Maria B. Corona, Ph.D.

Experience

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  ACCESS

  Feb 2014 - Feb 2015

  Diversity Outreach Coordinator/ Domestic Violence Advocate

  Originally as a rape crisis center, Assault Care Center Extending Service and Support (ACCESS) has expanded its services through the years since its start in 1974. ACCESS serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in five counties of central Iowa; Greene, Boone, Story, Marshall and Tama county. The focus of ACCESS is to advocate for victims and/or survivors of sexual and domestic violence and enhance their safety. In addition to free and confidential counseling services, ACCESS helps with emergency financial needs, transportation and rapid rehousing. ACCESS has 24/7 services which include a crisis line and crisis response with certified and trained advocates. Furthermore, ACCESS works closely together with the community of each of the counties mentioned above and its civic involvement is continuous. Primary responsibilities: • Linguistically and culturally specific outreach to Latino victims of violence in Marshall county.• Individual/group counseling to victims/survivors.• Work closely with Immigration Lawyers; Create affidavits for U-Visa, T-Visa and VAWA Self-petition applications.• Community education program/training to schools, service agencies, organizations and groups. Show less

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  Child Welfare Research and Training Project

  Jan 2015 - Jul 2019

  Iowa State University Graduate Research Assistant

  The Child Welfare Research and Training Project (CWRTP) collaborates with state and local Department of Human Services employees and supervisors. The CWRTP evaluates programming, conducts research on outcomes of programs and trains DHS employees. The collaboration and training is to further enhance and ensure that children in Iowa and their families are receiving proper services and care. The focus is to continue to apply best practices that lead to safety and overall well-being of the client/family. Some of the main characteristics of the CWRTP are: commitment to enhancing quality assurance, technical excellence, educational training and research based programming. Additional responsibilities: • Train through self-instructed materials, webinars and in-person training.• Update existing training, complete research and interpret federal and state rules. • Research and data management• Create a new model explaining barriers of Latina immigrant domestic violence survivors in new gateways. Show less

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  ACCESS

  Feb 2016 - Aug 2016

  Transitional Housing Program Coordinator (Part-Time)

  The position involved a minimum of 20 hours per week with the potential to work up to 20 hours based on the needs of the program. This program is a three year renewable grant offered through the Office of Violence Against Women. The Transitional Housing Program (THP) was a transition that was building from the last two years of working as a Diversity Outreach Coordinator for ACCESS, with a greater focus on housing advocacy for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The positioned focused on survivors in the community who faced the greatest barriers to safe and stable housing. Primary responsibilities included but were not limited to:• connecting with landlords to secure leases• accepting and reviewing client applications to THP• working with sub-grantees and MOU partners to coordinate care for participants• assisting with policy writing and grant reporting• collaborating with other community partners • counseling and advocacy services Show less

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  Iowa State University

  May 2016 - Nov 2020

  - Developed a pilot curriculum for Human Sciences Extension and Outreach designed specifically for Latinx families related to college and career readiness call Salir Adelante! Caminos a Nuestro Futuro. - Collaborated with faculty, staff, and communities in a broad-based effort within ISU Extension and Outreach to support college and career readiness across the state of Iowa. - Utilized research-based information and feedback from Latinx families and facilitators to increase the program's appeal and efficacy - Implemented culturally relevant material in the pilot programming and system-wide implementation, and use an interdisciplinary framework for college and career readiness Show less I participated in a summer contract with the Iowa State University Extension Department. The primary investigator of the Rural Families Speak about Health (RFSH) project in Iowa is Dr. Kimberly Greder. The RFSH is multi-state and multi-disciplinary study on rural families in the United State of America. The purpose of this project is to determine the interactions of individual, family, community, and policy contexts on physical and mental health in diverse rural low-income families.Additional responsibilities:• Translated English to Spanish consent forms • Recruitment of participants for the study • Collecting data Show less

  • Doctoral Student

    Jan 2015 - Nov 2020

  • College and Career Readiness Initiative Graduate Research Assistant

    Jan 2019 - Dec 2019

  • Rural Families Speak about Health

    May 2016 - Aug 2016
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  American Friends Service Committee

  Jun 2017 - Sept 2017

  Lang Intern

  The Iowa Immigrants' Rights Program works to empower the immigrant community in Iowa by providing low-cost immigration legal services, developing effective organizing strategies to address local issues, build leaders and coalitions to bring about positive systemic change. The Lang Intern will work to educate immigrants in Iowa about their rights during interactions with local and federal law enforcement agencies and about how to prepare themselves and their families in case such an encounter occurs. This includes working with volunteer attorneys to conduct statewide clinics for Power of Attorney paperwork. The Lang Intern will also work to elevate the presence of the Iowa hotline for reporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and assist in coordinating and collaborating with a statewide community response network.Additional Responsibilities:• Public education: At the direction of the Director, work with staff and other organizations to coordinate Know Your Rights presentations and Power of Attorney clinics, create uniform materials and conduct regular presentations.• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) response: Coordinate the statewide response to ICE activity including logistics related to the Hotline and advocacy and/or community support with La Resistencia Iowa.•Administrative support: Assist the legal program and office reception staff by answering the phone and assisting clients arriving for or scheduling appointments. Show less

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  Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence

  Jan 2021 - now

  Executive Director

  • Coordinate organization operations, grant writing, manage fiscal aspect of agency, support staff autonomy, practice ethical communication• Develop and/or maintain internal program blueprint including implementation/expansion of programs centering historically excluded communities• Guide efforts to enhance accessibility of quality advocacy and representation for victims through the coordination of technical assistance, training, and information dissemination• Cultivate and nurture a broad coalition of racial/social justice partnerships at the local, state, and national level Show less