Maryann B
Chief of Staff | Project Management Consultant
Profile
Hands-on strategy, operations, and program management leader with experience in Chief of Staff, operational IT strategy, and Project Management leadership for corporate and non-profit entities. Adept at connecting the dots of multiple initiatives and opportunities to enterprise vision and transformation.
Works at the intersection of IT, operations, and data management organizations. Deep experience executing technology and organizational transformation initiatives. Two recurring themes are: stabilizing technology operations (portfolio management, financials, vendor management, project execution) and leading PMOs (Project Management Offices) across Fortune 100 and private equity owned companies.
Key Skills & Competencies
Chief of Staff | Operational Transformation | Strategic Planning and Execution | Program and Project Management | Forecasting and Planning | Executive Leadership | Project Management Office (PMO) leader | Change Management | Public Speaking | Consulting
Professional Experience
eBURNS MARKETING GROUP (4 years)
Independent Consultant
ASPEN INSURANCE GROUP, London and Rocky Hill, CT, 2 years
Advisor to the COO
• Retained on a fractional basis to advise the COO on the Procurement department savings strategy and organizational design.
• Partnered with the Chief Legal Counsel to analyze external legal services operating model and cost.
Chief of Staff, IT Delivery Office Lead to the CIO
• Supported the transition to the permanent CIO from the Interim CIO.
• Continued to lead the IT Delivery Office and work with the new CIO to design the next phase of its scope and structure.
• Continued to lead execution of the IT Target Operating Model (TOM) and Managed Services transition with new CIO and senior leadership team colleagues.
Chief of Staff, IT Delivery Office Lead to the Interim CIO
• Partner to and proxy for the Interim CIO in the revitalization of the IT organization, mapping out a target operating model and playing a lead role in the implementation of a new managed services model and organization structure, and maturing financial management, vendor management and delivery practices. Transformation generated generated multi-million dollar savings per annum by reducing supplier redundancy and eliminating above market rate contracts. Rebalanced the employee to contractor ratio from 75:25 to the 50:50 target via a multi-phase hiring plan.
• Prepared various executive and Board level materials for the Interim CIO.
• Primary point of contact for professional consulting firm brought in to evaluate and recommend new managed services partner and design of a roadmap to implement.
• Tasked with building out the IT Delivery Office – new roles and hiring plan, identifying matrixed positions with Finance and Procurement, reducing contractors to achieve desired resource ratio.
Portfolio and Project Management Consultant
• Provided portfolio and project management services to the CIO in the areas of strategic planning and execution, portfolio and financial management, project planning and execution, Project Management Office (PMO) and governance reporting.
CONNECTICUT FOODSHARE, Wallingford, CT, 2 months
Project Management Consultant
Hired to create a master project plan for the merger of Connecticut’s two largest food banks, Connecticut Food Bank and Foodshare.
NEW BRITAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, New Britain, CT, 19 months
Executive Director
Hired to modernize the day-to-day operations from paper based to cloud technologies, establish marketing and development plans, increase grant funding, and support the Board of Directors in maturing from an operating to a governing Board.  
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP (AIG), New York, NY, 5 years
Vice President of Program and Portfolio Management in Corporate Systems
Appointed by division CIO to program manage a multi-year business and IT transformation initiative to focus on the highest value business opportunities and ensure our technology delivers solutions with speed and reliability.
• Championed initiative to transform IT operating model and address challenging technology and organizational issues.
• Recognized as an approachable, supportive, and unselfish team leader, charged with aligning technology goals and solutions and achieving delivery of programs faced with budget and timeline pressures, requiring optimization on several fronts.
• In a Chief of Staff role, tracked inter-dependencies, major milestones, status and alignment to 5 strategic drivers. Collaborated with several project teams and accountable to executive leadership.
• Chartered to build out a portfolio management function to improve program execution, strategic project planning, governance and executive reporting. Established Project Management Office (PMO) solutions, organizational tools, and processes for governance.
• Partnered with Human Resources and executive leaders to plan and moderate quarterly countrywide department Town Halls.
Vice President―Enterprise Data Management PMO
Promoted into this position to oversee the Global Data Solutions Project Management Office (PMO) turnaround to stabilize and improve the delivery execution of rapidly growing enterprise organization. Provided proactive customer support services for department.
• Drove management oversight to build out PMO core functions consistent with strategic plans and responsive to the organization needs, to improve processes, project planning, establish internal controls and stabilize daily operations.
• Oversaw multiple functions including: portfolio governance to align with business initiatives, project prioritization, demand and resource management, project management delivery, best practices and standards compliance.
• Evolved to 40 person team executing on 150+ projects.
• Developed standardized metrics and KPIs to increase transparency and enhance decision making.
• Participated in employee engagement activities to boost morale and learning opportunities.
Director―PMO & Administration
Hired to establish PMO for newly formed Life and Retirement IT Data Management organization to properly resource and successfully execute on growing project demand. Aligned and maintained data management roadmap to strategic plan.
• Provided oversight of the portfolio, programs and projects. Turned around failing projects.
• Created communication plan and monthly portfolio health and status package to stakeholders.
TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANIES, Hartford CT, 15+ years
Extensive career in steadily increasing technology and leadership roles, from entry level developer to several PMO Lead roles.
• Managed large developer, analyst and project management teams, managed multi-million dollar project portfolios.
• Led annual budget planning for Personal Lines Technology division
• Operated as chief of staff to several executives - planned and facilitated town halls and offsites, partnered with Finance and Procurement on departmental budgets and with Human Resources on employee engagement and division wide performance evaluation exercises.
Community Experience
Journey Home - Board member
Nutmeg Symphony Orchestra - Board member
Plainville Community Food Pantry - volunteer
Catchafire - volunteer
The Friendship Center - volunteer
Congregational Church of Burlington - Moderator, Fundraising Chair
The Travelers Employees Club - President, Vice President Recording Secretary
Education
BS in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems, Bryant University, Smithfield, RI
Other Experience/Awards/Publications