Christopher R. Surfus, MBA, MPA CV, Page 1

CONTACT Christopher R. Surfus, MBA, MPA PO Box 68572 Grand Rapids, MI 49516-8572 Phone: (616) 238-2011 Website: www.chrissurfus.com Email: chris.surfus@gmail.com

A. EDUCATION Ph.D. in Public Administration, Western Michigan University: Kalamazoo, MI. In Progress ๏ GPA: 3.75/4.00 ๏ Ph.D. student in the only Ph.D. in Public Administration program in the State of Michigan. ๏ Methodology: Evaluation, Measurement, and Research (EMR) and Sociology ๏ Dissertation Interests: LGBT studies, leadership, public policy, sustainability, equity,

disparities and trends. ๏ One of Western Michigan University’s School of Public Affairs and Administration doctoral

program representatives at the 2015 NASPAA Student Simulation Competition at IUPUI in Indianapolis, IN; Appearing on the main page of www.wmich.edu/spaa in the slideshow.

๏ Received a 4.0 GPA for both Summer 2015 terms. Master of Business Administration, Grand Valley State University: Allendale, MI 2014 ๏ GPA: 3.46/4.00 ๏ Concentration: Health Sector Management ๏ Key Projects:

๏ Strategic Marketing Plan for Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, a $13 million nonprofit organization.

๏ Sustainability Plan for The Council for Human Rights, a $100,000 nonprofit organization.

๏ Cloud/SaaS Enterprise Resource Planning Paper and Presentation; Trained in SAP Master of Public Administration, Grand Valley State University: Allendale, MI 2013 ๏ GPA: 3.54/4.00 ๏ Concentration: Healthcare Services Administration

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๏ Key Projects: ๏ Strategic Planning Portfolio for Disability Advocates of Kent County, a $1.5 million

nonprofit organization. ๏ The National HIV/AIDS Strategy policy analysis ๏ LGBT Issues for the Aged and Disabled, a paper on vulnerable LGBT populations

regarding long-term healthcare administration.

Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, Grand Valley State University: Allendale MI 2013 ๏ GPA: 3.75/4.00 ๏ Key Projects:

๏ Fund Development Plan for Grand Rapids Red Project, a $100,000 nonprofit organization.

๏ Ethics in Nonprofit Organizations paper project. ๏ Risk Management in Nonprofit Organizations paper project.

๏ Workshops: ๏ Social Media and Communication ๏ Freedom of Information Act and Michigan Open Meetings Act ๏ Grant Writing ๏ IRS 990 Form Compliance

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Cornerstone University: Grand Rapids, MI 2010 ๏ GPA: 3.53/4.00 B. PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE Six Years of Nonprofit Leadership Experience: ๏ Founder/President/CEO- Board of Directors, The Council for Human Rights (2009-).

Summary: Grew the organization to excess of $100,000 in total gifts received as of 2014 operating year; Research in LGBT, Racial Equity, Human Trafficking, Gender Studies, and other human rights issues/areas relevant to Mission Statement to create an Education Center and digital platform; Large fundraising campaigns, strategic outreach efforts, marketing campaigns, and large event facilitation in excess of 1,000 attendees. ๏ Founded the organization in March 2010 and secured a rare, expedited 501(c)(3)

process in September 2013 without the consultation of a lawyer or accountant. ๏ Chairperson of the Board of Directors- managing all of the board meetings and

planning of the organization. ๏ Developed organizational plans, wrote bylaws, articles of incorporation, assumed

name, and other administrative processes. ๏ Adopted a formal 990 annual review process and completed a long-form 990 annual

report with IRS approval in 2014; saved the organization financial resources in professional fees.

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๏ Adopted a Zero Carbon policy and other sustainable practices. ๏ Implemented Cloud-based ERP systems. ๏ Secured corporate sponsorship from Google, Microsoft, and Dreamhost.

๏ Steering Committee Chairperson & Social Group Facilitator, The LGBT Network of

West Michigan (2011-2014). Summary: Managed the entertainment and permits for a large event; chaired the event steering committee the following year; Social Group Facilitator for an at-risk population- serving the LGBT community of Grand Rapids, MI. ๏ Secured financial and silent auction donations by using a calling list. ๏ Booked and managed event entertainment committee in the annual event’s first year. ๏ Became the chairperson of a seven-person steering committee in the annual event’s

second year. ๏ Social group facilitation, with approximately 120 community members served over a

year. ๏ Assisted the Executive Director with various tasks from marketing and graphic

design to tasks involving technical skills. Educational Projects as Relevant Experience: ๏ Educational projects that included: Fund Development Plan for Grand Rapids Red Project,

Strategic Planning Portfolio for Disability Advocates of Kent County, and Strategic Marketing Plan for Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra. Consultative experience with stakeholders of small and large nonprofits. ๏ Consulted with key staff and board members to develop three year organizational

plans that were consistent with the organization’s mission and strategic direction. ๏ Teaching experience as a K-12 Substitute Teacher for two years. ๏ Additional teaching experience:

๏ Lecture at the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University’s Pew Campus on my Capstone, “Equity Issues in LGBT Funding: Inequality Remains Despite National Progress.

๏ Team Teaching Session (TTS) on Postmodern Theory in Public Administration. ๏ Teaching session on public policy ๏ Teaching session on HIV/AIDS prevention advancements (Truvada as PrEP) ๏ Presentation on Public Administration Leadership Theories- Introduced the ACCESS

Leadership Theory. This combines system, transformational, authentic, and servant leadership theories into a single framework for leadership in public administration.

๏ Comparative book review on two books on the case for and against bureaucracy. ๏ Nonprofit Organization Profile project. ๏ Nonprofit Executive Compensation Practices project. ๏ Statistical analysis projects on public policy issues.

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Summary of Research Experience & Interests: Key Research Focus Areas: ๏ LGBTQ Issues (2008-2015)

๏ Disparities and Equity Issues affecting a host of issues important to the LGBTQ community.

๏ HIV/AIDS and Affected Populations (2011-2015) ๏ Strategic Planning in Public Serving Organizations (2011-2015) ๏ Racial & Gender Equity (2012-2015) ๏ Sustainability in Public-Serving Organizations (2012-2015) ๏ Philanthropic Trends (2012-2015) ๏ Giving Trends of Minority Groups (2012-2015) ๏ Nonprofit Sector Organization Types and Giving Trends (2013-2015)

๏ Research and statistical information from The Foundation Center. ๏ Fund Development (2012-2015) ๏ Corporate Giving (2012-2015) ๏ Public and Private Partnerships (2013-2015) ๏ Global Competitiveness (2014) ๏ Various topics involving ethics and leadership in private sector, public sector, and not-for-

profit organizations. Competencies Include: ๏ Cultural competency gained through working with students from over 38 countries, in

addition to understanding the business climates of many countries. ๏ Understanding of healthcare disparities facing minority populations, foundation funding

trends and disparities, educational disparities, information technology, ethics, and sustainable public and private sector practices.

๏ SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation ๏ Formal SPSS training and usage to manipulate survey data. C. PUBLICATIONS Surfus, Christopher R. (2013). "Equity Issues in LGBT Funding: Inequality Remains Despite National Progress," SPNHA Review: Vol. 9: Iss. 1, Article 7. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/spnhareview/vol9/iss1/7. Published.

๏ “Equity Issues in LGBT Funding” covers research on the foundation funding disparities that affect the LGBT community, and ultimately how these disparities in funding have public policy implications.

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Surfus, Christopher R. (2014). “An Assessment of LGBT Competency in Corporate America: Change Agents in 21st Century Public Policy?” Seidman College of Business. Accepted.

๏ “An Assessment of LGBT Competency in Corporate America” was a MBA Independent Study paper through the Seidman College of Business that covered the 2002-2014 Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index quantitative data to observe trends in LGBT competency in Corporate America. Furthermore, recent research on LGBT competency was reviewed, and the paper provided insights for how corporations can be “change agents” in the facilitation of inclusive public policy.

D. AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS ๏ 2015 Thurgood Marshall Doctoral Fellowship- Selected as an Alternate ๏ Doctoral Fellowship Alternate for a fellowship named after Thurgood Marshall, who was

the first African American Supreme Court Justice of the United States. Marshall successfully won the Brown v. Board of Education case before the Supreme Court, which desegregated all public schools in the United States.

๏ 2013-15 Point Foundation Scholarship National Semifinalist ๏ The largest scholarship program for LGBTQ students in the United States, including

notable scholarship funds like those sponsored by Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and other corporations. I was a national semifinalist for three years in a row.

๏ 2011-2012 GVSU Peace and Justice Scholarship Award Recipient

๏ A scholarship program started by Grand Valley State University’s Office of Integrative Learning to support students with a scholarship award and a smaller essay award for their accomplishments in the area of human rights, peace, and justice work around the world.

๏ 2011-2012 West Shore Aware LGBT Scholarship Recipient ๏ A scholarship program started by West Shore Aware (Saugatuck, MI), a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit organization that funds the educational endeavors and advocacy efforts of LGBT students and nonprofit groups focused on advancing LGBT equality efforts.

E. ASSOCIATIONS American Society for Public Administration (2013-): Member

๏ Michigan Capital Chapter (Lansing, MI) (2014-) ๏ I serve as the Student Liaison to outreach and grow our Chapter to Western

Michigan University students. ๏ Planning on joining the ASPA MiCAP Board of Directors in September

2015.

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๏ Membership Sections: ๏ Section on Environmental and Natural Resource Administration (SENRA) ๏ LGBT Advocacy Alliance Section

Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) (2015)

๏ One of two doctoral program representatives of Western Michigan University’s School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at the 2015 NASPAA Student Simulation Competition.

๏ Competed with other graduate students in the Midwest division of the NASPAA Student Simulation Competition at the Indiana University & Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) on February 28, 2015.

๏ Worked in a team to create a comprehensive healthcare policy with up to seven key initiatives that would be measured on five different metrics (cost of care, death rate, quality of care, social equity, and productivity) using a hypothetical city with predetermined attributes as a health policy simulation. ๏ Worked with a set budget for a five-year policy simulation. ๏ Analysis and evaluation of the policy outcomes over five years in comparison to

the baseline. The purpose of the simulation was to be able to analyze how health policy affects a population on the micro, meso, and macro levels.

Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Grand Rapids (2012-2013): Member

๏ Nonprofit organization professional network for young professionals that work in or are interested in working in not-for-profit organizations.

F. PRESENT ACTIVITIES/OTHER As of September 2015:

๏ I am finalizing a paper to be submitted to a public health peer-review journal on a Cost Benefit Analysis and Public Policy implications of implementing the drug Truvada as preexposure prophylaxis on a large scale, in order to strategically address annual HIV/AIDS diagnoses over the long-term.

๏ I am finalizing a paper that will combine system, transformational, authentic, and servant leadership theories into a single framework, the ACCESS Leadership Theory Framework. This paper will be submitted to a peer-review journal on leadership.

๏ I am planning on joining the ASPA MiCAP Board of Directors in September 2015. ๏ Dissertation & Peer Review Journal Planning to fulfill WMU’s Ph.D. program

requirements. Revised: September 14, 2015