Carey Blanchard
Sr. Program Manager
Albuquerque,NM
Summary
Accomplished senior program and project manager with extensive experience in IT and construction management across diverse sectors, including federal government, healthcare, and utilities. Demonstrated capability in leading multimillion-dollar projects, spearheading strategic IT solutions, and achieving significant process improvements.
Key accomplishments include:
· Directed a $50 million Department of Energy contract: Led cross-functional teams to deliver significant software modernization, enhancing cybersecurity measures and transitioning legacy systems to scalable, cloud-based solutions. Established key performance indicators and metrics for data-driven decision making, while managing high-level federal relationships.
· Managed IT and construction projects at RESPEC: Oversaw projects exceeding $15 million, showcasing deep understanding of project requirements and quality assurance, particularly in Agile environments. Key roles included implementing Quality Assurance (QA) procedures for state projects and optimizing management processes across multiple sites.
· Implemented industry standards at New Mexico Gas Company: Led major projects ensuring adherence to the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, while integrating modern Agile practices to enhance business efficiency.
· Advanced technology and quality standards at Lavu: Played a pivotal role in establishing a new Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), significantly reducing release errors by 90% through robust configuration management and quality assurance processes.
· Innovations in healthcare IT: Managed critical initiatives for the Indian Health Service, including the successful NIST certification of Electronic Health Records—achieving a first for a government organization.
· Military and Volunteer Service: Background as a Gulf War veteran and active involvement in community service, including leadership roles in local educational and charitable organizations, demonstrating a strong commitment to professional and community engagement.
Expertise in managing large-scale projects, leading and mentoring diverse teams, and implementing strategic IT and project management methodologies that drive organizational success. Professional certifications and technical skills further complement a robust profile, ideal for senior leadership roles in project and program management.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Senior Program Manager
McLane At Department Of Energy
10.2021 - Current
- Managing a $50 million DOE/OST contract under the NNSA containing 5 different operational groups and 40 employees
- Routinely collaborate with the CEO and Senior VP, and Federal Leads to set goals and priorities
- Managing Cyber Security, Software Development, Business, Network, and Server Operational teams
- Created a sub-team to move classified networks from Albuquerque to Las Vegas
- Utilized ITIL Methodology and created a Tier I and Tier II support structure to provide 24 x 7 support to federal staff, schedulers, and transport crews
- Change Request and projects are tracked within ServiceNow to capture requirements and Project KPIs
- Directed cross-functional teams to deliver a $50 million Department of Energy software modernization program, overseeing complex cybersecurity, software development, and IT operations projects
- Established key performance indicators and metrics tracking processes to enable data-driven decision making and ensure on-time, on-budget delivery
- Built a support training and mentoring program to spur professional growth across software engineering, cybersecurity, network, service desk, and systems operations teams
- Provided strategic vision and hands-on program management to transform complex legacy systems into secure, scalable cloud-based solutions serving DOE stakeholders across the United States
- Created KPI metrics and dashboard from ServiceNow.
Senior IT Project Manager
RESPEC
04.2019 - 10.2021
- Managing IT and Construction projects with budgets that exceed $10 Million and overseeing Staff Augmentation projects with budgets exceeding $5.4 Million
- Reporting to the IT Resource manager with a dotted line to the Senior Vice President of deliveries
- QA Manager for State Trooper insurance verification lookup program
- Managing Staff Augmentation projects and ensuring that milestones are met while providing Earned Value Management (EVM) feedback for monthly financial reporting
- Project management duties for mining bulkhead project - scheduling, tracking progress, and cost
- QA Manager for State Trooper insurance lookup
- Establishing test plans and methodologies to ensure file quality is tested, security standards are in place, and providing overall structure in an Agile environment
- Proposal writing in response to various RFP’s
- Provide PM guidance to multiple RESPEC Clients and ensure that project metrics are met
- Managed IT and construction projects worth over $15M, displaying expertise in ensuring quality and timely delivery
- Implemented QA procedures as a QA Manager for the State Trooper insurance verification program
- Streamlined project management and QA processes in an Agile setting
- Managing Staff Augmentation projects and ensuring milestones are met while providing Earned Value Management (EVM) feedback for monthly financial reporting.
Senior IT Project Manager
NEW MEXICO GAS COMPANY
08.16 - 04.2019
- Reporting to the Manager of Information Technology with a dotted line to the PMO Director and is responsible for ensuring the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) process was utilized for large and SOX compliance projects
- Managing 9 concurrent projects of varying degrees of complexity while mentoring Junior Business Analyst in SDLC processes
- Managed budgets that exceeded $2.5 Million in Capital expenditures
- Performed contractual review of vendor proposals and ensured that solutions meet business needs while holding vendors accountable to the Statement of Work
- Gave Project Management training, coached and mentored Business Analysts and Project Coordinators
- Worked closely with the VP of Compliance to implement Payment Credit Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS)
- Leveraged Stakeholders and resources across all three major companies held by Emera to establish the PCI framework for compliance
- Created Small Project Dashboard for utilizing a Kanban Board for tracking small projects
- Co-Authored, with IT Security, a Security Standards Specification requirement gathering document for Security needs before server setup
- Leading R&D teams for cloud implementation on the Azure platform and Augmented Reality
- Introduced Kanban Board and Agile practices and tools that are now being used on some projects
- Spearheaded multiple projects while emphasizing adherence to the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and SOX compliance
- Pioneered the implementation of Payment Credit Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) in collaboration with the VP of Compliance
- Introduced Agile practices, including Kanban Board utilization, showcasing adaptability to modern project management methodologies
- AWS application move project – interviewed major cloud providers, AWS, Microsoft, Google
- Worked with AWS to provide training for developers which lead to moving small applications to the cloud, reducing our cost and server footprint.
Senior Program Manager - Scrum Master
LAVU
07.2015 - 08.2016
- Reported to the VP of Product Development with a dotted line to the CEO for managing and directing all aspects of development, deployment, and quality assurance, as well as driving quality by creating Software Development Life Cycle processes and fostering a culture of continual process improvement
- Managed and scheduled tasks for 12 employees and performed performance reviews
- Began establishing a Scrum Agile framework by introducing a Kanban Board, metrics gathering to track velocity, and creating burndown charts for sprints
- Added Project Management and Bug Tracking processes and introduced JIRA for a more Agile project management tool
- 90% reduction in release errors compared to prior releases by establishing Configuration Management (CM) and Quality Assurance processes
- Utilized GitHub for CM and Release Management
- Created the organization’s first Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) by implementing and refining processes to foster a culture of continuous process improvement while striving to maintain our innovative environment
- Authored a six-page paper on process improvements to bring LAVU in line with current industry CI/CI release standards utilizing GitHub
- Served as Project Manager and Business Analyst for new Inventory application
- Re-architected processes for developing software, integrating support, sales, marketing, and the development team to facilitate communication between the various groups
- Added Project Management and Bug Tracking processes and introduced JIRA for a more Agile project management tool
- 90% reduction in release errors compared to prior releases by establishing Configuration Management (CM) and Quality Assurance processes
- Utilized GitHub for CM and Release Management
- Created the organization’s first Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) by implementing and refining processes to foster a culture of continuous process improvement while striving to maintain our innovative environment.
Software Quality Assurance Project Manager
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE via DNC
01.2010 - 01.2015
- Reported to the Senior Vice President of Federal Health IT and Civilian Programs and interacted with the executive team to adhere to the Statement of Work, perform continuous quality improvement, and ensure clients receive applications with minimal defects
- Led Gap analysis for EMR and Meaningful Use requirements and created a QA Plan to ensure certification for Meaningful Use
- Managed 8 direct reports and was responsible for annual performance evaluations.
User Acceptance Test Coordinator (Contract)
PUBLIC SERVICES COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO (PNM)
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Reported to the Manager of IT Quality Assurance and was responsible for interacting with the user base for validation testing of servers after migrating 400+ physical servers to VMware images on behalf of PNM Resources.
Senior Software Quality Assurance Manager - Project Manager
THOMSON REUTERS ELITE
01.2005 - 01.2009
- Reporting to the Director of Quality, with a dotted line to the Chief Technical Officer, and responsible for ensuring quality standards were maintained and improved from release-to-release into production on behalf of the SQA Group and Project Management Office
- Managed multiple simultaneous projects with capital expenditures exceeding $1.2 million
- Managed over 36 staff members located in 4 different countries.
Database Administrator and Software Quality Assurance Manager
TIER TECHNOLOGIES
01.1998 - 01.2005
Education
Bachelor of Science -
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, La. 1994 - 1998
Skills
Coaching/Mentoring
undefinedCertification
PMP
Clearance
Active DOE Q
Volunteer And Groups
- PMI.ORG – Rio Grande Chapter
- New Mexico Tech Council
- Albuquerque Boy Choir - President Board of Directors (past)
- New Generation Learning Committee Board Member – Menaul School (past)
- Humane Society – Foster Parent
Military Service
United States Navy, 1989, 1993, Gulf War Veteran, Aviation Electronics Technician, Held Secret Clearance, Honorable Discharge
Timeline
Senior Program Manager
McLane At Department Of Energy
10.2021 - Current
Senior IT Project Manager
RESPEC
04.2019 - 10.2021
Senior Program Manager - Scrum Master
LAVU
07.2015 - 08.2016
Software Quality Assurance Project Manager
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE via DNC
01.2010 - 01.2015
User Acceptance Test Coordinator (Contract)
PUBLIC SERVICES COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO (PNM)
01.2009 - 01.2010
Senior Software Quality Assurance Manager - Project Manager
THOMSON REUTERS ELITE
01.2005 - 01.2009
Database Administrator and Software Quality Assurance Manager
TIER TECHNOLOGIES
01.1998 - 01.2005
Bachelor of Science -
Northwestern State University
1994 - 1998
Senior IT Project Manager
NEW MEXICO GAS COMPANY
08.16 - 04.2019
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