Development, National Initiatives Group,
Bank of America, St. Louis, MO
I worked with market executives to develop and support implementation of welfare‐to‐work initiatives for the 22‐state Central Region. Identified welfare‐to‐work issues and opportunities and provided consultation to bank executives in articulating the bank's positions on those issues. Supported strategic market and regional workforce plans that expanded the inclusion of welfare to self‐sufficiency solutions consistent with the bank's human resources needs and its commitment to welfare to self‐sufficiency results. I was the regional point of contact on all welfare‐to‐work issues affecting the bank. Bank ended its initiative and eliminated the role.

1997 ‐ 1999 Vice President, Community Development Banking Group, NationsBank, St. Louis, MO
In this role I was responsible for design and implementation of community investment and relations strategy for the bank's entry into the St. Louis metropolitan market. My responsibilities included developing and managing productive community partnerships along with representing NationsBank externally, assessing community needs and opportunities and referring of business to appropriate bank business units. (NationsBank and Bank of America Merger, 1999 and I moved to Bank of America).

1994 ‐1997 Executive Director, Neighborhood Housing Services of St. Louis, Inc., St. Louis, MO
As Chief Executive Officer of a nonprofit housing corporation that administered home repair and rehabilitation loan programs for St. Louis City and County I created and secured funding for the agency's homebuyer training and first mortgage programs and expanded home improvement lending and loan servicing operations by over 50%. I co‐founded an innovative national model program for property insurance counseling services for low and moderate‐income neighborhoods and homeowners in partnership with the private insurance industry. I reported to a board of directors comprised of businesspeople and residents and managed a staff of eighteen with a $3.5 million budget.


Consulting and Other Professional Experience:

Federal Grant Proposal Reviewer ‐ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Washington, D.C.
Reviewed and evaluated proposals seeking funding from HHS for the first national demonstration projects of the Bush Administration's Compassion Capital Fund.

Website Content Researcher/Writer ‐ U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
Washington, D.C. Researched and wrote copy for the Home Ownership website of HUD's Office of Faith‐Based Initiatives. The site describes and provides links to program models and best practices sites to assist faith‐based community development organizations in designing and operating programs to support low and moderate‐income families and individuals in their efforts to achieve home ownership.

Lecturer ‐ The Urban Symposium, St. Louis, MO ‐ Guest lecturer and internship supervisor for a multidiscipline, multi‐institution urban and community development, graduate student‐training program of St. Louis and Washington Universities. Worked with students in the fields of Social Work, Public Policy, Law, Public Health and Architecture.

Lecturer, Advisor and Project Evaluator ‐ Urban Family and Community Development Program Advisory Board member, lecturer, student advisor and student project evaluator for a program designed to grant
graduate‐level academic credit in community development and pubic policy related fields to mid‐career social service professionals. This was a joint program of St. Louis and Washington Universities.

Trainer ‐ Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, Washington, D.C. ‐ Provided training on nonprofit governance, organization development and management to nonprofit organization executives, managers,
staff and board members during Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation National Training Institutes in various cities throughout the nation.

Community Affairs ‐ Federal Reserve Bank Board, Community Affairs Division, Washington, D.C.
Assisted staff in the evaluation and strategic planning process for the Federal Reserve Member Banks' Community Affairs Division.

Program Design and Implementation ‐ Ralston Purina Company, Community Affairs Department, St. Louis,
MO ‐ Designed and implemented a "Self‐Sufficiency" program for a small group of residents receiving public assistance and social services from agencies operating in the area adjacent to Ralston's world headquarters. Designed curriculum, selected and managed consultants and trainers for self‐help workshops, educational and vocational assessment, education and family support activities.

Education:

Certificate, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Program for Senior Executives in Government
Post‐graduate study in public affairs at the University of Texas at Dallas.
M.A., St. Louis University, Public Administration B.S., cum laude, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Administration of Justice

Additional Skills:

Excellent research, writing, presentation and public speaking skills. I am proficient in Microsoft Office Suite,
Apple applications and Internet research.

References Available Upon Request