Blair L. Ger

Ashburn, VA 20148 / blair.ger15@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE:  Administrative or HR Assistant, Bookkeeping or Financial Assistant

CAREER SUMMARY

• 9 years, Teacher (elementary, public schools)
• 1 year, Community Liaison (federal government, international relations)
• 9 months, Administrative and Auditing Assistant (finance)
• Clearance: DoD, Top Secret (last adjudicated: 09/19, expires: 09/24)

EXPERIENCE PORTFOLIO

09/21 – present, Accounting and Auditing Assistant

Han Group LLC, Washington, DC

• Establish and format digital folders in cloud-based software, CaseWare; add Checkpoint tools for PPC to set up client engagements; convert legacy files and folders from legacy PPC docs to current year versions
• Review, analyze, edit, and update communications documents and spreadsheets, including client-based governance letters, management letters, and financial statements in binders to initiate plans for risk-based financial audits 
• Initiate Prepared by Client (PBC) lists, create SuraLink engagement, identify/confirm correct non-profit individual’s names are on the engagement (access), notify clients of data availability for audits
• Funnel client-provided (via SuraLink) financial data into communications documents and spreadsheets, convert or input data (e.g., employee salary allocations, pulling invoices from Bill.com) into system via PDFs or filing them into specific client folders (CaseWare, Excel), and identify files with specific naming convention(s)
• Create presentations (PowerPoint; tables, charts, spreadsheets) from financial statements for partners at Han Group to present to the non-profit’s board of directors
• Developed learning aides (step-by-step process documents) and trained current staff (~7 peers), as well as new hires (1), on setting up CaseWare binders and SuraLink engagements
• Convert client spreadsheets for data for conversion into QuickBooks accounting application to generate reports on balance sheets, in collaboration with senior accountants
• Complete payroll through Paychex for one client biweekly; review employee time entries, email any discrepancies, and enter payroll data in the payroll center

09/20 – 09/21, Home Management, Relocation, Job Search

09/19 – 09/20, Community Liaison Officer

United States Department of State, Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

• Liaised with incoming (to geographic area) employees, family members, and post, including answering emails, tracking eligible family members within a database, as well as keeping general information on addresses, phone numbers, number of family members, children’s schools, as point of contact officer
• Provided U.S. Foreign Service employees at the U.S. Embassy Kyrgyzstan and family members with documents informing them of country etiquette (protocol), coordinated welcome and orientation activities and events, facilitated monthly social events at family homes, and updated families and dependents on mission-critical information; toured families around the city and identified American-imported goods, streets, and shopping areas, and connect dependents to language tutors
• Attend embassy staff meetings, take notes of potential threats between the community and the U.S. Ambassador or mission-critical information (during weekly emergency action committee meetings), and pass the information to eligible family members; report on morale to Deputy Chief of Mission, Senior Management, Country Team members
• Participate in the interview process when family members apply for US Embassy positions, as a non-voting member, to ensure the interview was equitable for the family member
• Planned, facilitated, and organized cultural, social, and recreational events; coordinated welcome and orientation activities (e.g.,  Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas events at the Embassy for 400+ employees and families; coordinated events as liaison to Deputy Chief of Mission and the Ambassador; solicited donations for event items; organized craft fair, happy hour, game nights towards increasing morale
• Provided counseling and advice on employment and education opportunities, including embassy positions; liaised with the State Department’s Education office and planned trips to visit schools; facilitated communications between family members and schools when issues occurred
• Liaised with a regional security officer to plan earthquake drills and organized personal preparedness seminars for the community; relayed critical information when events would occur between post management and the community; when political events occurred near the Embassy, notified staff and family members of safety protocols before, during, and after events
• Supervised a national employee coordinating community events and providing translation services
• Developed and implemented work schedules, approved time off, event deadlines, and reviewed and approved community liaison newsletter for HR officer to approve

10/17 – 09/19, Home Management, Relocation

08/15 – 10/17, Fifth Grade Teacher

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rock Creek Valley Elementary, Rockville, MD

• Taught 31 fifth-grade students, ages 10-11, in math, literacy, writing, social studies, and science

• Researched, analyzed, planned, and implemented instruction-based curriculum for Reading/Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies; conducted continuous assessments
• Implement Balanced Literacy Program components, including read-aloud, shared readings, guided and independent reading groups, as well as the Writing Workshop model
• Collaborated with colleagues to develop, implement and monitor instructional plans; met as a team to review Common Core curriculum standards, concentrating on topics on which to focus for students 
• Tailored instructional programs to satisfy remedial student requirements, including:
  • Adapted fifth-grade learning concepts and assignments to a student with autism (K-1 grade level)
  • Coordinated with English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) liaison to create relative assignments for a student who spoke only Spanish
  • Reworked assignments and with IEP students one-on-one for academic needs
• Communicated with parents via weekly emails on student progress
• Facilitated and oversaw one para-educator to work with identified students struggling with concepts
• Met with patrol officers weekly, as a patrol sponsor; met weekly with officers to create PowerPoint presentations for the weekly patrol meeting
• Manage parent communication around student progress, goal setting, and corrective measures

08/12 – 06/15, First Grade Teacher

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rock Creek Valley Elementary, Rockville, MD

• Taught 26 students, ages 5-6, in math, literacy, writing, social sciences, and science five days a week during the academic year
• Tailored instructional programs to satisfy remedial student requirements, as well as students with Individualized Education Program (IEP); reworked assignments and worked one-on-one to support learner’s academic needs; provided peer mediation program for students
• Researched, analyzed, planned, and implemented an instruction-based curriculum for literacy, writing, and mathematics, as well as conducted continuous assessments
• Planned and taught grade-appropriate lessons and activities for students in first-grade subject matter
• Led Parent-Teacher meetings and conferences with a focus on improving student achievement and recommendations at-home work
• Oversaw a para-educator provided instruction on working with students struggling with concepts

08/09 – 06/12, Special Para-educator 

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rachel Carson Valley Elem. School, Gaithersburg, MD

• Facilitated and conducted instruction-based curriculum for up to four students per event that teachers had identified needed extra work on the specific subject matter, ages 5-7, first and second grade, concentrating on math and reading concepts, as well as some writing 
• Planned and taught grade-appropriate lessons and activities for students in first- and second-grade subject matter, with accommodations for remedial students
• Proctored and accommodated (e.g., read questions to learner or write verbal answers) students testing for Individuals Education Plan (IEP) for third and fifth grade Maryland State Assessment (MSA) testing annually

08/11 – 06/12, Student Teacher, First Grade

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rachel Carson Valley Elem. School, Gaithersburg, MD

• Implemented math, writing, reading, science, and social study lessons using the MCPS Curriculum 2.0; taught subjects during student teaching period;
• Wrote lesson plans for review by the classroom teacher; taught first grade, class of 25 students, ages 5-7, five days a week during the academic year, including teaching and assessments 
• Researched, analyzed, identified, and ensured culturally diverse resources were used in instruction

FORMAL EDUCATION

05/12, Master of Elementary Education, Elementary Education (Grades 1-6), University of Maryland, College Park, MD; GPA: 4.0; Courses: Teaching, Learning Mathematics Elementary School, Reading Materials & Instruction, Environmental Science, Process & Acquisition Reading, Diagnostic Reading Assessment & Instruction, and Teaching Language Arts in Elementary School

05/06, Bachelor of Science, American Studies/Communications, University of Maryland, College Park, MD; Courses: Business, Statistics, Oral Communication, Argumentation & Debate, Material Aspects of American Life, American Studies, Speech Writing, Growing Up American, Gender Roles and Media, Child Growth & Development, Special Education, Conflict Resolution, Leadership, and Sociology of Education

HARDWARE / SOFTWARE / TECHNICAL / COMPUTER

• QuickBooks (novice level)
• Suralink
• MS O365: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
• LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/BlairGer