Lavonne Nkomo
[email protected]

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI
PBIS Coordinator (Positive Behavioral Supports and Interventions), January 2006 - Present

* Coordinate Rhode Island schools participating in the national network implementing School Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.
* Liaison between the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Partnership and the National Technical Assistance Center on School Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.
* Provide technical assistance; coordinate all trainings; develop project materials.
* Maintain data required for outcome measurement and evaluation; produce reports
* SWIS Facilitator (School-Wide Information System); SET Evaluator (School-Wide Evaluation Tool)
* Liaison between the RI Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and the Sherlock Center for the Positive Educational Partnership (PEP), a SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services System of Care Initiative.

Healthy Families Thriving Communities Collaborative Council, Washington, DC
Quality Assurance Specialist, March 2003 - September 2005

* Charged with monitoring program improvement throughout seven community-based organizations that provide services to neglected and abused children and vulnerable children and families.
* Assisted seven community-based organizations with coordinating citywide planning, reporting, monitoring and staff training (trained over 150 staff).
* Provided technical and program support to seven program managers.
* Assisted executive directors and family service directors meet their required outcomes and contractual obligations by implementing data collection and analysis tools.
* Developed and managed a new database across sites to track case management efforts.
* Facilitated several committees focused on improving outcomes, quality of life indicators, data collection efforts and evaluation tools.
* Aided in the development of policy and best practices around strength based, family centered practice.

Center for the Study of Social Policy, Washington, DC
Associate,  November 2001-December 2002

* Competitively selected as CSSP's first Tom Joe Fellow, a two year post graduate fellowship for
talented young leaders interested in public policy.  Specific work includes the following child welfare and other social policy projects:
* Conducted an evaluation of the Community Care Grant Program of the Community Partnership for the
Prevention of Homelessness in the District of Columbia, to provide comprehensive services to homeless
families.  Published a report as Fellowship paper, "An Assessment of the District of Columbia's
Community Care Grant Program," July 2002, distributed to The Community Partnership for the Prevention
of Homelessness and policy leaders.
* Assisted in providing technical assistance to St. Louis, Missouri -Community Partnership for Protecting
Children Initiative designed to reform their child welfare system, reduce child abuse and neglect, and
improve results for children and families.
* Authored articles for SAFEKEEPING: a publication of the Community Partnership for Protecting
Children 
Initiative on Superior Supervisors; Individualized Courses of Action [for families], and Financing a
Community Partnership.
* Co-facilitated engagement training for supervisors and social workers in the St. Louis' Department of
Family Services to improve performance and family engagement.
* Co-facilitated training on local governance to build community capacity and enhance decision making capability.