BY SARA SIBLEY
Over the last twelve years, I have had the privilege to be part of an amazing network of individuals working collaboratively to advance a movement dedicated to optimizing the health and development of all children.
I have also been fortunate to see first-hand the growth of a network of affiliate systems and states from five systems to now 120+ systems in over 30 states. The Help Me Grow (HMG) National team has also evolved since my first days at the National Center from a “small and mighty” team to a now more comprehensive and multifaceted team eager to support the growing needs of the HMG Affiliate Network. The new structure of the National Center provides us with the necessary expertise and capacity to be responsive to the various needs and priorities of the Affiliate Network, so as to achieve the full potential for HMG across the country.
It is this growth across the Network and National Center team that has elevated the need for a specific and distinct branch tasked with ensuring optimal coordination and alignment of the various National Center projects and exciting opportunities that are moving forth across the Network.
“Growing Together,” the name of this blog series, is also an accurate description of the evolution of the National Center, allowing for growth commensurate with the evolving needs of the Network and working collectively to make great strides in the advancement, promotion, and impact of the HMG Model.
Meet the Business Development & Operations Team
My name is Sara Sibley, and I am the Associate Director of Business Development and Operations at the HMG National Center. Within my role, I oversee financial and administrative activities in support of our various bodies of work, with activities operationalized both externally in partnership with various national partners and affiliates, as well as internally so as to ensure optimal synergy and collaboration across our National Center branches. My teammate within this branch is Skyley Parizek. Skyley has recently joined the National Center team as the Business and Administrative Program Specialist and brings with her a unique skillset in public health and administration.
Our Work and Approach
The work of the Business Development & Operations branch integrally ties into all four priority areas and branches of the National Center (Implementation & System-Building, Impact & Network Performance, Policy & Community Change, and Communications & Network Relations), ensuring alignment and collaboration in all that we do for the Affiliate Network.
The National Center’s diverse body of work not only requires but demands the implementation of efficient processes supporting strong administrative, financial, and operational infrastructures, while maintaining an external focus of ongoing alignment with affiliate and national objectives and priorities.
In addition to overseeing key administrative and operational efforts, we oversee the implementation and advancement of technical assistance associated with HMG’s Return on Investment (ROI) work. These efforts include supporting the Affiliate Network in utilizing the HMG ROI tools to demonstrate the Model’s unique value, including quantifiable savings, which helps promote meaningful engagement with funders and other partners. Further, we collaborate with other National Center branches such as Policy & Community Change to support continued advocacy on behalf of affiliates at the national-level and bolster affiliates’ ability to leverage meaningful cost-savings data at their local and state- levels.
What to Expect
Our Business Development & Operations efforts aim to foster alignment and synergy across the various branches of HMG National, enabling optimal support to states and systems in their development of robust state funding models through the ROI tool and broader activities. We additionally aim to support the design and implementation of a Network-wide strategy for communicating the value proposition of HMG in achieving optimal child well-being outcomes prioritized by communities.
Get to Know the New HMG National Center
HMG National will be holding a roundtable discussion on July 26 for affiliates to meet all of our branch leads. Open to the full HMG Network, we invite you all to come and share your thoughts on how the National Center can best apply our new capacity to support your efforts.
Following the roundtable, each branch at HMG National will hold a listening session where you can drop in and spend some more time chatting with specific branch leads and other affiliates who want to be part of the conversation:
• COMMUNICATIONS & NETWORK RELATIONS (AUGUST 8, 2-3PM ET)
• IMPACT & NETWORK PERFORMANCE (AUGUST 16, 2-3PM ET)
• IMPLEMENTATION & SYSTEM-BUILDING (AUGUST 22, 2-3PM ET)
• POLICY & COMMUNITY CHANGE (AUGUST 29, 2-3PM ET)
Feel free to reach out!
Connect with Sara Sibley at SSibley@connecticutchildrens.org and
Skyley Parizek at SParizek@connecticutchildrens.org
Sara Sibley is the Associate Director of Business Development & Operations at the Help Me Grow National Center.
Skyley Parizek is the Business & Administrative Program Specialist at the Help Me Grow National Center.