1. Antoinette Pearson
901 Hamlin Avenue, Flossmoor, IL 60422 H: Tel/Fax (708) 798-3124 pearson901@comcast.net
EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
More than twenty years of experience, developing and implementing civic education and capacity-building/advocacy and
marketing campaign strategies for community-based organizations, non-profits and civil society networks. Proven ability to
manage and navigate complex conflict/post-conflict or underserved environments, coalitions, multinational organizations,
international development agencies, governments and non-governmental organizations to achieve programmatic and fiscal
objectives.
EDUCATION
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY Cleveland, OH
Weatherhead School of Management
Master of Business Administration, May 2000
Concentrations: Marketing and Management Policy/Strategy
Weatherhead Scholarship, 1999 NBMBAA Regional Team Case Competition Winner
International Study: South Africa Institute 2000 - Johannesburg, Cape Town
SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAINING Brattleboro, VT
Master of International Administration, October 1996
Concentration: Program in Intercultural Management (International Development)
Thesis: An Exploration of TQM and Its Applicability to the Non-profit Organization
HIRAM COLLEGE Hiram, OH
Bachelor of Arts, June 1987, Major: Management
International Study: Cambridge, England
EXPERIENCE
Pact, Inc. – Washington, DC - June 2015-November 2016
Country Director – South Sudan
Responsible for the timely and effective implementation of Pact capacity development programs in South Sudan [e.g.
International Development Law Organization (IDLO)/University of Juba-College of Law Program (COLP),
LINKAGES/HIV Assistance to Key Populations, UNOPS Peace Building Fund-Jonglei WASH (Water, Sanitation and
Health) program, Access to Justice, and National Civil Society Organization Capacity Development (NCSO) program].
Overall responsibilities included managing programs with budgets ranging from $331,000 to $4.5 million: programmatic
leadership; team management and mentoring (staff ranged from 11-30 nationals/expats); donor, government and partner
liaison; new business development; and oversight of programmatic and financial management and reporting. Managed
programs funded by IDLO, USAID, UNOPS, U.S. State Department, and SIDA/Danida.
Responsible for program startup, grant compliance, relationship management, close down and staff emergency
evacuation planning and implementation.
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - Washington, DC 2011 – February 2011-September 2014
Acting Resident Country Director/Program Director – South Sudan (January 2014-September 2014)
Resident Deputy Country Director – South Sudan (April 2012-December 2013)
Resident Country Director – Malawi (February 2011-April 2012)
Oversaw/managed the day to day implementation of programs in South Sudan and Malawi, including civil society
development and small grants program, community organizing and media-based civic engagement, government, youth
and women’s political participation programming. Provided structure and guidance for all program and activity
concepts, design, strategy, objectives, results and indicators.
Supervised ~6 expatriate and 40 national staff in South Sudan’s 10 offices, and managed 1 expatriate and 3 national staff
in Malawi. Monitored multi-donor annual budgets from approximately $600,000 to $17 million.
Ensured financial compliance with NDI, USAID, U.S. State Department and DFID. Built and maintained relationships
with key partners, including the leadership and members of the legislature and other branches of government, civil
society representatives, community leaders, grantees and donors.
Served as lead program developer and trainer for the four workshop Women's Advocacy Program which trained over 20
women community advocates from Sudan and South Sudan in fundamentals of community organizing, outreach and
advocacy. Organized and implemented trainings in South Africa, South Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia.
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Experienced in program start-up and close down.
International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (IAOMS) - Oakbrook Terrace, IL 2008 - 2011
Membership Associate/Analyst
Served as director of membership programs and services, including application and renewal process. Identified
opportunities to market and promote membership in the U.S. and abroad; specifically targeting Africa, Asia and Latin
America. Responsible for daily functioning of membership database of over 5,000 members - online communications,
revisions, assuring accuracy of directory, status of members and dues collection, running reports, and renewals.
Responsible for data analysis and data delivery, and membership reporting for board reports. Made presentations to
Board of Directors regarding membership updates, trends and marketing/strategic recommendations.
Served as coordinator for newly established international fellowship programs in China, Indonesia, South Africa and
U.S.
TNS Media Intelligence/Cymfony - Watertown, MA 2007- 2008
Content Researcher/Analyst (Independent Contractor -- Remote/Home Office)
Responsible for measuring and analyzing global brands and understanding consumer perception of brand messages
through the utilization of Cymfony’s Orchestra web-based publication management and business intelligence platform.
Assigned to Visa International, Bacardi, Doubleclick, Home Depot and HP Media Insight accounts.
Pathway Senior Living, LLC (Funding Partner of NHS) - Des Plaines, IL 2005 - 2007
Director of Marketing/Community Outreach (New Development Outreach)
Responsible for developing and implementing community education and marketing strategies, tactics and awareness
campaigns to engage community-based/civic organizations, churches, non-profits, hospitals, government officials, social
service organizations, and nursing homes regarding the new affordable supportive/assisted and independent living
housing program for seniors in Chicago area.
Marketed NHS co-partnered properties in pre- and post-development. Conducted individual as well as group
presentations throughout Chicago area. Planned and implemented civic education/marketing events.
Responsible for establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships with community/civic organizations, churches, non-
profits, hospitals, healthcare, social service and government officials.
Implemented direct civic education and advocacy/marketing campaigns to advance community awareness of City of
Chicago and State of Illinois financing program available for low-income and underserved minority communities.
Researched and conducted community outreach and market analysis studies; developed community education materials.
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS), Inc. - Chicago, IL 2003 - 2005
NeighborHomes Manager (NHS Redevelopment Corporation) 11/04 - 05/05
Initiated, developed, and directed the citizen organizing and planning program of a neighborhood based community
revitalization organization. Engaged in civic education, fiscal advocacy, lending, housing redevelopment and partnership
with funders. Managed NHS relationships with key stakeholders and broad base of neighborhood interests - community
groups, block clubs, churches, schools, senior citizens groups, city/state government officials, and banks.
Responsible for multi-million dollar low-income single-family rehab program, including property acquisition,
development and sale. Identified and acquired foreclosed and abandoned properties in blighted communities.
Developed single family development activities that helped advance NHS neighborhood education and revitalization
mission throughout the nine targeted Chicago neighborhood service areas. Maintained compliance with City of Chicago
and HUD contracts. Oversaw/worked closely with housing counseling, lending counseling and construction staff to
achieve program goals.
Neighborhood Director – Roseland Office 3/03 - 11/04
Managed programmatic outcomes pledged in $3,300,000 Roseland neighborhood annual plan and the successful
operation of the NHS Roseland office. Designed, evaluated and executed community education/outreach strategies and
organizing/issues campaign plans that resulted in increased education programs, lending, fiscal counseling, home
ownership, and property acquisition of blighted properties for low-income in the Roseland neighborhood.
Coordinated/Managed program staff resources to deliver high quality homeownership education and foreclosure
prevention counseling, lending, construction, and insurance service to low-income client base. Under leadership
Roseland program goals achieved first time in office history.
Designed and conducted education campaigns on NHS programs and services to community organizations, churches,
schools, and financial institutions to gain clients/customers and partners for neighborhood revitalization goals.
The Alexander Group, Inc. - Downers Grove, IL 2000 – 2002
Consultant
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Assessed, with senior managers, current marketing and sales management strategies and procedures and recommended
new business, sales compensation design, and change management strategies to improve marketing and sales/marketing
departments of Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations/associations.
Co-managed client relationships, interviewed senior and mid-level executives to evaluate market challenges, learn job
roles/processes and sales/marketing strategy. Developed solutions, wrote business reports and project management
deliverables and made presentations based on findings.
Designed fact-finding surveys for presentations and reports. Collected and analyzed data, conducted customized
spreadsheet analysis based on company performance data. Compiled, analyzed, and benchmarked market compensation
data from company resources and third-party sources such as Hay, Watson Wyatt and Radford.
Delphi Automotive Systems - Troy, MI 5/1999 - 8/1999
Marketing Intern for Global Planning
Contributed to regional aftermarket studies for brakes and suspension products in North and South America.
Developed “all makes” vehicle analysis based on Car Parc data (manufacturer, model, year) for all imported and
domestically produced cars, trucks and buses in Brazil and Argentina. Researched new product pricing options for
product line competitive market positioning in Brazil using pricing data from parts manufactured in France, Poland,
Spain and Morocco. Computed regional aftermarket market shares for Chassis Systems.
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) - Washington, DC 1995 – 1998
Program Officer for West Africa
Co-authored proposals for USAID and NED which resulted in $65,000 to $4,000,000 awarded to fund capacity building
program activities in Ghana, Senegal, Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire. Developed skills in employee and international
consultant management and foreign office/program start-up, recruitment and in-country team management in Gambia
and Ghana. Conducted political risk cost-benefit analysis and helped implement staff evacuation plan from Gambia due
to political instability. Performed organizational assessments of civic associations, political parties, and governments to
identify and prioritize needs. Co-managed election monitoring program that trained over 2,500 civic leaders and led to
over 4,000 observers accredited to monitor national elections in Ghana. Organized and administered a conflict
resolution conference in Senegal and a democracy materials development conference in Côte d’Ivoire bringing together
African experts to share information and network.
NDI Field Representative - Czech Republic, Pilsen 1994 – 1995
Presented workshops to political and civic leaders to secure commitment to programs and increase brand awareness of
NDI activities. Conducted civic education and advocacy campaigns to increase citizen participation objectives.
Oversaw implementation of training, policy advocacy and coalition development activities. Led organizational
assessments of civic associations and political parties to identify and prioritize needs. Mobilized over 25 local NGOs to
form a coalition to organize first candidates forum for local government elections. First such forum held in the country;
model developed was duplicated by NDI throughout the Czech Republic and in other NDI resident offices in the Former
Soviet Union and Latin America. Coalition building work led to permanent establishment of coalition to engage citizen
participation on an ongoing basis in Pilsen and other cities in the Czech Republic.
National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (NCNE) - Washington, DC 1991 – 1994
Program Associate
Assisted in planning and coordination of training seminars as well as recruited participants for the Neighborhood
Leadership Development Institute (NLDI), a $3,000,000 Kellogg Foundation funded grassroots management and
advocacy training program for grassroots leaders across the U.S. Reviewed grant applications, drafted briefs for grant
recommendations, made presentations to grant funding committee, and awarded small capacity-building grants to
grassroots organizations. Served as liaison between two public housing home ownership conversion resident councils
and federal, state, and local officials. Successfully negotiated with the IRS to keep council from closing.
Institute for Community Economics (ICE) - Springfield, MA 3/1991 - 12/1991
Loan Officer/Credit Analyst
Underwrote real estate projects, organizational capacities and social objectives which led to twelve units of affordable
housing being developed in Worcester, Massachusetts. Provided follow-up consultation to loan recipients.
United States Peace Corps – Jamaica, W.I. 1988 – 1990
Small Business Trainer/Advisor - (U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer)
Assigned to the International Association for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) where I conducted twenty-four, three-
day train-the-trainer workshops in small business development and marketing to small entrepreneurs and farmers
throughout Jamaica. Provided management and proposal development consulting to small entrepreneurs and farmers,
and trained grassroots groups on revolving loan fund methodology as a vehicle for community development.