1. Laura D. Wickramasinghe
(630) 926-7470| laura.wickramasinghe@gmail.com | www.linkedin.com/in/laura-wickramasinghe
Experience
COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND OUTREACH ASSISTANT | BROOKFIELD ZOO |DEC 2012-DEC 2014
 Served as a team member of the Brookfield Zoo’s Career Ladder, a community outreach program seeking to
inspire preschoolers through young adults to explore science, nature, and conservation.
 Created and executed informal educational programming inspiring participants to explore science, math, the
natural world, geography, conservation, art, and culture.
 Designed hands-on games, crafts, activities, experiments, and workshops for community outreach events.
 Established and maintained relationships and partnerships with other organizations and institutions.
 Spearheaded programming at new locations and events throughout the Chicagoland area.
INSTRUCTOR, COORDINATOR, AMERICORPS MEMBER| MORTON COLLEGE|NOV 2005-JUNE 2008
COMMUNITY OUTREACH INSTRUCTOR MAR 2007-JUNE 2008
 Instructed Kindergarten to 6th grade science and astronomy outreach courses.
 Developed hands-on activities making science and astronomy fun and interesting subjects for youth.
ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (ABE) INSTRUCTOR JAN 2007-JUNE 2008
 Instructed English reading and writing courses to adults with low English literacy levels.
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) INSTRUCTOR SEPT 2006-JAN 2008
 Developed curriculum that increased 80% of my student’s English proficiency levels. .
 Collaborated with the Dean and Assistant Dean of Adult Literacy in selecting curriculum and text books.
 Launched a United States Citizenship course targeting a range of English language capabilities.
LITERACY PROGRAM (PROJECT CARE) COORDINATOR NOV 2006-JAN 2008
 Coordinated Morton College’s Volunteer Adult Literacy Program, Project CARE, a program aiming to provide
volunteer tutors to adults with low literacy levels and/or to whom English is their second language.
 Managed over 150 tutors and students.
 Created and maintained community partnerships.
 Wrote grant proposals to the Illinois Secretary of State for funding of Project CARE.
 Tracked and analyzed data for submission to the Illinois Secretary of State.
AMERICORPS MEMBER (MORTON COLLEGE AND LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF ILLINOIS) NOV 2005-OCT 2006
 Expanded Project Care from less than 50 students served to over 150 students.
 Doubled the number of volunteer tutors in the program.
 Piloted a state recognized ESL group for the backstretch workers at the Hawthorne Racetrack.

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 Completed the required hours of service for AmeriCorps in 11 months rather than the standard 12.
 Trained Project Care’s new AmeriCorps member.
 Trained volunteer tutors.
 Participated in volunteer work as an AmeriCorps member for literacy conferences and environmental causes.
TEACHER AND ECOLOGY CLUB LEADER| LICEO NAVAL, GALAPAGOS, ECUADOR| MARCH 2005-OCTOBER 2005
 Taught English to students in grades 7-9.
 Lead the student ecology club in ecological outings throughout San Cristóbal Island.
 Facilitated activities with graduate and doctoral students visiting from the University of Arizona.
TEACHER| SANTA ROSA SCHOOL, SANTA ROSA, ECUADOR| OCT 2005-JUNE 2008
 Taught general studies in a one room school in the remote cloud rainforest to students in grades K-9.
 Lead students on ecological outings throughout the surrounding cloud rainforest.
Education
BACHELOR OF ARTS | MAY 2004 | UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER
 Major: Environmental, Population, and Organism Biology
 Major: Spanish Literature and Arts
Skills
Microsoft Suite, formal and informal education, grant writing, volunteer program management, science, Spanish.
Volunteer Work
 Career readiness coach (CARA Program, Chicago) (2008-2009)
 Neighborhood and beach cleanups throughout Chicagoland (2005-2009)