Bren Melles Email & Phone Number

• Lead team of Senior Program Managers from each of 12 member agencies of the Humanitarian Coalition to coordinate program responses to major humanitarian disasters• Manage Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund, a $5 million/year drawdown mechanism funded by Global Affairs Canada which supports responses to small- and medium-scale sudden onset disasters• Write and review project proposals and reports to ensure quality and accountability

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

• Taught communication, project management and other career and academic skills to 40 Master of Public Health students in a required course• Using active learning strategies, designed participatory workshops to equip students with skills in writing, oral presentations, research, project management, intercultural competency, and career development• Nimbly pivoted teaching to an online platform during COVID-19 pandemic• Coached students on managing academic stress, how to communicate with instructors and other strategies for success and wellness, including referrals to appropriate campus and community supports • Each year, received positive feedback from students on my genuine empathy as an instructor, the relevance of my course learning outcomes, and the effectiveness of my instructional strategies

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

• Led strategic planning and evaluation for department’s largest graduate program, including liaison with partners and stakeholders and in collaboration with department faculty members, assuring program quality• Orchestrated program communications strategy, defining key messages and tactics across various platforms including website and print content for both internal and external audiences • Spearheaded planning and implementation of special projects, bringing creative energy to student orientation, department wide Public Health Sciences Day, and faculty and staff Education Retreat• Demonstrated my commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) by actively participating in the Professional Development Working Group for Dean’s Action Table on EDI in the Faculty of Health Sciences, as well as Co-Chairing Departmental Working Group on EDI

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

• Completed over 100 contracts with a diverse range of organizations, mostly non-profits focused on health equity and poverty alleviation in Canada and internationally • Core areas of consulting expertise include utilization-focused program evaluation, strategic planning, needs assessment and program development, participatory workshop design and facilitation using best practices and pedagogy, writing and editing, • Written 30+ grant proposals generating millions of dollars in funding, primarily for international relief and development in low resource and insecure environments• Former clients include: Queen's University ARCH Research Collaborative for Global Health Equity, Kingston Community Health Centres, Street Health Centre, Loving Spoonful, World Renew, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran World Federation, Muskoka Woods, Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program, Rideau Hall Foundation, CanAssist African Relief Trust, Help Lesotho, Habitat for Humanity, World Vision Canada and more

Arua, Uganda

• Directed integrated rural community development program for West Nile region of Uganda • Through coaching and accompaniment, developed capacity of Ugandan partner organizations in community needs assessment, participatory planning, program evaluation and resource mobilization to address poverty, improve health, create income and increase literacy in low resource settings

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Reporting directly to the High Commissioner, effectively and sensitively managed implementation of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives and Women’s Initiatives Fund, funds that support community-led projects in low resource Malaysian communities while nurturing good will for Canada • Provided technical support to ensure gender mainstreaming including guidance on design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation to improve gender equity impact • Supervised contract staff, confidently assigning work tasks and giving helpful feedback on performance

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada And Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Contributed to design and implementation of a $3 million, CIDA-funded regional governance project involving senior level policy makers, action researchers and grassroots organizers in seven Southeast Asian countries• Wrote and edited action research publications and conference proceedings • Co-organized annual international conference for 300 people from across South and Southeast Asia and North America and other regional learning events

Graduate Diploma In Education

Master Of Arts - Ma, International Affairs

The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Development Studies Stream Graduated with Distinction. Norman Paterson Fellow.

Graduate Diploma, International Development

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba Honours, English

Film and Communications focus. McGill University Scholar (top 10 percent of graduating class); Snyder Memorial Scholarship for Excellence.