Paula Richardson

Experience

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  Global Change Game

  Apr 2000 - May 2000

  International Development Instructor

  Volunteered for two months facilitating an interactive global education workshops to 25 high schools and Universities across Canada. Directed in depth discussions on international issues including global food insecurity, climate change and indigenous peoples’ rights and claims.

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  Youth Challenge International

  Jun 2000 - Aug 2000

  Youth Participant

  Spent 11 weeks in rural Guyana constructing a local school, implementing HIV/AIDS and health peer-to-peer workshops, carrying out mobile dental support to communities and constructing a hatchery for endangered turtles in partnership with Environmental Conservation Officers. Co-led Guyanese Teacher Training Program, coordinating and facilitating math and literacy support to Guyanese teachers. Evaluated program and made recommendations to CIDA/USAID.

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  University of Guelph

  Sept 2001 - Apr 2002

  Project Manager

  Co-Managed University Student health program, supervising and training staff members and coordinating financial budget. Spearheaded health contest, increasing student participation by 75%. Designed multi-media health campaign, including presentations to university students and faculty, display booths and radio advertisements.

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  Carleton University

  Jan 2002 - Apr 2004

  Successfully managed residence community for 400+ graduate and under-graduate students. Planned and presented weekly cultural events and discussion opportunities between local and international students. Hired, interviewed and trained new staff. Assistant Teacher for five sociology and anthropology courses.

  • Graduate Residence Fellow

    Sept 2003 - Apr 2004

  • Teaching Assistant, Sociology and Anthropology Department

    Jan 2002 - Jan 2004
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  Horizon Cosmopolite

  Apr 2002 - Jun 2002

  Project Coordinator

  Volunteered with organization in Southern Ghana. Co-directed six-week participatory needs assessment with local elders, women’s groups and community members in southern Ghana. Led design and planning for community water project based on assessment results. Evaluated clinic construction project and income generation project, wrote report and made recommendations to senior management.

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  Johns Hopkins University

  Jun 2003 - Aug 2003

  Residence Life Coordinator

  Mentored and supervised a group of academically advanced youth from around the world at the Center for Talented Youth program in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Directed social, arts and sports activities for 260 students and managed budget.

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  Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada

  Jan 2004 - Apr 2004

  Africa Research Intern

  Interned at DFATD one day per week as a study placement through NPSIA (Master's Program). Conducted research and analysis on Canada’s poverty reduction strategies and policy objectives for the Eastern and Southern African Division. Monitored and analyzed trends and emerging development issues and produced timely papers, briefs and recommendations for Division.

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  United Nations Association in Canada

  Jan 2004 - Apr 2004

  Human Rights Instructor

  Volunteered for UN Association of Canada as a Human Rights Instructor. Improved youth knowledge on human rights issues by planning and presenting interactive classroom workshops for youth ages 5-18. Created interactive classroom modules on human rights.

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  Youth Challenge International

  May 2004 - Apr 2005

  Spearheaded gender policy development and coordinated gender mainstreaming in project activities. Hiked for five weeks throughout the interior of Guyana, directing a participatory survey in twenty Amerindian communities targeting women, youth and indigenous groups. Engaged over 250 people in interactive interviews and focus group discussions. Research results impacted organization’s strategic plan and resulted in the design of three women’s capacity building and networking conferences, expanding project outreach to 15 new communities. Show less

  • Program Coordinator, Rural Women’s Networking and Skills Program

    Sept 2004 - Apr 2005

  • Field Leader

    May 2004 - Aug 2004
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  The Otesha Project

  Jun 2005 - Aug 2005

  Environmental and Social Justice Instructor

  Cycled across Ontario engaging over 3000 youth in interactive and inspiring workshops on climate change, fair trade, food consumption, sustainable development, and human rights. Successfully promoted Canada’s Federal campaign on climate change, resulting in hundreds of Canadian youth creating action plans to reduce their eco footprint. Designed evaluation tools and conducted over 40 participatory evaluations with youth.

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  Canadian Hunger Foundation (CHF)

  Sept 2005 - Sept 2015

  Established first M&E unit, resulting in organization becoming a leader in M&E practice. Designed and implemented cutting-edge monitoring, evaluation and learning systems for ten food and economic security projects (including two 20 Million projects), significantly improving organizational accountability, reporting and program decision-making. Crafted and managed numerous project Performance Measurement Frameworks, management information systems, monitoring tools, baseline studies and mid-point/end-of-project evaluations. Boosted capacity of over twenty-five international and Canadian organizations in data collection, data analysis, storage and data sharing by facilitating highly-rated trainings and interactive workshops. Show less

  • Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

    Aug 2013 - Sept 2015

  • Program Manager

    Aug 2009 - Jul 2013

  • Project Officer

    Sept 2005 - Jul 2009
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  Canadian Feed The Children

  Sept 2015 - Nov 2015

  Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist - Consultant

  Provided monitoring and evaluation expertise for two agricultural diversification and inclusive growth projects (The Resilient and Sustainable Livelihood Transformation Project ($19 Million in Ghana) and the Market-led Improved Livelihoods in Eastern Amhara Region Project ($7.44 Million in Ethiopia). Wrote succinct database management manual, coached M&E field staff on survey processes, data analysis and data review, led the completion of a Food Security and Diversity survey process (including data cleaning, analysis and interpretation), designed tools and supported roll out of Producer and Income Generation Group Surveys, Pre and Post Harvest survey and a Demonstration plot Assessment. Supported in training and orientation of new M&E Specialist. Show less

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  Independent Consultant

  Oct 2015 - now

  Advisor - Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

  Provide expertise and advice in M&E system design, including crafting Logic Models and Performance Measurement Frameworks, building quantitative and qualitative data collection tools, data management and storage systems, data analysis and interpretation of results, managing surveys and survey teams (from baseline to end line) and institutionalizing monitoring, evaluation and learning within development organizations. Clients include WUSC, Canadian Feed the Children, Aga Khan Foundation, Humber College Business School, Plan. Show less

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  World University Service of Canada (WUSC - EUMC)

  Oct 2015 - Nov 2015

  Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor - Consultant

  Provided monitoring and evaluation expertise for a CAD $20 Million sustainable economic growth project implemented in 8 Caribbean countries (Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages). Wrote succinct M&E Manual, trained staff in cloud-based database system use and management and crafted and advised on data collection tools including; agricultural production tracking tool, assessing capacity and institutional change of producer groups and agricultural networks tool, Youth farmers and Gender survey, and an agri-preneur profile tracking tool. Show less

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  Humber College

  Nov 2015 - Nov 2015

  Monitoring & Evaluation Advisor - Consultant

  Led a comprehensive review of data collection, analysis, storage and reporting for Humber Business School’s economic development project operating in Indonesia (The Sulawesi Economic Development Strategy Project $4.6 Million). Worked with team and delivered clear recommendations for data management, data collection tool development, Performance Management Framework and indicator redesign, data inputting and storage for improving use, automation and quality control.

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  Salanga

  Jan 2016 - now

  I support a multi-talented and passionate team of monitoring, evaluation, and learning experts and data enthusiasts in designing useful, gender-responsive Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning tools, systems and technologies. I provide direction and support to colleagues on the design, planning and implementation of performance measurement frameworks, key performance qualitative and quantitative indicators, and nurture collaborative partnerships and learning opportunities within the international development sector. Grounded in an appreciative and learning approach, I work on a diversity of high-impact projects in remote and complex country contexts and thematic areas – including education, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, and economic and social empowerment. I’m energized by community-led MEAL approaches and inspired to design data collection tools and methods that catalyze participation and empowerment, inclusion and equity. Working alongside local researchers and institutions to generate learning through ‘people-centered’ and feminist methods has given me a deep appreciation for this wild and wonderful life. I’m committed to collaboration and enjoy leading a Canadian Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Community of Practice which supports 50+ non-profits in engaging, commiserating, sharing and learning best practices in MEAL. Show less

  • Director of Collaborative Evaluation, Learning and Impact at Salanga

    Sept 2021 - now

  • Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Lead

    Jan 2016 - Nov 2021
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  Plan International

  Mar 2016 - Dec 2016

  Monitoring & Evaluation Advisor - Consultant

  Co-built monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) System for the Lao Educational Access, Research and Networking Project (USD $5.5 Million), implemented by Plan International and Save the Children International. Completed technology scan, recommending top hardware and software options. Revised data collection tools focused on children’s education and use of child-friendly and gender sensitive data collection methods. Co-designed MEL system, which included cloud-based, access database system linked to tablets and integrated with KoBo Tookbox for data collection. The monitoring system tracked project outcomes on an ongoing basis, such as child attendance, teaching and learning practices, parent/community engagement, and the quality and frequency of programmatic interventions, boosting effective management and learning through automated analysis and reporting interfaces. Show less

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  Humber College

  May 2016 - Dec 2016

  Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor - Consultant

  With three-member team, spearheaded data collection tool development and database design for Humber Business School’s economic development project operating in Indonesia (The Sulawesi Economic Development Strategy Project $4.6 Million). Revised indicators, refined and finalized an M&E strategy, crafted M&E workplan and designed 7 data collection tools including a student survey, business center records form, lecturer survey and a SME Stakeholder survey. Co-built a cloud-based data storage system (user-friendly and low-cost) greatly improving efficiencies in data entry, quality control, accessibility and learning. Developed staff training materials and created M&E manual documenting key processes, tools, roles and responsibilities and aspects of the M&E system. Show less

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  SeedChange / Sème l’avenir

  Nov 2016 - Mar 2018

  Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Program Manager

  Managed the strategic implementation of USC Canada's monitoring, evaluation and learning systems and approach. Guided the process of developing and refining project results frameworks, key indicators, data collection tools (quantitative and qualitative) and learning processes for a multi-country sustainable agriculture/inclusive economic growth program ($19.5 Million) operating in Africa and Central America. Piloted and tested a cloud-based, database system using the District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) software. Supported the International Programs team in a review of program gender equality plans, strategies and results. Developed and disseminated M&E guidelines, tipsheets and templates to partners in collaboration with staff, improving project management, boosting transparency and accountability, and enhancing effective knowledge sharing and reporting. Show less