James Schiesz Email & Phone Number

Fredericton, Nb

I was very honoured to be recruited by Horizon Health Network for a job that has brought me back to my roots in mental health (direct one-on-one advocacy for clients out in the community). I am happy to be part of a smart and compassionate team of an amazing healthcare network.

My experience in mental health and program management came to a culmination in the role of Program Manager of the Let’s Work Program, under Capital Region Mental Health & Addictions. In addition to coordinating case loads and running the daily operations of the office, I also hired and supervised staff and was responsible for making sure that all of our quarterly and yearly targets were met, in compliance with the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour standards.I… Show more My experience in mental health and program management came to a culmination in the role of Program Manager of the Let’s Work Program, under Capital Region Mental Health & Addictions. In addition to coordinating case loads and running the daily operations of the office, I also hired and supervised staff and was responsible for making sure that all of our quarterly and yearly targets were met, in compliance with the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour standards.I am proud to say that I specifically grew in two areas when I ascended to the role of Program Manager: public speaking and social media creation/management. I had never been a comfortable public speaker. The role of Program Manager required me to give, dozens of speeches to private and government offices, non-profits and schools. The topics included descriptions of the services we provided, fundraising opportunities, and mental health awareness. Public speaking was something I used to dread. Now, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to give my next presentation.Being responsible for the promotion of our program also persuaded me to become more involved with social media. I created and maintained a Twitter site for Let's Work, and I also redesigned and launched a new website for our program.I am always amazed at how each new job I encounter pushes me in a new direction I hadn’t anticipated. I look forward to how the work that I accomplish today will challenge me in a new way tomorrow. Show less

Fredericton, Nb, Canada

Deciding to permanently move to Canada with my wife (after being born and raised in America) was the biggest risk I took in my life. Uncertain of my career prospects at the time of my move, I eventually landed at the Let’s Work Program (originally a part of Canadian Mental Health Association, now Capital Region Mental Health & Addictions).Building upon my previous five years of experience in mental health, Let’s Work gave me the opportunity to enter into a new aspect of the field. No… Show more Deciding to permanently move to Canada with my wife (after being born and raised in America) was the biggest risk I took in my life. Uncertain of my career prospects at the time of my move, I eventually landed at the Let’s Work Program (originally a part of Canadian Mental Health Association, now Capital Region Mental Health & Addictions).Building upon my previous five years of experience in mental health, Let’s Work gave me the opportunity to enter into a new aspect of the field. No longer working in a direct care capacity, I would now be helping clients with mental illness take the next step in their recovery process. Clients referred to the Let’s Work program must have their major mental health barriers under control and be ready and willing to look for work. As a Job Developer, I assisted people with assessment of barriers, goal-planning, and the creation of action plans. Once they were ready to begin the process, I helped with job search, resume building, interview skills and networking; sometimes requiring me to connect with employers directly, or secure a subsidized work placement through a government contract.In my years at Let’s Work, I had the joy of watching clients regularly achieve personal goals they previously thought would be impossible. Show less

Boston, Ma

Moving from my job with Advocates to Jewish Family & Children’s Service was the first scary decision of my career. I left a position I was comfortable with in order to challenge myself to grow within a new agency in a more complex position. When I began working at JFCS, I was pleased to find myself in another amazing organization also filled with caring and intelligent service providers who were dedicated to running some of the most innovative and supportive programs in the… Show more Moving from my job with Advocates to Jewish Family & Children’s Service was the first scary decision of my career. I left a position I was comfortable with in order to challenge myself to grow within a new agency in a more complex position. When I began working at JFCS, I was pleased to find myself in another amazing organization also filled with caring and intelligent service providers who were dedicated to running some of the most innovative and supportive programs in the state.My role at JFCS was as the program manager of a supported-living program for adults with mental illness. In addition to assisting my clients with daily living skills and symptom management, I was now in charge of supervising and evaluating direct care staff, interviewing and hiring new staff, and maintaining staff schedules, client charts, and business reports. I was also part of a larger network of managers, which included the added responsibilities of participating in team meetings and rotating an emergency on-call pager. Show less

Waltham, Ma

I am very proud to have started off my career in mental health at Advocates. One of the premier mental health service providers in Massachusetts, Advocates was like a boot camp for me. The real-life skills I learned from the caring and dedicated employees and clients provided a strong base for my entire career in the field. I was very lucky to have been a part of such an amazing organization at the start of my career.The skills I learned at Advocates: symptom management, knowledge of… Show more I am very proud to have started off my career in mental health at Advocates. One of the premier mental health service providers in Massachusetts, Advocates was like a boot camp for me. The real-life skills I learned from the caring and dedicated employees and clients provided a strong base for my entire career in the field. I was very lucky to have been a part of such an amazing organization at the start of my career.The skills I learned at Advocates: symptom management, knowledge of medication effects and medication administration, community advocacy, crisis intervention, creation and maintenance of treatment plans, reports and record keeping. Show less

Cincinnati, Ohio

As a sales consultant at Lucent Technologies, I placed business orders for telephone systems and related equipment. This job included direct sales, records management, warranty inventory, and trouble-shooting.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Psychology

Minor in English

Education record