Yesenia Aponte-Melendez
Bronx,NY
Summary
Latina public health professional with over a decade of experience managing programs and teams, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and private funders. Skilled in grant management, team work, strategic planning, problem-solving, fiscal management, and partnership development to grow and sustain harm reduction and health initiatives. Highly collaborative, motivated, community-oriented, reliable and committed to advance health equity.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Project Manager
NYU Langone
New York, New York
09.2024 - Current
- Oversee implementation of SBIRT–OEND (Screening, Brief Intervention, Opioid Education, and Naloxone Distribution) program and buprenorphine initiation research at emergency room departments.
- Develop, implement, and monitor program policies, procedures and protocols.
- Develop, monitor, and reconcile program budgets; prepare contracts, grants, and reports for federal, state, and private funders in collaboration with finance and grant management teams.
- Recruit, hire, train, and supervise programs staff, volunteers, and interns.
- Facilitate regular leadership, interns, volunteers, and staff meetings.
- Ensure compliance with all contractual and legal requirements.
- Prepare reports for external and internal stakeholders.
- Participate in audits, and continuous quality improvement activities.
- Support IRB submissions and data management for quality assurance processes to ensure accuracy, and compliance.
- Prepare manuscripts for submission to journals and present findings at meetings, conferences, and community forums.
- Coordinate with teams to resolve project issues and mitigate risks.
- Track deliverables, and monitor progress across multiple initiatives to identify areas of improvement and comply with timelines, goals and deadlines.
- Participate in multi-agency strategic initiatives aimed at reducing health consequences related to drug use.
- Conduct staff performance evaluations, and support professional development.
Project Director
CUNY Graduate School of Public Health
07.2019 - 09.2024
- Directed and coordinated multiple HIV, HCV, drug use, and overdose NIH and private funded research projects in partnership with syringe service programs.
- Prepared protocols, progress reports, and grant proposals for federal, state, and industry-funded projects.
- Facilitated monthly multi-site meetings with syringes services providers, research team, and medical providers to review program implementation and emerging data trends.
- Led dried blood spot training and HIV/HCV testing initiatives at fixed-site and street-based programs.
- Monitored project deliverables, tracked progress, and developed implementation timelines across several concurrent studies.
- Supervised, hired, and trained peers, care coordinator, volunteers, and research assistants.
- Designed and implemented a Hepatitis C education series (webinars and in-person) for medical providers, harm reduction workers, drug treatment providers, syringe services programs participants, and other community members.
- Collaborated on manuscripts, journal publications related to HIV, HCV, overdose prevention, drug use, and harm reduction.
- Implement bilingual and culturally appropriated public health interventions to prevent HCV and HIV transmission, increase awareness, and address barriers to care in high risk-communities.
- Coordinate with diverse stakeholders to develop and disseminate tailored health information to healthcare providers and community members.
- Oversaw budget development and financial tracking.
- Managed cross-functional teams throughout all stages of the projects.
Assistant Project Director
National Development and Research Institutes
New York, New York
06.2012 - 06.2017
- Coordinated participant recruitment, enrollment, and data collection.
- Ensured confidentiality and compliance with federal and institutional research protocols.
- Developed and presented project updates fo research sponsors, and methadone clinics.
- Supervised and trained research assistants across projects related to drug use and HIV.
- Assisted with grant applications, data analysis, and contributed to manuscripts and peer-reviewed journal publications.
Co-Founder/Volunteer
El Punto En La Montaña
12.2007 - Current
- Co-founded one of Puerto Rico's first syringe services program in rural Puerto Rico, sustaining operations for over 15 years.
- Led fundraising and successful grant writing efforts to sustain program operations and lifesaving services.
- Coordinated multiple harm reduction initiatives including syringe exchange, model shooting gallery, wound care, peer outreach, and community education.
- Build and managed partnerships with community-based organizations for advocacy, referral and follow-up care.
- Conducted outreach and needs assessments in high-risk environments (e.g., shooting galleries, drug spots).
- Created a volunteer program with medical students to expand wound care services.
- Coordinated research collaborations with local and external institutions, contributing to manuscripts, publications, and grant-funded initiatives to expand community services.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
University of Puerto Rico
Ph.D. -
The New School
New York Skills
Program Leadership and Development
Partnerships and Stakeholder Collaboration
Staff Development and Supervision
Compliance Monitoring
Strategic Planning
Grants, Budget, and Contract Management
Program Leadership and Development
Language
English/Spanish
Software
Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, REDCap, SPSS, Qualtrics
Timeline
Project Manager
NYU Langone
09.2024 - Current
Project Director
CUNY Graduate School of Public Health
07.2019 - 09.2024
Assistant Project Director
National Development and Research Institutes
06.2012 - 06.2017
Co-Founder/Volunteer
El Punto En La Montaña
12.2007 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
University of Puerto Rico
Ph.D. -
The New School
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