INTRODUCTION

I am currently employed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs as a rating veterans service representative.  I am also a graduate student of history at Baylor University, in the process of completing my master’s thesis.  I have several years of experience in state and federal government.

Baylor University (Waco, Texas)                                                                          (2007 - present)

Graduate student of History.  Cumulative GPA 3.59.  History GPA 3.72.  Master of Arts degree expected December, 2009.  Master’s thesis to discuss the use of torture as a means of compelling testimony in Western European judicial proceedings in the time following the end of the Roman Empire and preceding the reign of Charlemagne, with an emphasis on Visigothic Spain.

Willamette University (Salem, Oregon)                                                                    (1998 - 2004)

Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  Participated in intercollegiate debate and public speaking.  Senior seminar paper focused on the disparate class-, religion- and gender-determined agendas held by different groups of reformers during the German Peasants’ War.

Baylor University Institute for Oral History, Editorial Assistant                                 (2008-2009)

1. •Audit checked and edited interview transcripts for accuracy and readability.
   

2. •Interviewed Central Texans, of diverse backgrounds, on behalf of the Institute.
   

3. •Gave presentations about oral history to interested groups on behalf of the Institute.
   

4. •Currently interviewing and editing oral history of blues musician Classie Ballou.

Department of Veterans Affairs, Rating Veteran Service Representative                    (2009-present)

1. •Reviewing and determining veterans’ claims for compensation and pension benefits.
   

2. •Researching primary documents, including each claimant’s service treatment records, for evidence of probative value.
   

3. •Considering evidence in light of federal regulations and prescribing appropriate remuneration for claimant.
   

4. •Writing rating decision for each claim, a document of legal value.

Oregon Economic & Community Development Department, Regional Assistant            (2005-2007)

1. •Set up and managed project records for state and federal development programs, processed requests for disbursements of program funds, reconciled fiscal report data, and tracked federal audits.  Initiated creation of electronic project files
   

2. •Generated monthly, consolidated project reports for US Department of Housing and Urban Development and tracked program recipient compliance with federal reporting rules.
   

3. •Managed correspondence between Community Development Division and local communities, state agencies, state legislature, and Governor’s Office.

Oregon Economic & Community Development Department, Communications Assistant (2002-2005)

1. •Responded to and routed media and legislative information queries.
   

2. •Designed, composed, edited and published key agency publications, including its newsletter, press releases, program information brochures, budget documents, staff biographies and procedure manuals for staff.  Collaborated with other state employees, Governor’s Office, state legislators, and businesspersons to ensure timelines and accuracy of publications.
   

3. •Helped develop and implement, in conjunction with other division managers and Communications Manager, new public information strategies and media inquiry procedures following agency’s reorganization in 2003.

Heart of Texas Regional History Fair                                                                                  (2008)

• Served on panels that evaluated and graded Junior Group Exhibits and Senior Individual Documentaries.

First Congregational Church UCC of Salem, Oregon, Chair of Mission & Outreach      (2003-2006)

1. •Coordinated social relief activities of a 400+ member church, including its participation with Habitat for Humanity, Family Promise, Relay for Life, and the local food pantry.
   

2. •Supervised meetings of the Mission and Outreach board.
   

3. •Recruited, trained and encouraged volunteers for all activities.
   

4. •Lobbied for an won approval of increase in board budget from $14,000 in 2003 to $21,000 in 2005.

Oregon Historic Marker/Heritage Tree Committees, Salem, Oregon, Member             (2003-2006)

1. •Assisted in evaluation and selection of highway marker sites and heritage trees of historic interest to the state of Oregon.
   

2. •Reviewed nominations solicited from Oregon citizens, grading each submission, voting for or against each nomination for inclusion.
   

3. •Reviewed and approved text of commemorative placards for each successful nominee.
   

4. •Represented the committees at public forums and events.

Collaborating with diverse persons and entities on multiple complex, time-limited projects.  Researching and analyzing primary documents for information of probative value.  Writing and publishing documents of legal value, documents for public consumption, and documents of scholarly value.