Pamela's Achievements
Pamela A. Smart PhD
Bedford Hills, NY 10507
January 2021
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Doctorate in Ministry with a concentration in Biblical Studies (GPA 4.0), Summa Cum Laude, Christian Leadership University, November 2020
Master of Fine Arts, English Literature (GPA 4.0), Summa Cum Laude, Class Valedictorian, Mercy College, May 2003.
Master of Science in Law, (GPA 4.0), Summa Cum Laude, Southern California University for Professional Studies, May 2001.
Bachelor of Science in Communications, Magna Cum Laude, Florida State University, 1988.
ADDITIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND TRAINING
Writer, Program Organizer and Leader, Bedford Hills Chapter: “Inside and Out” Incarcerated Women Write to Heal”; This is a collaborative initiative and writing group organized by the Center for Justice at Columbia University’s School of Social Work and V-Day. Its focus will be to impact the current narrative concerning criminalization of women by sparking critical dialogue and empowering inmates to write and directly share their personal stories through mainstream and social media, podcasts, and a published anthology—all archived for historical purposes. Leading writers, thinkers and activists from the community will serve as a council of advisors, mentors, and writing facilitators in the hopes of fostering changes in awareness, narrative, cultural change and action, 2020-present
Ordained Minister - Christ's Church Fellowship International, June 21, 2020 (Minister I.D. #0021)
Certified Pastoral Level Biblical Counselor - Christ's Church Fellowship International, Restoration Biblical Counseling & Associates, June 21, 2020
Completion of Unit 1 - Clinical Pastoral Education (St. John’s Episcopal Services, NY) April 2007.
Graduate Level Research Course (Columbia University), April 2000.
Graduated Summa Cum Laude, University of Alabama Criminal Justice Program, April 1997.
Teaching Apprenticeship through N.Y. State Department of Labor, April 1997.
Awarded University of Alabama's Sam Howard Memorial Endowed Scholarship for Criminal Justice Studies, 1996.
Certified, GED Teacher's Aide, New York State Department of Labor, 2005-2014; 1993-2003.
Completed Civil Rights Movement Course (CUNY), December 1995.
Graduated (Highest in Class), Legal Research Course, January 1995.
Certified Peer Facilitator, AIDS Institute and New York Department of Health, 2012
EMPLOYMENT
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INMATE GRIEVANCERESOLUTION COMMITTEE (IGRC)
(6th Term of elected position) 2018 to Present.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Coding and cataloging all incoming grievances.
Given Special security pass to move throughout the facility to conduct grievance investigations.
Works to attempt to resolve grievances.
Maintains grievance files and logbook entries.
Completes monthly and yearly reports.
Conducts grievance hearings with security staff and Offender Rehabilitation Counselors and votes on grievance responses.
In her capacity as the grievance leader, Ms. Smart also represents the inmate population in meetings with New York State Senator Luis Sepulveda and Assembly women Nily Rozic, Amanda Septimo, Jessica Gonzales-Rojas, assembly man Zahron Hamdani and The Correctional Association of New York.
PEER FACILITATOR, AIDS COUNSELING AND EDUCATION PROGRAM 2014 – 2018
Duties and Responsibilities:
Created curricula for groups on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and other women's Health Issues.
Facilitated HIV-positive support groups, women's health groups, and HIV/AIDS information groups for new inmates.
Certified as a Peer Facilitator through the AIDS Institute and the New York Department of Health.
Trained to conduct Center for Disease Control "Respect" groups, which are evidence-based, individual-level intervention, client-focused HIV prevention intervention groups.
Responsible for implementing SHE (Strong HIV-Positive Empowered groups).
Conducted Peer Facilitator Training Curriculum from the AIDS Institute and Department of Health to train and certify new peers.
Trained in "Seeking Safety" an evidence-based counseling program from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Health Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control that studies the multidirectional relationship between trauma, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS.
ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEER WORK:
Certificate of Appreciation for Years of Dedication to Volunteer Tutoring Program, June 2013.
Tutor: adult basic education, pre-GED, GED and college classes, 2012. Selected by school principal as his Academic Assistant.
Certified as an HIV/AIDS counselor through the New York State Department of Health. 2012 This training program involved instruction on disease transmission and prevention, medical treatment, risk reduction, etc.
Elected by staff as Honor Floor corridor representative, 2012.
Guest speaker at Family Violence Group regarding the therapeutic experience of making "What I Want My Words to Do to You," January 2011 – present.
Certified in Church Leadership Presider Training August 2010.
Editor/Writer of Weekly Church Bulletin, January 2010-present. Editor for "Sons and Daughters Ministry," 2004-present.
Unit maintenance and paint crew, 2003-present.
Volunteer Tutor in Long Term Care Hospital Unit, 2003-2016.
Researcher and Emcee for Motown Extravaganza Event, 2003.
Performer at Latin Explosion Educational Event, 2002.
Network/Step Up Inmate Program Aide.
Organized and oversaw "Childhood Games" night in RMU3 - Mental Health Unit, 2000-2002.
Cleaned and painted for Accreditation, 1994, 2000.
Academic Outreach Tutor, 1993-2008.
Taught pre-college math workshops involving the creation and design of pre-tests, 2000.
Researcher for Harlem Renaissance Event, 2001.
Coordinates with Princeton University and St. John’s Episcopal Chaplaincy students who hope to work in prison ministry and want to visit with inmates. Ms. Smart works as a liaison with the students’ supervisors to coordinate visits between Chaplaincy students and inmates, 2018 – present.
Participatory Action Researcher with Dr. Michelle Fine (Columbia University) where research was published by the American Psychological Association. This research project involved the impact of college on women in prison. It involved extensive research, conducting focus groups, designing the project, writing, editing, data analysis, and constructing several reports.
Volunteer tutor for Pre-GED 1 & 2, GED, Pre-college, College, and master’s students, 1993-present
Red Cross Certificate in Recognition of Haiti Relief Fund.
PUBLISHED WORKS
"What I Want My Words To Do To You," Ed. Judith Katz. PBS "Point of View," Documentary, 2003. This documentary won the coveted "Freedom of Expression" award at the 2002 · Sundance Film Festival, and the "PASS Award" from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency.
"Changing Minds": The Impact of College in a Maximum-Security Prison. Collaborative research by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and Women in Prison at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. September 2001.
"A Space for Co-Constructing Counter Stories Under Surveillance." Critical Psychology. The International Journal of Critical Psychology. Eds. Michelle Fine and Anita Harris. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 2001.
GROUP PARTICIPATION
Leadership Sacred Table - under Pastor Doris Tongo, October 2009-2011.
Rites of Passage -Seven Week Spiritual Courses-October 2009-January 2010.
World AIDS Day, December 2009-present.
Appointed Director of Praise Dance Ministry by Rev. Maria Lopez, 2006.
Gospel Reader, Church Services, 2005-present.
Member of Church Praise Dancers, 2005-present.
Elected Long-termer’s Committee Delegate, 2005-present.
Member of Playwright Eve Ensler's creative writing group, 2000-2007.
State Volleyball Team, 1996.
Weightlifting Competition, 1996.
Organized Intramural Softball League, 1995-present.
State Softball Team, 1994-present.
Member of N.O.W., May 1994-present.
Member of Long-termer's Committee, 1994-present.
Inmate Liaison Committee President,1994.
Nominated by population for Inmate Grievance Representation, 1993-present.
Participated in ACE Walk-a-thon, 1993-present.
Elected by peers and prison administration for leadership committee for RTA, 2007-present.
Leads Workshops for all new RTA members 2007-present.
Chosen by Reverend Thornhill to represent Protestant community at Unity Service, 2017-present.
PROGRAMS
Completed Women's Initiative Program, April 2019.
Completed 13-week, daily Family Violence Program, July 2013.
2012 Pastoral Training Program. Pame is still working as a Church Leader. She is the Director and Choreographer of the Praise Dancers and dances with the group at services.
Service Award for Exemplary Tutoring, 2006-present.
Network One Year Certificate 2004.
Inmate Program Aide in Network/Step Up Program, 2003-October 2005.
Alternatives to Violence II, November 2000.
Down on Violence, May 2000.
Anger and You, April 2000.
Alternatives to Violence, March 2000.
Six Week HIV/AIDS Workshop, February 1997.
Academic LP.A. Training, March 1995.
Academic Outreach Tutor, 1994-present.
Teacher's Aide in Pre-GED 1, 1994-2012.
Money Addiction, November 1994.
Prison Fellowship Bible Study “The Search for Significance,” 2019.
REHABILITATION THROUGH THE ARTS
Music Theory and Songwriting III, 2019.
Theater Production of Lynn Nottege’s play “Fabulation,” 2019-present.
Songwriting and Music Theory Program, 2017-present.
Theater Production, 2017-present “Life and Dreams,” 2018-2019.
“Music Theory Composition and Songwriting,” 2018.
Theater Workshop, 2018.
“Scene Study Workshop,” 2017.
“Theater, Dance and Movement,” 2017.
Actor, singer, dancer in “The Wiz,” Shown at the United Nations Symposium on Poverty and Criminal Justice, 2017.
“Music Theory for Theater,” 2016.
“Devising Theater,” 2016.
Full Production of “Broadway Cabaret,” 2015-2016.
“Original Writing for Theater and Performance,” 2015.
“Developing Characters, Performance Skills and Acting,” 2015.
“‘Love’, Visual Literacy, Composition, Monologue Writing, Musical and Monologue Performance,” 2014.
“Poetry as a Vehicle for Expression,” 2013.
Writer, actor, singer, and dancer in original RTA Musical production, “Amazing Grace,” 2012-2013.
“Creative Writing, Ensemble Building and Performance of Singing, Acting and Movement,” 2011-2012.
“Creating a Safe Haven" Through Music, Writing and Performance,” 2011.
“Exploring Mythology,” 2011.
“Interpreting Shakespeare through Writing and Performing Original Scenes,” 2010.
“Women and Mythology,” 2010.
“Art and the Individual; Interpreting Great Art through Character Development,” 2009.
“Creative Discovery,” 2009.
“Interpreting Great Writings,” 2008.
“Poetry, Monologues, Improvisation, and Collage,” 2008.
Public Speaking and Communications,” 2007.
