Ariel Santos
IT and Operational Professional
Houston,TX
Summary
Military Veteran, active clearance, and 10 years’ experience providing operational and administrative support. Air Force Veteran with a Bachelors and Masters Degree and 10+ years’ experience leading a variety of business operations at multiple levels. Current Petty Officer 2nd Class, Workforce Development Specialist, and business owner. Highly skilled at building rapport and communicating organizational goals or progress. Tech savvy team player, adept working with multiple databases, candidate and employer tracking, and inventory management systems.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Information Technology Specialist
US Navy Reserves
Houston, TX
01.2024 - Current
- Install, operate, and troubleshoot classified and unclassified Navy networks and telecommunications systems.
- Manage cybersecurity protocols to protect sensitive military data, including implementing security controls and conducting vulnerability assessments.
- Provide tiered-level customer support for software, hardware, and network issues; deliver technical training to personnel.
- Configure, maintain, and secure network operating systems and information systems across various platforms.
- Monitor and restore communications circuits, ensuring reliable radio frequency and satellite communications.
- Handle, store, and transmit Naval messages; maintain communications security (COMSEC) materials and systems.
- Prepare and maintain system documentation, reports, and accreditation support materials.
Workforce Development Specialist
Texas Workforce Commission
Houston, TX
05.2024 - Current
- Work on-site at Workforce Solutions offices with multiple contractors to provide multiple services and events.
- Advised and counseled job seekers on career development, resumes, interviews, and skill-building.
- Tracked client progress and outcomes in CRM; prepared reports and presented program data to leadership and agencies.
- Educated government assistance recipients on benefits and program compliance.
- Guided clients in identifying interests and abilities through assessments and planning tools for career exploration.
Employment Development Manager
ACI Learning Inc.
Denver, CO
02.2022 - Current
- Collaborated with 20+ local and national businesses to enhance their DE&I and veteran recruiting strategies.
- Partnered with organizations and provided them with pipelines of veteran, military spouse, and diversity candidates.
- Coordinated and hosted virtual hiring events and employer spotlight presentations; provided avenues for students to connect with potential employers and practice marketing themselves.
- Developed presentations, collateral materials, training videos, and visual aids, focused on the professional job search process.
- Utilized Salesforce and HRIS to document student correspondence and job placement data; built a variety of reports in Salesforce for the ACI leadership team.
- Mentored and educated candidates on interview techniques, salary negotiations, resume writing, and social networking.
- Drove relationships and partnerships with organizations that aligned talented students with job opportunities; connected hundreds of students with new job opportunities.
Central Operations Coordinator
Madison Reed
Houston, TX
05.2021 - 11.2021
- Addressed tech issues and helped fix system problems with the appropriate teams, largely worked with the data analysis and HRIS team to compile and generate reports to distribute to office leadership or field management.
- Completed payroll for hourly and salary team members and compiled or audited relevant pay-out details based on applicable commissions, special pays and/or bonuses.
- Communicated weekly reminders to field management regarding schedule creations, timesheet edits and overtime approvals.
Air Transportation Journeyman
US Air Force
San Antonio, TX
03.2016 - 03.2021
- Provided critical planning, scheduling, and communications between operations teams; drafted reports and presentations with strict confidentiality surrounding highly sensitive operations data.
- Ensured leadership was fully prepared for each meeting or business trip; provided detailed briefing books and relevant materials pertaining to aircraft locations and cargo manifests.
- Assisted with the loading of airplanes based on forecasted operations schedules; followed FAA load requirements and US Air Force regulations.
- Tracked, classified, and evaluated potential airborne contacts using the latest radar equipment; provided technical information and drafted a variety of presentations for senior leadership.
- Received and answered basic inquiries or requests pertaining to aircraft performance and cargo data; escalated certain inquiries to proper operational departments when needed.
- Contributed to the procedures the unit used to capture aircraft performance data; helped develop SOPs and training materials for junior enlisted Information Controllers.
- Named the Airman of the Quarter two times and earned the Air Force Achievement Medal in 2018 and 2021.
Career Consultant
Workforce Solutions of the Golden Crescent
Victoria, TX
04.2013 - 03.2016
- Provided guidance to job seekers on career development, resume building, and interview skills; provided advice, support, and direction to help individuals achieve their career goals.
- Tracked and reported all career-related interactions and outcomes through the organization’s CRM; worked with dozens of new jobseekers per month.
- Conducted monthly orientation seminars to individuals receiving government assistance; reviewed the various benefits provided and educated the groups on program rules and requirements.
- Tracked recipient's job search activities and drafted a variety of reports for leadership teams and other workforce agencies.
- Communicated the program success rates and presented data to the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Guided jobseekers in determining their interests and abilities using a wide range of methods, such as aptitude assessments, interviews, and planning materials.
- Counseled individual learners, worked with them to aid in the development of both hard and soft skills.
Education
Master’s Degree - Business Management for IT Project Management
American Military University
10.2024
Bachelor’s Degree - Information Systems Security & Cyberintelligence
American Military University
06.2022
Associates of Applied Science - Air Transportation
Community College of the Air Force
02.2020
Skills
- Executive Support
- Strategic Planning
- Business Prioritization
- Team Collaboration
- Continuous Improvement
- Creative and Critical Thinking
- Tracking KPIs and Metrics
- Cultivating Partnerships
- Project Development
- Excellent Communicator
- Training & Development
- Business Strategy
Phone
361, 649-0320
Timeline
Workforce Development Specialist
Texas Workforce Commission
05.2024 - Current
Information Technology Specialist
US Navy Reserves
01.2024 - Current
Employment Development Manager
ACI Learning Inc.
02.2022 - Current
Central Operations Coordinator
Madison Reed
05.2021 - 11.2021
Air Transportation Journeyman
US Air Force
03.2016 - 03.2021
Career Consultant
Workforce Solutions of the Golden Crescent
04.2013 - 03.2016
Master’s Degree - Business Management for IT Project Management
American Military University
Bachelor’s Degree - Information Systems Security & Cyberintelligence
American Military University
Associates of Applied Science - Air Transportation
Community College of the Air Force