Kelsey Nielsen is seeking a career opportunity in social work and social justice. She has experience launching a nonprofit in Uganda called Abide Family Center that focuses on family preservation and preventing orphanhood. Some of her accomplishments include overseeing a caseload of 76 families, successfully resettling 19 children back with relatives, and growing Abide's social media presence. She is now looking to strengthen her skills through continued education and challenges working with new populations.

1. 348 E Main Street  Collegeville, PA 19426  America: +1 (610) 764-1694 /
Uganda: +256 792202211  Kelsey@abidefamilycenter.org
Kelsey Nielsen
Objective
My academic and career objectives are both grounded in social work and social justice. I find my
deepest fulfillment when engaged with people, helping them understand and reach their fullest
potential. I have worked with a variety of populations, both domestically and internationally. I have
acquired a deep understanding of social work through various academic and field experiences.
Most notably is my experience successfully launching a family preservation focused Nonprofit,
Abide Family Center, in Jinja, Uganda. I have developed rich skills in organizational management,
Nonprofit and NGO fundraising, networking, case management, assessment, evaluation and
developing organizational policies.
I wish to strengthen my professional skills through continued academic and career opportunities. I
desire to be challenged with new populations, research and interventions that will ultimately make
me a better social worker and global change agent.
Professional Skills
 Exceptional communication skills
 Strong ability to communicate new ideas and concepts to diverse audiences
 Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills
 Strategically innovative
 Thorough understanding of media & marketing for nonprofits
 Analytical
 Strong networking skills
 Experienced & effective fundraiser
 Exceptional ability to utilize social media platforms professionally
 Proven-relationship builder with strong interpersonal skills
 Extremely flexible and adaptable to tasks and job requirements
Professional Accomplishments
Co-Founder of International Non-profit, Abide Family Center
 Served as Head Social Worker for approximately two years in Uganda, from June 2013 to April
2015, while transitioning role to be held by national Social Worker
 Through research and field experience, identified the need for orphan prevention and family
preservation services in low income communities in Uganda
 Created a program model that takes a systems level approach, recognizing that many children
entering orphanages in the developing world are there because of a gap in care
 Oversaw staff of Ugandan social workers
 Oversaw a caseload of up to 76 families collectively
 Presented and oversaw group supervision
 Performed initial needs based assessment and research, providing rational for program model
 Networking and creating partnerships with stakeholders in the U.S. and Uganda
 Coordinated with government officials and partnering organizations to create a strategic referral
process for cases
 Built case files specific to the needs of our NGO, included USAID assessment tools as well as

2. America: +1 610-764-1694 / Uganda: +256 792202211  Kelsey@abidefamilycenter.org
Kelsey Nielsen
forms and policies tailored to our organization’s unique needs
Social Media Advocacy and Growth
 Applied access to social media as a platform for fundraising and networking for Abide Family
Center
 Utilized social media platforms as a space for education and advocacy around topics of social
justice that relate to our organization’s mission statement
 Grew Abide’s Instagram account to over 8,000 followers and Facebook to over 4,000
Wrote for and Received Grants
 Kingdom Mission Fund, $4,000; to fund the growth and development of a vocational training
and income generation project, Stitched Together
 Operation Blessing, $12,000; to fund the operation costs for Abide’s nutritional program,
providing formula to HIV positive mothers and nutritional support to low-income families
Organized Pastoral Trainings and Seminars
 Recognized that the Ugandan government engaged CBOs (Community Based Organizations)
and NGOs, but was failing to include the church in their training.
 Organized two pastoral seminars where, collectively, approximately 75 local church leaders
were trained around government policy for de-institutionalization
 Provided the space for Uganda’s largest and most widespread institution, the church, to engage
this important conversation around family preservation and best practice in care provided to
OVCs (Orphaned and otherwise Vulnerable Children)
Processed Inter-country Adoptions from Uganda
 Served as interim adoption coordinator for Amani Baby Cottage, an orphanage located in Jinja,
Uganda
 Coordinated with adoptive parents in America with updates on their legal process and
paperwork needs
 Worked with adoptive parents in-country to help them through the legal guardianship, passport
and visa processes so they could legally adopt their children to the U.S.
 I helped process five inter-country adoptions from Uganda to the U.S.
Resettled and Traced Families of Children from Orphanage
 Hired and worked alongside of a degree holding Ugandan Social Worker
 Used case files to locate and trace family members of children living in the orphanage
 Safely resettled 19 children back home with their relatives
 Performed follow-up for two years post-resettlement to ensure the resettlements were successful
Presented at Government Workshops
 Created PowerPoint Presentation that would communicate the Alternative Care model as well as
Abide’s program model across both Ugandan and American cultures
 Delegated staff members of Abide to take part in the presentation
 Used PowerPoint presentation in multiple venues, including the private and public sector, to
educate and advocate for further change within OVC care
Completed Undergraduate Field Placement at Philadelphia FIGHT

3. America: +1 610-764-1694 / Uganda: +256 792202211  Kelsey@abidefamilycenter.org
Kelsey Nielsen
 Helped with administrative tasks such as: Front desk duties, answering phones, data entry,
among other tasks
 Supported and taught the creative writing class
 Performed intake assessments for new clients
Received Eudice T. Glassberg Memorial Scholarship
 Received this scholarship as a rising senior in 2012 from Temple University’s College of Health
Professions and Social Work, School of Social Work
 This award is given to “a rising senior who has demonstrated overall excellence in the pursuit of
undergraduate studies, who has shown a significant concern for community needs and
development, and is committed to social change for the benefit of individuals, families and
society.”
Graduated Magna Cum Laude From Temple University
 Graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2013 from Temple University’s School of Social Work
 Member of Alpha Delta Mu, Temple University’s School of Social Work’s Honors Society
Employment
June 2011-August 2011 High School Youth
Counselor
Sandy Cove Ministries,
North East, MD
January 2010- May 2011
June 2008- May 2013
Interim Adoption
Coordinator
Work Study Assistant
Total Family Outreach/ Amani
Baby Cottage, Sebring, FL
/Jinja, Uganda
Intergenerational Center,
Temple University,
Philadelphia, PA
June 2012 – Current Co-founder Abide Family Center ,
Washington, DC/ Jinja, Uganda
June 2013- April 2015 Head Social Worker Abide Family Center,
Washington DC/ Jinja, Uganda
September 2007-Current Nanny Janet and Aaron Meyers,
Lansdale, PA
Ellen Kamor,
Collegeville, PA

4. America: +1 610-764-1694 / Uganda: +256 792202211  Kelsey@abidefamilycenter.org
Kelsey Nielsen
Joanna & Scott Morris,
Collegeville, PA
Education
June, 2008
May, 2013
High School Diploma
Bachelors in Social Work and
Social Administration,
Magna Cum Laude
Perkiomen Valley High
School, Collegeville, PA
Temple University,
Philadelphia PA
References
Ellen Kamor
SVP Global Account Management & Support,
Xaxis, New York
31 Penn Plaza
132 West 31st Street
New York, NY 10001
570-881-6251 (cell)
Ellen.Kamor@gmail.com
Relationship: Employer for a full-time Nanny position, June 2015-Current
Kathryn Kauffman
Senior Management and Program Analyst
Department of Homeland Security, Asylum Division
1701 N. Kent St
Apt 1205
Arlington VA 22209
717-497-8359 (cell)
Kathryn.e.Kauffman@uscis.dhs.gov
Relationship: Supervisor at the Intergenerational Center, September 2011-June 2012
Alan Pfeffer, MS, Psy.D (ABD), MSW, LCSW, BCD
Assistant Professor
Temple University

5. America: +1 610-764-1694 / Uganda: +256 792202211  Kelsey@abidefamilycenter.org
Kelsey Nielsen
1301 Cecil B Moore Ave, RA 593
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-204-1225
apfeffer@temple.edu
Relationship: Faculty Supervisor for Independent Study, Fall 2011
Deb Steiner
Vice President, Associate General Counsel
RRDonnelley
743 Hayes Ave.
Oak Park 60302
312 730 6986
Deb.steiner@rrd.com
Relationship: Partner of Abide Family Center, August 2014- Current
Megan Taylor
Assistant Chaplain
Black Forest Academy, Kandern, Germany
(Address in states):
348 Churchtown Road
Narvon, PA 17555
717-314-1508 (cell)
Mntaylor20@gmail.com
Relationship: Manager at Sandy Cover Ministries, Summer 2011
Elyse Venturella, LSW
Program coordinator
Back On My Feet
100 South Broad Street, Suite 1400w
Phiadelphia, PA 19110
215-439-8046 (cell)
Elyse.Venturella@backonmyfeet.org
Relationship: Co-worker/co-volunteer at Abide Family Center,
August 2013-January 2014