Experience

Bureau of International Labor Affairs

• Government Administration
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Division Chief, Technical Assistance and Cooperation

  • Jan 2020 - Present



Peace Corps

• United States
• International Affairs
• 700 & Above Employee

• Country Director

  • Sep 2016 - Jan 2020

  • Serve as senior Peace Corps representative in the Dominican Republic responsible for leading and directing all aspects of the agency’s operations in country.• Manage a dynamic and diverse staff team of 45 full-time employees and 300 volunteers.• Oversee annual strategic planning and develop an operational plan and budget of $3.5 million that aligns program goals and objectives to meet host country and host community priorities in education, community economic development and youth development.• Extensive experience cultivating relationships and negotiating agreements with local government ministries, private sector, and non-profits to further the mission of Peace Corps, such as three new Memorandums of Understanding with local ministers and one with the Dominican Vice President’s Office. Negotiated an agreement with the Office of Migration to save the agency over $20,000 per year in visa fees. • Ensure effective hiring, selection, onboarding and staff development processes are in place, along with personnel policies and handbooks that conform with both U.S. and local labor laws. • One of three Country Directors selected to serve on the global Field Advisory Board, advising Peace Corps senior leadership on field priorities and providing feedback on potential new initiatives. • Recipient of Peace Corps Award of Commendation in 2018 for superior performance.

• Chief of Programming and Training - IAP Region

  • Jan 2015 - Aug 2016

  • Lead senior regional manager ensuring quality programming, training and evaluation strategy across 20 posts throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. Reviewed over 45 project frameworks and training plans for all sectors – education, youth, health, environment, agriculture and community economic development. • Fostered effective working relationships with various agency programming, training and evaluation staff and other U.S. Government personnel. Oversaw regional implementation of Let Girls Learn, Feed the Future, Global Education Framework, PEPFAR, and Young Leaders of the Americas initiatives. Advised Peace Corps’ partnership office on cultivation of new high-level partners. • Expert advisor to the Regional Director in the review of IAP programming, training and evaluation operations and in the formulation of regional programming, training and evaluation plans.• Regional lead in interviewing and selection of Directors of Programming and Training for overseas posts.• Served as agency’s reviewing official for performance management of overseas programming and training staff.• Provided long distance mentoring and coaching for overseas programming and training staff, including support in conflict resolution and technical assistance.• Carried out ongoing staff learning and development opportunities including the organization and facilitation of the annual Programming and Training Leadership conference.• Served as Acting Country Director in Guatemala, St. Lucia and the Federated States of Micronesia. • Received Peace Corps Award of Commendation in 2015 for superior performance.

• Director of Programming and Training (Deputy Director)

  • Oct 2011 - Dec 2014

  • Senior manager overseeing programming and training activities for Peace Corps Panama across four strategic sectors – water and sanitation, sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation and education.• Managed and led a multi-cultural programming and training team consisting of 27 full-time employees, establishing work plans and overseeing performance management for the team.• Led annual strategic planning and program design with staff and local stakeholders to ensure alignment with host country priorities and needs. • Monitored, evaluated and reported on programming and training activities to headquarters staff and local Panamanian government officials.• Designed and facilitated training activities for staff and volunteers, utilizing adult, non-formal education methodologies.• Provided coaching and mentoring to over 500 volunteers during the three years. Voted “Staff Member of the Year” by local volunteers in 2014.• Served as Acting Country Director in Panama and Ecuador.



Amigos de las Americas

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations

• Vice President, Programs

  • Oct 2009 - Sep 2011

  • Led and ensured effective management of Volunteer Services, Training and Latin American Programs Departments with a staff team of ten full-time employees, over 700 youth volunteers and 120 college-age summer staff annually. • Served as expert advisor to the CEO and the AMIGOS International Board of Directors to update and implement the 10-year Strategic Growth and Business Plans, and created buy-in with 25 volunteer chapter boards around the United States. • Senior advisor on annual strategic planning, fundraising, recruitment, and training to 25 local chapter boards around the country comprised of adult volunteers.• Cultivated partnerships with international health and development agencies to further the mission of AMIGOS.• Promoted partnerships with US-based organizations, universities and schools to aid in the recruitment of Volunteers. • Created and oversaw departmental budget, ensuring appropriate expenditures within budgetary caps. • Managed the annual 24-hour emergency on-call system to respond to health and safety challenges faced by Volunteers and Project Staff across Latin America.• Designed and wrote winning proposal for Youth Ambassadors Grant from the U.S. State Department, the first U.S. Government funding in the organization’s 50-year history. Grant provided youth leadership opportunities to Uruguayan, Paraguayan and US youth.

• Director of Latin American Programs

  • Oct 2005 - Sep 2009

  • Developed, planned, supervised, and evaluated Latin American programs in collaboration with partner agencies such as ministries of health and non-governmental organizations with a focus on youth leadership, community development and cross-cultural exchange. • Designed and implemented a USDA funded partnership with Texas A&M University and Junior Master Gardeners to provide college students with the opportunity to participate in AMIGOS. • Recruited, trained, oversaw and led staff team of five permanent and over 120 college-age summer staff annually. Managed personnel issues and provided coaching, mentoring and conflict resolution support. • Served as liaison between Latin American Programs Department, international partner agencies, Chapter Presidents, and AMIGOS Board of Directors. • Led member of summer senior executive management team, providing crisis management support for 24 hour on-call system. Managed response to overseas political events, natural disasters, disciplinary issues, and medical and mental health challenges faced by volunteers and staff.

• Regional Director

  • Jul 2002 - Sep 2005

  • Led the design, implementation, and assessment of community-based health and development programs in Nicaragua, Honduras, Brazil, and Paraguay. • Developed memorandums of understanding with partner agencies and served as the primary liaison between the host country partner agencies and the AMIGOS International Office. • Coached and mentored 50 overseas college-age staff to manage and execute summer programs. • Recruited, trained and supervised college-age summer staff and oversaw performance management. • Managed the budgets and reporting requirements for programs within the region.



Population Technical Assistance Project (POPTECH)

• Assignment Manager

  • Oct 2000 - Jun 2002

  • Managed relationships between USAID/Washington, USAID Missions, and senior level consultants to effectively negotiate feasible work plans and develop budgets for a variety of assignments. • Supported short-term senior consultants working to improve the effectiveness of design, implementation, management, and evaluation of USAID-funded family planning and population programs. • USAID/India (January 2002) – Collaborated with USAID Mission staff to develop four scopes of work for future projects in India and helped draft a Performance Monitoring Plan for their five-year strategy.



MEASURE Evaluation Project

• Consultant

  • Aug 2000 - Oct 2000

  • Translated HIV/ AIDS evaluation manual, “Evaluando Proyectos de Prevención de VIH/SIDA,” from Spanish to English for the MEASURE Evaluation Project. • Translated HIV/ AIDS evaluation manual, “Evaluando Proyectos de Prevención de VIH/SIDA,” from Spanish to English for the MEASURE Evaluation Project.



Save the Children

• United States
• Political Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Grant Writing Intern - El Salvador

  • Apr 2000 - Jul 2000

  • Worked in coordination with local consultants and Salvadoran Presidential Commission to develop grant proposals and create a strategic operational plan. Focus areas: intervention activities for youth at risk, holistic approaches to violence prevention, gender equity issues, early childhood education and development, and formation of women’s community networks. • Conducted formal presentations in Spanish to government officials and local NGOs regarding final grant and planning proposals.



CARE

• Brazil
• Philanthropic Fundraising Services

• Intern

  • Jun 1999 - Aug 1999

  • Led a two-month qualitative health study on the documentation of “Best Practices in Infant Nutrition.” • Designed, implemented, and analyzed the data from focus groups and in-depth interviews in rural communities to assess nutrition and health knowledge of mothers receiving food aid. • Presented study findings in a formal presentation in Spanish to members of the Instituto de Nutrición de Centroamérica y Panamá (INCAP) and CARE. • Led a two-month qualitative health study on the documentation of “Best Practices in Infant Nutrition.” • Designed, implemented, and analyzed the data from focus groups and in-depth interviews in rural communities to assess nutrition and health knowledge of mothers receiving food aid. • Presented study findings in a formal presentation in Spanish to members of the Instituto de Nutrición de Centroamérica y Panamá (INCAP) and CARE.