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ABOUT

EMMA MULVANEY-STANAK

Strategist - Coach - Leader

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Emma offers over 20 years of professional experience initiating, building and implementing organizational strategies and issue-based advocacy and electoral campaigns with impressive results. She is a big-picture thinker and implementer, taking ideas from start to finish with a strong commitment to collaborating with people impacted by the issue. At her heart, she is committed to social change, equity and building a more just world for all. 
 

She thrives at developing strategies, organizations and leaders. After enjoying a vibrant 15-year relationship with her mentor, Emma strongly believes in the power of coaching and mentoring people to create the change they wish to see in their organization, self and ideally the word. 

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As a community organizer, city councilor, and then field organizer for the largest union in Vermont, Emma sees community engagement as a critical component of a healthy democracy. Relationships are critical for the success in any project and Emma values methods aimed at building long-term, trusting relationships between non-profits, the public sector, stakeholders and the community. 

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Emma brings an array of specialty skills and knowledge in labor relations, labor unions, advocacy, and campaigns, and is a nationally recognized trainer/public speaker.

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Education and Professional Training 

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  • Smith College, Bachelor’s of Arts, Government, Cum Laude

  • Snelling Center, Vermont Leadership Institute

  • Training for Change, Training for Social Justice Trainers

  • Champlain College, Center for Professional and Executive Development, Basic Mediation Workshop

  • Center for Story Based Strategy, Advanced Story-based Strategy Practitioner’s Training: Framing and Narrative Strategy for Social Change Strategists, Communicators and Organizers, 2012

  • National Education Association, Center for Organizing Vetted National Trainer on Organizing and Engagement

  • Planned Parenthood of New England, Train the Trainer: Curriculum Design and Facilitation Training

  • People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Undoing Racism Intensive Training


Visit Emma's LinkedIn page to learn more about her background and experience, including links to past projects.  Click here to read testimonials from clients.

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CV

Background Details

VERMONT-NEA LABOR ORGANIZER

Honed extensive organizational development and strategy skills within largest labor union in Vermont representing nearly 14,000 educators. Gained sharp facilitation and effective meeting management skills to move forward collective work.

  • Developed, with limited oversight, and implemented 10-12 annual issue-based campaigns with organizing committees using Theory of Change, GOST, and other strategy development tools.

  • Successfully led four high-profile labor strikes and 30+ crisis campaigns, including development of communication and tactical strategy with local leaders, crisis-level problem solving, prioritization and strategic modifications to plans.

  • Increased Vermont-NEA’s statewide membership between 100 to 1,000 members every year over seven out of last eleven years through training member recruiters, data development, tracking and analysis, and developing creative education and marketing tools; one of largest growth rates in Northeast region.

  • Developed a complex statewide outreach plan and internal organizational systems and policies to implement the fair share fee law - Act 37 (2013) - resulting in 1500 new members, 1000 new fee payers and over $1 million in new revenue.

  • Created accessible educational materials for campaigns, including reference manuals, templates, and infographics.

  • Spearheaded diverse interdepartmental teams to create organizational systems and issue-based strategies using collaboration and results-oriented timelines.

  • Developed issue-based messaging and wrote content, including public materials, social media and website content.

  • Initiated and launched two new statewide multi-day conferences on leadership development for 100+ members; responsible for securing vendors, trainers and speakers, designing sessions components and tracking/reporting finances for $35,000 event. Served as speaker during plenary sessions and workshop trainer.

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION C4O TRAINER

Hand selected national trainer and speaker for largest labor union in the United States to deliver organizing training for members and new field staff hired in each state affiliate.

  • Developed curriculum with colleagues from across country on new communication and tactical campaign methods.

  • Individually designed and delivered dozens of trainings for staff and members in multiple state affiliates, including serving on faculty of highly-vetted NEA Northeast Regional Organizing Institute.

DIRECTOR, VERMONT LIVABLE WAGE CAMPAIGN

  • Lead lobbyist, organizer, and spokesperson in successful campaigns to increase general and tipped minimum wage.

  • Prepared and delivered economic justice curriculum to community members, colleges, and policy makers.

  • Served as subject matter expert for media spokesperson regarding livable wage data, general poverty/economic justice issues, minimum wage legislative campaigns, and the Job Gap Study.

  • Coordinated development and statewide promotion of Job Gap Study Phase 8: Poverty & Livable Wage Jobs (2003) & Phase 9: Economic Development (2006).

STATE CHAIR, VERMONT PROGRESSIVE PARTY

Elected leader of the third major party in Vermont. Evolutionary position focused on developing the organizational policies and systems of a new organization with limited resources, in part, due to the Party’s proud refusal of corporate donations.

  • Served as state and national media spokesperson for Party, including regularly developing political and communication strategy regarding public policy developments.

  • Supervised/supported Executive Director through weekly supervision meetings and collective problem solving.

  • Organized first-ever legislative agenda and coordination effort between elected officials and the Party to advance a minimum wage increase, fair taxation and climate change legislation.

  • Developed capacity and cohesiveness of the Party’s governing body, including member recruitment and engagement.

  • Successfully recruited largest numbers of winning Progressive candidates to run for office.

  • Co-designed party platform review and amendment process, including developing process for democratic statewide participation by rank and file party members.

  • Co-Founder of VPP Labor Commission and Founder of VPP Women’s Caucus to elevate labor and gender issues.

  • Established first-time organizational policies, including personnel, candidate endorsement, and platform policies.

  • Developed and managed $75,000 annual budget. 

CITY COUNCILOR, CITY OF BURLINGTON

  • Ran and won political office as a Progressive Party endorsed candidate - twice.

  • Orchestrated passage of city council resolutions to strengthen the livable wage ordinance, create climate change public-private partnership standards, and enact a partial boycott of Arizona-based businesses in response to Arizona’s 2010 anti-immigrant law (SB 1070).

  • Frequently reviewed new policies, drafted/proposed local legislation and provided media commentary.

  • Advocated for policy development to advance the interests of my constituents, especially working class households.

  • Selected and served as member of the Board of Finance, Ordinance Committee, Community and Economic Development Committee and Board of Tax Abatement.

STATEWIDE FIELD DIRECTOR, SCUDDER PARKER FOR GOVERNOR

  • Directed and fulfilled field strategy for statewide campaign.

  • Supervised four field organizers, four interns and several full-time 

COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

  • Vermont-NEA Racial Justice Taskforce, Member, 2017.

  • Vermont Women’s Fund, Council Member & Chair of Grants Committee, 2006-2011.

  • Smith College, Alumnae Admissions Coordinator, Class Fund Chair & Class President, 2005-2017.

  • Haymarket People’s Fund, Funding Panel Member & Board of Directors Member, 2004-2009.

EDUCATION

  • Smith College, Bachelor’s of Arts, Government, Cum Laude

  • Snelling Center, Vermont Leadership Institute, Class of 2009

  • Training for Change, Training for Social Justice Trainers, 2014.

  • Champlain College, Center for Professional and Executive Development, Basic Mediation Workshop, 2013.

  • Center for Story Based Strategy, Advanced Story-based Strategy Practitioner’s Training: Framing and Narrative Strategy for Social Change Strategists, Communicators and Organizers, 2012.

  • Planned Parenthood of New England, Train the Trainer: Curriculum Design and Facilitation Training, 2009.

  • People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Undoing Racism Intensive Training, 2004 and 2005.

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS

  • Nominated Vermont Works for Women Labor of Love for Outstanding Vermont Women, 2012

  • Nominated Peter Clavelle Leadership Award, 2012

  • Nominated Berger-Marks Foundation Edna Award, 2011

  • Young Elected Officials Network, People for the American Way, 2010-2012

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