Veronica Sudesh
Vancouver,Canada
Summary
Versatile Project Coordinator, with 5 years of experience successfully executing diverse project tasks to meet deadlines. Highly skilled at communicating with internal and external stakeholders, monitoring status, and achieving key milestones. Enthusiastic problem solver and talented team player with efficient planning and decision-making skills.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Project Coordinator, Empowering Women and Girls
Commonwealth Of Learning
04.2024 - Current
- Collaborate with the Senior Adviser to ensure the delivery and administration of the project aligns with the approved proposal and budget.
- Design templates for preparing various reports and tracking information and deadlines for all project activities at the country and regional level.
- Collect and collate information and analyze data to prepare draft reports for review and update plans as needed.
- Maintain an effective monitoring and evaluation framework in support of the project implementation plan and design a status report tracking system.
- Receive project status reports from partners in the region and regularly update COL’s‘ Project Progress Report Template’ accordingly.
- Coordinate online communication through portal / website content management tools, in collaboration with assigned personnel/partners/consultants.
- Support project management and development through effective and efficient project management practices for the implementation of the project as well as liaising with key internal staff and external partners.
- Schedule and prepare papers for the Project Steering Committee as well as record and circulate the minutes of all meetings.
- Undertake other tasks as assigned in relation to the project.
Project Assistant, Empowering Women and Girls
Commonwealth Of Learning
05.2023 - 04.2024
- Assisted in project management and coordination and provided administrative and operational support to the Senior Adviser in the delivery of the project
- Assisted in engaging with local partners and relevant stakeholders in the five countries of implementation to identify priority communities and the knowledge and skills needed by women and girls from those communities, resulting in the creation of Partner Capacity Building Needs Report
- Assisted in conducting country-specific climate risks analysis to inform all relevant activities and developing country action plans aligned with the expected results
- Assisted in the preparation and drafting of reports such as the Project Inception report, Partner Capacity Building Needs report and will start working on the Annual project report, while also assisting in the formatting, design layout and editing of various reports such as the Gender Equality, Climate Risks and PWD assessment
- Assisted in the increase in staff capacity in areas like monitoring and evaluation, project management, gender equality and communications through approximately 324 trainings, uploaded training presentations and videos to the appropriate project platform while collecting partner feedback for the trainings to inform/improve future ones
- Assisted in the creation and preparation of various presentations for Programme Update Meetings, Skills Director, partners, and other stakeholders
- Assisted in updating the Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the project, collecting necessary data from partners and consultants to provide COL's monthly Logframe updates and reporting to GAC
- Supported the contract drafting process, overseeing their execution, and ensuring successful implementation of approximately 28 contracts
- Supported the maintenance of project budget (six million Canadian dollars for three years), monitored project progress, and ensured timely payments to approximately 28 partners and consultants
- Assisted in the preparation of various budget templates such as project data hub, budget tracker, partner's budgeted work plans and so on
- Coordinated travel itineraries, arrangements, logistics and accommodations for Senior Adviser, and prepared travel paperwork aligning with COL policies
- Undertook any other tasks as assigned in relation to the project
Program Assistant, Gender and GIRLS Inspire
Commonwealth Of Learning
05.2022 - 05.2023
- Contributed to project management and coordination for the Gender and GIRLS Inspire initiatives, involving projects related to women and Information and Communications Technology, Boys' Education and Gender Mainstreaming
- Monitored the annual budget, progress, expenditure and tracking payments in a timely manner and in accordance with COL policies and procedures
- Assisted in preparing, updating, and maintaining various documents and databases including for COL's online Results Based Management system
- Prepared draft contracts and agreements with partner institutions and consultants and followed up on contract deliverables and invoices
- Coordinated the organization of meetings, workshops, and other events, including booking, and setting up of venues and circulation of briefing materials
- Responded to routine enquiries and requests; prepared responses on complex matters and assisted in all matters related to general correspondence including preparing minutes, and compiling information from print, files and online sources as needed
- Maintained a tracking system to bring meetings, issues, deadlines, and all other matters to the attention of the Advisers
- Coordinated travel and other logistical arrangements for staff, consultants, event participants and visitors, prepared per diem requests, applied for travel visas, made hotel bookings, prepared expense claims, and arranged for the shipping of materials
- Undertook any other tasks as related to both initiatives
Research Assistant
Beedie School Of Business, Simon Fraser University
06.2019 - 04.2022
- Supported Director of Beedie School of Business to collect evidence on masculinity of management theory and practice through careful examination of numerous case studies taught in their MBA classes
- Provided qualitative and critical gender analysis on the case studies highlighting the interaction and intersection between gender and race to marginalize women and non-white individuals, and the gender imbalance and patterns reinforcing gender and racial stereotypes
- Analyzed the following prime factors in case studies through a critical gender and racial lens like Is the case study highlighting a woman related issue - Does it showcase a female protagonist, Does it even include any woman, Do women talk to each other about business, Is a non-white character a protagonist and is present, Are there negative or stereotypical representations about women and non-white individuals and so on
- Prepared a gender and race checklist for use by professors, educators, syllabus creators and research assistants in Beedie School
- Prepared various summaries, short reports and analysis documents providing critical gender and race analysis and highlighted unique patterns that emerged from the research
Data Management Intern
Commonwealth Of Learning
10.2019 - 12.2020
- Downloaded, organized, verified, cleaned, and stored huge volumes of data submitted by educational partners in various Commonwealth countries through online data collection platforms
- Identified critical gaps/errors in the datasets, liaised with the project assistant for communicating the gaps/errors to partners and updated the datasets with corrected information
- Formatted datasets and re-arranged variables according to COL's performance management framework indicators
- Updated sampling plan for Baseline/Endline
- Prepared communication with partners for approval of the Senior Advisor on data related issues
- Prepared weekly progress updates
Women's Safety Audit Consultant
Terrace Women's Resource Centre Society
03.2020 - 04.2020
- Developed and promoted women's safety audit online surveys in consultation with Women's Centre Program Coordinator, appropriate to Terrace, BC and surrounding rural areas
- Developed a presentation on the history, what worked or not, benefits, and limitations on women's safety audits focusing on Canadian rural and small communities
- Created an in-depth guide containing recommendations for an intersectional framework on how to carry out Women's Safety Audit for Terrace, BC including municipal policy recommendations
- The guide helped TWRCS for the first time to train its employees, other partner NGOs, and local women to carry out safety and social audits independently
Volunteer
Women's Center, Simon Fraser University
01.2019 - 12.2019
- Helped the centre with different daily organization tasks such library inventory, and responded to student queries and provided resources/supplies
- Participated in events such as consent box making to spread sexual awareness and provided free safe sex supplies to students and community kitchen
- Acted as social media content creator developing digital posters on World Refugee Day, and Sex Positivity for Facebook
Teaching Assistant
Simon Fraser University
05.2019 - 08.2019
- Supported classroom activities, tutoring, and reviewing work
- Worked with teacher to optimize learning plans and developed grading rubric
- Facilitated online group discussions, clarified student queries through emails and holding in person office hours and kept track of course timelines with reminders to students
- Marked weekly assignments, quizzes, and invigilated and managed the final examination of the students
Workshop Facilitator Volunteer
Simon Fraser University
06.2019 - 06.2019
- Attended the International Workshop on Gender, Diversity and Inclusivity and prepared a report on the presentations which have been digitized for SFU library
Conference Notetaker and Report Writer
Simon Fraser University
04.2019 - 05.2019
- Note taker for Canadian South Asian Youth's Conference: Gender, Identity, Sexuality and Activism and compiled a report summarizing the content of the papers presented, questions and answers and bios on the presenters, and the report was published
- Presented a paper titled ‘Trails of Murder, Tears of Grief – Understanding Violent Crimes Against Second Generation Coconuts' in the same conference
Conference Volunteer
Simon Fraser University
10.2018 - 01.2019
- Helped with social media promotions, guest co-ordination and time management for SheTalks conference speakers
Youth Leader for Social Change
Breakthrough NGO
05.2017 - 07.2017
- Participated in awareness building training for domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual harassment at public and private spaces, gender and media, masculinity, gender and caste, gender and livelihood, legal aid and allied services by Delhi Legal Service Authority
- Participated in capacity building training for how to design a campaign, social media skills, digital media skills and forum theatre, and psychological first aid regarding survivors of gender-based violence by Medicine Sans Frontier staff
- Conducted surveys on the issue of 'Online or Cyber Harassment' in Delhi University and adjoining areas
- Compiled baseline survey report on 'Online or Cyber Harassment'
- Conducted on-ground implementation of 'Online Hai Toh Fine Hai (?), a campaign on Cyber Harassment
- Developed and conducted forum theatre in the capacity of an actor as part of the campaign implementation
Research Assistant
Indian School Of Business
12.2016 - 01.2017
- Attended and completed intensive training session to collect socio-economic data from children based in slum areas of the city enrolled in an after-school programme through participant survey for Freedom English Academy to help eliminate social and gender barriers for children to access free of cost English education
- Completed 17 household surveys which contained more than 80 scientific questions
Research Intern
SafetiPin
05.2015 - 07.2015
- Conducted a research project titled ‘Enhancing the Last Mile Connectivity: A Safety Analysis of the Yellow Line of Delhi Metro', assessing safety levels for female commuters during night hours within a 500-meter radius of metro stations, and assessing infrastructure and public spaces in Delhi to investigate safety standards
- Collected quantitative data by carrying out ‘safety audits' with the help of the map-based mobile app 'Safetipin', and qualitative data through interviews with men, women, youth, government agencies, public servants and service providers for ‘social audits'
- Prepared a formal report identifying vulnerable zones and pertinent safety concerns for the city's Municipal Corporation to address those concerns
Education
Master of Arts - Gender, Sexuality And Women's Studies
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, BC05.2020
Master of Arts - International Relations
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi, India05.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
Lady Shri Ram College For Women, Delhi University
New Delhi, India05.2016
Certificate - International Humanitarian Law
Indira Gandhi National Open University
New Delhi, India06.2017
Certificate - Human Rights
Indira Gandhi National Open University
New Delhi, India06.2016
Certificate - Project Management
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC12.2024
Skills
- Critical gender analysis
- Qualitative research
- Comprehensive writing
- Team leader/member
- Solution oriented
- Project management and coordination
- Contract management
- Resource Mobilization
- Stakeholder management and correspondence
- Multi-cultural communication
- File management
- Detail oriented
- Online Productivity tools (Microsoft word, Excel, PowerPoint, Canva, Moodle, Aptus)
Accomplishments
- June 3, 2019| Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, UBC, Vancouver
- April 6, 2019| Canadian South Asian Youth's Conference: Gender, Identity, Sexuality and Activism, SFU, Vancouver
- January 24, 2019| Spring Graduate Colloquium, Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Department, SFU, Vancouver
- March 9-11, 2017| International Seminar on Skill Development through ODeL: Innovations, Entrepreneurship, Employment for Inclusive and Sustainable Livelihoods, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India
- 2019| Dare to Be Brave: Congress
- 2018| Men, Masculinity, and War
- 2018| To Experiencing ‘Fall First Time's'… and Looking Forward to Spring First's
- 2019| Graduate Residence Leader, Simon Fraser University - Organized social activities and events for graduate residents and provided redressal for graduate student issues
- 2019| Secretary, Graduate Student Caucus, Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Department, Simon Fraser University - Helped in organizing meetings and taking minutes of the meetings
- 2019| Department Steward, Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Department, Simon Fraser University - Liaison between members of the department and teaching support staff union to bring forward any grievances faced by the members
Conference Presentations
Paper titled ‘Trails of Murder, Tears of Grief – Understanding Violent Crimes Against Second Generation Coconuts'
Paper titled ‘Undergraduate Students of Conventional Colleges – In Need of ODeL Support for Skill Enhancement and Preparation for Various Examinations
Publications (published as Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Department blogs, SFU)
Leadership Roles
Additional Information
- Member of International Society of Female Professionals
- National level competitive 10 Meter Peep Sight Air Rifle Shooter, India
- Trained for five years in Indian classical dance form Oddisi and three years in martial arts (Taekwondo), India
- Food Safe Level 1 certification, Canada
- Standard First Aid with CPR Level C certification, Canada
Languages
English
Hindi
Urdu
Punjabi
References
- Mrs Frances J. Ferreira, Senior Adviser: Women and Girls, Commonwealth of Learning, fferreira@col.org
- Tiffany Muller Myrdahl, Senior Lecturer, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University, tmullerm@sfu.ca
- Habiba Zaman, Professor, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University, hzaman@sfu.ca
- Melissa McCrae, Executive Director, Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University, mccrae@sfu.ca
Timeline
Project Coordinator, Empowering Women and Girls
Commonwealth Of Learning
04.2024 - Current
Project Assistant, Empowering Women and Girls
Commonwealth Of Learning
05.2023 - 04.2024
Program Assistant, Gender and GIRLS Inspire
Commonwealth Of Learning
05.2022 - 05.2023
Women's Safety Audit Consultant
Terrace Women's Resource Centre Society
03.2020 - 04.2020
Data Management Intern
Commonwealth Of Learning
10.2019 - 12.2020
Research Assistant
Beedie School Of Business, Simon Fraser University
06.2019 - 04.2022
Workshop Facilitator Volunteer
Simon Fraser University
06.2019 - 06.2019
Teaching Assistant
Simon Fraser University
05.2019 - 08.2019
Conference Notetaker and Report Writer
Simon Fraser University
04.2019 - 05.2019
Volunteer
Women's Center, Simon Fraser University
01.2019 - 12.2019
Conference Volunteer
Simon Fraser University
10.2018 - 01.2019
Youth Leader for Social Change
Breakthrough NGO
05.2017 - 07.2017
Research Assistant
Indian School Of Business
12.2016 - 01.2017
Research Intern
SafetiPin
05.2015 - 07.2015
Master of Arts - Gender, Sexuality And Women's Studies
Simon Fraser University
Master of Arts - International Relations
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
Lady Shri Ram College For Women, Delhi University
Certificate - International Humanitarian Law
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Certificate - Human Rights
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Certificate - Project Management
University of British Columbia
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