Karen Janes
About Karen Janes
Karen Janes serves as the Head of Programming at Catholic Relief Services, where she has worked since 2019. With a strong background in program management and development, she oversees a significant programming portfolio and leads various initiatives in the Philippines.
Current Role at Catholic Relief Services
Karen Janes serves as the Head of Programming at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) since 2019. In this role, she leads the development of the new country strategy and oversees business development initiatives for emergency response and development. She collaborates with various organizations, including BHA, USAID, ADB, and the EU, to enhance programming efforts. Janes manages an annual programming portfolio valued at over $10 million, ensuring the integration of safeguarding and gender-responsive strategies into operations.
Previous Experience at Catholic Relief Services
Prior to her current position, Karen Janes held multiple roles at Catholic Relief Services. From 2016 to 2018, she worked as the Protection Program Coordinator in the Balkans. Before that, she served as the Program Manager for Counter Trafficking - Capacity Building from 2014 to 2016, also in the Balkans. Additionally, she was the Program Quality Manager II in Laos from 2018 to 2019 and the Program Manager for Quality and Growth from 2012 to 2014 in the Balkans.
Education and Expertise
Karen Janes holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in International Management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, where she studied from 2006 to 2008. She also earned a Master of Science (MS) in Anthropology from the College of Charleston, studying from 1996 to 2000. Her educational background supports her expertise in program management and international development.
Leadership in Sector Working Groups
In her current role, Karen Janes chairs the Philippines Cash Working Group. She represents Catholic Relief Services in various sector working groups, promoting the organization's expertise and value as a partner. This leadership role highlights her commitment to enhancing collaboration and effectiveness within the humanitarian sector.
Team Management and Support
Karen Janes provides supportive supervision to a team of seven programming staff and supports programming teams across five offices in the Philippines. This totals approximately 150 staff members. Her management approach emphasizes collaboration and support, ensuring effective program implementation and staff development.