Hosting staff
From AFSWiki
November 2008:
The foundation for the new hosting model has focus, fun and efficiency at its core. Our current systems are cumbersome, involve too many people managing a participant or host family application, create communication back logs, therefore decreasing customer service to all our constituents, and quite honestly cause a lot of last minute stress for both volunteers and staff. By providing focus on specific goals with systematic and consistent approaches and proper planning, and eliminating redundancies and tightening our process, we plan to increase quality (including on-time placements) while also enhancing customer satisfaction and job satisfaction for both volunteers and staff.
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HOSTING: FOCUSED, FUN, EFFICIENT
- All hosting admission functions will move to the regional hosting teams. We will no longer have centralized hosting admissions functions supervised in Portland, OR. Each of the regional teams will be responsible for processing their own applications. Under the current structure a student application moves through 4-5 staff hands before volunteers receive the student application. This new system cuts out the need for so many people to be involved, reduces redundancies, saves time and eliminates additional opportunities for mistakes. Also field staff now gets to know and understand the student application in more detail, theoretically making it easier to recruit a host family.
- Partners will now send applications directly to regional offices. This eliminates the need for AFS-USA to spend resources in distributing student applications to regions. The good news is that the majority of our Partners are now transmitting student applications via Global Link, eliminating the need for USA staff to scan, upload, and file the paper applications. Applications will then be transferred to AFS Online for volunteers to see.
- Field staff will communicate directly with Partner Offices. This eliminates the middle step of going through Admissions staff. We will save time, up to 2 days, in the communication flow. Currently if a volunteer has a question about an application they often contact the field staff, who emails the admissions staff who emails the Partner and back down again. We are trying to eliminate any step that does not involve the most direct point of communication.
- Only promote the use of online application completion for host families. Although we will still have a paper application, our goal is for 95% of the host families to use the on-line application in 2009. We will no longer have to scan, upload and email applications to our partners. All we will have to do is transfer data in Global Link.
- Eliminate the need to create paper files. We are creating an electronic filing system with our friends in Support & IT and will be storing all student applications electronically. This eliminates the need to print out and file all student applications, mailing the files to the regional offices after the application has been distributed, destroying files after three years, and moving files each year to make room for the next class of students. Also, it will be much easier for anyone in the organization needing access to a student file.
- Create a very systematic and disciplined approach to student distribution and host family recruitment. Doing this will lead to better quality, on-time placement, and reduced stress. More to follow, once we finalize our strategy.
STAFFING OVERVIEW
After review of processes and deciding upon the needed changes, the following staff structure is being put into place:
- Moving to a three regional service center model (East, Central, West)
- Each service center will have a Manager, Coordinators (# varies depending on volume) , a full-time Hosting Administrative Coordinator, a Sr. Hosting Coordinator (two in the Central Region) , and appropriate seasonal staff
- We have created a Hosting Programs Officer who will be responsible for coordinating all national hosting processes, hosting matrix management, take a lead in Partner communication as it relates to hosting, working on new hosting programs, oversee department training needs, creating and maintaining all department resources, take the lead on collaboration with IT, and assisting me with overall management of the division; in addition this position will supervise the Hosting Coordinator for Sponsored Programs
- Because of various changes to processes, it will be necessary for the full time hosting field staff to be working from one of the three regional offices
- We have established a very close working relationship with the Marketing and Communications Department and consider them part of the Hosting Team, although they will remain a separate department also supporting a variety of other functions for AFS-USA
The hosting staffing changes are outlined below. Here is a chart of the new hosting structure.
Western States Hosting Staff
- Western States Office Telephone: 800.876.2377 (toll-free); 503.241.1578 (local)
- Hosting Manager: Katharina Kozik, ext. 1534
- Hosting Administrative Assistant: Liz Wyman, ext. 1525
| Area Team/Chapter | Coordinator | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|
| West | Alaska | Caren Marre | 1594 |
| West | Bay Area | Andrew Land | 1575 |
| West | Big Sky | Caren Marre | 1594 |
| West | California Central Coast | Caren Marre | 1594 |
| West | Colorado Rockies | Peter Maris | 1563 |
| West | Columbia Pacific | Katharina Kozik | 1534 |
| West | Grand Canyon | Peter Maris | 1563 |
| West | Las Vegas Chapter | Peter Maris | 1563 |
| West | Greater Los Angeles | Caren Marre | 1594 |
| West | Greater Puget Sound | Andrew Land | 1575 |
| West | Oahu Hawaii Chapter | Caren Marre | 1594 |
| West | Inland Empire | Caren Marre | 1594 |
| West | Imperial Valley | Katharina Kozik | 1534 |
| West | New Mexico | Peter Maris | 1563 |
| West | Northwest California | Peter Maris | 1563 |
| West | Northwest Central | Andrew Land | 1575 |
| West | Orange County | Caren Marre | 1594 |
| West | Pacific Cascades | Peter Maris | 1563 |
| West | San Diego | Andrew Land | 1575 |
| West | Sierra San Joaquin | Andrew Land | 1575 |
| West | Silver & Gold | Andrew Land | 1575 |
| West | Southern CA Mtn & Desert | Peter Maris | 1563 |
| West | Steinbeck Coast | Andrew Land | 1575 |
Central States Hosting Staff
- Central States Office Telephone: 800.876.2377 (toll-free); 651.647.6337 (local)
- Hosting Manager: Nancy Weis-Sanfo, ext.2225
- Hosting Administrative Coordinator: Samantha Ross, ext.2232
Central Region Hosting Staff Directory
Eastern States Hosting Staff
- Eastern States Office Telephone: 800.876.2377 (toll-free); 410.539.5997 (local)
- Hosting Manager: Richard Dollery, ext. 135
- Hosting Administrative Coordinator: Cynthia Brothers, ext.100
| Area Team/Chapter | Coordinator | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Appalachian | Kathryn Barrett | 123 |
| East | Baltimore | Emily Nykaza | 130 |
| East | Capitol | Kathryn Barrett | 123 |
| East | Carolinas | Lee Gerstein | 127 |
| East | DelMarPa | Emily Nykaza | 130 |
| East | Dirigo Main | Jennifer Anderson | 131 |
| East | Downeast Maine | Jennifer Anderson | 131 |
| East | Eastern NY | Jennifer Anderson | 131 |
| East | Finger Lakes NY | Brian Curley | 124 |
| East | Florida | Lee Gerstein | 127 |
| East | Friends Across New England | Brian Curley | 124 |
| East | Greater Cincinnati | Ashley Collins | 111 |
| East | Greater Cleveland | Ashley Collins | 111 |
| East | Massachusetts Bay | Brian Curley | 124 |
| East | Miss Tennky | Lee Gerstein | 127 |
| East | New Jersey | Brian Curley | 124 |
| East | North Central Tier NY | Emily Nykaza | 130 |
| East | Northeast Ohio | Emily Nykaza | 130 |
| East | Northwest Ohio | Ashley Collins | 111 |
| East | Ohio River Valley | Ashley Collins | 111 |
| East | Susquehanna Valley | Kathryn Barrett | 123 |
| East | Virginia | Kathryn Barrett | 123 |
| East | Western NY | Brian Curley | 124 |
| East | Western PA | Ashley Collins | 111 |
National Hosting Team(based in Western States Office in Portland, Oregon):
- Western States Office Telephone: 800.876.2377 (toll-free); 503.241.1578 (local)
- Director of Inbound Programs: Ann Steffen, ext. 1522
- Hosting Coordinator, Sponsored Programs: Chan MacDonald, ext. 1535
