Open To Work
Jessenia Ortega
Ocala
Summary
Strategic Regional Health and Safety Director with expertise in managing EHS programs across multiple sites in the Americas. Aligns safety strategies with business goals, enhances compliance, and mitigates risks while standardizing best practices. Drives accountability and fosters a safety-focused culture through effective leadership and communication.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Health and Safety
DEKRA North America
06.2023 - Current
- Directed incident investigation processes to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
- Engaged stakeholders in developing comprehensive safety policies, enhancing regulatory compliance across multiple regions.
- Identified high-risk exposures through job safety analyses, improving operational safety measures.
- Coordinated corporate health and safety reporting to adhere to industry regulations.
- Designed and implemented annual training programs focused on workplace safety topics.
- Spearheaded safety meetings with key organizational members to identify and implement methods for improving employee safety.
- Collaborated with local management to address safety concerns effectively.
- Completed all required state and federal reporting, including annual submissions, on time.
- Reviewed accident reports from regional sites to identify trends in unsafe working conditions, informing safety improvements.
- Implemented incident reporting systems for tracking workplace accidents.
- Performed location assessments for compliance, emergency preparedness, and equipment adequacy.
- Developed and updated emergency response procedures.
- Created and managed training classes to educate new hires and existing employees about compliance concerns.
- Monitored changes in regulations related to occupational health and safety issues.
- Contributed to large-scale risk assessment initiatives and promoted improved business procedures and controls.
Sr. Project Manager / Department PMO
DEKRA SE
01.2019 - 05.2023
- Developed and implemented quality management projects across DEKRA Group, harmonizing processes and partnering solutions to enhance organizational effectiveness.
- Manage departmental projects’ communication, budget, schedule, and resources.
- Motivate, support, and communicate project goals and scope pragmatically to team members.
- Develop policies, programs, and support its implementation within cross-functional teams.
- Work internationally cross-functionally by collaborating with industry experts, service excellence leaders, and quality management staff.
- Support QMS replacement projects by harmonizing processes which support the company’s strategy.
- Facilitate the management of accreditation portfolio and their life cycles via database implementation.
- Conduct systematic evaluations of processes with global impact and manage improvements implementation.
- Develop and coordinate measures leading to process efficacy by creating synergies with corporate units.
- Led cross-functional teams to deliver complex projects on time and within budget.
- Mentored junior project managers to enhance team performance and skills.
- Managed project scope, timeline and budget in alignment with company objectives.
- Monitored progress of projects against established timelines and budgets.
- Liaised with senior management, project team members, and clients to ensure clear communication and alignment on project objectives and progress.
- Coordinated resources across multiple departments and teams to ensure successful completion of projects.
- Provided guidance to team members on how to overcome obstacles during the course of a project.
- Implemented change management processes when issues arose to keep project moving forward and adjust to shifted priorities.
- Conducted post-project evaluations to assess strategy effectiveness and identify areas for future improvement.
- Directed portfolio management activities and strategic alignment of project goals.
- Coordinated with stakeholders to define project scope, objectives and deliverables.
Data Analyst – Contract, Project Management Professional
SOUTHERN GLAZER’S WINE AND SPIRITS
01.2015 - 01.2019
- Leveraged software solutions for accurate documentation of business data (logical modeling), contributing to multiple promotions.
- Analyzed and mined business data to identify patterns and correlations among data points, collaborating with 100+ cross-functional employees.
- Improved methods to map and trace data to solve problems and develop departmental KPIs while performing statistical analysis, uncovering critical performance gaps and enabling cost reductions of up to 10%.
- Authored actionable data reports and reporting tools that facilitated strategic decision making and process improvements, resulting in profit increases of up to $30K.
- Various Locations
EHS Senior Specialist & Systems and Programs Specialist
SOUTHERN GLAZER’S WINE AND SPIRITS
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Supported generation of opportunities with key stakeholders to streamline processes and achieve cost savings of up to $30K despite significant logistical and operational challenges.
- Conducted extensive research to enhance competitive advantages.
- Cited for contributions in managing, assessing, and enhancing performance and related departmental metrics, including input on the SMS project which resulted in a 10% reduction in avg. project budget variance.
- Aligned specialized departments and collaborated cross-functionally to support strategic planning, earning commendations for understanding long-term goals and influencing new revenues.
- Various Locations
Safety Manager
SOUTHERN GLAZER’S WINE AND SPIRITS
01.2015 - 12.2015
- Spearheaded best-in-class health and safety plans, in addition to guiding policies to establish a workplace culture.
- Facilitated regulatory audits, led implementation of action plans rollout, and coordinated risk assessments, leading to no major safety incidents and the effective resolution of over 20 systemic risks in just 6 months.
- Led training sessions and presentations; developed a comprehensive safety program that encouraged personal accountability among personnel and proactive issue resolution.
- Supported development of training materials and programs for 600 employees, enhancing safety knowledge and compliance.
- Various Locations
EHSS Supervisor
Atlas Paper Mills
Hialeah
08.2014 - 12.2014
- Conducted safety audits, ensuring compliance with regulations and enhancing organizational safety standards.
- Developed and implemented safety training programs for employees across various sites.
- Monitored worksite conditions to identify potential hazards and mitigate risks promptly.
- Collaborated with management to create a culture of safety and employee engagement.
- Led incident investigations to determine root causes and improve safety protocols.
- Communicated safety updates to all team members through meetings and reports, fostering awareness and engagement.
- Coordinated with external agencies such as OSHA for compliance audits.
- Developed site-specific safety plans for each project, including emergency evacuation plans.
- Performed daily hazard assessments of the worksite environment prior to commencing operations.
Corporate Safety Coordinator
TITAN AMERICA
Medley
01.2008 - 07.2014
- Upheld strict and continuous adherence with internal EHS group guidelines and policies as well as all other pertinent federal regulations, creating a cutting-edge system which reduced near-misses by 20%.
- Managed MSHA and OSHA compliance programs, advocating for methodologies that improved regulatory adherence.
- Researched, gathered, correlated, and evaluated data, generating reports that identified opportunities, saving the company up to $150K annually.
- Streamlined claims file administration, enhancing retrieval efficiency and organization.
Education
ISO 45001 Internal Auditor - International Standard Organization
Exemplar Global/DEKRA
04-2026
Ceritifcation - Project Management
Certified Project Manager
Miami12-2017
Bachelor of Arts - International Business
Florida International University
01-2014
Associate of Arts - Business Administration
Miami Dade College
01-2008
Skills
- Health and safety compliance
- Project management
- Planning and budgeting
- Stakeholder engagement
- Performance reporting
- Process improvement
- Resource management
- Complex problem solving
- Strategic support
- Team leadership
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Communication skills
- Relationship building
- Critical analysis
References
Detailed References Available on Request
Languages
- English
- Spanish
- German (elementary)
Languages
English
Full Professional
Spanish
Native/ Bilingual
German
Elementary
Work Preference
Job Search Status
Open to workLocation Preference
RemoteSalary Range
$140000/yr - $200000/yrTimeline
Director, Health and Safety
DEKRA North America
06.2023 - Current
Sr. Project Manager / Department PMO
DEKRA SE
01.2019 - 05.2023
Data Analyst – Contract, Project Management Professional
SOUTHERN GLAZER’S WINE AND SPIRITS
01.2015 - 01.2019
EHS Senior Specialist & Systems and Programs Specialist
SOUTHERN GLAZER’S WINE AND SPIRITS
01.2015 - 01.2018
Safety Manager
SOUTHERN GLAZER’S WINE AND SPIRITS
01.2015 - 12.2015
EHSS Supervisor
Atlas Paper Mills
08.2014 - 12.2014
Corporate Safety Coordinator
TITAN AMERICA
01.2008 - 07.2014
ISO 45001 Internal Auditor - International Standard Organization
Exemplar Global/DEKRA
Ceritifcation - Project Management
Certified Project Manager
Bachelor of Arts - International Business
Florida International University
Associate of Arts - Business Administration
Miami Dade College