summary of career and skills.

1. MARGARET HALL – CURRICULUM VITAE
NATIONALITY: USA
BIO-DATA
CURRENT ADDRESS:
753 ELM ST.
SEGUIN, TEXAS 78155
HOME NR: +1 (830) 379-8828
MOBILE: +1 (830) 305-8828
EMAIL: MFH20002000@YAHOO.COM
MARGARET.HALL@UNDP.ORG
PROFESSION Project Manager/Administrator
ACADEMIC Master of Urban & Regional Planning, Texas A&M University, USA (1991)
QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor of Arts – History, Schreiner College, Kerrville, Texas, USA (1987)
LANGUAGES English, mother tongue; French, basic; Dutch, some knowledge.
COMPETENCIES Development of information management systems, policy analysis and decision support for international
organizations, government agencies, statistical agencies, CSOs/NGOs, private sector.
Practical Skills: team and project management; technical background in computer assisted and thematic
mapping; the development and use of data, statistics, indicators; mentoring and coaching for information
management processes and products.
IT SKILLS General database development, support in development of publications, previous programming and use
of GIS; software environments: GIS (ESRI ARCINFO, MapInfo, etc.), MS Office software packages
(including MS Access, MS Excel), PC Oracle (some knowledge), strong internet research skills.
WORK HISTORY
2008 - PRESENT CHIEF OF SECTION, INFORMATION ANALYSIS SECTION, BANDA ACEH (INDONESIA)
Heading up the Information Analysis Section (IAS), the technical branch of the Office of the United
Nations Recovery Coordinator (UNORC), Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Also acting as the recovery affairs
advisor (post-tsunami) on matters related to developing data, information and analysis products that
inform on the progress and sustainability of the recovery effort.
Managing a project staff of 12-25 persons, including database technicians, statisticians, thematic experts
and ICT support services. The main aim of IAS is to provide technical support to stakeholders in a post-
tsunami and post-conflict environment. The head of IAS is tasked with directing the development of
data, indicators and other information and knowledge products relevant to the recovery and
reconstruction process in Aceh and Nias in a post-tsunami and post-conflict setting as well as attending
to cross cutting issues such as gender and the environment. The scope of project activities range from
delivering technical solutions (e.g. databases, monitoring and evaluation support, development of training
manuals) and providing advisory services for information management issues to senior level decision
makers in the provincial government as well as the national body for reconstruction and recovery (BRR).
The IAS work plan was developed to ensure the recovery community wide access to existing data and
information relevant to the recovery and reconstruction in the region. Key IAS project deliverables:
publication of AcehInfo (database application built on the UN-backed DevInfo platform), indicator-
based publications, development and support for web-based projects, the development and launching of
the Communities of Practice network (Solution Exchange Aceh and Nias). Managing the project includes
responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the project, networking and coordination (UN, IOs,
NGOs, national and local government, donors), supervising day-to-day activities of the project and staff,
monitoring to ensure that the project is delivering on its mandate, logistics, operations, human resource
management and any other administrative matters.
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2. 2006 - 2007 MANAGER, UNDP CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, LIBERIA
Manager of the National Information Management Centre (NIMAC), a unique technical assistance and
capacity building project developed jointly by the National Statistical Office of Liberia (LISGIS) and
UNDP to respond to the data and information needs of the government and broader development
community in Liberia. In concert with its partners, NIMAC worked to: build information management
capacity within the government, in particular the LISGIS as well as within the wider National Statistical
System; support government with information management services and products; promote common
standards and best practises; support the monitoring and tracking of progress of key development
frameworks within Liberia (e.g. CCA, UNDAF, PRS, NSDS).
Manage a project staff of 20 persons, including technicians and support services. Project activities
focused on technical skills transfer and training and support to different stakeholders, with an annual
project budget of about 1.2 million USD. The scope of activities ranged from developing/delivering
technical solutions and the deployment of applications to providing advisory services to senior level
decision makers. As manager my tasks included leveraging existing resources in order to promote,
develop and harmonize the widely disparate approaches to information management in Liberia. The
work required regular contact and collaboration with various offices in the Government of Liberia as well
as the humanitarian, development and donor communities, civil society organizations, faith-based
organizations and the re-emerging private sector. Project management included over-all responsibility for
the operational strategy of the project, supervising the day-to-day activities of the project and staff,
monitoring to ensure that the project is delivering on its mandate, as well as logistics, operations, financial
management, human resource management and any other administrative matters.
2005 - 2006 SENIOR GIS OFFICER, HUMANITARIAN INFORMATION CENTRE (HIC) LIBERIA
As the Senior GIS Officer and as part of HIC management staff, duties and functional responsibilities
included the following:
Delivery on coordination activities, information management and technical support services to the
humanitarian community. Provide lead within the HIC to develop and produce maps and other
information products to support the work of the centre and the wider humanitarian community; Work
closely with clients to help them to identify their needs and advise on the GIS products and services;
Develop links with other GIS actors in Liberia to promote coordination and information-sharing;
Participate in sector working groups and provide technical support; support the IASC Secretariat and
Cluster Leads by responding to their information needs; Provide training and develop national skills in
GIS; Identify requirements for spatial analysis, data and products relevant to activities of the
humanitarian community; Liaise with other information providers and primary data creators on spatial
data issues; Represent the HIC at various technical and planning meetings; Develop in-house project and
product management strategies that are based on good information management practices; Strategic
planning and technical advise specifically to support the transition of HIC-Liberia into a UNDP project.
2004 - 2005 DATA BASE DEVELOPER AND EXPERT CONSULTANT FOR GIS AND SDI
Short-term business consultancy work including the development of a relational database for a small-
medium sized enterprise (SME). Tasks included business process analysis, providing support tools for
field crews, database design, developing automated data entry and invoicing applications, product coding
and labelling, generating regular productivity analysis and financial reports.
Expert consultant for Lux-Development S.A., contracted to prepare a plan for a municipal information
management system to be realized in Novi Pazar, Serbia. The work included a field mission, extensive
on site interviews with local stakeholders, review of users’ needs and detailed system assessments,
drafting of field reports, recommendations and preparation of Terms of Reference documents for
technical needs (IT) and service requirements (expert technical and programme support).
2002 - 2003 EXPERT CONSULTANT FOR GIS AND SDI
Expert to the European Commission in GIS and the use of spatial data in government policy decisions.
Two key projects were undertaken:
1. The State of Play Study for Spatial Data Information in Europe which had a main goal to
determine the presence of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) for 32 countries across Europe and to
provide a synthesis report to the European Commission on SDI in Europe and suggesting policy
considerations with regards to establishing a European level SDI.
2. The study on Territorial Effects of the Structural Funds aimed to study and measure the territorial
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3. impacts of a major policy and developing ideas for spatial indicators at the European scale. The project
was within the European Spatial Observation Network - ESPON Programme. The work included and
extensive review of the spatial (territorial) impacts of regional development policies within countries in
the European Union. National and regional programme proposals and reports were analyzed for the
spatial dimension/expression of EU policies at the local level and the impacts for beneficiaries.
2000 - 2001 INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICER, UNITED NATIONS (UN MISSION IN KOSOVO)
Regional Officer responsible for UN support to the overall revision and implementation of
government’s labour and employment policies in the Region of Pristina, and an area covering seven
municipalities. Key policies/activity areas such as employment, vocational training, labour law, labour
intensive public works.
The work load was subject to situations often politically charged, and included a wide range of tasks such
as: recruitment of mixed ethnic staff for municipal employment offices; General management of the
municipal facilities in all aspects (i.e. location, rents, refurbishment/repair, equipment, security); Served as
a member of the vocational training centre management board (Pristina Region); Managed and prepared
the survey and assessment report of Micro- and Small Enterprises in the region; Facilitated the
development of employment generation networks; Regular work with micro-credit organizations, NGOs
& other international organizations offering employment generating support to small businesses;
Collaboration with the European Union’s department of trade and industry, private sector development
unit; Fostering good working relationships between the Central Department for Labour and
Employment and seven municipal administrations within the region.
Local Civil Administrator assisting to establish and oversee participatory structures in the local
government and to conduct basic administrative functions at the local (city) level. Civil Affairs Officer in
Pristina Municipality. Work included co-ordinating UNMIK activities & maintain close liaison with
KFOR with respect to security and law and order matters at the municipal level. Main tasks/functions in
my responsibility: Civil affairs & documentation; Emergency planning and civil protection; GIS &
Information Technologies; Environment; Health & Social Welfare; Project design and implementation;
Liaison with humanitarian actors and international security forces, etc.
1996 - 2000 SENIOR GIS PROJECT MANAGER (LUXEMBOURG)
Project manager for GIS and IT based projects and working for Geographic Information Management.
Key functions: feasibility studies; strategic and implementation planning; budget projections; organizing
and facilitating workshops and seminars; analysis of information flows within and between organisations;
data gathering and analysis; development of data, statistics and indicators as part of technical support
projects; writing technical and analytical (policy oriented) reports and publications; drafting project
proposals for technical and financial specifications; evaluation of calls for tender; establishing project
consortia and network building; IT product testing; GIS user support and training.
1993 - 1996 GIS SUPPORT STAFF – GISCO PROJECT / EUROSTAT (LUXEMBOURG)
GIS technical staff working for the GISCO project – Geographic Information System of the
Commission of the European Communities.
Key functions: GIS and mapping support to EUROSTAT (the European Statistical Office); publication
support for annual statistical reports, statistical bulletins such as Statistics in Focus, other technical
reports; data management; geo-spatial indicators; preparing and delivering official presentations; technical
specifications relevant to procurement of software, hardware, equipment and supplies; technical
environment included working with UNIX and PC-based GIS software as well as versions of Oracle;
GIS product evaluation and analysis; user support, ‘Help Desk’ services, technical trouble-shooting.
1992 - 1993 GIS SPECIALIST AND PLANNING CONSULTANT – MENS EN RUIMTE (BELGIUM)
1989 - 1991 EMERGENCY PLANNING – HAZARD REDUCTION AND RECOVERY CENTER (TEXAS)
1988 - 1989 RESEARCH CARTOGRAPHER WITH COMMERCIAL MAPPING COMPANY (TEXAS)
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4. Curriculum Vitae – Margaret Hall
KEY PROJECTS THEMATICALLY GROUPED
Policy Assessment & Decision Support
Spatial Data Information for Europe / SDIE (2002-2003).
Main responsibilities: subcontractor in a study to determine the state of play for geographic information initiatives
(also known as Spatial Data Infrastructures - SDI) in Europe. The results would provide support for the European
Commission’s INSPIRE project. The project included a study of 32 countries, case studies supported by detailed
visits to a number of countries, the formulation of policy and implementation recommendations regarding the future
European SDI.
Client: European Commission (EUROSTAT and DG Environment)
The territorial effects of the Structural Funds (2003-2005).
Main responsibilities: project partner for Luxembourg and part of Belgium. The project was within Action 2.2.1 of
the European Spatial Planning Observation Network (ESPON) Programme. Project work included:
Elaboration of a methodology for territorial impact analysis of EU policies;
Presentation of Structural Funds policies with reference to the territorial dimensions and the governmental
level responsible;
Development of a set of indicators and a data base for characterising the Structural Funds polices and their
spatial effects.
Analysis of results of Cohesion policy in relation to a balanced territorial development.
The analysis is intended to result in policy recommendation in view of implementation of Structural funds
in relation to measure, eligible areas and delivery mechanisms.
Client: European Commission (ESPON Programme)
European Spatial Development Perspective – ESDP (1998-2000).
Main responsibilities: Representing the European Environment Agency (EEA) in workshops and meetings
supporting the development of a high level policy document; contribution to policy discussions, review of ideas for
the visualisation of policy using GIS and other satellite data.
Client: European Environment Agency
Environmental reporting and European policy assessment (1998)
Main responsibilities: Coordinator for chapters in the report “Environment in the European Union at the turn of the century
– 1998”; guiding development for thematic issues: Urban, Rural, Coastal and Marine, Mountain, and Land Cover and
Land Use; integrated EU policy assessment; organizing and leading work-shops; organisation of consultation round
for draft versions.
Client: European Environment Agency
Multi-media product design/development for the education sector (1997).
Main responsibilities: Information gathering and analysis of Education and IT policies across the EU; product
branding and marketing research; editing content and project reports.
Client: European Commission (Information Society)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT & CAPACITY BUILDING
Manager, UNDP/NIMAC, a technical (IT/IM) capacity development project in Liberia, West Africa.
Main responsibilities: managing a staff of 20 persons and ensuring the
Client: UNDP Liberia and the Government of Liberia.
Integrating computing and data base technologies within a municipal administration. (2004)
Main responsibilities: Developing an implementation plan that would set in place an information management
system within a small municipality in Serbia.
Client: Lux-Development SA.
UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Central Department of Labour and Employment, Regional Officer for a large
area covering 7 municipalities.
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5. Curriculum Vitae – Margaret Hall
Main responsibilities: Implementation of employment policy.
Multi functional job, including: recruitment of staff (multi-ethnic); co-ordination of Central, Regional and Municipal
Offices for Employment; assessment report on Micro Enterprises; development of employment generating projects
in Public Works; overseeing the provision of the Department’s services to vulnerable populations; participation in
the Labour Force survey inception plan for Kosovo; vocational training issues (2001).
Client: Local Administration and Government, Kosovo.
UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Civil Administration in a large Municipality.
Main responsibilities: assisting to establish and oversee participatory structures in local government and to conduct
basic administrative functions at the local level.
Multi functional job including: Emergency planning and civil protection; Cadastre, geodesy and property ownership;
Environment; Health, Social Welfare and Housing; Statistics and databases; Liaison with other key player (i.e. KFOR
military, UNMIK police, UNHCR, OSCE, EU, donors & NGOs); interim Chief of Staff for the UNMIK municipal
staff (2000).
Client: Local Administration and Government, Kosovo.
DATA, STATISTICS & INDICATORS
DevInfo application customised for Aceh and Nias (2008).
Main responsibilities: Strategic direction to brining the AcehInfo product into a policy relevant setting responsive to
the recovery and reconstruction needs for statistics and indicators. Data and indicators are linked to key policy
frameworks (e.g. MDGs, TRIAMS) and to economic and thematic sectors. Bi-lingual product, desk top and web
based delivery, training materials and cookbook.
Client: (UNORC and Government of Indonesia)
DevInfo application customised for Liberia (2006-2007).
Main responsibilities: Strategic direction to brining the LiberiaInfo product into the work plan of the national
statistical system in Liberia. LiberiaInfo offered the only viable publication and dissemination platform for data and
statistics in the country. Provided decision-making support to the National Statistics Office to develop the first
operational version of LiberiaInfo and to roll it out country-wide. Training support and the development of
advocacy materials.
Client: (UNCT and Government of Liberia)
Experimental urban statistics database (1998-1999).
Main responsibilities: Project manager coordinating technical expertise in database design, data management and use
of GIS; preparation of statistical publications; managing flows of information.
Client: European Commission (EUROSTAT – Regional Information)
Research on statistical and territorial boundary issues of administrative regions in the EU Member States (1997-
1998).
Main responsibilities: Project manager coordinating the use of GIS related to the management of local area statistics;
data gathering; literature review; questionnaire design, implementation and analysis of responses; writing a synthesis
report on the creation and use of statistical variables.
Client: European Commission (EUROSTAT – GISCO Project)
Preparing statistical reports on transport and environment (2000).
Main responsibilities: Project manager coordinating contents of statistical publications, data gathering and
assessment, development of basic transport statistics supporting for indicator-based reporting.
Client: European Commission (EUROSTAT – Transport and Environment)
Coordinating technical support for an annual environmental indicator-based report (2000).
Main responsibilities: Project manager leading the preparation of base indicators; design indicator fact sheet model;
developing socio-economic indicators; coordinating data contributions, indicator development, draft versions of
chapters; organisation of consultation round.
Client: European Environment Agency
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6. Curriculum Vitae – Margaret Hall
GIS & IT
Data base developer (2004)
Main responsibilities: Develop a relational data base for a small wholesale agri-business in South Texas. Tasks
included business process analysis, developing automated data entry and invoicing, labelling, generating regular
productivity and financial reports.
Client: Cajun Farms L.L.C.
Spatial Data Information for Europe / SDI-E (2002-2003)
See description under “Policy Assessment & Decision Support”
IT decision support (1996)
Main responsibilities: Study to determine the role of GIS in a large and complex (public) organisation; review
requirements to integrate GIS solutions into the organisation; reporting. Carry out a users’ needs analysis, attention
to encourage user participation and a broad based support.
Client: European Commission (Transport)
GIS technical staff with the GISCO project – Geographic Information System of the Commission of the European
Communities (1993-1996).
Main responsibilities: GIS and mapping support to EUROSTAT (the European Statistical Office); publication
support; data management; spatial indicators; reporting; presentations; procurement for software, hardware,
equipment and supplies; UNIX and PC-based GIS software; GIS product evaluation and user support; technical
trouble-shooting, licence management, etc.
Client: European Commission (EUROSTAT – GISCO project)
GIS technician in a small Urban Planning Office (1992)
Main responsibilities: GIS technician; project support for urban & regional planning and transport planning (1992).
EMERGENCY PLANNING
Recovery Affairs Advisor in Banda Aceh (2008): the work focused on providing technical support to stakeholders in
a post-tsunami and post-conflict environment. Support activities included leveraging technical resources in the
Information Analysis Section (IAS) to develop data, indicators and other information and knowledge products
relevant to the recovery and reconstruction process in Aceh and Nias in a post-tsunami and post-conflict setting as
well as attending to cross cutting issues such as gender and the environment. The scope of project activities ranged
from delivering technical solutions (e.g. databases, monitoring and/or evaluation support, development of training
manuals) to providing advisory services for information management issues to senior level decision makers in the
provincial government as well as the national body for reconstruction and recovery (BRR). The recovery community
was thus ensured access to existing data and information relevant to the recovery and reconstruction in the region. A
proposal was also made for basic analysis to support other thematic experts in their work to determine the
sustainability of the recovery achieved. Client: (UNORC and the Government of Indonesia).
University level research in emergency planning issues and especially the study of natural and technological hazards
and the preparedness of local and regional governments to cope with these emergencies; thesis work on the
strengths and weaknesses of natural hazard mitigation components in city government comprehensive plans. The
work done through the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Centre required and likewise further developed a strong
analytical capacity as well as interviewing and fact finding skills. The research undertaken examined the structures of
emergency planning and emergency response of multiple organisations and at different governmental and
administrative levels. An important emphasis was placed on the sociology of the organisations and communities that
would be facing large-scale disasters, aiding planners and decision makers to make the best preparations possible for
these events.
Research-based work relevant to planning work and other security-related issues. Strong analytical background
developed. Texas A&M University (1989-1991).
CARTOGRAPHY
Map maker for USA road maps (national, regional and local levels (1988-1989).
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