Samantha Keats

 

Project Coordinator, Major Projects

for Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro in Canada

What is your current role? 

 

I currently work as a Project Coordinator in the Major Projects Department at Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, where I act as the functional lead for Document Control across the department.

 

Rather than performing day-to-day document processing, my role focuses on oversight, coordination, and the design of Document Control frameworks that support multiple major projects. I provide direction and support to the Document Control team, establish standards and workflows, and ensure that Document Control processes are applied consistently across projects.

 

My responsibilities include developing and maintaining Document Control plans, defining metadata and numbering structures, creating workflows and templates, supporting system administration, and providing guidance and training to project teams and contractors. I also work closely with project leadership and corporate support departments to ensure Document Control practices align with broader information management strategies and project requirements.

 

A key part of my role is ensuring that project documentation is controlled, traceable, and reliable at scale, allowing teams to focus on execution with confidence in the information they are using.

 

Can you describe your professional experience? 

 

My professional experience spans more than 15 years supporting engineering teams and major capital projects across private industry as well as regulated, highly structured environments. Over time, my roles evolved from hands-on project and administrative support into positions focused on coordination, oversight, and system design.

 

I have worked on large, multidisciplinary projects where documentation volumes are significant and information must be accurate, traceable, and accessible across many stakeholders. Through this work, I gained experience supporting regulatory requirements, managing Document Control systems, coordinating deliverables, and working closely with engineers, project managers, and external contractors.

 

As my experience grew, I became increasingly involved in developing and improving Document Control frameworks rather than executing individual tasks. This included establishing standards, designing workflows, supporting system implementations, and helping teams understand how Document Control supports project execution rather than slows it down.

 

I have also led and supported Document Control and administrative teams, providing guidance, onboarding, and training, and acting as a point of escalation when issues arise. Working across multiple projects at once has reinforced the importance of consistency, clear processes, and scalable systems.

 

Overall, my experience has been shaped by environments where strong Document Control is essential to managing risk, supporting compliance, and enabling project teams to work effectively. That perspective continues to guide how I approach my role today.

 

Which Consepsys course did you attend and when? 

 

I completed the Certified Document Controller Course with Consepsys in November 2025, followed by the Lead Document Controller Course in December 2025, both through live, instructor-led online sessions. I am scheduled to complete the Advanced Document Control course in 2026.  

 

What did you think about the course? How did it help you in your current role and career development?

 

I found the Consepsys courses to be very practical and directly applicable to my work. They helped formalise Document Control as a discipline, rather than simply as a set of administrative tasks, and provided a clear framework for understanding how Document Control supports project execution at scale.

 

The Certified and Lead Document Controller Courses strengthened my understanding of document lifecycles, revision control, quality checks, contractor interfaces, and traceability, while also reinforcing the importance of clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and governance. Many of these concepts were familiar from experience, but the courses helped fill knowledge gaps and provided a consistent structure and terminology aligned with industry best practices.

 

An additional benefit of the training was the opportunity to learn alongside peers from a wide range of industries and geographic locations. Hearing how other organisations approach similar challenges provided a valuable perspective and reinforced the adaptability of Document Control principles across different project environments.

 

From a professional perspective, the training has been particularly valuable in supporting my oversight role. It has strengthened my ability to design and implement Document Control plans, develop standards and workflows, and provide guidance and training to Document Control teams and project stakeholders. The courses also gave me greater confidence in engaging with Information Management teams and project leadership on how Document Control frameworks align with broader information management strategies.

 

Overall, the training supported my career development by reinforcing the importance of Document Control at a program level and by equipping me with the tools and confidence to contribute more strategically within complex project environments.

 

 Interview date: January 2026