Program Designer
Project Manager
Grants Manager
Program Designer
Project Manager
Grants Manager
About Me
I assist people grow their capacity for success — for themselves, their teams, their organizations, and their clients. I use a process-driven approach — one that fosters curiosity, creativity and intentionality. I synthesize resources to build community, communicate across platforms, and inspire collaboration and innovation — building new solutions with the resources at hand.
My Services
Project Management
Lead teams from concept to completion, coordinating resources and ensuring results are on-time, on topic, and within budget.
Program Designer
Create captivating equity-centered programs for targeted audiences. Design mission-aligned academic and creative concepts, events, and activities.
Trainer/Facilitator
Present and facilitate multimodal professional growth trainings, workshops, and Community of Practice activities for individuals and groups of all sizes.
Recommendations
Exhibiting compassion and empathic awareness is at the core of Celena’s work, whether it’s through strategic planning efforts, teaching, or creating an environment that supports learning and getting students into flow…an amazing human potentialist.
Kristen Lenart, Source & Procurement Lead, Google
Celena engaged the Visual Task Force with a variety of vision-oriented, unique, and multi-modality activities. Her talents are many and her enthusiasm is infectious! Rarely have I seen a district task force more excited and productive. They are singing Celena’s praises!
Mary Schillinger, Assistant Superintendent Education for Las Virgenes USD
Celena is a master in holding together the big picture of arts education and the practical, detailed methods of bringing those ideas and trends to life in the classroom. She asked questions, directed us to research, gave us useful feedback about the lessons, all while cheering for us personally. It was one of the very best collaborative experiences of my professional and personal life.
Julie Paik, Co-chair Visual Arts Program, Yerba Buena Elementary School
Knowledgeable, organized, and thorough, Ms. Turney is consistently maximizing the learning opportunities for her students.
Forrest C. Baird, Principal, Yorkdale Elementary , Los Angeles USD
Skills
Project Management
- Project Planning & Scoping
- Timeline Mapping
- Communication
- Needs Assessment
Strategic Planning
- Solutions-based problem solving
- Facilitation
- Presenting & Report Writing
- Data Analysis
Technical Knowledge
- Articulate 360
- ADDIE
- Asana/Trello
- WordPress
- Microsoft 365
- Google Suite
Resume
Experience
2005-ongoing
Senior Project Management Consultant, Creative Capacity Builders
Provided strategy and implementation support for school districts at administrative and site levels.
2022 – 2023
Program Associate II, Quality Schools & Districts Division at WestEd
Provided technical assistance to schools and districts in the areas of family engagement and school improvement. Supported English Learner and Migrant Education Services team with qualitative evaluation, literature review, and research projects.
Wrote briefs for State Education agencies.
2021-2022
District Literacy Support Specialist, Cabrillo Unified School District
Developed district-wide Elementary Literacy Assessment Plan (K-5) for administration in digital and paper format across four sites. Built a digital platform to provide a central location for test administration, scoring, and data analysis.
2018 – 2021
Managing Director, Tutor Solutions of the Peninsula
Launched and managed all aspects of tutoring company, providing in-person and distance learning services.
2017-2018
Curriculum Specialist, The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula
Developed and revised course standards, produced instructor guides and materials.
2015-2016
Innovative Teaching and Learning Manager, Western Region at Crayola
Partnered with educational leaders across Western US, developing methods for infusing creativity, critical-thinking, and collaboration into teaching.
Education
- Instructional Design Certificate; UC Santa Cruz
Coursework: HTML5, Designing Online Instruction, Assessment & Evaluation, Learning Theories & Styles
- Masters in Public Administration; California State University, San Bernardino
Emphasis: Entrepreneurial Government
- University of California, Riverside; Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science
Education Abroad Program: Budapest, Hungary
Parent Education: Executive Function 101
Introductory Parent Education lesson adapted from content provided by SME. Utilized tabs, lists, flashcards, and sorting features.
Art Lesson: Polka Dot Pop Art
Arts Integration lesson incorporating video and images. Expanded upon content from SMEs to reflect best practice in Learning Theory and Curriculum Design.
Harley Farms Goat Dairy
Educational mini-course designed for inclusion on a small business website. Utilized timeline, tabs, labeled graphic, and flashcards.
Mentoring Day @ Facebook
PARTNERS: Facebook, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, Service Clubs
LOCATION: Menlo Park, California
DATE: March 2017
SKILLS:
- Project Management
- Event Design
- Lesson Planning
- Staff and Volunteer Training
DESCRIPTION: 125 fifth grade students were paired one-to-one with mentors who provided editing and practice support for their student’s year-end speeches. This ½ day event gave students confidence in their abilities as writers and storytellers while offering mentors an opportunity to give back to the community in a meaningful way.
TurnAround Arts Gala @ The White House
PARTNERS: Crayola, TurnAround Arts, National Portrait Gallery
LOCATION: White House, Washington, DC
DATE: May 2016
SKILLS:
- Project Management
- Curriculum Development
- Communication
DESCRIPTION: Specially-created artwork of 100 (K-8th grade) students from 10 states across the country was exhibited at the White House. The Annual Talent Show, hosted by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities demonstrates the importance of Arts Education in building the creative capacity of students of all ages.
‘Arts for All’ Task Force @ Monrovia USD
PARTNERS: California Alliance for Arts Education, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and School Districts across California
LOCATION: Los Angeles, Ventura, and Alameda Counties in California
DATE: 2004-2019
SKILLS:
- Project Management
- Strategic Planning
- Group Facilitation
- Data Analysis and Report Generation
- Presentations
DESCRIPTION: Community Task Force Teams were guided through activities that inventoried and analyzed current programs, articulated an organizational vision, and determined strategic priorities. The resulting action plans assist leadership in providing high-quality, mission-driven programs that serve their identified audiences.
Tango 360 – Embraces @ Lineage PAC
PARTNERS: Lineage Performing Arts Center and Electric Lodge
LOCATION: Old Town Pasadena and Venice, CA
DATE: November 2014
SKILLS:
- Artistic Direction/Choreography
- Talent Management
- Communication
- Fundraising
DESCRIPTION: Professional and amateur artists from the community performed an evening of poetry, music, and dance inspired by the Argentine Tango. The performances, directed and produced by Celena Turney, highlight how the arts in all its forms, provide an opportunity to experience and express the nuances of humanity.
Blog
- Towards Crafting a Global Framework for Arts Education
As I clicked the button to reserve my plane ticket to Portugal last Spring, I wondered… Would this feel like a homecoming of sorts? What core values and aspirations do I share with my international… - Designing Professional Development with Your Participants in Mind
I recently designed and led a day-long retreat for a task force team. Participants were internal and external to the organization and represented all levels of leadership and experience. As I reflected upon the day, I… - Now I Understand
I am in a sentimental mood today. And I really didn’t expect that this story would be my very first post on my journey’s blog. But life is like that sometimes. I have been listening… - Vision and Values Board as a Leadership Exercise
I love visioning exercises. As a strategic planner, I have had the pleasure of facilitating the creation of amazing practical vision statements – for events, programs, departments, etc. Without exception, everyone who participates is energized,… - Re-Igniting Organizational Creativity: The Tango As Metaphor
I am a learning and development specialist and have worked with many different types and sizes of organizations during the last 20 years. Somewhere along the line, all of them have wanted to re-ignite a…
Contact Me
- Email: Celena.Turney@gmail.com
- Call Me: 415.416.0533
