Resume
Nick Mueller, MA, MEd
Phone: (520) 609-1331 nick@cochisechess.org
Education
MEd Northern Arizona University, Educational Leadership
MA Arizona State University, English
BA Arizona State University, Psychology
Languages
English: Native Speaker; Spanish: Graduate-level reading, conversational speaking.
Selected Professional Experience
Cochise Chess, Executive Director
May 2022 to Present
Founded chess club for area youth at the National Medal for Museum and Library Service (2024) Copper Queen Library in Bisbee, AZ and raised funds to transform the club into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Cochise County and Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.
Expanded club to from zero to over 500 members and 1 to 8 locations in 25 months, with more than 50% ethnic minority and 40% girls and women membership.
Leads grant-writing and fundraising efforts, including 7 successful grant applications in the first 6 months of 2024, a fundraiser at historic Greenway Manor, and forthcoming Arizona Charitable Tax Credit campaign.
Collaborates with partners including public libraries in Bisbee, Douglas, Huachuca City, Elfrida, and Agua Prieta and fellow nonprofits such as the Southern Arizona Museum of Science and Technology, and GrooveLab at Project Encore in Sierra Vista.
Recruits and trains a diverse team of 14, including 11 volunteers, 7 of whom are bilingual, who carry 11 bachelor’s degrees and 8 graduate degrees total.
Leads bilingual instructional squad that coaches members aged 5 to 80+ in chess principles, fair play and etiquette, notation, tactics, strategy, and tournament preparation.
Leads data squad that maintains membership spreadsheets, analyzes and presents data.
Serves as non-voting member of board with Charles Carreon, Esq., previous Bisbee Science Lab COO Thea Van Gorp, and experienced executive Brent Rafferty.
Maintains social media accounts and co-composes promotional materials.
Cascade Tutoring, Principal
November 2022 to Present
Delivers instruction in subjects including math, English, writing, standardized test preparation, study skills, and chess both online and in-person to students age 10 to 74.
Evaluates students’ performance level, co-creates success plans with student / family team that include specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-limited scaffolded learning goals.
Arizona State University, CISA, Writers’ Studio, Instructor
January 2022 to Present
Previously: Senior Writing Mentor, Writing Mentor from August 2019 to December 2021
Teaches First-Year Composition (FYC) courses that utilize accessible educational technologies such as YouTube videos and BombBomb video email’s rich content delivery to engage students in feedback and revision processes, achieving engagement rate above of 75%
Supports students’ development of their community-based, multimodal projects by supplying resources on rhetorical composing, holding regular student conferences to provide supplementary instruction, and student-centered feedback.
Collaborates with Writing Mentors to develop additional supplemental resources and guides their development, with four Mentors achieving promotion to the Senior position.
Introduced project management practices and formalized student worker communication strategy.
Co-composed department-wide training on accessibility and accommodation.
Piloted use of Pinterest in FYC courses, which served as guidance for the department’s roll-out of InScribe, a smart community forum application.
Wrote department’s social media use statement and guidance.
Selected Media
Presentation, Saint Louis Chess Conference: “Building 2024
the Nation’s Only Free, Bilingual Chess program for
a Whole Rural County”
Feature article on Cochise Chess, Bisbee Observer 2024
Feature article on Cochise Chess, Sierra Vista Herald Review 2024
Feature article on Cochise Chess, SSVEC Currents 2024
Interview, KBRP 96.1 FM, Bisbee, Arizona 2024
Interview, Shoutout Arizona 2024
Interview, K101 FM, Sierra Vista, Arizona 2023
Interview, KBRP 96.1 FM, Bisbee, Arizona 2023
Feature article on Cochise Chess, Sierra Vista Herald Review 2023
Reading, featured poet, fall poetry showcase 2023
Copper Queen Library, Bisbee, AZ
Reading, featured poet, invitational exhibition of Bisbee, AZ 2022
Presentation, National Conference of Peer Tutoring in Writing: 2021
“Lightness of Improvisation in a Dark Time of Vulnerability”
Selected Professional Affiliations
United States Chess Federation (USCF) 2023-Present
USCF Affiliate Manager 2023-Present
ASU LGBTQ+ Faculty and Staff Association 2022-Present
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 2021-Present
Selected Writing Experience
nonfungible.com, Copywriter and Editor
March 2022 to September 2022
Researched and wrote SEO-optimized feature articles and other content, including the first overviews of NFTs in higher education, the Japanese market, and the NFT poetry movement that received over 49,500 unique views.
Partnered with leadership to hone pitches and determine timelines for delivery.
Tapped to guide other contributing writers’ research, editing, and revision, reviewing content to ensure compliance with style, SEO, and word count expectations.
Selected Professional Affiliations
United States Chess Federation (USCF) 2023-Present
USCF Affiliate Manager 2023-Present
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 2021-Present
Selected Community Service and Leadership
City of Bisbee Disability Issues Committee, Chair 2023-Present
Selected Competitive Grants
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Foundation Grant 2024
Supported continued services in Sierra Vista, Benson, and Elfrida.
Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona Fast Pitch Grant 2024
Awarded funds for leadership to attend and present at the St. Louis Chess Conference, enhancing teaching strategies and community engagement to elevate Cochise Chess’s impact in rural Cochise County.
Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona Sponsorship Grant 2024
Conferred funds to promote the first-ever Cochise County-wide chess tournament.
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Foundation Grant 2024
Facilitated expansion of Cochise Chess summer sessions in Sierra Vista, Benson, and Elfrida.
Bisbee Foundation Grant 2024
Purchased 30 tournament quality chess sets for Cochise Chess to give to Bisbee-Naco area youth attending summer sessions at both Copper Queen Library locations.
Bisbee Woman’s Club Grant 2024
Funded design of a summer program that connects the scientific method with chess decision-making.
Selected Non-Competitive Grants
The Local Co-Op 2024
Harriet Olmstead Massage 2024
Type of Position
With a Six Sigma Black Belt certification, combined with my extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, education, and community building, I bring an extraordinary skill set that positions me as an exceptional candidate for the role of Executive Director of US Chess. My ability to drive growth, as evidenced by expanding Cochise Chess from zero to over 600 members in just two years, demonstrates my talent for strategic planning and execution. My Six Sigma expertise would allow me to optimize processes, improve organizational efficiency, and lead data-driven initiatives to enhance US Chess’s impact. Additionally, my strong track record in fundraising, grant writing, and developing diverse, inclusive programs aligns perfectly with the mission of US Chess to promote chess across all communities.
