Andrew Macurak
I like figuring out how things work and making them work better. I like getting to the bottom of complicated, technical problems, and helping non-technical people to understand the answers. I think public institutions can and should solve public problems.
C.V.
EDUCATION
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY – H. JOHN
HEINZ III COLLEGE, Pittsburgh, PA
M.S.,
Public Policy & Management; Economic Development & Finance concentration. August 2009 – May 2011
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, Pittsburgh,
PA
B.A. summa cum laude, Urban Studies &
History majors; Public Service minor. August 2006
– April 2009
SKILLS
- Decision & risk modeling
- Financial modeling & analysis
- Geographic information systems (GIS)
- Program evaluation
- SAS programming
- Strategic planning
UNITED STATES SMALL
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, Washington, DC
Presidential
Management Fellow – Office of Credit Risk Mgt., Portfolio Analysis Team. June 2011 – present
- Created high-risk indicators monitoring report to enhance oversight of a multibillion-dollar loan portfolio.
- Created lender performance report that integrates multiple databases to flag banks for examination and to select an appropriate review level. Automated graphic report so examiners could explain findings to banks.
- Created tool to evaluate lender oversight programs by comparing corrective actions to lender performance.
- Represented team on an interoffice working group to re-engineer SBA risk management processes.
PITTSBURGH HISTORY
& LANDMARKS FOUNDATION, Pittsburgh, PA
Stephen M. Lauble
Community Fellow/Real Estate Development Intern. May
2010 – June 2011
- Assessed financial and economic risk for more than $3 million in potential investments.
- Designed database to track past and future investments’ social and financial impact.
- Evaluated the impact of loan program’s prior investments using GIS and contextual economic data.
- Managed a team to assess business attraction and site redevelopment options for a major office complex.
OAKLAND PLANNING &
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Pittsburgh, PA
Real Estate Intern. October 2009 – May 2010
- Created budgeting tools and forecasting models to improve real estate portfolio’s financial performance.
- Used GIS to identify development opportunities that address social need and leverage market strengths.
RHIZA LABS, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA
Special
Projects Coordinator (final title). January
2009 – May 2010
- Developed strategic relationships with foundation, nonprofit, and geospatial industry leaders at a start-up.
- Continuously improved product branding, positioning and strategy, driving increased sales inquiries.
RACK-WILDENER &
REESE, INC. d.b.a. AKOYA, Pittsburgh, PA
Associate. September 2008 – January 2009
- Improved the operations of public and nonprofit agencies as part of a team of management consultants.
- Coordinated logistics to convene building industry leaders for the DoE’s NetZero Energy Buildings events.
PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY
REINVESTMENT GROUP, Pittsburgh, PA
Program
Coordinator (final title). February
2008 – September 2008
- Grew the capacity of community groups by designing and implementing technical assistance programs.
ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE
ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Pittsburgh, PA
Market
Research Intern May 2007 –
February 2008
- Compiled and analyzed economic and financial data to attract businesses and site selectors to the region.
- Conducted foreign business intelligence to identify businesses to target for international trade missions.
CONSULTING & STUDENT PROJECTS
CITYLAB, Pittsburgh,
PA
6% Place
Project Data Analysis and Mapping Project. January
2011 – July 2011
- Developed thematic series of maps to illustrate racial and economic disparities in Pittsburgh’s East End.
LANDMARKS COMMUNITY CAPITAL CORPORATION, Pittsburgh,
PA
Development
of Strategic Plan (course: Strategic Planning). September 2010 – December 2010
- Led a team of 5 to develop a strategic plan for Pittsburgh History & Landmarks’ community loan fund.
HOMEWOOD CHILDREN’S VILLAGE Pittsburgh,
PA
Strategic
Urban Design Recommendations (course: Housing Policy). January
2010 – April 2010
- Led a team of 8 to develop urban design plan for a human services and economic development initiative.
OAKLAND PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Pittsburgh,
PA
Website
Redevelopment Project. March 2009
– September 2009
- Developed and deployed new WordPress-based website and trained key staff on platform maintenance.
LEADERSHIP & HONORS
YP4 (A PROGRAM OF THE PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY FOUNDATION), Washington, DC
Mentor. September
2010 – present
Alumni
Board/Alumni Steering Committee Member. January
2009 – January 2011
Fellow/Senior Fellow. January
2007 – January 2009
- Assisted in organizing yearly leadership development trainings for college-aged activist leaders.
- Provided individual mentoring on leadership development and project management.
STEPHEN F. LAUBLE COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP, Pittsburgh,
PA
Carnegie
Mellon University – H. John Heinz III College. January
2010 – June 2011
- Recognized as the Heinz College’s top economic development student with an internship-funding award.
STARTINGBLOC, New
York, NY
Volunteer
Captain, Institute for Social Innovation. May 2011
Fellow. April 2010
- Selected for the highly competitive Institute for Social Innovation, a four-day conference and case competition.
- Returned the following year to coordinate and manage Institute volunteers.
PITTSBURGH REGIONAL LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP Pittsburgh,
PA
Carnegie
Mellon University – H. John Heinz III College. September 2009 – May 2011
- Awarded annual scholarship for professional leadership in civic affairs.
MEMBER, PHI ALPHA
THETA HISTORY HONORS SOCIETY
University
of Pittsburgh – School of Arts & Sciences. Inducted
April 2009
HONORABLE MENTION, OSSIP AWARDS FOR UNDERGRADUATE WRITING, Pittsburgh,
PA
University
of Pittsburgh – School of Arts & Sciences April 2008
- Recognized for a comparative analysis of the development of 20th century U.S. and U.K. housing policy.
Key Projects
- Analyzed data as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a community development corporation's real estate plan.
- Created an operating budget for a community development corporation's rental portfolio.
- Wrote and/or managed grants totaling nearly $50,000 to financial institutions, foundations, and nonprofit grantmakers.
- Organized and promoted series of industry-specific happy hours to facilitate networking among organizational partners and stakeholders.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
- Coordinated a speaker series on sustainable design for a federal agency.
- Managed the preparation of a response to a request for proposals for a start-up software company.
- Issued request for proposals, selected consultants and identified content-area experts for a series of how-to guides in community development.
- Coordinated a site visit to conduct policy benchmarking research around vacant property revitalization. Identified relevant practitioners in external city and managed logistics of visit.
- Created baseline data for a neighborhood development project using GIS.
- Researched and composed an original paper on comparative housing policy that received honorable mention in the 2008 Ossip Writing Awards at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Used GIS to analyze demographic and real estate trends over time and incompatible boundaries using disparate data.
COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH
- Wrote requests for proposals for nonprofits, and responses to requests for proposals for a start-up software company.
- Wrote and organized all content for a community development corporation. Facilitated usability focus groups with the organization's members and funders, and translated their comments into revisions to the site.
- Managed two comprehensive website redesigns for a start-up software company.
- Created and maintained web content for several other nonprofit and for profit clients as an independent consultant.
- Wrote and disseminated press releases to draw attention to new program and product launches.
