vanessaleong [email protected] +1 202 525 0052 www.vanessaleong.com
HIGHLIGHTS
10 years of experience in communications and strategy consulting, grant making, and international development. Consulted directly to senior-level clients, including business CEOS, VPs, managers and government officials to design, implement and monitor programs in the private, NGO and public sectors. Nurtured client relationships to become a trusted advisor, consistently exceeded expectations, and secured additional projects and responsibilities. Managed cross-functional project teams and an intern for the Clinton Foundation’s Lesotho office in order to strengthen the health institutions serving the country’s HIV positive children. Designed and led the launch team for a Fortune 500 company’s $2 million national cause marketing campaign. Evaluated and awarded grant proposals, managed ongoing NGO relationships. Created integrated communication, branding and marketing campaigns for a variety of programs and products, including a Fortune 500 company’s health/wellness and other HR initiatives, an NGO’s fundraising campaign, and a national Asian American professional association’s re-branding.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Pediatric HIV Program Manager Clinton Foundation, Health Access Maseru, Lesotho Jan 2009-Dec 2010 Advised Lesotho’s Minister of Health, national- and district-level government officials on the country’s HIV/AIDS interventions, guidelines, and public policy related to children, e.g. analyzing cost implications of policy decisions, improving patient care systems, aligning policy with WHO guidance, training health providers. Designed and implemented the first-ever CHAI-Lesotho Small Grants Program, which evaluated and granted proposals from health clinics to build their capacity for offering better pediatric care. Created and managed the media briefing for Lesotho’s first-ever national pediatric HIV training. Helped the Government of Lesotho develop and write two multi-million dollar proposals for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Demonstrated excellent communication skills by writing performance and budget reports and presenting at multiple workshops and technical meetings.
Project Manager, Finance & Strategy World Vision Washington, DC May-Dec 2007 Led project management and assisted in implementing performance management systems for the IPG team integration after a large-scale organizational change. Identified critical issues and made recommendations on the allocation of $13 million in private funds.
Senior Community Relations Specialist Raytheon Waltham, MA 2004-2006 Led the launch team for a $2 million national cause marketing campaign to increase students’ interest in math. Managed the operational strategy and the team of employees, vendors, and non-profit partners. Achieved program reach of 500,000 students in its first year. The MathMovesU program now includes large exhibits at Disney World and the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. Managed the corporate headquarters grants portfolio. Responsible for nonprofit partnership management, grant reviews, performance monitoring, and budget planning.
Senior Communications Specialist Raytheon Waltham, MA 2001-2004 Designed and implemented communication strategies for company-wide programs, including health and wellness initiatives, bi-annual all-employee opinion survey, CSR report, and employee volunteer and giving efforts. Engaged with and consulted senior executives, including CEO, CIO, and Human Resources VP on strategic communication planning. Led teams to evaluate gaps in communications processes and develop creative solutions.
Communications Specialist Raytheon Waltham, MA 2000-2001 Increased visibility for the Raytheon Learning Institutes within the company through marketing toolkits for business learning officers. Improved internal communications through intranet and executive communications. Chosen as a participant for the Human Resources Leadership Development Program training. vanessaleong [email protected] +1 202 525 0052 www.vanessaleong.com
EDUCATION
MBA, International Business / MA, International Affairs (Joint Degree) Dec 2008 The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Honors and Awards: George Washington University Global Fellow (full scholarship)
BS, Corporate Communications Dec 2000 Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y. GPA: 3.9, summa cum laude; Minor: Spanish Honors and Awards: Oracle Honor Society, Dean’s Scholarship, Minority Scholarship, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Iota Epsilon
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Senior Summer Associate, Full Economic Citizenship Ashoka Washington, DC May-Aug 2008 For the world’s leading social entrepreneurship organization, designed three financing concepts to scale up a market- based, $6 million global housing initiative. Recommended a strategic communications action plan to solve external and internal message misalignment.
Intern, Structured Finance Overseas Private Investment Corp (US Govt) Washington, DC May-Aug 2008 Wrote business and credit analyses for deals totaling $280 million in loans and guarantees in the Middle East. Analyzed financing projects including a $300 million project to create a primary mortgage market in the West Bank and a $17 million credit facility to provide low-income mortgage loans in Nicaragua.
SKILLS & GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
Leadership Advisor, Vodacom Corporate Social Responsibility (Maseru, Lesotho) 2009 Fundraising Campaign Co-Executive (raised $135,000), One Home Many Hopes (Kenya) Advisory Member, The Boston Foundation Co-founder & Student Director, GWU Business Development in Conflict Zones Practicum VP of Strategic Partnerships, Net Impact GWU Chapter 1st Place Winner, GWU Business Strategy Case Competition
Training Crisis Communication Performance Management U.S. Government Grants Management Raytheon Six Sigma Wall Street Prep USAID Certificate Program in HIV/AIDS (in process)
Languages Spanish (proficient) Cantonese (beginner)
Computer MS Excel and Office MS Project Online research (Lexis Nexis, Factiva)
Global Lived and worked in Maseru, Lesotho; La Paz, Bolivia; and London, England Extensive personal and business global travel