Zenani D. Johnson, MPA

Experience

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  Leon County Government

  Jun 2013 - Aug 2013

  Office Assistant

  Receptionist and clerical duties for the Office of Tourism; participated in staff meetings and assisted in event planning activities for the Bureau.

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  City of Tallahassee

  Jun 2014 - Aug 2014

  Office Assistant, City Manager's Office

  Assisted with clerical and training preparation duties within City Manager Anita Favors Thompson’s Office. Also worked as a liaison the Palmer Munroe Teen Center. Participated in staff meetings, trainings, planning activities and organizing teen events at the Palmer Munroe Teen Center.

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  University of West Florida

  Aug 2016 - Mar 2017

  Office Support Staff, Undergraduate Admissions

  Served as support staff, responsible for auditing and processing confidential undergraduate admissions files for students applying to the University of West Florida.

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  City of Tallahassee

  Jun 2017 - Aug 2017

  Office Assistant, City Commissioner Curtis R

  Assisted City Commissioner Curtis Richardson with various tasks (document creations, responding to correspondence, setting Commissioner appointments, assisting in arranging events). Also assisted with event scheduling and served as the youth liaison for Tallahassee students.

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  University of West Florida, SGA

  Apr 2018 - Apr 2020

  Elected SGA Student Body President. Serves as the elected spokesperson for the SGA and representative in all matters affecting University of West Florida Students. Also serves as the Student Representative on the University's Board of Trustees. Responsible for taking executive action; appointing students to SGA/Academic Assembly Committees, SAC Chairperson, SGA Student Court, and others deemed as necessary. Convening the SGA Senate for special meetings, managing daily SGA affairs and attending all SGA Senate meetings. Show less

  • SGA Student Body President

    Apr 2019 - Apr 2020

  • UWF SGA Vice President

    Apr 2018 - Mar 2019
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  University of West Florida

  Aug 2018 - Apr 2019

  Peer to Peer Educator

  Responsible for marketing the food, dining and meal plan services throughout the UWF campus. Also accountable for educating students about the best food options on campus which enables them to develop better eating habits during their college career.

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  State University System of Florida - Board of Governors

  May 2019 - May 2020

  Governor

  Elected Chair of the Florida Student Association which allows me a seat on the Florida Board of Governors as the Student Representative. I advocated for the more than 350,000 students across the state of Florida.

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  Escambia County Board of County Commissioners

  Jun 2019 - May 2020

  Intern, County Administrator Janice Gilley

  Served as part of the County Administrator’s transition team. Conducted special projects, assignments and research for issues that could potentially impact Escambia County and its residents. Participated in meetings with county staff, attended commission meetings and other activities assigned by the County Administrator.

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  Escambia County Board of County Commissioners

  Jul 2020 - Jun 2021

  Special Projects and Governmental Affairs

  Responsible for the coordination and implementation of special projects and governmental affairs for Escambia County government. Accountable for tracking, attendance and monitoring of 25-30 various boards affiliated with Escambia County and any other projects assigned by the County Administrator. Assisted in the development and tracking of critical legislative items for Escambia County. Helped to secure millions in funding for local projects in Escambia County. Served as the appointed liaison on behalf of Escambia County for the Children’s Service Council and the Tourist Development Council. Served as a FEMA certified, critical emergency staff for emergencies and disasters, and served as a lead in the Citizen Information Center during emergencies. Served on the Internal Affairs Team and helped trace nearly one million dollars’ in lost revenue. Show less

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  Groundbreaking Strategies, LLC

  Apr 2021 - now

  Chief Executive Officer

  As CEO of Groundbreaking Strategies, I lead our mission to help clients achieve and surpass their company goals. I oversee branding, marketing, and communications efforts, and drive engagement and outreach initiatives to attract new clients.As CEO, I lead our companies comprehensive services including creative design, strategic advising, and sometimes, have the opportunity to deliver impactful keynote speeches at various events. In my role, I also have the privilege of acting as a media spokesperson for our clients, passionately advocating for their success. By leveraging my expertise, my team and I ensure that Groundbreaking Strategies remains at the forefront of innovation, providing unparalleled support to entrepreneurs and businesses. We help our clients not just be better than average, but be groundbreaking. Show less

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  The Florida Lottery

  Jun 2021 - May 2022

  Florida Gubernatorial Fellow

  Appointed as a Class XVII Florida Gubernatorial Fellow. Selected to work in the office of the Florida Lottery, which is the only revenue-generating agency in the State of Florida. Served as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff and working in critical areas of the agency. Gaining experience working in marketing, product development, sales, legislative affairs, gaming operations, etc. Assisted in planning and implementing the first-of-its-kind Bright Futures Expansion program, designed to bring awareness about the Bright Futures Scholarship Program to underserved communities across the state of Florida. Show less

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  The Congressional Award

  Nov 2021 - Sept 2022

  Served as a communications consultant for the Congressional Award Foundation. Essential to efforts to establish brands, communicate, advertise, and strategize.Actively used technology such as Microsoft office 360, Zoom, Google calendar and more. Young alumni serve as ambassadors, collaborating with community leaders and groups to find answers to issues including accessibility, socioeconomic status, and educational inequities.Working with young graduates from all over the country, I act as an ambassador for the program, bringing it to marginalized and underrepresented populations. We support young people's commitment to the task of achieving the Congressional Award. Create and maintain connections between a company, the media, and the general public. Frequently serve as an organization's public face. The ability to communicate clearly in writing and in front of an audience is a must for this role in order to represent their organization in various media.

  • Communications Consultant

    Jun 2022 - Sept 2022

  • Diversity Ambassador

    May 2021 - Sept 2022

  • Communications Intern

    Nov 2021 - Jun 2022
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  Florida Chamber of Commerce

  May 2022 - May 2024

  Spearheading initiatives to engage zip code-level leadership across Florida's 67 counties, aiming to carve pathways to prosperity for our state's children. This approach is data-driven, emphasizing the amplification of community voices and fostering unity among businesses statewide. My work involves addressing key issues such as Florida’s childcare crisis, third-grade reading levels, and childhood poverty through direct engagement with communities across Florida.This role also encompasses working with the business sector to develop investment strategies for the areas most in need, aiming to boost economic growth and create opportunities in Florida creating a pathway to prosperity for all children in Florida, one zipcode at a time. Show less Serving as the Senior Vice President of the Equality of Opportunity Initiative's right hand for all operations and duties to ensure that every Floridian has an equal opportunity at earned success. Currently spearheading and managing critical functions such as communications and marketing, project management and tracking, internal and external communications, board operations and preparation, as well as content generation. Spearheaded the first-of-its-kind statewide community conversation hosted in conjunction with the Florida Blue Orlando Classic and represented the Florida Chamber Foundation as a steering committee member. Currently serving as the Emergency Management Liaison on behalf of the Florida Chamber, business partners, and all 67 counties across Florida. Responsible for spearheading emergency management communications and reporting to leadership at the Florida Chamber, also served as the point of contact/liaison for state officials. Provided critical updates during statewide Private Sector Call updates and served as the go-to for all things emergency management on behalf of the Florida Chamber. Show less

  • Program Manager, Zip Code Level Leadership

    Mar 2024 - May 2024

  • Equality of Opportunity Coordinator

    May 2022 - Mar 2024
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  U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

  Jun 2023 - Jan 2024

  U.S. Chamber Business Leads Fellow

  The Business Leads Fellowship Program trains and equips leaders from state and local chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, and trade associations with resources, access to experts, and a network of peers to build their capacity to address the most pressing education and workforce challenges.

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  Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO)

  May 2024 - Jul 2024

  CLEO Fellow

  Since 1968, CLEO has been the nation’s preeminent legal diversity pipeline, preparing students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to attend law school and bring much-needed diversity to the legal profession. CLEO selects only 40 students from across the nation to participate in their highly selective Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI). As a CLEO PLSI Student Scholar, I trained for six weeks at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, fully immersing myself in the study of law. I learned the fundamentals of legal writing, criminal law, civil procedure, torts, and more. As CLEO scholars, we enter our 1L year fully prepared to serve as competitive law students. CLEO is committed to training tomorrow's lawyers and preparing future leaders. Show less