Emmery W Brakke

I am a recently returned Peace Corps Volunteer with focused experience in training design and implementation, project design and management, lesson planning for both youth and adults, and grant writing. During my time in the Peace Corps I managed grant projects related to creating opportunities for women in local communities, environmental education, and targeted summer camps providing leadership and personal development opportunities for teenagers in Ukraine. In addition to these targeted projects, I worked with the national office to evaluate existing training systems for volunteers and adapt and improve them according to the data and recorded needs of training participants. I also designed and delivered trainings on topics such as imposter syndrome for women in local government, mitigating language to understand and support diversity across cultures, improving confidence and ability in public speaking, and various specialized project design and management sessions. Prior to my time in the Peace Corps I worked in the arts and have several years of experience in corporate development, managing client relationships and benefit fulfillment, and event planning and production.

I have served on many committees, including the Diversity and Inclusion working group in my Peace Corps post, the alumni committee for my alma mater, an alumni board for Destination Imagination (an organization promoting creative problem solving and critical thinking in students), and the planning committee for several events during my time in Ukraine. I have a strong background in intercultural communication, integrating diversity and inclusion topics in trainings and educational modules, and advocating for women in both the arts and civic spheres. I have a limited working knowledge of Russian, as well as a comfortable working proficiency in Ukrainian. I love working with and for others, and am a passionate and organized addition to any project or team.

In addition to my professional career, I am a musician in a band and manage our online and physical presence by managing our website, social media accounts, financial planning, booking and promotion of shows, and agenda setting. Although this is a passion project rather than a professional one, it has given me increased skills in budgeting, social media metrics, booking and contract negotiation, and general interpersonal skills.

I have a varied but strong background, and can promise detail, quality, and care in whatever project I take on. I look forward to working together.