Dragonfly Central

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region is partnering with Dragonfly Central to find a Senior Vice President
of External Relations. This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished leader to partner with the
President & CEO in all aspects of External Relations for The Arc’s enterprise. We seek a strategic
individual to serve as the Senior Vice President. This position requires a candidate who possesses
critical thinking and relationship building skills, and balances big-picture vision with detail.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Enterprise

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) began in 1961, founded by a group of parents who wanted
equity, access, and opportunity for their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). At
our core, The Arc believes that people with IDD deserve the same opportunities for self-determination and
self-advocacy as any other community member. The Arc’s growth over the last six decades has been in
response to community-identified needs. We are providing – and often creating – the services that people
tell us they need to live the life they choose for themselves.

Today, The Arc supports more than 3,000 people with IDD and their families throughout Maryland,
providing comprehensive programs and services that support the full spectrum of a person’s life, from birth
through retirement, and all the joys and opportunities in between. All our programs and services are
designed to empower and support people with IDD and provide greater self-determination in how they live,
work, and connect with their communities.

The Arc’s Core Values are evident in all aspects of our programs and services. These values are:

• We embrace individuality – We see the whole person, celebrate our differences, and offer the
  people we serve, and our team, opportunities tailored to them.
• We are heart-driven – Every interaction matters to us; we go the extra mile to care for the people
  we serve and our team.
• We take strategic risks – Fueled by the urgency of our mission, we continually push for better and
  more innovative approaches.
• We are action-oriented – We are creative, resourceful, and have a “get it done” approach to
  overcoming challenges.
• We promote equity and respect – We value the different identities and experiences of the people
  and communities we work with, and we build respectful relationships to meet them where they
  are.

The Arc partnered with employees from across the organization and within the community to develop the value statements above, that reflect who we are as an organization and how we approach our work.

The Arc welcomes employees of diverse backgrounds, striving to create a workplace where all feel valued for their contributions. We’ve incorporated DEI into every practice and policy. It’s more than mandatory employee training—it’s at the very root of our organizational culture. How power is distributed, who contributes to decision-making, the distribution of workloads, and the representation of diversity across the organization are all factors in how The Arc’s leadership team guides the organization.

The Arc is constantly finding new ways to invest in its employees’ personal and professional success, to create an environment where people can be their authentic selves and feel a sense of belonging.

About The Arc’s subsidiaries:

What’s unique about The Arc is our focus on innovation, commitment to community-based services, and tremendous growth. The Arc is an entrepreneurial organization, and strongly values innovation informed by community needs. It is the driving force behind the growth of The Arc and the development of new programs, services, and subsidiaries throughout our history.

The Arc’s work providing quality, safe, affordable housing for people with IDD led The Arc to understand the greater community’s need for affordable and accessible housing. Recognizing this need for affordable housing throughout Maryland, The Arc founded Chesapeake Neighbors in 2007 as a nonprofit subsidiary dedicated to the development and management of affordable housing for all. Today, Chesapeake Neighbors owns and operates 70 units throughout Maryland.

Additionally, in 2021, The Arc founded Chesapeake Community Development, a Community Development Corporation (CDC), to serve as our acquisition and development arm. Under this model, Chesapeake Community Development purchases properties and stewards projects through development, while Chesapeake Neighbors provides ongoing leasing, management, and maintenance services throughout the life of the property.

For more information about The Arc, see www.thearcccr.org. For more information about Chesapeake Neighbors, see www.chesapeakeneighbors.org.

The Position

The SVP of External Relations partners with the President & CEO and provides leadership over all aspects of External Relations, including development, strategic communications, government relations, and engagement. Working with executive leadership, the SVP of External Relations will strengthen relationships with all constituency groups of The Arc and its subsidiaries to foster strategic growth and partnerships. The SVP of External Relations will support the development of diverse revenue streams through traditional and nontraditional development strategies. The SVP of External Relations will be a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

Roles and Responsibilities

The SVP of External Relations will provide strategy and focus for the External Relations team, and lead key growth initiatives aligned to strategic priorities. The SVP will also:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated External Relations strategy.
• Provide effective and inspiring leadership in the areas of Development, Government Relations,
  Strategic Communications, and Community Engagement.
• Promote dynamic collaboration across the External Relations team; strengthen the alignment of
  goals and roles, foster open communication, and deepen a culture of accountability.
• Represent and lead The Arc and its subsidiaries’ public profile, enhancing the organization’s
  visibility and influencing public opinion.
• With the President & CEO, provide counsel to support the growth and development of the Board
  of Directors across all lines of service and relevant committees.
• Ensure the continued financial viability of The Arc and its subsidiaries through growth initiatives,
  philanthropy, and strategic partnerships.
• Lead a high-performing team of department heads and managers; Manage and coach assigned
  employees and consultants.

Other functions of the SVP include:

• Act on behalf of the President & CEO in their absence and/or as assigned.
• When requested, conduct research and prepare speeches, presentations, and talking points for
  the President & CEO on an array of topics and for a breadth of constituencies.
• Facilitate special projects by conducting research, collecting and analyzing data, drafting reports,
  and preparing presentations for internal and external stakeholders.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience and Attributes

• Five or more years of senior-level development, external affairs, marketing, and/or
  communications leadership with a track record of success and progressively responsible
  experience
• Bachelor’s degree required; Masters’ degree in business, public policy, or related field preferred
• Ability to translate high-level strategy into tactical implementation in the areas of public affairs,
  marketing, communications, and development
• Proven experience in setting a vision for communications that extends beyond traditional one-way
  media relations, encompassing the key roles that leadership and stakeholder development play in
  supporting an organization’s mission and initiatives
• Ability to build coalitions and invest constituents utilizing exceptional political acumen
• Experience navigating the workings of news media (print, broadcast, and online in national and
  local markets)
• Demonstrated ability to analyze program, policy, and advocacy issues and communicate findings
  and recommendations to a variety of audiences
• Experience working across cultural, geographic, and organizational lines to align work, solve
  problems, and achieve goals
• Excellent oral and written communication; strong interpersonal skills with the ability to manage
  positive communication
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and Outlook; and knowledge of outcome systems required

In addition to a competitive base salary of $170,000, The Arc also provides a comprehensive benefits
package which includes a company vehicle, access to robust health, vision, and dental insurance; EAP;
FSA; Basic Life Insurance and AD&D coverage; STD and LTD; 403(b) with up to 4% employer match;
unlimited PTO, as well as 12 paid annual holidays per year. Typical work schedule is Monday through
Friday during The Arc office hours, with frequent night and occasional weekend meetings or events. This
position is eligible for periodic telework.

Application Process
The Arc Central Chesapeake Region is partnering with Dragonfly Central to find the best candidate for
the Senior Vice President position. To apply, email a cover letter that details your fit with the position’s
requirements and a chronological resume to TheArcSVP@dragonflycentral.org.
For all other inquiries, contact Ginna Goodenow at ginna@dragonflycentral.org.

The Arc is an equal opportunity employer. The Arc provides equal opportunity to all qualified
candidates without regard to race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex/gender, national origin, age,
marital status, military/veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, genetic
information, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The Arc Central
Chesapeake Region is proud of its commitment to and celebration of diversity, equity, and
inclusion (DEI) throughout all aspects of its operations, vision, mission, and leadership.

Dragonfly Central, Inc. (DCI) is thrilled to announce Montgomery County Food Council’s next Executive Director, Nanya Chiejine!  We were humbled to partner with the leadership at the council and are very excited to see Nanya step into this role on February 1st, 2024.  

Prior to this role, Nanya served as Director for Well Connected Communities at National 4-H Council, and has over 13 years of experience in public health practice with a strong background in program evaluation, research, and public policy. She has worked with state agencies, academic institutions, and non-profits to implement and evaluate health programs and initiatives focused on improving health care delivery, reducing health inequities and addressing social determinants of health. She brings a robust experience in public health leadership, implementation of policies to reduce health disparities and translation of data into policy formulation and systems change.

Nanya comes from National 4-H Council as Director for Well Connected Communities where she is building the capacity of Cooperative Extension to implement policy, systems and environment changes that reduce food insecurity across 50 communities nationwide. She leads 23 land grant universities (LGUs) to implement Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-being through evidence-based strategies interventions that improve health and well-being through community engagement and multi-sector partnerships.

Nanya previously served as Associate Director at Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development where she led quality improvement initiatives for the Government of the District of Columbia Developmental Disabilities Administration to improve workforce development and health care delivery to DC residents with intellectual and development disabilities. Prior to that role, served at the Michigan Department of Community Health, where she led a state-wide program for children with special needs. Her passion for reducing health disparities has had her engaged in global health, where she worked with an international NGO to evaluate the impact of interventions designed to eliminate infectious diseases in Northern Nigeria.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Environmental Health from the University of Michigan. She is currently a Bloomberg Scholar in Food Systems at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Nanya resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children.

Dragonfly Central, Inc is thrilled to announce DC Villages’ Inaugural Executive Director,  Dr. Katrina Polk! We were humbled to partner with the leadership at the collaborative and are very excited to see Katrina step into this role this month.

Dr. Katt, as she is known, has spent the past two decades working on issues at the heart of aging in the community. She earned her doctorate in public policy and administration from Walden University and holds multiple certificates and credentials in project management, aging and wellness, and gerontology. In her new role, Dr. Katt will lead collaborative efforts among the 13 DC Villages, working closely with leaders of existing Villages and exploring expansion of the Village concept into underserved areas of the city.

Professionally, Dr. Katt has led public and private-sector organizations focused on serving older adults, including developing programs for aging in community at the Community Preservation and Development Corp.; building strategic alliances for affordable housing at Enterprise Community Partners; and, most recently, overseeing community and aging services for the city of District Heights in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Dr. Katt also founded Dynamic Solutions for the Aging, a social enterprise firm focused on solutions for the health and housing industries, with a focus on aging and community development. She was appointed co-chair of the Housing Domain for Age-Friendly DC and sits on the AARP DC Executive Council.

“Since early 2000, I have studied, co-designed, and co-led community-driven service networks, from Philadelphia to Virginia’s Tidewater region. The Village model is highly flexible and well-suited to the delivery of services and connections that people benefit from as they age in their community,” said Polk. “I am excited by the work the District’s Villages have achieved over the years, and I look forward to supporting their collaborative work transforming aging in the city.”