Steve Whitson

Experience

• 

  Guardsmark

  Apr 2010 - Oct 2014

  Security Captain

  I managed the Guardsmark Security branch in Frontenac, Kansas. I was responsible for scheduling, maintaining positive inter-company relations, and payroll as well as participating in the hiring and interviewing process. Also, when necessary I was responsible for disciplinary actions. As a Guardsmark employee I was responsible for answering the phone and directing calls, directing traffic, and relaying messages, while also maintaining a safe and secure perimeter. I also acted as an interpreter and translator for Spanish speaking clients in the course of my daily duties. Show less

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  AmeriCorps VISTA

  Nov 2014 - Nov 2015

  Americorps VISTA Volunteer at Metro Lutheran Ministry

  I was in charge of all aspects of organization and program management of MLM's Minor Home Repair program for elderly and disabled people living in poverty. I was also in charge of the Backsnack program that delivers food to underprivileged children at different elementary schools in the Kansas City area. On Saturday mornings I organized and managed a free hot breakfast for homeless and impoverished people in Kansas City, Kansas. In addition to these responsibilities I worked with the grant writing team to secure future funding as well as volunteer recruitment and management for large fundraising events and neighborhood outreach and development. In the course of my daily duties I have served as an interpreter and translator for Spanish speaking clients. Show less

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  Metro Lutheran Ministry

  Nov 2015 - Sept 2016

  Housing Assistant Manager

  I was the Assistant Manager for all 3 of MLM's Permanent Supportive Housing projects which placed "chronically homeless" people with severe debilitating mental illness into permanent supportive housing. I provided daily support for 22 mentally ill clients, which required coordination between multiple agencies to ensure the most efficient care. Some of my duties included expense tracking and management, file auditing to ensure federal HUD compliance, scheduling meetings and coordinating between 3 or 4 agencies at a time, approving payroll and PTO for housing staff, approving housing staff expense forms, as well as ordering supplies for client apartments and staff offices. Additionally, I provided mental health counseling and mediation for my clients, created and maintained weekly case notes, discussed concerns with case managers from outside agencies, and created and updated an online shared filing system for the housing projects. Show less

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  Novus Escape Room

  Nov 2016 - Mar 2017

  Game Master

  Some of my duties included interviewing and training new employees, utilizing my public speaking skills to give presentations regarding rules, regulations, and character selection to large groups of up to 45 people at a time, received payments and counted down the register, created group bookings in person or over the phone, and oversaw all aspects of game play. Additionally, I explained complicated game puzzles, aided customers when stuck for long periods of time, maintained the social media sites, created public promotional materials and wrote posts for the company blog. Show less

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  Missouri Housing Development Commission

  Jun 2017 - May 2018

  Community Initiatives Coordinator

  State grant coordinator for federal homeless assistance funding. I work with non-profit agencies throughout the state of Missouri to distribute federal dollars, create and implement state policy, and generally coordinate state-wide efforts to address the rising homelessness problem. My duties include grant application creation and scoring, policy and procedure training, state policy creation and implementation, multi-state coordination, budget management, contract creation and implementation, state and federal policy interpretation and implementation, as well as database tracking and updating associated with managing and distributing the federal Emergency Solutions Grant funds throughout Missouri. I am generally responsible for over 3.3 million dollars distributed to over 70 agencies throughout various regions across Missouri. Show less

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  Missouri Housing Development Commission

  Sept 2021 - now

  Oversee approximately 7-10 Million in state and federal grant programs on a yearly basis. Design and implement new fiscal and programmatic grant policies and procedures. Ensure state and federal housing priorities by interpreting state and federal housing polices. Coordinate state wide efforts to improve the homeless service delivery system in the State of Missouri. Create new and effective ways to ensure provision of service.I oversee a department staff who are each responsible for administering and coordinating federal or state grant housing funds. The department works to draft and implement state policy and facilitate best practices for financial spending and social development to prevent persons from becoming homeless or to place them into permanent housing or shelter.I am also an essential member of a small team who administers federal stimulus funds for rental and mortgage assistance across the State of Missouri. I directly oversee over $28 million dollars in CARES Act stimulus funds which are administered by non-profits and were used to create the Missouri Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). ERAP provided over $13 million to pay for up to 6 months of rental arrears for low-income and very low-income households at-risk of homelessness due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In approximately 16 weeks, the program prevented approximately 7,700 individuals from eviction and nearly 2000 landlords received missing revenue from missed rent payments. Additionally, I work as part of a small team to oversee the administration, coordination, and planning of the Missouri State Assistance for Housing Relief program (SAFHR). This program utilizes hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to provide past due rent, forward rent, utility, and mortgage assistance to low-income and extremely low-income households throughout the State of Missouri. Show less I am the Assistant Manager of the Community Initiatives Department for MHDC. I directly oversee the flow of millions of dollars of both federal and state grant funds in and out of our agency. My department provides funds to non-profit agencies and cities throughout the state to address homelessness and community development. I work with up to 9 subordinates, each responsible for some portion of federal or state grant funds. We work to draft and implement state policy and facilitate best practices for financial spending and social development. Show less

  • Director of Community Program Development

    Sept 2021 - now

  • Community Initiatives Manager

    Nov 2019 - now

  • Community Initiatives Assistant Manager

    May 2018 - now

  • Special Projects Manager

    Sept 2021 - Aug 2022