Mary Rives

MARY RIVES, MS, CPC

 The Commons on The Alameda Co-Housing Community

Professional Experience

CEO, Co-Founder, Life Coach

Laughter Inc, LLC, Santa Fe, NM, 9/9/11 – Present

• Provide one-on-one and group coaching
• Created and facilitate “Four Hours of Fun” workshops
• Offer monthly Laughter Yoga sessions
• Coordinate care teams for elders in need of private care

Bilingual Program Coordinator

Stavros Center for Independent Living, Amherst, MA, 2/09 – 10/10

• Recruited, trained and supervised volunteers as “surrogates” for people with disabilities
• Initiated and hosted ongoing special events, activities, in-service trainings and volunteer appreciation ceremonies for volunteers
• Conducted regular supervision meetings with volunteers, interviewed clients, evaluated the performances of the surrogates, composed and submitted monthly written reports
• Instituted the “greening” of all products used by Stavros

Bilingual Director, Riverview Senior Center, Springfield, MA 5/05 – 1/09

• Responsible for overall function of health and wellness based senior center for low-income, inner city Latinos
• Supervised, recruited, hired, and trained volunteers
• Initiated innovative, culturally appropriate health and fitness programs for Latino Senior Citizens, including English as Second Language classes
• Generated first streams of income for center through grant writing, fundraising, and converting storage room into rented office space
• Supervised two Senior Aide employees and a full-time intern
• Collaborated extensively with community service providers
• Held two social events for more than one hundred people for which Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan and Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera were in attendance. Was featured on Springfield’s three television stations to promote center as community interest story on June 21, 2006
• Championed "Collateral Response Committee" to establish protocol / emergency preparedness for senior citizens of The North End

International Program Developer, Jamaica Community Enrichment Program, Global Children, 3/01 – 1/02/04

• Supervised, recruited, hired, and trained volunteers
• Co-founded international humanitarian program that assists rural Jamaican children, families and individuals who live in extreme poverty
• Researched, administered and submitted grant proposals to fund youth education scholarship project
• Succeeded in being awarded grant funding
• Implemented and organized new home construction for impoverished rural family in Jamaica
• Conducted action research in Jamaica including needs assessment focus groups
• Organized successful program fundraising events in the United States
• Affiliated with Global Children--a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the welfare of children

Project Director, Amherst Family Center of Hampshire Community Action Commission, Amherst, MA, 9/98 – 5/03

• Conducted volunteer recruitment, training, hiring, and supervision of more than 100 volunteers annually
• Managed parent education and drop-in center for 200 families
• Responsible for all program planning, development and evaluation
• Incorporated over 12 new programs
• Initiated organization development and implemented responsive models for change
• Acted as the Sexual Harassment Officer for the agency
• Responsible for grant writing, fundraising, fiscal management and contract reporting
• Interfaced with parents, teachers, committees, advisory board, HCAC Central Administration, student volunteers, and community service providers
• Provided ongoing supervision to staff of 5 professional teachers, development coordinator and over 100 volunteers

Volunteer Coordinator, The YWCA, Northampton, MA, 4/98 - 4/00

• Supervised, recruited, hired, and trained volunteers to work with children in recovery from domestic violence
• Expanded program resources, designed and implemented creative programming for children, matched children with mentors, and collaborated with community educators
• Conducted community research and advocated for public policy changes
• Integral member of YWCA Anti-Racist Task Force that responded to employee complaints and organized organization-wide diversity training

Team Therapist, Windhorse Associates,  Northampton, MA, 4/96 - 4/00

• Provided team coordination and supportive counseling to people living with major mental illness.
  

Housing Program Coordinator, Intensive Community Outreach Clinician, River Valley Counseling Center, Holyoke, MA, 9/92 -8/97

• Improved and managed housing program for more than 100 people
• Successfully located 50 housing units and placed more than 100 HIV/AIDS-infected people into subsidized housing
• Mediated disputes between tenants and landlords on a weekly basis
• Conducted over 100 intake interviews and clinical assessments
• Provided supportive counseling, crisis intervention, advocacy, referrals, translation and shelter referrals for victims of domestic violence, people with major mental illness, elders, and homeless people infected with HIV
• Organized and facilitated educational groups, support groups, and collateral meetings

Education

Antioch New England Graduate School, Keene, NH,

Master of Science, Organization and Management, May 2002

Lesley College, Cambridge, MA

Bachelor of Arts, Behavioral Science, 1991

Montgomery College, Takoma Park, MD, 1987

Mental Health Associate, Honor Roll, Dean’s List

Community Service

Heart and Soul Circle Coordinator of We Are People Here, Santa Fe, NM, 2012

Mediator, The Mediation and Training Collaborative, Greenfield, MA, 2004 – 2010

 Suicide Prevention Trainer, Department of Public Health, Boston, MA, 2004 – 2006

Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP), Westfield, MA, 2005

Crisis Support, Community Crisis Response Team, Greenfield, MA, 2000 – 2005

Town Meeting Member, Amherst, MA, Elected Official for 2003 – 2005 Term

Surrogate, Stavros Center for Independent Living, Amherst, MA, 2000 - 2002

Board Member, Temenos Retreat Center, Shutesbury, MA, 1993 - 1997

Actor/Writer, Windhorse Theater Production, Northampton, MA, 1997

Hospice Care Provider, Hospice of the North Shore, 1991-1992

Exit Counselor, The Washington, D.C., Free Clinic, 1981 – 1983