Alumni Spotlight
Timothy Wright, BA ’01 HIS, BS ’18 SOC
My name is Timothy Wright. I am from Ypsilanti Michigan. I have my first degree, a BA in history, after playing 4 years on the Illinois State football team on scholarship from 1997 to May 2001. I took a job at Rolling Meadows Illinois Child Center as director for two years, then returned to Bloomington Normal to work at Chestnut Health Systems as an adolescent substance dependency counselor. Then I worked at The Baby Fold as Child Welfare Specialist for 8 years, then worked for the state police and was injured. Then returned to Illinois State as teacher assistant for Dr. Wib Leonard Sociology of Sports 317. In May 2018 I earned my second bachelor’s from Illinois State in sociology and was hired as Child Protection Specialist and investigator for the department of children and family services State of Illinois for 5 years, then was promoted to Agency Performance Monitoring and Execution Specialist:
This position will monitor the accountability of performance outcomes of foster care and intact family services by collecting and evaluating Department and private agency performance data through case reviews. The position will synthesize performance data into a comprehensive assessment of each Department team and private agency, utilizing objective criteria. This position provides a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about children and interested in playing a role in ensuring that children and youth receive the best services possible in my current role.
Job Responsibilities
1. Monitors the accountability of performance outcomes of foster care and intact family services by collecting and evaluating Department and private agency performance data through case reviews of hard copy and electronic files, including data provided by various Department and purchase of service (POS) sources.
2. Drives to on-site locations to provide consultation and direction to Department and private agency staff regarding agency performance issues.
3. Meets with Department administrative teams to review and synthesize overall Department and private agency performance information, consult on matters related to POS sanctions, and provide input into the development, implementation, and monitoring of corrective action and quality improvement plans.
4. Prepares regular and ad-hoc reports of a statistical and narrative nature, providing detailed and summary performance information to be shared with Department and POS stakeholders.
5. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.
Minimum Qualifications
1. Preferably requires a master’s degree in social work; OR a master’s degree in a related human service field, supplemented by one year of directly related professional casework/case management experience; OR requires a bachelor’s degree in social work and one year of directly related professional casework/case management experience; OR requires a bachelor’s degree in a related human service field and two years of directly related professional casework/case management experience.
I have come back for the past 6 years to speak to the careers senior seminar sociology class to discuss job opportunities. Several Illinois State students have gained employment with the department children of family services state of Illinois with my assistance and continued advising on career development opportunities and networking.
I also work part time for McLean County Center for Human services as Mental Health Counselor at behavior urgent care. The first ever behavioral urgent care facility. To reduce the number of emergency room visits and deflect some of the service needs of first responders.
My new full-time role as an agency performance monitor is very important and I can use my 20 plus years of working with children and families to meet with nonprofit CEOs and State Administrators to measure performance and ensure contract obligations are met for the most vulnerable population of state of Illinois. To ensure child safety, permanency, and wellbeing.
I have a daughter Karis age 17 at Uhigh in Normal and Mya age 21 State Farm injury department full time and University of Cincinnati student.
I have mentored student athletes at Illinois State University through the athletic directors office. And I volunteer at various organizations throughout the Bloomington Normal Community.
I enjoy helping others by living a life of service. I have learned a lot. My learning and development all started at Illinois State. Every experience and relationship there was helping me to become who I am today. I have been able to thrive from all my Redbird connections by reaching out to help the younger generation of Redbirds.
I still have great conversations and continued support from our proud alumnus. This is the Redbird legacy.
I love to connect with my fellow sociology comrades. I feel that we share the best of all the social sciences sociology background. I say this because, we have learned how to see everything from a sociological perspective.