Karen Bennett

Experience

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  USACE-HEC

  Jan 1999 - Jan 2001

  Intern
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  USAID/West Bank & Gaza

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2006

  Water Resources Engineering Manager
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  USAID

  Jan 2007 - Oct 2007

  Supervisory Engineer
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  Bennett's 1815 House and Seedhouse Cafe

  Feb 2008 - Jan 2011

  Co-owner

  My husband (a chef) and I operated a fine dining restaurant and bed and breakfast in rural Vermont in the early years of our marriage. I managed the business end, built and managed the website, menu, marketing, and financials.

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  Tetra Tech ARD

  Jan 2011 - Nov 2012

  Deputy Chief of Party/Senior Civil Engineer

  As Technical Program Lead, assessed existing facilities and past designs in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and local stakeholders to determine redesign requirements of a prototypical Health Center for rural Ethiopia. Directed design and quality control efforts. Partnered with the home office staff to develop the Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (EMMP); USAID used this EEMP as a training tool for use on future projects.  - Led the prototype design process for new Health Centers and renovations of existing Health Centers focused on life safety, patient privacy, reduced infection rates, and health care waste management, which were all new innovations in facilities design in Ethiopia.  - Coordinated with the Chief of Party to manage budgets, schedules, project progress, reporting and project-tracking schedules, and subcontractor, staff, and satellite office management in a developing country. - Hired and trained both in-house staff and the staff of three local Architectural and Engineering firms to perform site inspections, develop site plans, and produce construction documents to meet USAID’s standards of excellence. This successful effort significantly raised the bar of quality among Architectural and Engineering firms in Ethiopia. - Managed four direct reports and three A&E subcontracted firms for this $6.6M design project. Show less

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  Chemonics International

  Nov 2012 - Oct 2014

  Chief of Party

  Provided technical assistance to the national utility in order to improve management practices and increase local resident knowledge, attitudes, and skills to improve planning and decision making for Island resources. Led the project redesign using a renewed commitment/implementation insight; enhanced communications with clients and key stakeholders while focusing the firm's core competencies on revised project objectives. Spearheaded the development of a comprehensive utility management systems plan, including public outreach activities within the water sector, and good governance workshops with local officials. - Managed eight direct reports for this $7.2M project. - Developed proposals, budgets, detailed work plans, tracking systems, and reporting for stakeholders and regulators.  - Revised procedures to set clearer staff expectations and to improve staff support, development, and compensation. Show less

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  Sherwood Design Engineers

  May 2016 - now

  Senior Project Manager
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  University of California, Berkeley

  Jan 2018 - now

  Civil Engineer

  Campus engineer in the Facilities Services Department. Responsible for water, sewer and storm drainage campus wide.