CHRISTIAN F.
BELENA
23 Mansion Dr • Hyde Park, NY 12538-1110
(518) 606-0619 • cbelena@[Link] • [Link]
Veteran Preference: 5pts • SSN: 6306 • Security Clearance: Secret
Announcement Number:
Control Number:
Job Title and Grade:
SUMMARY
Exceptional record of success in archival practices, administrative services, project management, and team leadership and
management. Special expertise in manuscripts and rare books, document control, digital assets, digital audio and video,
textual and photographs, reporting, order processing, and customer relations. Excel at identifying process and workflow
improvements. Consistent history of improving efficiency, reducing costs, and facilitating business growth. Excellent
historical research, problem solving, and relationship management skills.
Selected Skill Sets:
Appraisal • Accessioning • Arrangement • Description • Archival Collections Processing • Digital Archives • Audio/Visual
Digitization and Conversion • Finding Aid Creation • Reference Room Administration • Librarian • Library of Congress
Book Cataloging • Digital Asset Management • Document Preservation • Records Management • Disaster Recovery • EAD
• Description and Authority Service (DAS) • Executive Support • Report Preparation • Electronic document creation •
Desktop Publishing • Print Management • Data Entry • Quality Control • Client Relations • Information Security • Order
Management • Business Development • Process Optimization • Typing • Tours • Teaching • Retail Management
WORK EXPERIENCE
Job Title: Archives Technician
Employer: National Archives & Records Administration (Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum)
Address: Hyde Park, NY
Dates of Employment: 05/2017 – Present
Hours Per Week: 40
Pay/Grade Level: GS-07
Supervisor: Kirsten Carter, Supervising Archivist. [Link]@[Link] (845) 486-7755
Processing: Perform detailed and complex archival processing work following a plan (or guidance) approved by
my supervisor or team leader. Perfecting the arrangement of records according to established criteria and/or
reviews records to provide input on how a series of records should be arranged. Responsible for the physical and
intellectual and description of our collections. Creating and updating finding aids and adding collections to
proprietary content management system.
Reference Services: Provide written or oral first-line reference assistance and consultation, responding to all forms of
inquiry concerning NARA’s archival holdings, by using complex finding aid systems and related archival sources, in both
electronic and analog formats. Assist researchers in navigating complex finding aid systems and establishing connections
between related archival sources, regardless of their physical location. Evaluate the physical condition of records in the
course of other duties and alert supervisor or other designated staff to condition problems that limit access or threaten the
safety of records; determine and/or carry out the appropriate preservation and/or holding maintenance actions for all record
formats. Monitor the reference room in accordance with NARA’s reference room policies. Interview prospective
researchers; provide applications for Research Cards; and review NARA research room rules and regulations. Provide
customer service to researchers in the research room and by phone and e-mail. Instruct researchers on handling of rare
books and manuscripts within the Roosevelt collections; anticipate, identify, and resolve customer service issues pertaining
to reference and associated records handling and security issues.
Project Management: Managing two staff members for document transcription project.
Christian F. Belena
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(National Archives, continued)
Special Projects: World War II subject expert for permanent interactive exhibit for D-Day 75th Anniversary. Reprocessing
and preservation of Henry Morgenthau, Jr. Papers. Complete moderate to complex reformatting. Develop and implement
moderately complex archival description projects and develop finding aids for complex records. Update of Description and
Authority Serviced (DAS) proprietary content management system. Perform copy cataloging and original cataloging of
newly accessioned book according to Library of Congress Catalog. Work with museum staff on annual Valuable and
Vulnerable Artifacts inventory. Site’s social media contact for annual #AskAnArchivist campaign.
Job Title: Archives Technician/Digital Imaging Technician
Employer: National Archives & Records Administration (Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum)
Address: Atlanta, GA
Dates of Employment: 03/2013 – 05/2017
Hours Per Week: 40
Pay/Grade Level: GS-04
Supervisor: David Stanhope, Deputy Director. (Retired)
Reference Services: Provided written or oral “first-line” reference assistance and consultation, responded to all forms of
inquiry concerning NARA’s archival holdings, by using complex finding aid systems and related archival sources, in both
electronic and analog formats. Assisted researchers in navigating complex finding aid systems and establishing connections
between related archival sources, regardless of their physical location. Monitored reference room in accordance of NARA’s
reference room policies. Provided customer service to researchers in the research room and by phone and e-mail.
Processing: Performed detailed and complex archival processing work following a plan (or guidance) approved by my
supervisor or team leader. Perfected the arrangement of records according to established criteria and/or reviews records to
provide input on how a series of records should be arranged.
Preservation/Holdings Maintenance and Reformatting: Evaluated the physical condition of records in the course of other
duties and alerts supervisor to condition problems that limit access or threaten the safety of records. Created or updated
maintenance needs or actions completed. Completed moderate to complex reformatting projects under the direction of an
archivist.
Description: Prepared online catalog descriptions of holdings at all levels according to NARA’s life cycle standards and
Research Services policies and procedures. Developed and implemented moderately complex archival description projects
under the direction of an archivist. Assisted in the preparation of finding aids for complex records under the guidance of an
archivist. Recently completed extensive preservation project regarding Office of the Counsel to the President.
Accessioning and Disposal: Assisted in accessioning and disposal of all record types under the guidance of an Archives
Specialist or Archivist. Checked accessioned records for completeness and supervises their placement in the stacks.
Coordinated, monitored, or carried out the physical relocation and shelving of holdings. Updated physical and descriptive
data for existing series in relevant databases. At times created physical and descriptive data in these systems for new series.
Special Projects: Collaborated with colleagues and other federal agencies on research, archival, and exhibition projects.
Records management (relocation, disposal), Entry and editing of file units into Description and Authority Service (DAS).
Provided facility tours to visiting individuals and groups. Used various computer aids and software to search for records,
files, and documents for information access and retrieval. Participated in various National Archives social media projects.
Continued involvement with Audio/Visual projects and development. Instructed college-level students on general
information about the National Archives and Records Administration and how to use the facilities to conduct research.
Digital Archiving Services: Led Digital Imaging program. Digitally scanned documents into electronic formats at one of
the nation's 13 Presidential libraries. Identified and classified form numbers and types. Prepared hard copies for scanning,
including loose documents, bound volumes, textual records, drawings, maps, charts, and other printed materials. Set up bar
code/separator sheets. Monitored scans for quality. Photographic reproduction and Audio/Visual digitization for
Audio/Visual department.
Christian F. Belena
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(National Archives, continued)
Process Improvements: Member of Digital Committee charged with researching, recommending, evaluating, and advising
on recommendations for updating digital equipment and work processes in order to maximize quality and productivity
while maintaining cost efficiency and maintaining Federal standards. Consultant on processes and procedures for
standardization and SOP creation for digital services. Advised on proper image handling and quality for photographic
reproduction and Audio/Visual conversion for Audio/Visual department based upon National Archives ’digitization
guidelines. Created and facilitated digital standards for photographic collection.
Special Projects: Created and edited manuals, policies, and process standards (digital imaging, audio/visual, and
photographic reproduction) based upon National Archives ’digitization guidelines. Instructed all levels of staff on Adobe
Acrobat, digital imaging, and photographic reproduction.
Job Title: Digital Document Specialist
Employer: Bank of New York/Mellon
Address: New York, NY
Dates of Employment: 07/2010 - 03/2013
Hours Per Week: 40
Pay/Grade Level: $36,000.00/Year
Supervisor: Richard Dempsey, Vice President, (Retired)
Administrative Services: Dispatched trade requests and other classified/high priority financial documents for Alternative
Investment Services (AIS) group. Scanned and indexed Fund of Funds custody documents into fund administration module.
Added metadata to digital assets within company’s proprietary content management system. Monitored client Fund of
Funds email for incoming documents and verify accuracy of indexing for documents. Maintained tracking logs and
reported backlogged items. Utilized understanding of business goals, processes, strategies, and services to meet all client
goals in areas such as portfolio accounting, investor accounting, custody, and transfer agency. Ensured security of processes
and functions to meet corporate and federal guidelines. Tracked transaction histories of clients to facilitate support, security,
and service efforts. Analyzed internal procedures and workflows to identify areas for potential improvement.
EDUCATION
Certificate, Preservation 101, Northeast Document Conservation Center, Andover, MA (Pending)
Certificate, D-Day, Arizona State University/National WWII Museum, AZ
Internship, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
Certificate in Archival Theory, Georgia Archives Institute, Atlanta, GA
BA in History, University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, MD
AA in Liberal Arts, with Honors, Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York, NY
Degree in Computer Technology Support, CHUBB Institute of Technology, New York, NY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Baier, Bret and Catherine Whitney. Three Days at the Brink: FDR’s Daring Gamble to Win WWII. New York, NY:
HarperCollins, 2019.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
CEU Lecturer, D-Day: The Allied Invasion of Europe, May 2019
Moderator and Contributor, HistoryHub
MILITARY SERVICE
Telecommunications Specialist, United States Navy (1988-1992) RE-1 Discharge, (Top Secret Clearance)
Christian F. Belena
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Volunteer, The Green-Wood Cemetery. Provided support services at national historic landmark location. Completed a
historical research project which was later a basis for an article, and interview, by the Borough of Manhattan Community
College and mentioned by the State of Louisiana. Also assisted Historian with biographical research for the book, Final
Camping Ground: Civil War Veterans at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, in Their Own Words. Various church
ministries. Transcription Associate for the Papers of the War Department project.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Archives Catalog, Description and Authority Service (DAS), Archives Space, XML, MS Office, (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint), Sharepoint,Access, Visio, Project, Lync, Adobe Creative Suite (Bridge, InDesign, Acrobat, Photoshop,
Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Fireworks), Zoom Meeting, Google Meeting, Indicius Document Review, Indicius Completion,
Quark XPress, Apple iWork (Keynote, Numbers, Pages), PitStop Pro, PitStop Server, Flightcheck Pro, FundAdmin, various
desktop publishing applications, QuickTime Player Professional, Windows, Mac OS. Type 75 words per minute.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
National Archives and Records Administration Guardian Award (3/2017)
Presidential Libraries Achievement Award (12/2014)
National Archives and Records Administration Achievement Award (12/2014)
United States Navy: Command Blue Jacket of the Year (1990), Letter of Commendation (5x)
Phi Alpha Theta (Alpha Epsilon Chi Chapter)
Phi Theta Kappa (Alpha Kappa Chapter)
National Society of Leadership and Success (UMUC Chapter)
AFFILIATIONS
American Federation of Government Employees (Local 2578, District 14)
Society of American Archivists American Historical Association
Society of Georgia Archivists Society for History in the Federal Government
National Archives Assembly (Outreach Chairman 2014-2015) Association for Gravestone Studies
Dutchess County (NY) Historical Society National Society of Leadership and Success
