CARMEN DERUSHA CDERUSHA@PURDUE.EDU CAREER SUMMARY Leadership ~ Innovation ~ Consulting ~ Strategic Planning ~ Program Development and Evaluation ~ Teaching and Training ~ Diversity and Inclusion Innovative leader and social entrepreneur with vast experience as an Extension Educator reaching diverse and urban audiences Impressive track record recruiting and managing volunteers, nonprofit management and diversity education with an established history of providing guidance and strategic thinking to organizations and for projects that result in a positive impact in the community. Fully bilingual English and Spanish providing the capacity to deliver programs in these Languages. Interested in foreign cultures, having traveled extensively around the world. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Purdue University Extension, Marion County Extension Educator, Leadership and Community Development 1991 - Present Provide leadership and technical assistance in the development of initiatives to improve the quality of life of under represented groups. Develop close relationships with communities, identify challenges and assets, design and implement needed projects, gather resources, evaluate and take steps toward sustainability of new initiatives. Purdue University is the Land Grant University for the State of Indiana therefore Purdue University has Extension offices in each Indiana County. Extension Educator s role is to apply research to promote development in the local communities. Projects: Community Development projects in neighborhoods: Far East side (1991 to 1995); Results: Creation of the following organizations: Community Alliance for the Far Eastside, Eagledale Neighborhood (1995 to 1997). Results: Creation of the Eagledale Neighborhood Association, the Northewest Youth Services Committee and Eagledale Northwest Community Center and the Northwest Summer Camp. West Washington Commercial Corridor, (2012 to present) Results: Creation of the West Washington Business Coalition. Worked with Underserved Populations: Provided leadership and technical assistance to promote the creation and sustainability of Community Based Organizations: 1997 to 2002 Organized the State Wide Latino/Hispanic Summit: The changing face of Indiana, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, gathering average 400 per conference, raising funds and managing the logistics of this operation.
Carmen DeRusha Page 2 of 5 Successfully worked with Fiesta Indianapolis, Inc. revitalized this organization by developing a fundraising strategy, recruiting volunteers and developed a blueprint to implement a festival and other cultural activities. Fiesta Indianapolis is a successful yearly festival attracting an average attendance of 35,000. Indiana Multiethnic Committee: developed this organization and ran it for six years. This is a collaborative effort of 30 plus organizations interested in issues related to Multiethnic Indiana. Created and deliver the following Educational Programs: The Changing Face of Indiana. This program enhanced awareness of cultural diversity in Indiana Communities. Diversity and inclusion programs deliver to various audiences around the State of Indiana to diverse groups: Creating Inclusive and welcoming working environments, Cultural Competence, and Creating Inclusive Neighborhoods. Developed and provided Leadership development seminars to Spanish speaking audiences. In collaboration with the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, I provide workshops on this subject to Spanish Speaking and English Speaking audiences. Natural Helpers Program, is a 28 hours educational experience provided to volunteers wanting to help immigrants and refugees in their communities. Facilitated Strategic Planning Process and provide organizational development advice to non-profit and community based organizations, examples are: Partners of the Americas, Lafayette Square Business Coalition, Eagledale Community Center, Tippecanoe County Latino Coalition, Rebuilding the Wall, Earth Charter Indiana and others. Provided Educational Programs internationally: Community Development, Chile, S.A. Servant Leadership in Colombia, S.A. Farmer to Farmer in Costa Rica, C.A. Farmer to Farmer in Colombia, S.A. La Plaza Inc., Indianapolis, IN 2003 Executive Director Led the merger of three nonprofit organizations into the creation of one organization with the sole purpose lessening administrative expenses and improving social services delivery to Latinos in Central Indiana. Lead the establishment of the new organization, reorganized existing staff, hired new staff, raised funds and created the infrastructure of the new organization. Family Resource Center, Hartford, CT 1988 1990 Administrator
Carmen DeRusha Page 3 of 5 Hired, supervised and advised nine staff members delivering six different programs to the families of children attending the Samuel Betances Elementary School. This program was funded by the State of Connecticut s Legislature; site was the urban site of the pilot. As director, I participated in the reporting and detailed evaluation processes. EDUCATION M.A. Social and Educational Development, CINDE Universidad Pedagógica de Colombia. B.S. Education with specialization in Educational Psychology and Administration, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnologica de Colombia Teacher s Certificate, Escuela Normal Nacional Tunja Colombia TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS Intercultural Development Inventory Certified Administrator (IDI), 2013 Navigating Difference Trained Facilitator, 2013 Civic Conversations Facilitator, Indiana Humanities Council 2010 Natural Helpers Train the Trainer, Indianapolis Immigrant Welcome Center, 2009 Diversity Practitioner Certificate Program at the National Training Laboratory, NTL Institute. 2007 Community Economic Development Course: Building Self-Renewing Communities, 1997, Ball State University. Myers-Briggs Facilitator Certificate, 1994. National Extension Leadership Development Program, (NELD) 1991 to 1993, funded by the Kellogg Foundation. Leadership Development Training, 1992, provided by United Way of Central Indiana, the Indianapolis Foundation and Arthur Jordan Associates. Outward Bound and Hispanic Leadership Development Training, 1990, Colorado. Facilitating Positive Parenting Classes, City of Hartford Office of Human Services and Youth Services Office 1990 Family Community Leadership Connecticut Training Program, UCONN Cooperative Extension Service 1990 Parents as Teachers, Missouri Department of Education and CT Department of Human Resources 1989 English Language Studies, 18 credits, University of Hartford 1988 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION Indiana Extension Educators Association, Team Award, 2014 Indianapolis Business Journal. Profile Women in Business, 2003 Indiana Extension Educators Association Leadership and Community Development Innovator Award, 2002. Hero s Award by students of Indy After School Program Washington Middle School, 2002. Appointed by Governor O Bannon to serve on the Indiana Cultural and Heritage Committee, 2002. Outstanding Community Leaders, the Church Federation and Volunteers of America, 2002. United States of America Congressional Record, by Senator Lugar, 2002.
Carmen DeRusha Page 4 of 5 Cover feature for Indianapolis Women s Magazine, September 2001. Cultural Vision Award, NUVO Newsweekly, 2000. Hispanic-American Service Award, Hispanic Education Center, 1999. Indiana Extension Educators Association Leadership and Community Development Junior Award, 1997. Nominated to receive the Indiana Youth Investment Award, 1993. RESEARCH PROJECTS AND PUBLICATIONS Indianapolis Far Eastside Community Business Assessment Report: Employment Issues, Operating Environment, and Products, authors Kevin T. McNamara, Jason Henderson, and Carmen DeRusha, 1996 The Law of Automatic Promotion within Schools a Historical View, author, sponsored by Bogota Association of Language. A General and Artistic School of Studies, author, sponsored by the Institute of Culture of Boyacá School for Parents of the Colegio de Boyacá, author and program director, sponsored by Colegio de Boyacá, 1984. The restructuring of the Teacher Training Curriculum of the National Normal School of Tunja, evaluator, sponsored by Universidad Pedagogica y Tecnológica de Colombia, 1984 Evaluation of the new curriculum in first and second grades of the Elementary School at the Colegio de Boyacá en Tunja, Colombia, investigator, sponsored by Colegio de Boyacá, Tunja, Colombia, 1983. Investigation of the standard trans-cultural growth factors in children, birth to 12 months, in the different social classes of the City of Tunja, Colombia, investigator, sponsored by a private agency, 1981. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Serve as member of the Board of Directors and committee member in the following nonprofit organizations: Current: Indiana Latino Institute Local Initiatives Support Corporation Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative, GINI, Demonstration Committee and Chair of Community Investment Committee. Local Initiative Support Corporation Advisory Board (LISC) Latino Youth Collective Past Involvement: Hispanic Education Center President of Imagine Life Sciences Academy Charter Schools Board of Directors in Indianapolis, President Sociedad Amigos de Colombia, SADCO. Goodwill Foundation Hispano American Center Hawthorne Community Center
Carmen DeRusha Page 5 of 5 President Fiesta Indianapolis Indianapolis Mayor Latino Commission Marion County Commission on Youth Imagine Campaign, Renovation and Expansion of Marion County Central Library Capital Campaign Committee. Indiana Cultural and Heritage Council, appointed by the Governor of Indiana United Way of Central Indiana: Bridges to Success Allocations Committee Neighborhood and Community Development Impact Council Community Assets and Research Committee Research and Evaluation Committee.