Amy Fee Bruzzichesi

Experience

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  Beverly Enterprises: Lanett Geriatric Center

  May 1993 - Oct 1994

  Recreation Services Director

  •Responsible for designing and implementing a dynamic recreation program for 65 senior adults in residence, meeting needs ranging from full cognitive competence to unresponsiveness, full mobility to bedridden.•Supervised support staff and directed volunteer program.•Planned and operated services within a fixed monthly budget.•Participated on interdisciplinary care planning team, using MDS assessment tool.

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  East Alabama Medical Center

  Oct 1994 - Aug 1995

  Social Work Discharge Planner

  •Interfaced with multidisciplinary staff in fast-paced acute care setting to create and implement discharge plans for critically and chronically ill patients and their families.•Responsible for daily charting in patients’ medical records, requiring extensive knowledge of medical terminology, diagnoses and prognoses, and their impact on patients’ lengths of stay and potential quality of life.•Screened Medicare population for potential discharge needs.

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  UNC Hospitals

  Aug 1997 - Dec 1999

  Social Work Discharge Planner

  Worked with interdisciplinary medical team to plan for discharge of patients admitted to Geriatric and General Medical services. Created discharge plans for socially and medically complex patients and families, including facility placement, hospice services, durable medical equipment, home health, and other community service referrals. Counseled patients and families facing serious medical and end-of-life decisions. Managed average of over 50 inpatient cases per month with 2.4 day average stay. Show less

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  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

  Dec 1999 - May 2002

  Patient Services Manager

  Planned, coordinated, and provided patient support and education services to patient families in all eastern North Carolina counties. Assisted patients and families in finding appropriate resources following diagnosis with a blood-related cancer.

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  Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abuse

  Feb 2010 - Sept 2011

  Human Resources Assistant Manager

  Assisted in providing human resources services to 50 staff of residential substance abuse treatment therapeutic community. Worked with new staff members who were transitioning from graduation from the substance abuse program into being full-time staff; helped them work through psychosocial and instrumental issues concerning their new status and responsibilities both inside and outside TROSA. Helped staff work through interpersonal issues and resolve conflicts. Created and managed staff information database. Show less

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  Durham Literacy Center

  Aug 2012 - Jun 2021

  Responsible for implementing, managing, and supporting the center's young adult high school equivalency test tutoring program, through managing onsite instruction, providing support to students, and maintaining program data in a fast-paced, challenging environment with at-risk youth and adults. Supervise program staff, including supervision of classroom curriculum and individual curriculum planning for each tutored student daily; recruit, train, and supervise volunteer tutors, and locate outside social services for student referral when appropriate. Teach resumé writing, budgeting, interviewing, and other career preparatory skills to job seekers in program. Meet with students regularly to assess academic progress, offer support and encouragement, and assess for referral needs with issues impacting their ability to remain in program. Maintain contact with community agencies who can provide services to students in order to ensure smooth referral when necessary. Assist with transportation to Durham Technical Community College for students taking sections of the GED or HiSET.Serve as field instructor for MSW student interns, providing increasing areas of responsibility, feedback on projects and client interactions, and reflective opportunities to ensure that the student is meeting field education objectives.Evaluate and modify program as needed to best meet the needs of shifting student population; implement and modify behavior plan and consequences of in-program behavior problems and unexcused absences. Report to Executive Director. Show less Managed volunteer-based high school equivalency tutoring program for 16-24 year old out-of-school youth seeking high school equivalency diplomas. Offered psychosocial support to students in order to increase retention and facilitate successful graduation. Recruited, trained, and supported around 50 tutors per semester to individually work with students in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Supervised AmeriCorps members who created individual daily lesson plans for each student. Field supervisor for MSW students, who assisted program participants with community resources. Promoted to full-time position upon program merger with another similar community resource. Show less Evaluate and tutor adult students with low literacy skills using the Wilson system and other appropriate materials. Challenge students to meet their academic and personal goals, which include qualifying for jobs, earning GEDs, and entering vocational or college programs. Help students overcome personal, family, transportation, or lifestyle choice issues impeding their progress. As a support tutor, assist with training small groups of new tutors and serve on a question-and-answer panel during training. Conduct performance evaluations and write detailed reports with suggestions for fine-tuning technique to optimize the tutor's time with students. Meet with tutors for troubleshooting and ideas as needed. Help recruit new volunteer tutors for the program. Represent The Durham Literacy Center at community and fundraising events. Show less

  • Youth Achievement Program Coordinator

    Jul 2018 - Jun 2021

  • Youth Education Program Coordinator

    Jan 2015 - Jun 2018

  • Adult Literacy Tutor/Support Tutor

    Aug 2012 - Jan 2015
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  SAGE Therapeutic Horticulture

  Sept 2020 - now

  Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitator

  Provide in-home and onsite therapeutic horticulture enrichment activities to elders and their families living with physical, mental, and/or emotional challenges. Consult with elder care organizations to add therapeutic horticulture components to their programs. Speak to groups in order to educate the public about the benefits of therapeutic horticulture.

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  North Carolina Botanical Garden

  Jun 2021 - May 2024

  Therapeutic Horticulturist

  Provide outreach therapeutic horticulture enrichment to elders living in long-term and memory care settings.

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  North Carolina State University

  May 2024 - now

  Consumer Horticulture Program Manager - Therapeutic Horticulture

  Recruit and manage an advisory team of stakeholders, conduct statewide needs assessment, identify and implement therapeutic horticulture programs across North Carolina, evaluating impacts, reporting, and fund development. Manage and co-teach four online therapeutic horticulture courses to continue their evolution into a flagship Extension program.