Miriam De La Cruz
Eloy
Summary
High-performing Correctional Leader and MBA graduate with over a decade of experience optimizing institutional operations, enforcing strict regulatory policies, and managing multidisciplinary staff. Proven track record as a Grievance Coordinator and CO IV navigating complex healthcare administration pathways, managing medical informals, and networking with clinical staff, risk management, and legal entities. Adept at utilizing sound independent judgment to streamline operational efficiency, manage staffing resources, and resolve high-stakes disputes with diplomacy, firmness, and tact.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Correctional Officer IV
Arizona Department of Corrections
Phoenix, AZ
10.2018 - Current
- Staff Management & Evaluation: Supervised, directed and reviewed daily operations for teams of 3 and up to 8 personnel successfully managing expanding team scopes to maintain consistent operational efficiency; completed comprehensive written performance evaluations to maintain high operational standards.
- Operational Efficiency & Staffing: Coordinated daily facility operations and managed shift rosters to provide adequate staffing levels across high-priority security and service units.
- Policy Enforcement & Compliance: Implemented, interpreted, and enforced pertinent corrections laws, facility rules, and administrative regulations while utilizing sound independent judgment in high-pressure scenarios.
- Diplomatic Communication: Maintained strong working relationships with facility staff, visitors, and employees; communicated firmly and fairly to resolve disputes and maintain institutional order.
- Strategic Project Leadership: Demonstrated advanced leadership in managing facility initiatives from concept to completion, aligning team efforts with broader corporate and institutional goals.
Grievance Coordinator
Arizona Department of Corrections
Eyman Complex - Browning Florence, AZ
03.2019 - 11.2021
- Medical Unit Policy & Contract Alignment: Managed the complex medical informal and formal grievance pipelines, ensuring all investigations and responses adhered strictly to contract requirements and facility policies.
- Cross-Functional Medical Networking: Cultivated strong working relationships with clinical nursing staff, health administrators, risk management, and legal counsel to resolve complex healthcare delivery complaints.
- Data-Driven Operations: Formulated and distributed monthly statistical grievance reports and medical data trend analyses to administration to help evaluate and improve health service workflows.
- Information Privacy & Documentation: Upheld absolute data privacy standards while processing, auditing, and maintaining sensitive legal and medical records within the ACIS database.
- Mediation & Conflict Resolution: Acted as a neutral mediator between resident offenders, administrative staff, and outside agencies, utilizing exceptional tact, diplomacy, and good judgment.
- Administrative Compliance: Audited system triggers daily to guarantee 100% compliance with institutional timelines, legally mandated deadlines, and a strict 5-year record retention policy.
Case Manager, Correctional Officer III
Arizona Department of Corrections
Florence, AZ
10.2018 - 11.2020
- Multi-Agency Collaboration: Partnered closely with medical personnel, hospital staff, transportation departments, and law enforcement agencies to execute secure external transfers for off-site medical care and court appearances.
- Interviewing & Information Gathering: Conducted structured interviews with resident offenders to obtain reliable information, assess immediate medical or safety needs, and draft official incident reports.
- Public & Professional Relations: Maintained a professional, service-oriented approach when responding to complex inquiries from inmates, resident families, legal representatives, and the general public.
- Relationship Management: Built solid, boundary-respecting relationships with staff and residents alike, successfully mitigating security risks through effective verbal communication.
Case Manager
Red Rock Correctional Center
Eloy, AZ
10.2014 - 10.2018
- Resource Optimization: Managed daily accountability logs, head counts, and master activity journals to maximize operational efficiency and resource allocation within the living units.
- Policy Auditing: Enforced corporate and institutional regulations uniformly, ensuring daily resident activities, visits, and intake/release processes complied fully with safety standards.
- Emergency Management: Responded rapidly to routine and emergency scenarios, applying firm, fair, and swift independent judgment to stabilize critical situations.
Human Resources Generalist
Pinal Gila Community Child Services Inc.
Coolidge, AZ
08.2001 - 10.2014
- Recruitment & Workforce Planning: Processed formal personnel requisitions and structured multi-channel recruitment campaigns using local media, agency networks, and educational institutions to source top talent.
- Onboarding & Policy Orientation: Facilitated comprehensive new employee orientations and onboarded incoming personnel; formatted precise job descriptions to align staff duties with organizational standards.
- Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Spearheaded strict employment verifications, background checks, and identity management including comprehensive I-9 verification and fingerprint clearance processing.
- Safety & Claims Administration: Managed administrative workflows for workers' compensation, driving compliance by accurately reporting critical workplace metrics to SCF and OSHA.
- Benefits & Payroll Support: Coordinated organization-wide insurance enrollments, managed unemployment claims, executed high-volume data entry, and meticulously maintained confidential employee files.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Elementary Education
Prescott College
PrescottMBA - Business Administration
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZSkills
- Healthcare & Policy Administration: Contract Compliance Institutional Policy Enforcement Information Privacy (HIPAA Alignment) Medical Unit Workflow Support Legal & Regulatory Auditing
- Leadership & Personnel Management: Multi-Departmental Staff Supervision Annual Performance Evaluations Recruitment & Onboarding Support Training & Mentorship Resource Allocation
- Cross-Functional Communication: Interdisciplinary Networking Tactful Conflict Mediation Formal & Courtroom Testimony Service-Oriented Communication Public & Stakeholder Relations
- Operational Execution: Sound Independent Judgment Simultaneous Task Prioritization High-Volume Database Management (ACIS) Strategic Process Improvement Deadline & Timeline Enforcement
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Grievance Coordinator
Arizona Department of Corrections
03.2019 - 11.2021
Correctional Officer IV
Arizona Department of Corrections
10.2018 - Current
Case Manager, Correctional Officer III
Arizona Department of Corrections
10.2018 - 11.2020
Case Manager
Red Rock Correctional Center
10.2014 - 10.2018
Human Resources Generalist
Pinal Gila Community Child Services Inc.
08.2001 - 10.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Elementary Education
Prescott College
MBA - Business Administration
Grand Canyon University