Karla Christensen

Experience

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  Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan)

  Sept 1994 - Jul 1995

  Fulbright Scholar

  Developed a comprehensive master plan, with detailed drawings and landscape plan, for an eco-tourist park at the site of two Neolithic temples.

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  White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group

  Oct 1995 - Aug 1997

  Landscape Architect

  • Worked directly with clients on conceptual and final designs, and construction of family 'edutainment' centers and children's play gardens for parks, schools, Head Start Day Care and other child care facilities• Responsible for detailed drawings, master planning and construction documentation

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  American Refugee Committee

  Oct 1997 - Dec 1998

  Program Manager | Head of Office, Bosnia - Herzegovina

  • Implemented a $3.1 million program from design to construction of 250 playgrounds and sports fields • Initiated a variety of activities with local and national authorities that mobilized communities to construct playgrounds, advocate for improved educational opportunities and support school governance• Coordinated youth development programs, including the first multi-ethnic bike races and basketball games to be organized since the end of the war. Upon completion, at the Dayton anniversary ceremony, the U.S. Department of State recognized these programs as a key contribution to the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement Show less

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  Save the Children UK

  Nov 1999 - Dec 1999

  Construction, Logistics and Procurement Officer/Kosovo

  • Set-up the new office that managed an umbrella grant for the USAID-funded Kosovo Assistance Program following the Kosovo war• In charge of the complete rehabilitation of the office building, all procurement of furniture, computers, vehicles, telecommunications, staff hiring, finance and administration

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  Catholic Relief Services

  Mar 2000 - Oct 2001

  Program Manager

  • Managed a multi-million dollar grant jointly funded by USAID and CRS in Tirana, Albania following the Kosovo conflict, completing the reconstruction of 21 schools and sports fields/playgrounds with full community participation• Supervised a team of six engineers and architects ensuring detailed and accurate construction documentation, fair and transparent tendering and contractual procedures, and quality construction completed on time and to the budget• Responsible for public outreach, strategic planning, proposal writing, reporting and donor relations • Coordinated all youth development activities including summer camp programming, strategy development, teacher training and implementation• Initiated and implemented a small grants program of community mobilization and capacity building projects empowering Parent Teacher Associations to prioritize, design, plan and implement projects that improved school infrastructure, school governance and educational opportunities Show less

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  USAID

  Mar 2003 - Dec 2004

  Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) specialist for USAID/Albania

  • Acted as the liaison between the USAID Mission and the Embassy for all jointly coordinated pubic events. Took the lead role in planning and organizing all official events; writing speeches; coordinating the media; dealing with protocol issues; and organizing conferences and receptions •. Acted as the point of contact for all media inquiries and worked with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy to coordinate journalist interviews for television and radio broadcasting, online and mainstream publications.• Collected, investigated and prepared all public relations material for distribution to USAID/Washington, the broader donor community and to the American and Albanian audience. Materials included: program overviews, press releases, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations and web site design and maintenance Show less

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  Louisiana State University

  Sept 2006 - Aug 2007

  Professor in Residence

  • With the Office of Community Design and Development, responded to the urgent needs of schools and day care centers damaged by Hurricane Katrina in predominantly African-American neighborhoods in and around New Orleans• In charge of all public relations and fund-raising for the New Orleans Schoolyard Project, dedicated to designing and constructing schoolyards throughout the New Orleans area

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  Mercy Corps

  Aug 2007 - Feb 2009

  Deputy Director

  • Managed a multi-million dollar grant jointly funded by the American Red Cross and Mercy Corps, which assisted the resettlement and community revitalization of thousands of displaced families who had lost their homes and livelihoods to the tsunami• Supervised and supported three program offices throughout the region with a total number of 150 staff, observing deadlines and achieving results with rigorous monitoring and evaluation• Oversaw a team of six engineers and architects in charge of design and construction of all community design/build projects, including the completion of the first ever 6 meter high boulder playground with caves, two slides, sand pits and climbing wall• Coordinated the implementation of a community, economic and local government development program: completing the rehabilitation and/or construction of community-designed projects including schools, roads, bridges, parks and playgrounds; conducting numerous local government staff trainings; and managing major projects in WASH, the local rice market, micro-finance and market information • As Acting Director, was responsible for all operational activities including administration, human resources, finance, procurement, property and security• Directed senior management staff in strategic planning and proposal writing, and advised on the completion of skillfully prepared activity plans, timeframes, budgets, forecasts, log frames, training plans and schedules Show less

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  Self employed

  Aug 2009 - Jul 2015

  Independent Consultant

  Worked as an independent consultant for two children’s entertainment complexes in Egypt and Vietnam as the sole landsacpe architect in collaboration with the client and architecture, engineering and lighting teams.• Club Liko, Egypt: Completed the master plan and all design drawings with details, specs and sections for two discovery play gardens with climbing structures, water, mud and sand play, dinosaur dig, pretend house in forest, pretend car, wild grass exporation, and fishing pond. Responsible for lighting and irrigation design, plant selection and installation of materials with landscape contractor, and supervised the construction on-site of all hardscape, lighing, irrigation and installation of play equipment and large boulders• Helio Center, Vietnam: Completed the master plan and all design drawings and details for an amusement complex including: outdoor café and restaurant areas, discovery garden for 2-5 year age group, playground for 5-12 year age group, water tube play, boat river ride and driving school. Also in charge of landscaping the entrance/drop offs/ exits, and green area surrounding the indoor complex Show less

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  USAID

  Jan 2016 - Jan 2021

  Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) specialist for USAID/Somalia

  • Led the development and implementation of a communications strategy in coordination with the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) and USAID technical offices• Produced and disseminated public information about the U.S. Mission to Somalia’s foreign assistance activities, promoting USAID/Somalia’s development and humanitarian programs that cut across several technical offices including: economic growth, resilience, education, health, democracy, stabilization and governance • Collected, investigated and prepared all communications material for distribution to USAID/Washington, the broader donor community and to American, Somali, Kenyan and other international audiences. Materials included: Medium and Exposure blogs, fact sheets, case studies, press releases, success stories, photos, videos, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, Twitter and web site content• Served as the Activity Manager for a $1.7 million Communication Support Services contract responsible for: social media content development, media monitoring, photography and videography, translation services, graphic design, and printing• Served as the point of contact for all media and public relations matters, and as the in-house expert on branding and marking and positioning of USAID communications materials and deliverables • Coordinated with the PAS to organize public media events for the U.S. Ambassador to Somalia and the USAID Mission Director; leveraging local and international media relationships; preparing and overseeing interviews for television and radio broadcasting, and online and mainstream publications; developing inter-agency messaging; drafting, editing and tracking briefing check lists (BCLs); drafting speeches, talking points and press releases• Supported USAID implementing partners (IP) in developing strategic communications and branding and implementation plans, and building the capacity of IP staff in storytelling, writing, photography, and videography Show less

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  USAID

  Apr 2021 - Nov 2023

  USAID/West Africa Regional Website and Online Multimedia Consultant - remote position

  This consultancy supported the website and social media content development and amplification for the USAID/West Africa Regional Office, USAID Missions in 21 countries with their implementing partners, and USAID Legislative Public Affairs. I was responsible for the development and implementation of a strategic social media communications plan, ensuring that live updates and strong messaging was maintained through appropriate channels, reaching both internal and external audiences in the United States, West Africa and around the world. This consultancy also had a strong component in capacity building of our implementing partners in social media, photography, and videography, and in the drafting and editing of USAID/West Africa publications. Show less

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  USAID

  Apr 2024 - now

  USAID/Uganda Development, Outreach, and Communications short-term consultant

  This short-term assignment will result in the creative documentation of successes and lessons learned of three Democracy, Human Rights and Governance (DRG) programs closing out this year. In close collaboration with the DRG team and implementing partners we will produce Exposure stories, videos, photographs and social media. Other tasks include fact sheet updates, talking points and comms training.