PROJECT MANAGEMENT

AT LEAST THE TRAINS ARRIVE ON TIME.

CHILDREN AND SCREENS

PROJECT MANAGER

In 2020 I had the opportunity to work at a non-profit that values lean and agile approaches to one of the most complex and important issues facing the next generation. Children and Screens: The Institute for Digital Media and Child Development was founded in 2013 by Dr. Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra, and brings together world leaders in neuroscience, pediatrics, sleep medicine, education and adolescent psychiatry, to name a few. Over the years, the Institute convened and curated incredible resources for its fourfold mission: strengthening talent in the field, advancing interdisciplinary research, influencing public policy and educating the public.

What impressed me most in my time there was the way that Children and Screen maintains an impressive level of integrity in an industrial landscape flooded with lobbyist funding. In. 2020 the Institute’s leadership made incredible progress in developing its high-level human resources operations, even while COVID radically transformed the calculus of executive’s decisions. I loved learning from our president how to navigate an ongoing crisis: identifying changes quickly, acting decisively and methodically protecting resources.

In an exciting challenge. I lead capacity development projects in a rapidly shifting environment. I acquired new hires, talent, vendors, and managed RFP's. To initiate a budget restructuring I coordinated with internal and external contributors and SME’s. I also supported grant research and writing. I appreciated the chances to advise and manage strategy and communications for executive leadership. Here, managing high-level diplomacy worked hand-in-hand with our executive leadership sourcing and strategy.

Internal communications projects gave me the opportunity to oversee and contribute to projects including branding, marketing, UX, and donor engagement. I also managed projects for international research retreats, where I facilitated projects and engagements for experts across neuroscience, child development, ophthalmology etc.