Brenda Kirk, CEO
Vision Weavers Consulting, LLC
19906 Firesign Drive
Atascocita, TX 77346
(281) 441-1063 office
Twitter: VisionWeavers
Brenda Kirk has a proven track record of building teams that have transformed both emerging and failing nonprofit operations into award winning organizations. In 2005 she launched a consulting firm targeting nonprofit and faith-based organizations. Through hands-on experience, Ms Kirk has created successful capacity building models transforming operation in health care administration, housing and community development, nutrition and food distribution, and social services. Brenda is highly motivated by working on projects that provide an opportunity to challenge her problem-solving temperament. As a skilled facilitator she has led many groups in vision and planning, and challenged them to define benchmarks and design monitoring systems to track progress.
VISION WEAVERS CONSULTING, LLC President & CEO2005 - Current
Public Speaker & Trainer: Social Innovation, Nonprofit Management, Social Justice, Community Development
Executive Coaching: Public Trusts & Accountability, Board Relations, Fiscal Oversight and Nonprofit Reporting, Public & Media Relations, Leadership & Team Building
Facilitation Services: Strategic Planning, Board Governance, Fundraising Strategies, Conflict Resolution, Team Building, Mergers and Collaborative Initiatives
Management Consultant: Internal Audits, Fund Development, Marketing and Communications, Process Improvement, Program Design & Operating Manuals
HOUSTON FOOD BANK Executive Director Houston, Texas 1997 -2005
Under Ms. Kirk’s leadership the Houston Food Bank moved to fiscal stability and national acclaim. She was responsible for creating a number of award-winning programs including: Nutrition Services, Kids Café, Community Kitchen, Operation Frontline, and the nationally acclaimed Food Fair Program. Under her leadership the Houston Food Bank garnered a #1 ranking by the Houston Business Journal for administrative efficiency as well as growing the endowment and operation reserves from sixty thousand to over nine million dollars. These accomplishments would not have been possible had she not led a team of highly motivated staff and volunteers in addressing a critical workforce need, despite facing a two million dollar deficit during her first year. The Food Bank team utilized inmate labor in partnership with Texas Department of Criminal Justice to increase capacity yet keeping operating costs in check. This partnership continues today and is a model around Texas and across the nation. The program tagged “Texas Second Chance” provided certified skills-based training in warehousing, inventory management and forklift certification for state jail inmates volunteering at the Houston Food Bank; changing lives. This program was recognized as a certified vocational training program through TDCJ’s Windom Schools.
STRATEGIC CONSULTING Owner - Freelance ServicesHumble, Texas 1996 - 1997
Moving to Houston to join her husband, Ms. Kirk provided consulting services for former clients, including The National WIC Association’s Leadership Counsel and the Cherokee Nation while she began to build new relationships in the Houston area. Contracted by Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, Brenda reorganized the food service programs including; Food For Seniors, the Food Pantry Network, and Community Gardening.
CHEROKEE NATION Tahlequah, Oklahoma 1982 - 1996
Deputy Executive Director, Community Development,
Ms Kirk, placed on special assignment, lead a strategic planning team to redesign a failing HUD funded tribal housing program and facilitated the design and development of a centralized tribal assistance application process. She was recognized for this work before moving to Texas.
Deputy Director, Health Division Administration
Promoted to lead the administrative team of the tribe’s health division, Ms Kirk was responsible for quality assurance and budgetary review for five rural health clinics. Brenda served as a liaison in Washington D.C. responsible for monitoring healthcare issues and nutrition legislation impacting tribal health care.
Associate Director, Department of Food and Nutrition
Ms. Kirk was promoted following a special assignment to redesign and establish operating procedures for a failing USDA Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. As the department director, Brenda led the tribe’s hunger relief and nutrition services. She brought in new funding partners including Share Our Strength, United Way, and Feed the Children to increase and improve direct services. The department included three major USDA funded food programs with budgets of nine million and a work force of 90 personnel. In partnership with six U.S. Tribes she drafted legislative language, adopted by the US Congress, to expand available nutrition services for Indian children.
Director, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
Expanded WIC services for the Cherokee Nation resulting in managed and controlled growth of 15%-30% each year for a total increase in services of 600%, reducing Cherokee infant mortality by 9%, during a 10 year period. Brenda’s leadership led to national recognition. She was elected to serve as President of the National WIC Association representing four million low-income and at-risk mothers, infants and children within the United States.
Dietitian, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
Designed client education programs and co-authored a para-professional training manual in nutrition with dietitians representing six Oklahoma tribes in partnership with Oklahoma State University.
COMMUNITY SERVICE & RECOGNITIONS:
FDIC Alliance for Economic Inclusion –Current Member
Harris County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative’s Task Force – CurrentMember
2003-08 Harris County Housing Authority - Commissioner
During this term Ms. Kirk served as the representative on the Houston/ Harris County Joint Katrina Housing Task Force, receiving recognition for leadership from both the City of New Orleans and the Harris County Housing Authority.
2003 Anti Defamation League - Ben & Julie Rogers Ecumenism Award
2001-02 Houston Area Allison Response and Recovery Team
2001 America’s Second Harvest - National Hunger’s Hope Award
1999 President of Texas Gulf Coast Area VOAD - Elected
1995 National Advisory Council on Maternal, Infant and Fetal Nutrition –Federal Appointment
1992 National WIC Association Leadership Award
1990 President of the National WIC Association - Elected
1986-90 Cherokee Nation Health Division Team, Robert Woods-Johnson Foundation–Healthy Nations Grant; 1988-90 Board Chair of the National Indian and Native Alaskan WIC Coalition - Elected
1987 USDA National Management Award Winner
1984-87 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Grant Lead
EDUCATION:
LONESTAR COLLEGE: Leadership North Houston, 2005
VANGUARD TRAINING: ISO9000 Lead Assessors of Quality Systems #-0262, 1996
NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY Bachelor of Science Degree, 1980