After many years working for international and local NGOs, I founded Kasama Consulting in order to work more closely with a variety of organisations on their self-determined goals.We offer consultancy services such as project design and research, training and capacity development packages, and facilitation of various organisational and programming processes. In all our work we are committed to designing and delivering processes that are relevant and useful and that ensure everyone can meaningfully and equally participate.Kasama operated in Vanuatu between 2015-2018 and is now based in Canberra, Australia. Recent projects have included:*Providing technical support, training and facilitation on co-design and community engagement to the ACT Government to develop a new strategy for children and families (Best Start Strategy)*Designing and delivering online workshops on Co-Design for the social sectorVanuatu-based clients and projects included:* Vanuatu Skills Partnership - Development and delivery of unique basic business planning workshops and coaching for small tourism and handicrafts businesses in rural Vanuatu.* Vanuatu Society for People with Disability - Design and facilitation of inclusive board governance workshops and individual coaching for an entirely new board of directors.* Transform Aid International (Australia) - Development of a unique, participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning assessment process for their local NGO partners across the world.* Vanuatu Church Partnership Program - Design and facilitation of a strength-based strategic planning process with leaders and management resulting in an outcomes-based strategy for the next 5 years.* CARE International in Vanautu - Development of two Train the Trainers manuals for activities under their Gender Equality program.* World Vision Vanuatu - Baseline and midline assessments for their Channels of Hope program focused on gender-based violence.

Working with Dr Maya Haviland in the College of Arts and Social Sciences, I am co-producing and co-hosting a new podcast called Collaboratory. The podcast explores the concepts, enablers and applications of collaboration, co-creation, and co-creativity. We've interviewed practitioners across a broad spectrum of sectors and disciplines, and intend the podcast to be a practical resource for anyone wishing to work more intentionally and effectively in co-creation.

In this role, I supported the International Programs team and their partner NGOs to expand the depth, breadth and quality of their design, monitoring, evaluation and learning practices in order to improve project outcomes and benefits for communities around the world. This work included:* Creating project design workshop guides for local NGOs to facilitate their own design processes; integrating concepts from Design Thinking to ensure focus on community needs & innovative approaches to addressing them.* Coaching Program Coordinators to improve their MEL capability.* Reviewing Design, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning processes to ensure they are most useful and promote adaptive programming.

My work within the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) was embedded in the College's Reimagine transformation agenda and included:* Leading an internal research team designed to provide evidence for work to improve diversity and inclusion within the College* Initiating and leading the co-design of a new Leadership Development Program with selected academic and professional staff; facilitating group workshops and providing individual coaching to enhance leadership and collaboration within CECS.* Co-creating and facilitating participatory workshops at the CECS Co-Design Culture Lab which brought together over 100 participants from different universities, government departments and businesses in November 2019.

Working as an independent consultant, I completed a variety of projects for Oxfam in Vanuatu to support their three programs and internal operations. These projects included:- Designing and conducting a complex baseline and midline study for the Governance, Leadership and Accountability project - Conducting a mid-term review of Oxfam-supported civil society networks and developing a short learning note to share with stakeholders- Leading the review process of the Oxfam in Vanuatu Country Strategic Plan- Compiling short learning notes from a research report, evaluation and staff retreat that allowed for wider readership

In the Vanuatu country office of Save the Children Australia, I managed the Program Quality team to support 
project staff to develop and improve their monitoring and evaluation systems and reporting processes and oversaw the writing and submission of reports to donors, particularly Australian Aid/ DFAT.Projects of particular interest include:- Coordinating the development of a national survey that included eight comprehensive survey tools that were used in over 200 communities- Developing the project assessment methodology and analysing data for a new child health project- Leading the project design process for a new child health project- Facilitating training sessions and follow-up with staff on developing program logics for their projects- Creating data collection tools and conducting a baseline assessment with adolescent boys and girls for a reproductive health project

Working in this local NGO, I managed the internal and donor reporting for the organisation; built the capacity of project managers to develop, implement and use M&E tools; assisted in data collection in the community; collated and analysed monitoring data; and coordinated reflection and internal planning sessions.

As a Program Coordinator with Baptist World Aid Australia – an Australian donor that supports community development projects internationally – I was responsible for all child-centred community development projects in Bangladesh. This position worked closely with local NGOs to design, implement and monitor integrated programs that aimed to improve children’s well-being in health, education, child protection and participation.Relevant projects in this role included:- Developing and facilitating participatory program design processes for four local NGOs in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka using program logic and Outcome Mapping methodologies- Conducting participatory learning evaluations in collaboration with local NGOs in Bangladesh and Nepal using Most Significant Change technique- Facilitating an organisational change process with a local NGO in Bangladesh using Appreciative Inquiry- Developing an overall Theory of Change for all of Baptist World Aid Australia's international programs- Mentoring local NGO leaders on issues of governance and programming

For two years, I designed and managed a Livelihood Program for a local branch of Habitat for Humanity in Dumaguete City, Philippines. This new program worked with community members, particularly women, and groups in eight low-cost housing sites to identify livelihood opportunities, provide business training and link small entrepreneurs with relevant support to start and grow their businesses.Activities of interest I was responsible for included:- Developing and facilitating participatory workshops with community groups to understand community strengths and identify priority issues to address- Developing and facilitating tailored small business development training to local entrepreneurs, particularly women- Designing, monitoring and reviewing the whole Livelihoods Program- Conducting organisational development activities for community-based organisations including strategic planning using Appreciative Inquiry

I worked for one year as Sales and Marketing Coordinator for Vietnam Quilts (now Mekong Quilts) – a social enterprise that employed rural women to make quilts. This role ensured that products were marketed and sold well locally and internationally, which then provided funding for community development projects through the NGO Mekong Plus.