Community Engagement & Building Your Tribe
As a community engagement expert, I continue to champion causes that empower community members with information and engagement to grow new and authentic leadership among stakeholders, partners and city officials. Communications is a very serious element to the success and longevity for change and quality of life concerns. We can only thrive when we respect one another and build communities that reflect respect and responsibility through democracy. We must respect self and take responsibility for self, as well as build community initiatives for safety, health, social, and inclusion; where "everyone belongs." It is a human right to have access to information. Did you know this? According to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, "democracy can only thrive with an informed and engaged community." Let's thrive together!
Transformational Growth in Community
As an accomplished administrator of public and private sector initiatives for transformational growth, I demonstrate my abilities in creating effective communications to engage people. I love consulting others on how to do it with my written community engagement blueprint and champion brand ambassador training.
For community development to flourish, systems must be in place to develop methods for collaboration, a space for community champions, and organizational growth. I enjoy connecting diverse organizations by finding commonalities for people to work together.
My experience in both business and education provides me the expertise to authentically evaluate programs, write impact reports, manage grant funding, and communicate to leadership teams, and implement project goals. Coaching includes communications, social media, public speaking and writing content.
I understand the importance of creating meaningful relationships, and I am known as a highly organized, integrative strategic thinker. I love to share this skillset with others and teach others how to create strategic plans for their organization. Through my project management work, I have a proven track record as a motivating, results oriented leader. My passion is highlighted in my exceptional team building skills, known for effective utilization of talent and resources towards organizational goals. My personal and professional philosophy is TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More.
Social Infrastructure & Engaged Community
As the project director for the Connected Corridor project, a social infrastructure project that included education connections, workforce development, small business development, arts and culture and media and technology, I was able to grow momentum among partners and stakeholders, building a people movement through collaboration. The citizen engagement and community momentum expanded through four phases over a span of four plus years. The highlight of this project was breaking down barriers and silos to work together.
This multi-million-dollar grant was funded by the John S. And James L. Knight Foundation through the fiscal responsibility by Long Beach Community Foundation. Leadership Long Beach was the first and main grant recipient of the Connected Corridor. It was a delicate project to manage with three advising boards, but the people factor of it all was exhilarating! With the written blueprint in hand, it is possible to duplicate this project's momentum by using the blueprint as a "low hanging fruit" for inspiration.
After the Connected Corridor project, I served as a learning community facilitator, writer, social media consultant, and public affairs consultant for First 5 LA and their 14 BEST START communities (18 cities). Our focus was serving families with children, prenatal to five years old, funded through tobacco tax money. Working with various teams and departments, I created curriculum, co-wrote policies, and facilitated meetings on social media utilization, strategic planning, leadership training, and placed-based initiative education. I also helped implement and track a pilot communications project in South Los Angeles.
- Carina Cristiano