Jean F. O’Neil
884 College Parkway, Suite 203, Rockville, MD 20850
301-641-3403 (c) jean.oneil@verizon.net
Problem Solver – Analyst – Communicator – Evaluator
Extensive experience in analysis and problem solving in a variety of settings; employs multiple written, oral, and visual communications methods and strategies for lay and expert audiences; and bridges policy and practice to promote sound public and personal actions to benefit people and their communities.
Blends a synergistic, interdisciplinary approach to assessing needs and solving problems and translates solutions into actionable policy and program. Multiple analytic skills enable her to evaluate policy, process, program, and results in useful terms. Effective communication skills make information relevant and accessible to a wide range of audiences.
Problem Solving/ Creative Thinking – Working Across Settings and Disciplines
- Assisted Congressional leaders in ending U.S bombing in Southeast Asia after U.S. troop withdrawal.
- Used National Environmental Policy Act to cause U.S. Air Force to withdraw expensive and ineffective basing plans for MX missile system.
- Designed and guided successful effort to secured first-ever Congressional endorsement and funding for national nonprofit.
- Uncovered and documented alternative to Chesapeake-Bay dumping for disposal of toxic Baltimore harbor dredged spoil (method later adopted by State of Maryland) .
- Helped save scenic veterans’ hospital and gain its conversion to long-term care and assisted living facility.
- Created national program and intellectual property standards and enforcement policy for McGruff the Crime Dog ® national crime prevention symbol.
- Restructured and created more effective program guidelines for the national McGruff House ®program.
- Substantially redesigned and rewrote agency business plan to meet Board of Directors deadline.
- Created framework for uniquely pragmatic nationally linked but locally relevant anti-poverty action campaign.
- Co-designed pioneering Youth as Resources program that served more than 500,000 youth in locally funding youth-designed projects to address community needs; wrote major book on program.
- Helped create and document innovative programs that informed U.S. Department of Justice Comprehensive Communities Program, the stage-setter for comprehensive community crime prevention in 21st century.
- Co-creator of national memorial foundation for distinguished Army brigade that raised more than $800,000 and established first memorial to be built at National Infantry Museum.
- Researched, developed, and organized successful grant information tour for three senior Mexican university officials with U.S. foundations
Communication – Reaching Audiences With What They Need in Ways They Want It
- Designed process for ensuring communication responsive to field needs that has been adopted by at least four other national groups.
- Pioneered web presence for major national nonprofit, including internal and external input, contracting, design review, content review, publication.
- Working with national Crime Prevention Coalition, developed experience-based principles to guide crime prevention programming and practice and wrote report, including history of the field; updated core principles 10 years later with action agenda for member organizations and local practitioners.
- Coauthored Advertising Council study of successful gun storage safety campaign.
- Authored two of four major sections of National Juvenile Justice Action Plan for U.S. Department of Justice.
- Pioneered concept of youth as crime prevention assets with Ford Foundation-sponsored book; co-authored nation’s first text on youth involvement in school and neighborhood safety.
- Wrote five video scripts and six program manuals for major national youth-led crime prevention organization.
- Researched, wrote, and oversaw design for more than 200 brochures for adults, teens, and children on personal safety and crime prevention.
- Researched, framed, and wrote five of the seven papers in the National League of Cities Gang Prevention Kit, distributed to the country’s mayors, councils, and key public safety/gang prevention officials.
- Generated pioneering poll of local, state, and federal agency officials’ awareness of and concerns over homeland security shortly after 9/11; wrote widely circulated report.
Research, Assessment, and Evaluation – Gathering Facts, Selecting Relevance, Gauging Progress
- Developed evaluation criteria for and conducted evaluation of five major programs for youth-focused crime prevention, including both process and outcome assessments.
- Designed key elements of first major national cyberbullying prevention study and wrote report that led to award-winning national public service ad campaign.
- Have served for more than two decades on The Advertising Council’s Ad Research Committee.
- With Ad Council research team, developed report on path-breaking ads to improve gun storage safety.
- Conducted/coordinated evaluations of more than a dozen national program initiatives including national consumer education campaigns, public service advertising, classroom curricula, major national conferences, community-focused program initiatives.
- Created national survey series on personal and community crime prevention behaviors and wrote widely praised survey reports that have informed criminology and criminal justice research and programs.
- Researched crime prevention cost-effectiveness; summarized findings, policy implications. Document was distributed to Members of Congress and Executive Branch and used in college criminal justice courses.
- Devised program evaluations and assessments for six major national crime prevention initiatives, using variety of techniques, including pre/post assessments, attitude/knowledge surveys, focus groups, and document reviews and executed designs, including hiring of appropriate contractors
- Led study of major local fire department (county of 1 million population), resulting in support for increased professionalization of force (both volunteer and paid staff).
Grant Writing That Succeeds on Many Levels
- Fudan Foundation, U.S. backer of Center for American Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China: Wrote ten years of successful U.S. AID grant applications for China’s leading American studies organization, including new and upgraded facilities that reflect best practices by U.S. standards and current digital library initiative.
- National Crime Prevention Council, Washington, DC: Nine years of successful grant-writing for major U.S. Department of Justice and foundation grants, ranging from Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to California Wellness Foundation, Ford Foundation, and others. Wrote or coauthored more than 20 successful proposals
- Global Cause Foundation: Helped set up grant-writing process for this new U.S. foundation seeking to address problems caused by climate change, especially in People’s Republic of China.
- Contributed key sections to successful grant applications to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (various agencies), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and a variety of foundations.
Major Work Experience
Principal, Ares Consulting (dba), 884 College Parkway, Suite 203, Rockville, MD 20850, 301-762-8393.
2007-present. Multi-purpose research/analysis, writing, and project services
Principal, O’Shoot Photography (dba), 884 College Parkway, Suite 203, Rockville, MD 20850, 301-762-8393, 2000-present. Event photography a specialty.
Principal, In Loving Memory (dba), 884 College Parkway, Suite 203, Rockville, MD 20850, 301-762-8393, 2010-present. Research and produce in-depth biographic sketches of deceased as keepsake for family, friends.
National Crime Prevention Council, 1000 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 (1984-2007): 23 years of progressively more responsible experience. Supervisor: John A. Calhoun
xDirector, Research, Evaluation, and Policy Analysis: crime prevention/criminal justice policy; conducted or managed all surveys and similar studies as well as all evaluations (including public service advertising, demonstration projects); wrote key consumer and practitioner education documents (1987-2007)
xManaging Editor, creating and implementing document development process on agency-wide basis; maintaining quality control (content and editorial) over all publications; coordinating with project funders. Wrote all consumer response materials for one of the nation’s largest public service advertising campaigns; provided extensive editing/rewrite assistance, often on deadline. Managed contracts with consultant writers, editors, designers, and printers. Wrote agency’s first book; increased publications from 1 in 1985 to more than 300 by 2000 (documented millions of copies reproduced). Led task force that created NCPC World Wide Web presence. (1986-1999) Note: Research and Editorial positions held simultaneously for 13 years.
Director, Computerized Information Center, managing implementation of national database on crime prevention programs; developing marketing plan; supervising staff; maintaining equipment (1984-1986)
Lecturer in Economics, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD: (1983-1986). Taught microeconomic and related courses on part-time basis.
U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Clarence D. Long (Maryland-2nd District), 14 years — U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515: progressively more responsible positions as caseworker, press assistant, and special assistant (1969-1983). Supervisor: Rep. Clarence D. Long (deceased).
Education
- Harvard University, Cambridge, MA: Master of Public Administration, John F. Kennedy School of Government, 1983, with concentrations in strategic analysis, policy development, and economic-policy interactions.
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC: Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, 1968, with concentrations in government, history, and economics and minors in German and philosophy; graduated with various honors.
- Montgomery College, Rockville, MD: Computer Science course work (9 credits) toward Associate of Arts degree (various years)
- Video production and technician certificates, Cable TV Montgomery, Rockville, MD, 1988.
Honors Various high school honoraries
Pi Sigma Alpha (political science honorary)
Phi Alpha Theta (history honorary)
German Language Prize (Georgetown University)
Gamma Pi Epsilon (equivalent of Mortarboard for Jesuit institutions)
Class Marshal, Harvard University
An Addendum with further details is available on request.