Karina Messina

• Established and serviced local and national stakeholder relationships.
• Established policies and procedures for the centre, creating a consistent framework for staff members to follow.
• Facility set-up and facilities management including assets, budget, and WH&S planning and management.
• Establishment and delivery of student support services including process development and execution.
• Established and executed a local marketing plan, including assisting in creating marketing materials, community and stakeholder newsletters to promote centre programs, resulting in increased community awareness and engagement.
• Entered data, generated quarterly reports, and produced tracking documents.
• Streamlined communication between staff members for planning purposes.
• Managed program budgets by tracking expenses, identifying potential cost savings, and allocating funds appropriately.
• Supported grant writing and acquittal efforts, including gathering data and assisting in the development of compelling proposals for funding opportunities.
• Increased student and stakeholder satisfaction by providing exceptional customer service and promptly addressing any concerns/complaints.
• Coordinated centre events ranging from 10-140 attendees, ensuring engaging, timely, and cost-effective solutions.
• Managed event logistics, ensuring smooth operations and successful outcomes for centre activities.
• Facilitated regular staff meetings where progress updates were shared among team members.
• Executed staff Performance Improvement Plans with positive outcomes.
• Handled complex scheduling tasks for multiple rooms within the facility while minimising conflicts.
• Organised special events including workshops and guest speakers aligned with centre goals while fostering community involvement.
• Evaluated program effectiveness using feedback from students, stakeholders, and staff members, making improvements as needed to better serve the mission and local community.
• Enhanced program efficiency by streamlining administrative processes and implementing new organisational systems.
• Maintained accurate records of participant attendance, facility usage, and financial transactions for streamlined reporting and analysis.
• Collaborated with team members to develop innovative services and program offerings, attracting a diverse range of students and professionals.
• Maintained a clean and inviting facility by coordinating regular cleaning schedules and asset/building maintenance tasks with internal and external providers.
• Monitored facility maintenance needs, scheduling repairs to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for participants.
• Undertook all WHS tasks and trained staff in relevant WHS legislation application.
• Ensured compliance with local regulations and requirements pertaining to licensing or permits related to facility use or programming.
• Oversaw appointment scheduling and coordination for team members, professionals, students, and stakeholders.
• Hired, managed, developed and trained staff, established and monitored goals, conducted performance reviews.
• Resolved issues through active listening and open-ended questioning, escalating major problems to the CEO.
• Gathered and organised materials to support all facets of daily operations.
• Developed strong relationships with community, local council, federal dept. of Education, and national tertiary education partners to enhance collaboration opportunities and expand program reach.
• Built a highly efficient and psychosocially safe team environment through managing coaching and professional development opportunities.
• Managed and trained staff to respond to all socio-emotional wellbeing needs of the students including monitoring compliance with policies, procedures and legislation.
• Entered data, generated reports, and produced tracking documents.

• Improved operational workflows by identifying areas of inefficiency and implementing appropriate solutions. This includes improvements to correspondence management, schedule coordination and recordkeeping.
• Anticipated financial impact from operational issues and worked with leadership to develop solutions.
• Budget monitoring and management.
• Oversaw financial operations, maintaining accurate records and ensuring compliance with industry regulations.
• Communicated with customers and vendors positively, with particular attention to problem resolution.
• Negotiated contracts with suppliers and vendors, securing favourable terms for the company while maintaining strong relationships.
• Successfully managed organisational change initiatives, minimising disruptions to daily operations while achieving desired outcomes.
• Executed business plans to further strengthen and maximise sales and profits.
• Implemented cost-cutting measures, resulting in substantial savings for the organisation without compromising on quality or performance.
• Processed vital documentation, completed forms and obtained appropriate insurance verification and authorisation for services.
• Instituted data-driven approach to decision-making, leveraging analytics to guide business strategies.
• Optimised inventory management, reducing waste and ensuring the availability of key products.
• Reduced operational risks while organising data to forecast performance trends.

• Interviewed, observed, and surveyed patients and their families to gain necessary information for psychological diagnosis and intervention.
• Conducted thorough psychological assessments using evidence-based methods to provide accurate diagnoses and inform treatment strategies.
• Managed caseload of individual clients and family therapy sessions.
• Facilitated and designed psychoeducational workshops for patients and their families, increasing understanding of mental health issues and available resources.
• Developed and delivered customised treatment plans for clients, addressing their unique psychological needs and goals.
• Improved patient outcomes by utilising evidence-based therapeutic approaches in individual and group therapy sessions.
• Facilitated child, teen, and adult group therapy sessions to provide an interactive and supportive environment for clients to process experiences and learn new coping skills.
• Implemented evidence-based therapeutic techniques tailored towards each client's specific symptomatology while monitoring progress throughout treatment duration.
• Documented diagnoses, interventions implemented, and outcomes across in- and outpatient clinics.
• Established a strong professional network with local healthcare providers, enhancing referral partnerships and improving accessibility.
• Provided crisis intervention services when necessary, de-escalating situations and connecting individuals with appropriate resources for ongoing support.
• Prevented the escalation of mental health crises by responding promptly to urgent requests for psychological support from patients and their families.
• Enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration with psychiatrists, social workers, and other mental health professionals to ensure comprehensive care for clients.
• Fostered a positive work environment by actively participating in team meetings, offering constructive feedback, and maintaining open lines of communication with colleagues.
• Contributed to team development by providing clinical supervision to junior psychologists or interns seeking licensure.
• Worked in an inter-disciplinary team environment, and led business improvement projects leading to substantial service improvements from a client perspective, and higher organisational efficiency.

• Implemented crisis and community safety intervention strategies, ensuring immediate safety measures were in place for at-risk youth and the community.
• Delivered high-quality evidence-based care by conducting thorough assessments, developing intervention plans, and providing ongoing therapeutic support.
• Advocated for youth within the forensic system to ensure access to appropriate resources and services for rehabilitation.
• Developed tailored intervention plans to address the unique needs of each youth and their family environments.
• Participated in case reviews with multidisciplinary teams to discuss complex cases and develop collaborative solutions for individualised intervention plans.
• Conducted group and individual therapy sessions to facilitate skill development, coping strategies, and emotional processing among participants.
• Improved intervention outcomes by implementing evidence-based clinical practices.
• Maintained up-to-date knowledge on industry best practices, attending conferences and participating in continuing education opportunities.
• Collaborated with primary and allied healthcare providers to ensure seamless integration of forensic services into overall patient care plans.
• Served as a mentor to new clinicians, providing guidance on techniques, documentation standards, and ethical considerations in practice.
• Reviewed outcome measures data regularly to identify trends and modify treatment approaches accordingly for improved clinical results.
• Developed educational materials for patients and families about various mental health conditions, treatment options, and coping strategies.
• Managed caseload of individual clients.
• Implemented sound, peer-reviewed methodologies and interventions to foster psychological health.
• Undertook research including data collection, analysis, and academic journal article publication.

• Managed high-risk offenders effectively, implementing crisis intervention techniques, safety planning, and case management to ensure client and community safety.
• Created well-written, effective intervention plans appropriately matching the needs of clients and following legislative standards and guidelines.
• Collaborated with external agencies for community safety and individual rehabilitation.
• Developed strong relationships with community partners, external and internal stakeholders, expanding the network of available resources for clients and increasing community safety.
• Coordinated multi-disciplinary teams including healthcare professionals, social workers, and legal advisors to provide comprehensive support to clients and improve community safety.
• Delivery, design and evaluation of the effectiveness of group and individual intervention programs.
• Facilitated successful transitions between various stages of care by closely monitoring progress and adapting case plans as needed.
• Undertook court duties facilitating sentencing and rehabilitation.
• Spearheaded initiatives that streamlined workflows within the department, reducing administrative burdens on staff members while maintaining high-quality services and improving rehabilitation outcomes for clients.
• Mentored new case managers and programs staff, answering questions, offering opportunities to shadow and observe and explaining information about legislative application as per company procedures.

Cumulatively:

• Developed rapport with customers through active listening skills, leading to higher retention rates and positive feedback from clients.
• Assisted with day-to-day operations, working efficiently and productively with all team members.
• Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
• Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.
• Managed time efficiently to complete all tasks within deadlines.
• Organised and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
• Paid attention to detail while completing assignments.
• Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions.
• Maintained strict adherence to industry regulations, minimising risk exposure for the organisation.
• Enhanced communication between team members by organising regular meetings and fostering open dialogue.
• Established effective relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally for increased collaboration opportunities.
• Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
• Maintained detailed records of customer interactions, ensuring proper follow-up and resolution of issues.
• Resolved escalated customer issues, restoring confidence in the company's commitment to service excellence.
• Fostered a positive customer service culture within the team, which led to higher customer satisfaction rates.
• Delivered prompt service to prioritise customer needs.
• Promptly responded to inquiries and requests from prospective customers.
• Managed high-stress/emotive situations effectively, maintaining professionalism under pressure while resolving disputes or conflicts.
• Resolved customer complaints with empathy, resulting in increased loyalty and repeat business.
• Obtained FINSIA (Financial Services Institute of Australasia) qualifications.
• Reviewed and synthesised relevant research articles to inform the development of research questions and hypotheses.
• Analysed qualitative and quantitative research to deliver policy and other analyses.
• Assisted in the development of research methodologies for optimal data collection and analysis, resulting in improved research outcomes.
• Improved data accuracy by conducting thorough field research and analysis.