Review the candidate information and vote below. Voting closes April 19, 2024. Director of Non-Clinical Case Manager Membership & Benefits Leah Stone Louisiana State University Resume How have your personal and professional experiences prepared you for the position you seek? My tenure as a case manager within the Student Advocacy & Accountability department at LSU has provided me with firsthand experience in navigating the complexities of supporting students in higher education settings. Through my daily interactions with students facing diverse challenges, I have honed my ability to assess needs, develop intervention strategies, and advocate for appropriate support services. Additionally, my leadership role in redeveloping and updating our Advocacy Manual demonstrates my capacity to analyze policies, identify areas for improvement, and implement changes to align with best practices—a skillset directly applicable to the responsibilities of the Director position. Furthermore, my involvement in the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) has afforded me the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across disciplines to address student concerns holistically. Serving on the BIT has enhanced my crisis management skills, reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, and underscored the value of proactive intervention in supporting student well-being. In addition to my professional experiences, my academic journey towards a doctoral degree in higher education and administration has deepened my understanding of the systemic issues facing marginalized communities in higher education. My research focus on providing appropriate and holistic support for these communities aligns closely with HECMA’s commitment to advancing equity and inclusivity within the field of higher education case management. Through my scholarly pursuits, I have developed critical thinking abilities, research skills, and a nuanced understanding of the broader landscape of student affairs—an expertise that will inform my approach to leadership within HECMA. Describe your goals and objectives for the position you seek and how they relate to and would advance the association's mission and vision . Firstly, I am committed to fortifying membership engagement and optimizing benefits. To achieve this, I propose the development and execution of tailored initiatives including but not limited to professional development workshops, networking events, and access to a wealth of pertinent resources. By nurturing a robust membership base and ensuring their needs are met, we can foster a collaborative environment conducive to enhancing the efficacy of case management practices across the higher education sector. Secondly, I aspire to serve as a catalyst for the propagation of best practices and standards in non-clinical case management. This will entail spearheading the creation of comprehensive training programs, webinars, and workshops centered on pivotal topics such as crisis intervention, student advocacy, and ethical considerations. By affording our members access to top-tier professional development opportunities, we empower them to deliver superlative support services while upholding the utmost standards of practice. Moreover, my tenure will be marked by commitment to advancing equity and inclusivity. This objective entails advocating for the needs of marginalized communities and implementing strategies to dismantle systemic barriers to access and success. It also involves fostering an ethos of respect and belonging within our association, thereby cultivating an environment that is truly inclusive and affirming for all stakeholders. Lastly, collaboration will be central to my approach, as I intend to forge strategic partnerships with stakeholders such as other professional associations across the higher ed landscape to harness the collective expertise and resources of our partners to amplify the impact of our initiatives. Caitlyn Hurley The University of Tampa Resume How have your personal and professional experiences prepared you for the position you seek? I am thrilled to pursue this position within HECMA. I attended the HECMA Conference in June 2023 and fell in love with the organization, what it stands for and the people who are a part of it. Because I had such a positive experience at the conference, I was eager to contribute to the organization and I joined the Non-Clinical Committee. I took on responsibilities such as co-planning successful networking events, like HECMA Thread Talks: Unraveling the Community Discussion Forum. My dedication to HECMA extends beyond the committee as I have reviewed conference proposals, contributed ideas for HECMA swag, and will be assisting with social media efforts. Additionally, I voluntarily organize and facilitate a bi-weekly virtual processing group for members, fostering a supportive environment for sharing and growth. In my current professional role as the Non-Clinical Case Manager at The University of Tampa, I have been instrumental in shaping and defining this position. Over the past two years, I have introduced innovative processes, cultivated strong relationships across campus and consistently sought opportunities for improvement. Driven by a commitment to personal and professional growth, I am pursuing certifications as a Life Coach and Mental Health First Aid Trainer. My dedication to assisting others resulted in my recognition with the Employee of the Month Award in October 2023 and the Faculty/Staff Unsung Hero Award for the 2023-2024 academic year. I thrive on building meaningful connections and helping individuals reach their potential. I believe in recognizing, celebrating and appreciating the achievements of those around me. If given the opportunity, I would be honored to bring these values and experiences to HECMA. Describe your goals and objectives for the position you seek and how they relate to and would advance the association's mission and vision . I am sad to see Glen Harris Jr ending his term in this position. It has been an honor to work with him and I would love to continue with the great things he has done, as well as expand on them. Leading the Non-Clinical Committee would be a smooth transition for me because I excel in logistical planning, identifying gaps, project management and organization. I am committed to providing support to committee members, individually and collectively. Since being a part of the committee is voluntary, I will show my appreciation through handwritten cards, words of encouragement as well as my unwavering support. I hope to expand on professional development opportunities and request feedback from all HECMA members. Also, I would love to expand on the bi-weekly processing group that I currently facilitate. I envision developing a system to have more processing groups, enabling members to connect regularly in small-discussions and strengthen their connections with one another. I aim to be a voice for HECMA Non-Clinical Members and I want to provide spaces where our members feel seen, heard and represented. My goal is to continue to work with the Non-Clinical Committee members and HECMA members to cultivate an environment where ideas are exchanged, best practices are established, and a safe space for support is available to all. Allison Leventhal Johns Hopkins University Resume How have your personal and professional experiences prepared you for the position you seek? During my 15-year career in higher education, I have enjoyed many different tyles of leadership roles. Prior to COVID, I served on the HECMA Strategic Initiatives Committee, specifically administrating the Membership survey, and migrating content to new resource library. Most recently I, along with a powerful team of colleagues, created the HECMA Basics of Case Management course which has taught over 500 non-clinical case managers the structures of our work. That involved developing 8 hours of content along with continuous improvements and additions over the last 3 years.Outside of my professional work I have also served as the membership chair of my local Synagogue. In that capacity I brought membership processes online, recruited and orientated new members to our community. Describe your goals and objectives for the position you seek and how they relate to and would advance the association's mission and vision . Any good case manager knows that relationships are the key to being effective in our work. Early on I would devote my time to making connections in adjacent professional organizations and fields to curate opportunities for our members. Following a core value of mine to be a lifelong learner, I’d like to increase the regularity of professional development offerings. Additionally, I’d seek to work with membership to cater to a wide range of levels of experience from beginning to advisory stage. Lastly I would work with my fellow board members to create opportunities for members to ask for what they need, and create responsive programming. President Alicia Talbird University of Georgia Resume How have your personal and professional experiences prepared you for the position you seek? I have deeply valued the community and professional growth I have gotten from my time as a member since 2016 and then serving as the Clinical Case Manager at Large from 2018-2021 and again as President from 2022 to now. Starting first as a member I learned so much about the field of case management and then when I joined the leadership team I developed invaluable skills as it pertains to how to make sure an organization such as HECMA is able to continue to operate and serve its members as well as the field of Higher Education Case Management. In my non-HECMA professional experiences I’ve had the pleasure of working as a clinical case manager for many years before transitioning in to my current role in the non-clinical case management office at the University of Georgia, Student Care and Outreach. My experience in both types of case management has allowed me as the president to be aware of the impacts and unique experiences of all of the case managers that HECMA supports. Describe your goals and objectives for the position you seek and how they relate to and would advance the association's mission and vision . My goal is to continue to support the growth of our organization. Over the last 2 years the leadership teams have made significant progress in many areas. Our conferences continue to grow yet we have been able to continue to foster the sense of community that has been so important for our organization. We have entered in to strategic relationships with partner organizations such as ASCA in order to continue to expand our reach and visibility. We have successfully expanded our continuing education offerings and have clear goals and steps for continuing to expand. Professional development opportunities related to Foundations, Drive Ins and webinars have been more clearly defined in recent months and are set to expand in coming months. Each of these projects are in early phases and my goal as president is to continue to develop and expand these initiatives in addition to continuing to develop an increased presence on a national stage so that it is clear that HECMA is the home for any case manager in higher education. Vote