Work and Education Portfolio

Derek Schmitz is a dynamic and versatile individual with a broad range of experience in various fields. They are currently a Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth Fellow at the United States Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy. Their work involves collaborating with adult partners within The Council of State Governments and the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University, co-developing and delivering educational workshops, engaging with policymakers, and traveling to conferences across the United States to work with other members and leadership.

Derek is also a Self-Published Author, with two books under their belt: Camden’s Secret and Sevan: A Gay, Disabled Teen Romance. They are a Disability/LGBTQ Advocate and use their experiences to share valuable insights and facilitate individualized disability education sessions. Derek’s passion for advocating for the disabled community has led to their participation in interviews by the press and media outlets to discuss advocacy and pressing issues. They are a recipient of a Global Healthy Living Foundation CreakyJoints Certificate of Appreciation.

Derek has also worked as a Marketing & Public Relations Communication Consultant for the Public Health Podcast and Media Network, where they created a press release template, drafted press releases for the Public Health Career Fair, created social media graphics, and assisted with general marketing. They have experience in managing client projects, creating and managing a mailing list, and executing digital fundraising strategies.

Derek has volunteered for various organizations, including the Autoimmune Community Institute, where they conducted outreach to generate new volunteers, assisted the Research Committee in developing studies and surveys, and created study consent forms.

Overall, Derek Schmitz is a committed and passionate individual who has demonstrated their ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and drive initiatives forward. Their work in advocacy and education has helped bring awareness to disability issues and intersectionality with other social justice issues. They have gained valuable experience in various fields and are an asset to any team they work with.

Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth Working Group Member, United States Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, September 2021-Present, Apprenticeship

-Collaborate with adult partners within The Council of State Governments and the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University.
-Engage with state leaders to improve the transition of disabled youth from high school to employment or college
-Travel to conferences across the United States to work with other members and leadership
-Discuss ideas for addressing issues that disabled youth face in their communities
-Co-facilitated a discussion and presentation on Trauma-Informed Care at National Working Group Meeting
-Led a group of policymakers, including state legislators, and youth in a pilot testing activity designed to identify and elevate common interests and connections among a highly diverse stakeholder group.
-Offered valuable input for a policy brief on intersectionality
-Delivered a presentation to stakeholders in the education, legislative, and Tribal sectors emphasizing the importance of disability benefit retention through transition.
-Attended and participated in a symposium at the Frances Perkins Building in the Department of Labor main headquarters in Washington, D.C..

Self-Published Author, Derek Schmitz, December 2020-Present, Self-Employed

-Schmitz, D. (2020). Camden’s Secret (K. Jones, Ed., K. Faye, Ed.). Self-published
-Schmitz, D. (2021). Sevan: A Gay, Disabled Teen Romance (M. Kline, Ed.). Self-published

Disability/LGBTQ Advocate, Derek Schmitz, January 2018-Present, Self-Employed

-Advocate for and boost other disabled voices regarding healthcare, health equity, accessibility, and federal disability programs
-Advocate for LGBTQIA+ people regarding the intersectionality of disability and queerness and explaining how to navigate and respond to homophobia
-Share experiences regarding my own disabilities and queerness on Twitter
-Produce engaging content for my personal website, including sharing long-form advocacy posts
-Facilitate and provide individualized disability education sessions, answering questions regarding disabilities and issues that affect the disability community
-Participate in interviews by the press and media outlets to discuss advocacy and pressing issues in the disability community
-Attend webinars and phone calls with both governmental and non-governmental organizations related to disability
-Recipient of a Global Healthy Living Foundation CreakyJoints Certificate of Appreciation

Consultant and Client Outreach Co-Manager, Neighborhood Access, December 2021-November 2022, Contract

-Created and managed a mailing list to update stakeholders and general public on projects and solicit donations, including by the creation of a monthly newsletter
-Created and executed digital fundraising strategy
-Collaborated with the Social Media Manager and other Co-Directors of Community Outreach to delegate and execute client and donor contact
-Spearheaded an initiative to help people find COVID-19 vaccine and testing appointments
-Collaborated and offered expertise on client projects as needed
-Served as an advisor to the board
-Created and assisted in managing Linkedin presence
-Attended conferences and events to represent Neighborhood Access
-Assisted in preparing press releases and statements
-Networked with other organizations to create opportunities for growth

Outreach Coordinator, Autoimmune Community Institute, November 2021-November 2022, Volunteer

-Conducted outreach to generate new volunteers, including through the use of VolunteerMatch and email platforms
-Assisted the Research Committee in developing studies and surveys, as well as identifying potential funding sources for research
-Conducted outreach and screening for studies and research
-Created study consent forms
-Posted to Twitter and respond to direct messages
-Worked with the other marketing team members to create relevant tweets and graphics
-Hosted Twitter Chats
-Managed and reported Twitter analytics to the Marketing Committee via nightly updated spreadsheet
-Networked with other organizations to create opportunities for growth
-Prepared press releases and statements
-Served as the secondary contact point for press and other inquiries
-Managed YouTube channel
-Assisted in projects with our sister organization, Public Health Podcast and Media Network

Text Banker, National Democratic Committee, September 2020-January 2021, Volunteer

Send texts to:
-Ensure voter registration
-Provide information on voter registration
-Educate on Democratic policy positions

Visual Support Volunteer, ProtestAccess, March 2021-October 2021, Volunteer

-Provided volunteer visual support, working to create accurate accessible image descriptions and video transcripts
-Effectively communicated using Discord
-Effectively used Trello for communication and task management
-Excelled in using G Suite to create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets
-Used Twitter and other social media platforms for distribution of completed content

Chief Content Officer, ForeverFierce NP, December 2019-August 2020, Internship

-Created content regarding mental health and disability for web publication
-Worked with editors and graphic designers to improve written work prior to publication
-Published and promoted web content
-Reported to the CEO regarding content performance

High School Diploma, Oxford High School, August 2019-May 2023, GPA 3.7

ACT with Writing, Oxford High School, Taken April 2022, 24 Composite

Composite (4 subjects combined, highest possible 36): 24
Math (highest possible 36): 20
Science (highest possible 36): 24
STEM (math and science combined, highest possible 36): 22
English (highest possible 36): 28
Reading (highest possible 36): 23
Writing (highest possible 12): 9

ACT, Oxford High School, Taken March 2021, 22 Composite

Composite (4 subjects combined, highest possible 36): 22
Math (highest possible 36): 19
Science (highest possible 36): 22
STEM (math and science combined, highest possible 36): 21
English (highest possible 36): 23
Reading (highest possible 36): 22