Caroline A. McGarry Bulger
Executive Assistant/Project Manager
Chicago,IL
Summary
Dedicated Executive Assistant and Project Manager with excellent experience in industry. Maintains professional appearance and demeanor and expertly completes assigned tasks with focus on quality. Dependable and quick-learning team player with effective communication and organization skills.
Driven and resourceful administrative professional with 20+ years of experience assisting with work of high-achieving executives. Track record supporting professional needs with well-organized precision. Successfully manages high-volume workloads in rapidly changing environments.
Experienced with managing executive schedules, travel arrangements, and meeting coordination. Utilizes strong interpersonal skills to facilitate communication and collaboration among team members. Knowledge of office management software and administrative protocols.
Driven and resourceful administrative professional with 20+ years of experience assisting with work of high-achieving executives. Track record supporting professional needs with well-organized precision. Successfully manages high-volume workloads in rapidly changing environments.
Diligent Executive and Project Manager with background in providing comprehensive support to senior executives. Successfully coordinated high-priority projects and streamlined office operations. Demonstrated proficiency in calendar management and travel arrangements.
Professional with strong background in executive support, adept at managing complex schedules, coordinating meetings, and handling confidential information. Highly skilled in communication, organization, and problem-solving, ensuring seamless office operations. Focused on team collaboration and achieving results, adapting flexibly to changing needs and priorities. Dependable and resourceful, consistently delivering high-quality outcomes.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Executive Assistant/Project Manager
Cook County Sheriff
02.2022 - 09.2025
- Executive Assistant to the Executive Director of Victim Support Services (VSS).
- Organized and maintained records in accordance with the organizational needs.
- Created, developed, and maintained databases as needed for tracking purposes. Assisted in the formulation and creation of policy and procedures of the department.
- Reviewed clerical records and data to ensure completeness, accuracy and timeliness.
- Provided proactive feedback in staff meetings or other forums to Executive Director of Victim Support Services regarding departmental operations.
- Prepared detailed reports and presentations regularly as assigned by supervisors.
- When and if necessary, assisted VSS staff in providing direct assistance and services to human trafficking and domestic violence victims within the Unit.
- Collaborated with human trafficking and domestic violence agencies for support services.
- Tracked and recorded relevant victim demographics, service usage, and referrals.
- Performed all other duties as assigned with a knowing to be fluid with the needs and demands of the Victim Support Services Unit.
- Fostered a supportive, collaborative, positive work environment where needs of the victims come first.
- In coordination with the other staff, researched, drafted, discussed, implemented, and enforced the Sheriff's policies and procedures relating to victim services.
- Performed other duties as assigned by Executive Director of Victim Support Services.
- implemented employee requests for leave under the CoVid 19 plan in the Sheriff's Bureau of Human Resources.
- Assisted in processing FIOA (Freedom of Information Act) requests, Illinois Department of Health and Family Services, and departmental requests for employee records.
- Reported to the Director of Quality Improvement Division and performed various tasks including inspecting and composing compliance reports at Cook County Courthouses within the Sheriff's Office and the Cook County Jail to ensure compliance of department regulations and policies.
Executive Assistant / Grievance Hearing Officer
Cook County Department of Corrections
03.2015 - 10.2016
- Contributed to the management of the daily functions of the Chief of Staff's office, exercising independent judgment to prioritize tasks, and facilitated internal and external communications.
- Examined and resolved union grievances for sworn and non-sworn personnel, and collaboratively ensured organizational compliance with Department of Justice operational standards.
Assistant Director, Operations
Cook County Sheriff
06.2003 - 09.2006
- Represented the Director at internal and external meetings to ensure continued alignment of activities and workflow with the Sheriff's priorities.
- Collaboratively conceived of and implemented new programs within the Dept. including the Sheriff's Motivational and Responsibility Training (S.M.A.R.T.) Program and Records Retention Program.
- Represented the Sheriff's Office on the Cook County State's Attorney's Domestic Violence Task Force.
- As Management Representative, directly negotiated contracts with employee unions (SEIU and Teamsters Local 714) working in close collaboration with Cook County legal counsel.
- Examined and resolved union grievances for sworn and non-sworn personnel, and administered employee applications under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Executive Assistant
Cook County Sheriff
01.2001 - 05.2003
- Reported directly to Director of Operations to support the successful oversight of the Department.
- Functioned as a liaison between the Director and major partners, media, constituents, and employees to coordinate workflow and facilitate meetings.
- Managed the daily functions of the Director's office, exercising independent judgment regarding requests made of the Director's time, and facilitating internal and external communications.
- Composed and edited memos to Board and staff, communications to external partners and members of the media, and correspondence with constituents.
Legal Assistant
Cook County Sheriff
05.1997 - 12.2000
- Managed the planning and daily administration of duties in support of a team of three in-house attorneys including: received, processed all inbound documentation; composed and edited correspondence; and managed calendars and meeting arrangements.
- Created and maintained database of ongoing cases and resolution records.
Proofreader
Massachusetts State House
07.1995 - 06.2000
- Reviewed legislative documents for grammatical accuracy and clarity.
- Ensured compliance with state style guidelines across all written materials.
- Collaborated with legislators to enhance document readability and effectiveness.
- Edited speeches and presentations for coherence and impact.
- Streamlined proofreading processes to improve turnaround times for critical documents.
- Conducted thorough reviews of reports to ensure factual correctness and precision.
- Improved document accuracy by meticulously proofreading and editing various types of content.
- Checked and corrected grammatical and spelling errors in diverse documents.
- Revised work to identify missed mistakes before completing assigned assignments.
- Researched content and grammatical issues to check accuracy of information.
- Enhanced publication quality by identifying and correcting grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.
- Facilitated timely project completion with efficient task prioritization and time management skills.
- Demonstrated strong attention to detail when working with complex technical documents containing specialized terminology or jargon.
- Used style guidelines to make accurate changes and comply with ideal structure.
- Maintained high levels of confidentiality while handling sensitive documents for various clients.
- Performed administrative tasks such as copying, faxing, and reception work with accuracy and efficiency.
- Upheld accuracy standards in a high-pressure environment, ensuring error-free deliverables even during peak workload periods.
- Prioritized critical issues, items and functions and set achievable goals to measure progress.
- Followed established guidelines to maintain style quality and consistency in produced content.
- Managed finished works and version edits for comprehensive record of each file.
- Collaborated closely with content creators to ensure smooth workflow from initial draft through final publication.
- Supported organizational growth by providing efficient proofreading services, contributing to increased client retention and referrals.
- Boosted team productivity, sharing best practices and tools for effective proofreading among colleagues.
- Supported project timelines by efficiently prioritizing and managing proofreading tasks for simultaneous projects.
- Enhanced readability of complex texts with thorough proofreading, making content accessible to wider audience.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - English Communications
Emmanuel College
Boston, MA01.1994
Bachelor of Arts - English Communications
Moraine Valley Community College
Palos Hills, IL01.1993
Skills
Executive support
Administrative support
Office management
Strong problem solver
Schedule & calendar planning
Office administration
Meticulous attention to detail
Information confidentiality
Interpersonal communication
Professional and mature
Database management
Excel spreadsheets
Document preparation
Proofreading
Advanced MS office suite
Resourceful
Project planning
File organization
Project management
Filing and data archiving
Report writing
Business writing
Task delegation
Process improvements
Legal administrative support
Policy enforcement
Report development
Labor relations
Workers' compensation
Administrative support specialist
Email management
Proper phone etiquette
Document handling
Articulate and well-spoken
Time management
Reliable and responsible
Microsoft office
Executive schedule management
Problem-solving
Honest and dependable
Critical thinking
Documentation and recordkeeping
Team coordination
File maintenance
Certification
Harvard School of Law – Cambridge, MA 2003 Program on Negotiations Certification
Timeline
Executive Assistant/Project Manager
Cook County Sheriff
02.2022 - 09.2025
Executive Assistant / Grievance Hearing Officer
Cook County Department of Corrections
03.2015 - 10.2016
Assistant Director, Operations
Cook County Sheriff
06.2003 - 09.2006
Executive Assistant
Cook County Sheriff
01.2001 - 05.2003
Legal Assistant
Cook County Sheriff
05.1997 - 12.2000
Proofreader
Massachusetts State House
07.1995 - 06.2000
Bachelor of Arts - English Communications
Emmanuel College
Bachelor of Arts - English Communications
Moraine Valley Community College