Carmen Barrientos

Professional Experience

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Senior Program Officer, bilingual CBC, PM-04 indeterminate appointment, Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Security and Regional Operations Branch, September 2021-Present

 

• Monitor and review program effectiveness and accountability through the monitoring and promotion of good financial practices, monitoring of inputs and outputs, strategic direction of the programs, while working in collaborations with partners to ensure best administrative practices with the aim of a more efficient and/or cost effective program. 

• Monitor stability of project governance through project management capacity and governance structure.

• Foster good stakeholder relationships through collaborative work, while encouraging partners for meaningful opportunities of involvement. 

• Monitor, support, and assess partner program capacity to deliver quality programing, through development and coordination of relevant training opportunities, provision of resources, review of training plans, review of infrastructure, and organizational stability.

• Ensure awarded programs adhere to program service guidelines and priority populations as established by program objectives and provincial priorities.

• Encourage and implement Results Based Management approaches and practices, in addition to regular review of program objectives and activities to ensure that programs continue to be relevant to community needs. 

• Facilitate Information Exchange Between Communities, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Provinces/Territories, and Other Stakeholders as Appropriate. including but not limited to facilitation of resource exchange between projects, provision of resources, and/or training opportunities. Sharing of research and examples of best practices on issues relevant to programming.

• Provide recommendations based on project learning and evaluation findings, to influence policy directions at the regional/national levels. These include recommendations and direction on regional perspectives, strategic analysis, sharing of evidence, and demographic information on emerging issues and trends influencing CAPC/CPNP/AHS programing in the province and/or region.

• To share expertise and knowledge with inter-sectoral partnerships

• Participate in joint planning with stakeholders and promote dialogue between community partners and other levels of government to ensure local policy concerns are listened to and acted upon.

• Maintain an Awareness of Emerging Issues and Trends in Order to Support programs. ex.  FASD, attachment, breastfeeding, early childhood development, Father Involvement) and aware of current relevant research and best practices. The PC who holds a special issue responsibility can be a resource to projects, interdepartmental working groups, and PHAC’s Healthy Child Development team.

• Manage, monitor, and evaluate a portfolio of projects under three different programs in the areas of child health development in the Ontario Region.  Including Planning and coordination, evaluation,  Receiving and reviewing funding/renewal proposals, Outreach and communication, Participating in partnership, Financials and budget administration, Project monitoring.

• Collect, synthesize, analyze, and roll up project data to the National Capital Region Office, for the purpose of project data tracking, evaluation, and monitoring of community health needs and issues.

• Monitor projects to ensure they are in alignment with their work plan, identifying issues or solutions, and providing guidance to project partners throughout the program’s life cycle.

• Review and revise data collection and evaluation tools with the Nation Capital Region for the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP), Community Action Program for Children (CAPC), and Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC).

• Provide recommendations to the National Capital Region on processes and tool development, and the implementation of such at National and Regional levels.

• Make recommendations and create briefing notes in accordance to Ministerial needs and requests, in relation to programming visits in the different knowledge areas of health. 

• Lead, at an Ontario Regional level, in knowledge management of different portfolios in the areas of health and administration, such as FASD, Nobody’s Perfect Parenting Programming, Results Based Management, and official languages.

• Brief National Capital Region on the status of the different regional knowledge portfolios, on regional status, initiatives, challenges and opportunities.

• Advise senior leaders on project issues and opportunities. Review project midterm progress reports and annual reports.

 

Program Manager, National Reconciliation Program, Save the Children Canada  October 2020-September 2021

 

• Ensure program management tools and approaches adhere to principles laid out in the National Reconciliation Program, relationship framework, Indigenous data governance standards, respectful and ethical engagement with Indigenous peoples, including UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Principles of reconciliation and local Indigenous governance protocols.

• Manage a portfolio of grants in the award management cycle, including the implementation of Project Management tools and approaches including leading in development and implementation plans, project initiation, communication, KPIs, and report on progress to appropriate stakeholders.

• Manage contract and project amendments, including the development and coordination of contractual service agreements, data management agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), while ensuring they align with  with organizational, partner and project principles.

• Support partner with curricula development.

• Update and maintain the NRP’s Award Management System.

• Advise, review, develop and implement, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Accountability tools and systems.

• Develop and implement a knowledge management system that captures project and departmental learning, to be applied for future funding opportunities.

• Establish active, on-going and standardized project monitoring and reporting processes, while adhering to Indigenous data governance principles.

• Proactively monitor burn rate, indirect cost recovery, resource allocation/salary recoveries, non thematic costs and net financial position of assigned projects

• Strengthen the Nation Reconciliation Program’s Project Management tools, capabilities and systems, through the development of tools, processes and cross-training.

• Support in capturing project learning and contribute to thematic strategies.

• Disseminate project knowledge, key learning and communication with audiences.

• Support proposal development, including the development of logic models for project development, KPIs, and other necessary context.

 

Program Officer, National Reconciliation Program, Save the Children Canada

2016- 2020

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• Work hand in hand to support partners in the creation/development of new programming, including coordination of proposals, development of agreements, and full project cycle, from initiation to closeout.

• Re-establish, establish, and foster effective relationships and communication with indigenous partners and stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of indigenous programming.

• Lead, advice, and train staff, community partners, and/or youth on different data collection methods, public health issues and programming, project management, and other areas as needed.

• Increase accountability and quality by working closely with implementing partners to ensure donor compliance to project and organizational/departmental values, child safeguarding, child rights, and gender equality. Including the creation of monitoring and reporting processes, and project management standards for the department.

• Lead and coordinate the input of projects into the Award Management System (AMS) and the creation of relevant documents, including  agreements and MOUs, between partners and Save the Children Canada, while ensuring their alignment with department principles and resources, organizational policies, project and partner needs. 

• Manage a portfolio of up to seven projects with a focus on indigenous issues in the areas of Health, Climate Change, and Education.  Management from agreement development,  inception, planning, implementation, monitoring of activities and  financials,  communication and stakeholder management, evaluation, and closeout. 

• Lead, advice, develop, implement, evaluate and support program planning and evaluation initiatives. Including development and implementation of project monitoring tools, data collection tools for partners, logic models, Performance Monitoring Frameworks, and other tools as necessary; while ensuring they adhere to departmental frameworks, ethical,Indigenous governance, and human rights standards. These tools might include MEAL,  Financial Monitoring and management, budgets, payment schedules,and/or work plan/logic models.

• Research and advice on public health, social determinants of health, child and/or human rights, specific to indigenous populations, in support of advocacy initiatives, programming, and/or policy development. 

• Manage project team performance, through training, skill assessments, personal development, work review, mentoring and support.

• Advise senior leadership on departmental strategic direction and provide evidence based recommendations of change.

• Present to senior leadership performance reports on programs, financials, partner agreements, and/or proposals. 

• Work hand in hand with the communications, business development, and marketing departments in the development of concept notes, proposals, internal or external communications, and marketing initiatives.

• Create, review, and/or design communication and promotional materials relevant to department and/or programming,  such as social media posts, media releases, case studies, infographics, and promotional pamphlets/posters. 

 

Director, Board Member, Defence for Children International-Canada

September 2016-2021

 

• Lead and advice on organization structure and strategic direction to ensure organizational health.

• Adviser and decision maker on organizational changes, strategic directions, events, fundraising, communication strategies, programming, and advocacy.

• Support yearly public awareness sessions through volunteer management, hosting and or presentation of guests, support of special guests and other tasks as needed.

• Support and advice on changes in policy for advocacy at a provincial and federal level; including recommendations on child immigration issues, child welfare, health, and environmental issues for indigenous communities.

• Research organizational relevant issues faced by children within our society as needed, including but not limited to environmental justice, child migrations, children with different abilities gaps in policy, indigenous rights etc.

• Planning, development and implementation of Youth Ambassador Program, public awareness and education on child rights. Including creation of proposal, and program plan, logic model, and evaluation tools.

 

Flight Attendant, Air Transat   

January 2012-May 2017

 

• Tactfully addressed issues or concerns by sympathizing with our clients, therefore creating a solid relationship. 

• Executed safety, emergency, and security procedures, by keeping attention to detail, enforcing the policies, and being attentive to my environment.

• Managed any incidents, safety or medical situations by using problem solving skills, following protocol, and  teamwork.

• Translated service, safety, and emergency procedures in English, French, and Spanish.

• Coordinated and prioritized services according to time sensitive deadlines, including delays, or change of aircrafts.

 

Western Canada Wildfire Response Child Friendly Space (CFS) Lead Implementer, Save the Children Canada        

June 2016

                        

• Planned and implemented inclusive recreational, educational, and psychosocial age specific activities for children and youth in the Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) in the Western Canada Wildfire Response.

• Managed and led a team of seven CFS staff members, including financial management of specific events.

• Supported the Site Coordinator, in site management, including child registration, referrals, and building of positive relationships with parents, community and local partners.

• Promoted child and parent participation in activity planning, and decision making when possible.

 

Program Support Officer, Gender Equality and Child Protection Specialist ,

Save the Children International in Peru    

September 2015-March 2016

                       

• Researched and published a 50-page review paper on Gender Inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean through different lenses as per Save the Children’s thematic areas.

• Advised on content selection and edition of a gender mainstreaming course for the regional Save the Children branch; utilized by program planners and evaluators in Latin America to ensure gender sensitivity and equality in the program planning, implementation, and evaluation phases.

• Nurtured partner relationships and monitored project implementation through Performance Monitoring tools.

• Analyzed and developed the Children Lead the Way communications and sustainability plans, improving the impact and continuity of the activities implemented by the program.

• Designed questions and an evaluation tool for the future collection of data for Save the Children in Peru. 

• Interviewed different stakeholders and beneficiaries of the Children Lead the Way program for the final five-year evaluation report, annual and final program reports. Wrote two case studies for which one was published.

• Planned, organized, and followed up required materials and products, requested by Save the Children Canada for the National and International Children Lead the Way conference.

• Trained and mentored Peruvian youth delegates on public awareness, situation assessments, problem analysis, multiculturalism and diversity, speech and presentation skills.

 

Program Planning and Evaluation Advisor, 

Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, RBC First Office for Injury Prevention                

May 2014 – August 2015

 

• Analyzed, reviewed, and evaluated program interventions, their implementation, and their effectiveness within the department of injury prevention.

• Collected and documented hospital and emergency department information around Canada, to be input into a hospital location tracker application for Play Safe Initiative.

• Developed and designed a measuring tool for The P.A.R.T.Y. (prevent alcohol and risk related injuries in youth) program evaluation to be validated, implemented and later published.

• Devised an evaluation protocol (including budgeting) and ethics applications for The P.A.R.T.Y. Program evaluation

• Initiated and created a program plan including work plan, timelines, budgeting, stakeholder analysis, and a logic model with new goals and objectives for The P.A.R.T.Y. Program, and initiated a program plan for The Play Safe Initiative.

• Worked hand in hand with program coordinators in guiding them through the program planning process, in addition to working together in the creation of the program evaluation, incorporating it into the program plan, and timeline.

• Drafted and edited an article for summer safety, published in the occupational health and safety bulletin at Sunnybrook Hospital, part of social marketing for the department.

 

Toronto Sports and Social Club, Event Coordinator                                                                                              May 2014 – August 2015

Bloor West Rehabilitation Centre,                                                                                                                             April 2010-August 2011

Kinesiologist, Physiotherapist and Chiropractor Coordinator     

Schulich School of Business, Miles Nadal Management Centre,                                                                     October 2006-August 2010

Facility & Administrative Support                       

St. Paul’s L’Amoreaux Centre, Recreation Coordinator Assistant                                                                          June 2009-August 2009

 

VOLUNTEER WORK

 

City of Toronto, Natural Environment and community Programs, Community Stewardship Program                      May 2024- Present

Defence for Children International-Canada, Director, Board Member                                                         September 2016-March 2021

Canadian Diabetes Association, Community Outreach and Educator                                                                 June 2012- August 2015  Macgregor Park Teaching Garden, Food Security Program Advisor                                                               October 2014-August 2015

            

EDUCATION AND TRAININGS

 

Masters Certificate in Project Management, Schulich School of Business                                                                                 June 2019

ASIST training                                                                                                                                                                                    April 2017

Masters of Public Health, Lakehead University, Canada                                                                            September 2012- August 2014 Bachelors of Science, Specialized Honours in Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Canada                             2005-2010

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