YVONNE ZDANOWSKI
Summary
Experienced Team Leader and Job Counselor with a solid foundation in the German Federal Employment Services. Highly skilled in counseling methods, leadership, and management. Proven track record of successfully leading teams of 25+ employees while effectively managing a budget of 5+ million Euros. Passionate about supporting military spouses as a Resilience Trainer and Advocate.
Caring professional prepared to deliver case management and client advocacy. Dedicated to helping others achieve progress toward goals and meet specific needs. Wide-ranging knowledge of applicable services and professionals appropriate for clients.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Team Leader
Agentur für Arbeit Kaiserslautern
01.2014 - 12.2022
- Immediate supervisor of 25 employees working in a diverse field
- Task management and process enhancement
- Quality management and controlling
- Process coordination across teams
- Cooperation and networking with these parties
- Cost center management
- Fiscal responsibility of 5+ million Euro annual budget
- Set performance expectations for the team, monitoring progress towards goals and providing constructive feedback as needed.
- Collaborated with other department leaders to establish shared goals and ensure alignment across teams.
- Managed conflict resolution among team members, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
- Assisted in recruitment to build team of top performers.
Job Coach/Job Counselor
Agentur für Arbeit Kaiserslautern
05.2009 - 12.2013
- Conducted assessments and referred clients to financial, medical, social and community assistance and services
- Gathered and analyzed data on community and local job market needs and interests
- Created and taught a job resume building class for currently unemployed people
- Coached up to 320 unemployed clients at a time
- Support and guidance to a new employment or even change of career field
Accounting Clerk
Agentur für Arbeit Kaiserslautern
07.2002 - 04.2009
- Processed and filed individual unemployment money and benefits for up to 8 clients a day
- Assisted with financial planning
Master Resilience Trainer (Volunteer)
Ramstein Air Base
09.2019 - 07.2023
- Offered 50 in-person and virtual resilience workshops to 300 military spouses
- Provided one-on-one mentoring and public speaking events to help individuals reach their full potential.
- Enhanced trainee engagement through interactive workshops and hands-on activities.
- Educating about the resilience program and how resilience can improve the life of military spouses
- Running an global facebook group with a 170 members to connect and support certified military spouse resilience trainers
Key Spouse (Volunteer)
24th Intelligence Squadron
01.2020 - 07.2023
- Increased awareness of installation and community resources
- Identified/resolved issues at lowest levels
- Enhanced up and down information flow
- Prepared and supported 25 families during separations/deployments
- Increased sense of unit support
- Improved quality of life amongst unit families
- Increased readiness and retention
- Enhanced individual and family resilience by offering monthly workshops with 20 attendees each month
Center Assistant (Volunteer)
USO Ramstein/Kaiserslautern
03.2021 - 06.2023
- Supported the local USO by volunteering at their terminal shop and helps with virtual and in-person events
- Volunteered over 100 hours and participated in the historic Operation Allies Refuge supporting the mission and providing food and first support to the 120,000 incoming people in 2021
- Handled sensitive information with discretion, maintaining confidentiality across all interactions with clients and colleagues alike.
Coordinator and Workout Leader (Volunteer)
Stroller Warriors Keesler Running Club
03.2018 - 09.2020
- Stroller Warriors is a free running club for military spouses and their family members
- Established Stroller Warriors Keesler chapter in 2018 which has now grown to over 250 members
- Built Stroller Warriors Keesler from the ground up, hosted 125 workouts, fun social events, and both child and adult fitness programs with over 5,000 collective miles completed
Center and Event Assistant (Volunteer)
Airman & Family Readiness Center, Keesler Air Force Base
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Supported the Airman & Family Readiness Center by organizing events for spouses, newcomer's briefing, HeartLink, and Exceptional Family Members Program events
- 150 hours
- Performed event coordination for larger parties and gatherings.
- Assisted in organizing successful events by collaborating with vendors and suppliers.
- Improved future events by evaluating successes and failures of previous private and corporate gatherings.
- Participated in pre-event planning meetings, providing input on event themes and strategies for success.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - PSYCHOLOGY
American Public University System
West Virginia01.2026
Certificate - Teaching English To Speakers of Other Languages
Arizona State University
Arizona05-2023
CERTIFICATE - LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
Verwaltungsschule Der Bundesanstalt Für Arbeit
Germany01.2015
CERTIFICATE - COUNSELING AND COACHING TECHNIQUES
Verwaltungsschule Der Bundesagentur Für Arbeit
Germany01.2010
ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE - BUSINESS
Berufsoberschule Rodalben
Germany01.2008
SPECIALIST - LABOR PROMOTION
Agentur für Arbeit Pirmasens
01.2002
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA -
Private St. Katharina Realschule
01.1999
Skills
- Team leadership
- Group behavior and dynamics
- Strategic planning
- Communication
- Networking
- Connector
- Resilience Expert
- Positive attitude
- Problem-solving
- Foreign language proficiency
- Organizational skills
- Interpersonal skills
Certification
- Mental Health Ally Certification, PsychHub, 10/24
- Military Spouse Leadership Development Program, Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN), 08/21, Chosen out of 200+ applications for the inaugural military spouse leadership development program.
- Virtual Master Resilience Trainer Facilitator 101 Seminar (OEA), Air University, 09/21, Virtual training methods and skill building for facilitating online.
- 5 Voices Instructor Certificate, GIANT, 03/21, Leadership communication skills training.
- Master Resilience Trainer, Air University, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS, 09/19
- Key Spouse Core Training, Air Force Key Spouse Program, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS, 01/18
- Diploma of Professional Photography, Photography Institute, San Francisco, CA, 09/16, Online course covering various photography topics.
- Dive Guide / Dive Master, Scuba Schools International, 07/13
Affiliations
- The National Honor Society of Leadership and Success
- The National Society of Collegiate Scholars
- Alpha Lambda Delta
Volunteer Experience
- Vice President, Public Relations + Recruitment, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS), 06/24, current
- Vice President, Military Spouses Club, American Military University / American Public University, 01/23, current
- Daisy Troop Leader, American Girl Scouts Overseas Kaiserslautern, Germany, 10/21, 05/22
Awards
- Military Spouse Student Leadership Award, Military Spouse Magazine, 2023, Celebrates those making a positive impact within their educational institutions.
- Armed Forces Insurance Ramstein Air Base Spouse of the Year (AFI MSOY), 2023, Recognizes military spouses' contributions to the military community.
- Joan Orr Spouse of the Year, 480th ISR Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 2021
- Key Spouse of the Year, 480th ISR Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 2021
- Spouse of the Year, 2021
- Volunteer of the Year, 81st Force Support Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS, 2019
- Joan Orr Spouse of the Year Award, 81st Training Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS, 2018
- Volunteer of the Year, 81st Mission Support Group, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS, 2018
- Volunteer Excellence Award, United States Air Force, 2018
Languages
German
Native language
English
Proficient
C2
Timeline
Center Assistant (Volunteer)
USO Ramstein/Kaiserslautern
03.2021 - 06.2023
Key Spouse (Volunteer)
24th Intelligence Squadron
01.2020 - 07.2023
Master Resilience Trainer (Volunteer)
Ramstein Air Base
09.2019 - 07.2023
Coordinator and Workout Leader (Volunteer)
Stroller Warriors Keesler Running Club
03.2018 - 09.2020
Center and Event Assistant (Volunteer)
Airman & Family Readiness Center, Keesler Air Force Base
01.2018 - 01.2019
Team Leader
Agentur für Arbeit Kaiserslautern
01.2014 - 12.2022
Job Coach/Job Counselor
Agentur für Arbeit Kaiserslautern
05.2009 - 12.2013
Accounting Clerk
Agentur für Arbeit Kaiserslautern
07.2002 - 04.2009
SPECIALIST - LABOR PROMOTION
Agentur für Arbeit Pirmasens
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA -
Private St. Katharina Realschule
- Mental Health Ally Certification, PsychHub, 10/24
- Military Spouse Leadership Development Program, Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN), 08/21, Chosen out of 200+ applications for the inaugural military spouse leadership development program.
- Virtual Master Resilience Trainer Facilitator 101 Seminar (OEA), Air University, 09/21, Virtual training methods and skill building for facilitating online.
- 5 Voices Instructor Certificate, GIANT, 03/21, Leadership communication skills training.
- Master Resilience Trainer, Air University, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS, 09/19
- Key Spouse Core Training, Air Force Key Spouse Program, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS, 01/18
- Diploma of Professional Photography, Photography Institute, San Francisco, CA, 09/16, Online course covering various photography topics.
- Dive Guide / Dive Master, Scuba Schools International, 07/13
Bachelor of Arts - PSYCHOLOGY
American Public University System
Certificate - Teaching English To Speakers of Other Languages
Arizona State University
CERTIFICATE - LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
Verwaltungsschule Der Bundesanstalt Für Arbeit
CERTIFICATE - COUNSELING AND COACHING TECHNIQUES
Verwaltungsschule Der Bundesagentur Für Arbeit
ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE - BUSINESS
Berufsoberschule Rodalben
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