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© 2025 Jesús Baena, All Rights Reserved

Jesús Baena

I Am an Emergency Responder

About Me

Passionate about self-hosted solutions, open-source tools, and efficient automation. Building scalable systems to facilitate field management operations and knowledge sharing. My religion is Markdown (faithful Obsidian user). Always learning — from containerization to spatial modeling with R-INLA and PyMC. Mission: Make technology work quietly and powerfully behind the scenes.

Years Of Experience
0
Field Missions
0
Work Complete
0 k

Professional Skill

  • Field Management
    98%
  • Coordination
    75%
  • Operations
    65%
  • Data Analysis
    82%
  • Project Management
    73%
  • Medical Response
    95%

Resume

Education

University of Valencia
2006 - 2007

University of Alcala (Madrid)
2011 - 2012
Experience

Doctors of the World
Feb 2025 - PRESENT
As Field Coordinator, I am currently leading comprehensive humanitarian operations in a high-stakes conflict zone, directing the provision of mobile primary medical and mental health services across Zaporizhia and Kharkiv oblasts. My role encompasses the full spectrum of field leadership, including program implementation, operational oversight, and managing security protocols to ensure the safety and efficacy of our interventions for war-affected populations.

International Rescue Committee
Jun 2022 – Mar 2024 (1 yr 10 mos)
In this capacity, I spearheaded large-scale humanitarian operations in Eastern Ukraine, managing a diverse team of over 150 professionals through complex and dynamic challenges. My leadership involved overseeing all operational and administrative functions, driving strategic program implementation in economic recovery, health, and social protection, contributing to senior-level strategic planning, and representing the IRC in high-level coordination forums, which included being elected by the humanitarian community as NGOs Representative and Co-lead for the Area Head of Humanitarian Agencies.

Mar 2021 – Jun 2022 (1 yr 4 mos)
Following 11 years in high-intensity emergency response, I undertook a strategic period of deep reflection and professional development. This pause was dedicated to evaluating my career trajectory, engaging in academic studies to deepen my understanding of humanitarian complexities, and completing intensive training in data science to leverage analytics for improving the impact of future humanitarian efforts. (This period included a move to Mariupol, Ukraine, prior to the full-scale invasion.)

IOM - UN
Sep 2019 – Mar 2021 (1 yr 7 mos)
As Head of Base, I orchestrated comprehensive emergency responses to internal displacement and the Ebola crisis, leading the implementation of Shelter and WASH programming. This involved developing and executing programs addressing immediate needs while fostering long-term resilience, coordinating with a multitude of stakeholders, managing risks in volatile environments, and efficiently allocating resources, including securing additional funding.

IOM - UN
Sep 2017 – Sep 2019 (2 yrs 1 mo)
In this role, I led frontline WASH emergency operations and capacity building initiatives within South Sudan's challenging humanitarian landscape. My responsibilities included directing rapid emergency response activities, managing and mentoring a dynamic team of national staff to enhance local capabilities, designing and implementing comprehensive WASH programs, and establishing strong partnerships with key stakeholders to amplify program reach and impact.

Action Against Hunger
Apr 2015 – Aug 2017 (2 yrs 5 mos)
As a coordinator within ACF's elite Emergency Pool, I served as a rapidly deployable expert, initiating and managing critical WaSH responses globally and bolstering mission preparedness. This involved conducting exploratory missions, launching emergency operations, developing preparedness plans, providing technical support to country missions across numerous deployments (including Peru, Ecuador, Philippines, Niger, Mali), and contributing to strategic developments at headquarters, such as creating a global WaSH Field Tool Kit.

Action Againts hunger
Apr 2014 – Feb 2015 (11 mos)
As Head of Department in Manila, I directed the strategic WASH recovery efforts following Typhoon Yolanda, managing a capital-level department and overseeing programs that significantly impacted affected communities. This involved supervising all stages of the project management cycle for WASH initiatives, leading a team of Program Managers and Heads of Project, and ensuring programs reached over 194,000 individuals with hygiene awareness and governance improvements, and 80,000 with direct infrastructure support.

Action Against Hunger
Nov 2013 – Apr 2014 (6 mos)
Deployed to Tacloban within the first week after Typhoon Yolanda, I was responsible for designing, planning, and managing the immediate emergency response for Leyte Island. This critical operation focused on IDP camps and successfully reached approximately 84,000 people in the devastated coastal and inland areas, providing essential aid in the direct aftermath of the disaster.

Austrian Red Cross
Duration
As an International Delegate in Leogane, I managed the crucial sanitation component of the German-Austrian post-earthquake recovery program during its final implementation and closing phase. My efforts focused on successfully scaling up sanitation services to cover approximately 2,500 households, utilizing a combined approach of community mobilization and targeted subsidies to ensure sustainable impact.

Spanish Red Cross
Duration
As Program Manager in Leogane during the post-earthquake recovery phase, I was responsible for WASH actions that provided essential water and sanitation facilities to 1,600 households. Additionally, I led critical response efforts during Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac, ensuring timely aid to affected populations.

Spanish Red Cross
Duration
During a focused one-month deployment to Djibouti amidst the Horn of Africa crisis, I conducted a vital exploratory mission to identify and assess potential WASH projects. This strategic initiative aimed to pinpoint critical intervention areas for future aid delivery.

Spanish Red Cross
Duration
In Port-au-Prince, I led extensive emergency response and early recovery WASH actions following the 2010 Earthquake, directly serving 135,000 IDPs. My role also included conducting an exploratory mission after the cholera outbreak in Artibonite to establish WASH services in health centers, and directing rapid assessments and immediate actions for the Hurricane Thomas response.

Spanish Red Cross
Duration
As an EMT Instructor, I was responsible for developing and delivering comprehensive training programs designed to equip aspiring Emergency Medical Technicians with essential life-saving skills. This involved designing structured curricula covering trauma care, DEA protocols, and basic life support, providing hands-on instruction, and conducting assessments to ensure trainee competency for real-life emergency deployment.

MP Ambulances, Alhambra Ambulances, Spanish Red Cross
2004 – 2008
During this period, I worked across multiple ambulance services, providing frontline Basic Life Support (BLS) and emergency medical assistance. My role was multifaceted, operating in dual capacities as both an emergency vehicle driver and an attending medical technician, responding to a wide range of emergency situations.

Qualytel contracted by EPES 061
Jan 2005 – Aug 2008 (3 yrs 8 mos)
In this role, I supported the operational readiness of a critical public emergency ambulance fleet for the Public Emergency Services Company (061) of the Andalusia region. My responsibilities included coordinating with suppliers for vehicle and equipment repairs and assisting with inventory management and the restocking of essential medical supplies, ensuring the fleet was consistently prepared for emergency response.