Sandra M. Email & Phone Number

Australia

Amman, Jordan

Chief Operations Officer (COO) of humanitarian and social services provided to 5 million Palestine refugees in Gaza, West Bank/East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan with an annual budget of $1.8billion USD. Key contributor to strategic and emergency planning and implementation compliance and Agency risk management. This included oversight for public reporting, finance & budgetary controls, union mediation and staff appeals of HR decisions impacting 30,000 staff. Extensive contract and litigation management of issues ranging from international procurement, vendor and shipping agreements to humanitarian and human rights violations in in a highly charged environment. Daily interface with media/public relations, diplomatic engagements, high level donor interactions and frequently engagement with community leadership. Key leader for all resource mobilization activities and briefings to 40 member Advisory Board.

New York, New York, United States

Led the IRC’s international development and humanitarian operations in more than 30 countries. Oversaw a $500 million budget and staff of more than 10,000. Directly supervised five regional divisions, IRC’s emergency responses, deputy vice president and the department’s financial and administrative support functions. In collaboration with the Finance department, prepared and monitored annual budgets and allocated unrestricted funds to country programs and headquarters support units. Ensured alignment of IRC’s international programs within the agency’s mission, vision, and objectives including restructuring and strategic development. Ensured that all country programs are technically sounds and undertake evidence based program design, monitoring and evaluation. Ensure all country programs comply with human resource, internal audit, procurement, logistics and ethics policies and proceduresResponsible for deploying, fundraising and the implementation of emergency interventions and the transition of such activities to country programs, local partners or state institutions. Manage the risks associated with working in dangerous and volatile security environments; in addition, to the risks of a growing grant and contract portfolio. Develop, cultivate and maintain relationships with public and private donors, partners and constituents, both domestic and international. Represent the organization with a range of key policy makers, host governments, partners and the media.

Jerusalem, Israel

Executive Agency management responsibilities in all fields of operation (Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan). Using collaborative and strong problem solving skills led the facilitation of Agency wide implementation of major education and health reforms pursuant to 5 year strategy; coordinated all budget planning (emergency, government and private appeals with an aggregate annual amount of nearly $1.7billion USD); acted as trouble shooter and representative of the Commissioner-General as needed with Governments and other stakeholders; supervised media spokesperson and public information office, planning department; day to day management of Executive Office and supervision of headquarters staff.

Led executive management of UNRWA’s community services to 2 million Palestine refugees in Jordan including education (172 primary schools and 3 vocational institutes), health (21 health clinics), relief and social services for 350,000 special hardship cases and other assistance to Palestinian refugee population in Jordan including sanitation, protection and refugee registration. Managed staff force of 7,000 which included three staff unions. Senior representative to Government and Embassy interlocutors. Responsible for a budget of $112 million and local fundraising.

Baghdad, Iraq

Provided daily advice to nine Iraqi election commissioners on the management of two national and one regional election and three voter registration updates. Supervised international advisors and national staff in Iraq and Jordan and managed more than $20 million in UN assistance projects. Participated in negotiating the adoption of electoral legislation by the Iraqi Parliament and subsequent trouble-shooting. Extensively briefed the most senior Iraqi, UN and International (civil and military) leadership on election procedures, safeguards and on-going operations.

Developed the strategy and plan to successfully transfer of governmental legal competencies related to minorities, displaced persons and refugees, international reconstruction assistance and human rights protection administered by the UN to a nascent Kosovo Ministry and the European Union. This was achieved by relentless consultations with numerous stakeholders, many of whom had recently fought against each other in a war.

Country director of USAID funded human rights and legal reform project in Cambodia that provided support and assistance for national impact litigation of human rights cases with a high potential for bringing social change; a multi-million dollar competitive and non-competitive national grants project; and a clinical legal training program. Successfully expanded three year assistance project from USAID that included improving basic legal education for law schools and continuing education for judges, developing legal aid for victims of sexual abuse and gender based crimes and developing a national legal aid strategy.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

IRC was the USA’s largest NGO providing aid to refugees overseas and resettlement in the USA. I developed and coordinated strategic advocacy goals for IRC’s 28 international missions and 20 domestic offices to assist refugees and those affected by conflict. Led an activist coalition of more than 100 NGOs on matters related to security and access for assistance in Afghanistan and Iraq. Testified before United States Senate on humanitarian consequences and assistance needs related to a US invasion in Iraq. Member of IRC’s senior management team and participated in annual strategic and budgetary planning, program monitoring and evaluation, board relations and fund raising activities.

Skopje, Skopski, North Macedonia

Led operational implementation of the OSCE peacekeeping mandate under the Ohrid Peace Accord to supervise the reintegration of disputed areas into the N. Macedonian security and political apparatuses. Appointed Deputy Head of Mission, I assisted in the rapid set up a headquarters and seven field offices and deployment of 200 international and 350 national staff to oversee the redeployment of N. Macedonian security forces into conflict zones with NATO oversight. My responsibilities included preparing a budget of nearly 90 million Euro, reporting to 54 donor nations, the host nations, diplomats and staff management.

Pristina, Regjioni I Prishtinës, Kosovo

Led the turnaround and rapid restructuring of a $35 million emergency humanitarian mission into a $12 million development mission. Managed staff of more than 350 in Kosovo and Macedonia. Developed IRC’s emergency response to the displacement of ethnic Albanians from Macedonia and supervised transit and refugee centers. Conducted fundraising with international donors and regularly advised IRC board on security and political situation in country.

Pristina, Regjioni I Prishtinës, Kosovo

Advanced to rule of law advisor to OSCE Office of Democracy and Human Rights in Poland managing project implementation in the Caucuses and Central Asia before being assigned to the mission start up team for the Kosovo conflict. Appointed as the director of human rights during the OSCE verification of the Kosovo-Serbian Cease Fire. Based in Pristina for nearly four years, I developed strategy and managed plans for the human rights division of up to 350 international staff during the pre-NATO, refugee crisis and post-NATO environments. Designed and managed massive human rights documenting mission in Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania of war crimes and atrocities. Such information was later published in a two volume report and introduced as evidence when I testified as an expert witness against the Serbian President and senior leadership in The Hague ICTY war crime trials.

Sarajevo, Federation Of Bosnia And Herzegovina, Bosnia And Herzegovina

Served as legal council to a multi-ethnic judicial panel in Bosnia that was responsible for election complaints and appeals in a highly charged political and security environment for three post-war elections. Extensive knowledge of international and best practices for post-conflict election legislation, rules and procedures for all electoral and voter registration processes. Drafted opinions for judicial panel resolving election complaints and appeals.

Sofia, Bulgaria And Sarajevo, Bosnia And Herzegovina

Led implementation of two USAID funded projects, directed private sector commercial law reform activities in Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina including project design, evaluation, monitoring, implementation, grant writing, fund raising, donor reporting. Projects included working with cross boundary judicial systems in Bosnia to reintegrate the judiciary into national institutions; adviser to the president of the Bulgarian Patent Offices on drafting new intellectual property laws and advisor to the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice on bankruptcy and commercial law.

Portland, Oregon, United States

Associate with leading commercial law firm in Portland, Oregon. Represented bankruptcy trustees in Federal court and commercial, corporate, property and discrimination clients in State courts. Consistently exceeded performance goals. Licensed in Oregon, Washington States and the Ninth Circuit Court of Federal Appeals.

Juris Doctorate

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