Project Portfolio

Situation: The management board of an apartment tower in Cherry Hill, NJ, needed increased security due to ongoing vandalism, crime, and undesirable behaviors. My goal was to persuade the board of directors to invest in a surveillance camera system that would cover the entire property without blind spots. 

Tasks: As the vice president of the condo association, I was tasked with planning a surveillance camera system, obtaining bids, and serving as the point-of-contact for the contractor during the work.  

Actions: After receiving budget approval from the board, I was tasked with obtaining bids and planning the system. I met with contractors for building walkthroughs and proposed a system that would cover all 16 floors plus the exterior of the building. Once a contractor was selected, I worked with the installation team to overcome obstacles with wiring and ensuring that the interests of the condo association were met. 

Results: The camera installation proceeded on time and within budget. In addition to helping the association reduce vandalism and other nuisances, the system was instrumental in helping the FBI shut down a human trafficking ring that was operating out of one of the apartments.

Situation: A civil engineering firm based in Vineland, NJ, was processing all quotes and projects in a paper filing system. Quotes and projects were not being tracked adequately and projects were not completed on time. My goal was to digitize the company processes and implement a CRM and project management system.

Tasks: I was tasked with choosing the software for the project, designing the new systems, integrating them within our project workflows, and obtaining employee buy-in to use the systems.    

Actions: After selecting Insightly for its combined CRM & PM capabilities, I chose Formstack for client forms, Slack for company communications, and Zapier to integrate these services. The new systems were tested and implemented in an Agile framework and employees were trained to utilize new services adapted to their needs and capabilities. 

Results: Project tracking and online customer reviews improved dramatically. Quotes for new clients shifted from verbal to formal proposals. Revenue increased by 17% after implementation.  

Situation: A community development non-profit organization, sought to bring a food truck festival to Vineland, NJ to increase awareness of local businesses and improve the image of the struggling downtown area.

Tasks: As the volunteer & events coordinator for the organization, I was tasked with planning the event and ensuring the volunteer staffing would be adequate for this new venture. I was also responsible for handling social media advertising for the event.  

Actions: After a series of planning meetings, it was determined that the organization would host a craft beer tent for the event. In addition to planning the main event volunteers, I was tasked with recruiting a group of volunteers that would need to attend ABC training to work the beer tent. I used email and social media marketing in conjunction with Signup.com to coordinate volunteer training efforts. 

Results: The food truck festival was an unprecedented success, as over 10,000 people came to the event. The beer tent was well organized, but even with our pre-trained volunteers, maintaining consistent service was difficult. I was chosen as Volunteer of the Year for my efforts. The food truck festival has since become an annual event.

Situation: A development of 73 homes in Vineland, NJ was experiencing flooding due to an inoperative drainage system, leading to property damage. As the chairman of the condo association, I took the lead on fixing the drainage problems. 

Tasks: I contracted an engineer to evaluate the drainage issues at the site. It was determined that the existing drainage had failed completely and needed to be replaced with a seepage pit system. I then had to obtain bids for the work and materials and obtain the necessary government approvals.

Actions: After providing an engineered plan to the city, I obtained bids from contractors to conduct the system replacement. The work was conducted in stages to minimize disruption of the property. 

Results: The two new drainage sites operated successfully, but there was still ponding occurring in one of the locations. Due to a strong relationship I had developed with the contractor, additional grading was provided at no further cost to the association.   

Situation: Forced to innovate due to indoor meeting restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, a church in Vineland, NJ sought to revitalize outdoor spaces to continue to serve parishioners. The church had a courtyard area that was underutilized due to uneven terrain and aging trees. At the recommendation of the church council, a team was tasked with developing a courtyard proposal and implementing the revitalization effort. 

Tasks: After a courtyard team meeting, I contracted a surveyor to evaluate the topography of the courtyard to ensure that drainage would not be negatively impacted by the project. We also had to evaluate the possible impact of the project on utilities and a septic tank that were under the courtyard. I was also tasked with obtaining quotes for excavation and grading work, while other team members obtained quotes for tree removal, sod placement, and a new pavilion for the courtyard. 

Actions: After obtaining the topography plan and bids from contractors, I made a recommendation for choosing a contractor for excavation and grading to the church council. The team held ongoing meetings as worked progressed over several months, using a hybrid of waterfall and agile methodologies as the vision of the courtyard changed. 

Results: The courtyard revitalization was a success, and the church council was highly satisfied with the final outcome. The project was completed within budget in Fall 2020, and the church was able to host a series of concerts in Summer 2021 that brought new visitors to the property.