Essence Morris

About Essence Morris

Analytical, solutions-oriented, and business operations strategic leader, highly experienced in project and program management. Skilled in team-building as well as coaching/developing talent to ensure the goals of an organization are met. Unique ability to lead multiple projects at a time, identify and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, report out those findings to internal and external stakeholders, and oversee the change management process. Demonstrated success in using innovation to drive effective process improvements that add to the bottom line and success of an organization.Specialties: Startup environments, Project Management, Program Management, Consultation, Change Management, Organizational Development, Data, Forecasting.

Experience

1. Special Assistant

   Dc Department Of Human Services

   Dec 2021 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Directed the planning, development, and implementation of a multi-agency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) claims management system to support federal recertification; led stakeholder engagement, requirements gathering, and system design in compliance with USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) regulations.• Created the District of Columbia Claims Management Plan as the agency’s formal policy document to outline system processes for internal operations and external use upon system launch.• Identified and addressed cross-functional process gaps during system development; coordinated with internal and external partners to align technical and operational workflows.• Managed compliance efforts related to EBT fraud and stolen benefits, including fraud risk analysis, mitigation planning, and drafting of customer-facing correspondence and website/social media updates.• Collaborated with business analysts and developers to automate legacy mitigation processes; reviewed scripts and provided technical feedback on system functionality.• Supported organizational development by staffing internal teams through panel interviews in collaboration with OPRMI leadership.• Contributed to agency wide innovation as a member of the AI Community of Practice, helping to establish governance guidelines, shape early-stage use cases, and define responsible technology adoption frameworks.• Revised the department’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy to align with updated legal standards and organizational goals.• Produce weekly executive briefings summarizing high-impact projects, risks, and department operations for senior leadership.• Created a department wide “About Us” slide deck to highlight internal services, functions, and team capabilities across the agency.

Education

• Trinity Washington University

  Master of Business Administration, Business Administration and Management, General

• Trinity Washington University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Human Relations

Skills

• Public Policy
• Project Planning
• Association Memberships
• Event Planning
• Communication
• Event Management
• Strategic Communications
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Social Media
• Microsoft Excel
• Powerpoint
• Community Outreach
• Non-Profits
• Customer Engagement
• Nonprofits
• Research
• Competitive Analysis
• Marketing
• Business Analytics
• Association Management
• Social Networking
• Strategic Planning
• Call Center Administration
• Microsoft Office
• Strategy
• Association Management Software
• Time Management
• Business Analysis
• Project Management
• Public Speaking
• Customer Relationship Management (Crm)
• Crm
• Fundraising
• Business Transformation
• Customer Retention
• Customer Service
• Budgeting
• Analytical Skills
• Public Relations
• Business Strategy