Karen Allen, MPH, LCSW

Experience

• 

  Metropolitan Family Services

  Jan 1974 - Jan 2008

  Program Manager & Director, Supervisor, Psychotherapist

  Worked with community partners to develop and manage a broad range of social service programs for low-income and immigrant families in Chicago and suburbs. This included 30 ethnically diverse staff working in adult/child mental health, early childhood, maternal and child health, domestic violence, homelessness, elder abuse issues, police crisis intervention and community development. Wrote grants to obtain federal, state and local funding (12 government & 6 private funders). Trained and supervised staff and interns in solution-focused counseling, psychosocial assessment, psychotropic medication management, intake, crisis intervention, advocacy, individual/family/group therapy, financial assessment, Parents as Teachers curriculumProvided and managed culturally-sensitive counseling in African-American, Hispanic, Polish, Muslim and multi-ethnic communities Show less

• 

  Self-employed therapist and consultant

  Jan 1980 - Jan 2015

  Licensed Clinical Social Worker

  Provided counseling and psychotherapy to individuals, families and groups; special focus on cross-cultural and gender issues.

• 

  Center for Communication Programs (CCP)

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2007

  Intern

  Short-term internship with program specializing in use of multiple media for strategic prevention and intervention communications re: HIV/AIDS in India.

• 

  Joint Commission International

  Jan 2008 - Jan 2009

  Manager, Special Projects in International Consulting

  Provided management support for consulting projects in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America, including working with national and regional governments to develop health standards for their populationsProvided grant-writing and coordination for multi-million dollar international health projects

• 

  Northern Virginia Family Service

  Jul 2009 - Feb 2014

  Oversaw Head Start and Early Head Start programs serving up to 268 children in child development centers and 226 in home-based services in 3 counties. Led 90+ ethnically-diverse staff, ensuring compliance with federal performance standards and state and local licensing guidelines.Ensured quality improvement through outcome measurement, effective monitoring and professional developmentDeveloped and managed $6+ million budget, including federal, state, local and private funding, plus volunteer and in-kind resources Show less Responsible for all aspects of early childhood programming for a multi-service agency covering 7 county/city jurisdictions of Northern VirginiaOversight of 140 staff serving 1300 children and families per year with home-based and center-based servicesManaged $10+ million budget, including program development, grant-writing, regular budget review, and reporting to funders (federal, state, local and private grants and contracts)Oversaw seamless integration of early childhood programming with other agency services to maximize client impact Show less

  • Director of Early Childhood Services

    Mar 2013 - Feb 2014

  • Vice President, Early Childhood Division

    Jul 2009 - Mar 2013
• 

  U.S. Department of State

  Jul 2015 - Mar 2022

  Evaluation Coordinator - Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

  Consulting on the monitoring and evaluation of international programs funded by the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

• 

  U.S. Department of State, Metropolitan Family Services, Northern VA Family Service

  Mar 2022 - now

  Retired