SAHDEE WATKINS
Williamsburg/Richmond,VA
Summary
Results-driven External Affairs and Government Program Manager with PMP certification and expertise in program performance and financial compliance. Led cross-agency initiatives that enhanced collaboration and risk management while managing a $3M+ portfolio. Delivered comprehensive reports and analyses to senior leadership on strategic milestones and operational outcomes, fostering trust and customer satisfaction.
Overview
1
1
Certificate
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
CSA Program Director | Senior Program Lead
York-Poquoson Department of Social Services
10.2023 - Current
- Serve as the primary government-facing program lead and external affairs point of contact for a $3M+ portfolio—acting as the single point of contact for executive stakeholders, community organizations, multi-agency partners, and public officials on all matters related to program performance, compliance, and financial status.
- Lead community stakeholder engagement programs through facilitated listening sessions, small-group briefings, and multidisciplinary planning forums; build and maintain trusted relationships with government agencies, behavioral health providers, school systems, court systems, and community-based organizations through two-way dialogue and consensus-driven decision-making.
- Own program financial performance across multiple state and federal funding streams: manage budget forecasting, cost performance monitoring, burn rate analysis, invoicing, reimbursement processing, and midyear/annual financial reporting.
- Manage 50+ provider contracts simultaneously across diverse funding types, ensuring compliance with contract requirements, deliverables, and Performance Work Statement (PWS) obligations; oversee cost-benefit analysis, change order processing, and reconciliation.
- Lead cross-agency governance in a highly matrixed environment without direct authority; facilitate executive-level coordination among CPMT, FAPT, schools, behavioral health providers, court systems, and social services agencies through consensus building and stakeholder governance best practices.
- Spearheaded SOP standardization across 50+ provider contracts, reducing administrative processing time by 25% while maintaining 100% compliance with state and federal requirements.
- Proactively identify operational, financial, and community-impact risks using RAID methodologies; develop issue management and mitigation strategies and implement corrective action plans (CAPAs) sustaining uninterrupted program operations and funding continuity.
- Prepare and deliver comprehensive written reports, operational analyses, and executive briefings—verbally and in writing—for senior government leadership on program performance, financial outcomes, and strategic milestones.
Risk Management Program Specialist
Richmond Public Schools
12.2021 - 07.2023
- Managed district-wide safety, compliance, and operational risk programs across 50+ sites; tracked program performance against compliance schedules and reported status to executive leadership both verbally and in writing.
- Assessed government-funded programs and operational contracts for regulatory compliance; developed and implemented corrective action plans (CAPAs) to strengthen audit readiness.
- Designed automated tracking dashboards and reporting tools that improved program visibility and reduced manual reporting time by 20%.
- Identified workflow gaps and led process improvement initiatives enhancing cross-department coordination and data accuracy.
Regional Program Director
Georgia Division of Family & Children’s Services
05.2019 - 11.2021
- Directed regional program operations across multiple service locations; served as primary liaison between state leadership, government contract offices, and community stakeholders on all program performance, compliance, and public policy matters.
- Led community outreach and stakeholder engagement activities—facilitating public meetings, cross-agency coordination sessions, and stakeholder briefings—to advance program objectives and build consensus among diverse government, community, and organizational partners.
- Supervised and developed a team of 20+ staff in a matrixed environment; managed full HR lifecycle including recruitment, progressive discipline, conflict resolution, performance improvement plans, and employee relations.
- Led compliance reviews, audits, and corrective action planning (CAPA) across federally funded programs, ensuring alignment with federal and state public policy mandates.
- Implemented QA strategies and risk mitigation measures to improve compliance outcomes and organizational responsiveness.
Case Manager & Facilitator
Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
09.2014 - 03.2018
- Coordinated service planning and case management in federally funded programs (Title IV-E) to ensure adherence to state and federal public policy requirements, supporting effective service delivery.
- Facilitated multidisciplinary stakeholder meetings and community engagement sessions to enhance collaboration and foster consensus among government, family, and community audiences.
- Maintained audit-ready documentation and compliance records to uphold standards for program evaluations and regulatory accountability.
Education
Master of Public Administration and Policy -
American University
Bachelor of Science - Sociology/Criminal Justice
Virginia State University
Skills
- Program management
- Policy Development
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk management
- Financial management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Interagency coordination
- Vendor management
- Funding compliance
- Executive reporting
- Strategic performance
- Consensus building
- Stakeholder Governance
- PWS execution
- Data Analysis
- Jira
- Agile Methodologies
- Process improvement
- Action planning
- Cross-functional leadership
- Risk assessment
- Outreach planning
Certification
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Certified Facilitator
Timeline
CSA Program Director | Senior Program Lead
York-Poquoson Department of Social Services
10.2023 - Current
Risk Management Program Specialist
Richmond Public Schools
12.2021 - 07.2023
Regional Program Director
Georgia Division of Family & Children’s Services
05.2019 - 11.2021
Case Manager & Facilitator
Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
09.2014 - 03.2018
Master of Public Administration and Policy -
American University
Bachelor of Science - Sociology/Criminal Justice
Virginia State University
Personal Information
Relocation: Open to Relocation
Project Management Tools Methods
Microsoft Project, Advanced Excel, Microsoft Office Suite, Jira, Program Management (PMP), Hybrid Project Management, RAID-Based Risk Management, Change Management, Stakeholder Governance, Performance Work Statement (PWS) Execution
Personal Information
Relocation: Open to Relocation