Christina Beccles
Waldorf
Summary
Accomplished IT leader with extensive experience at the Department of Homeland Security-FEMA, specializing in cloud policy governance and strategic IT project management. Proven expertise in database management, leading teams to consistently exceed project goals. Recognized for enhancing cybersecurity measures and driving technological innovation, resulting in operational excellence and high stakeholder satisfaction. Committed to advancing technology solutions that strengthen organizational capabilities.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
IT Specialist, Cloud Policy and Governance
Department of Homeland Security- FEMA
Washington
02.2023 - Current
- Currently serves as the IT Specialist of Cloud Policy and Governance, tasked with developing the department's strategic vision through technology, and onboarding government agencies to the cloud.
- Leads the implementation and management of current information technology projects, oversees cybersecurity operations, and supervises a staff of four cloud brokerage employees.
- Plans and executes an annual FEMA Cloud Summit, with over 600 attendees across TSA, FEMA, ICA, AWS, and Azure.
- Manages and organizes business operations, ensures agile methods, and provides financial oversight and resource management to achieve a smooth flow and project operations.
- Key duties include: IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Develops project plans and manages project scope using methodologies to guide technical projects from conceptualization to implementation, and maintenance.
- Outlines work plans, determines resources, composes timelines, and generates initial budgets as part of project scope determination.
- Collaborates with business users, technical teams, database administrators, and testing teams during kickoff meetings, joint application design, and planning sessions to validate requirements.
- Maintains tactical control of project budgets and adjusts project plans to account for dynamic targets, staffing changes, and operational specifications.
- STRATEGIC PLANNING: Develops, implements, and manages long-term strategic plans, policies, and procedures for the organization.
- Leads and participates in the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and strategic product planning, including Quarterly Product Planning (QPP) meetings, providing the expertise to guide Product Managers through the development, management, and tracking of complex, multi-phased, agile development cycles, ensuring the achievement of corporate cost, schedule, performance, and customer satisfaction goals.
- DATABASE MANAGEMENT: Manages FEMA's ServiceNow, and Federal Enterprise Cloud (FEC) database system, and the FEC Cloud website.
- Serves as the sole provider of AWS, Google, and Azure Cloud administration for all of OCIO.
- Creates reports using Power BI and Jira, manages, and implements all database customizations and configurations.
- Developed solutions to project risks and issues, meeting quality and timeline goals and objectives.
- Provided technical guidance and support on software development lifecycle processes such as requirements gathering, design, coding, testing and deployment.
- Tracked costs and expenses, and assessed closely against the original project budget.
- Applied extensive expertise in System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) methodologies and Agile project management techniques to manage multiple project teams.
- Identified opportunities for automation within existing processes in order to improve efficiency.
- Updated project plans based on changing objectives, specifications, and staff availability.
- Communicated regularly with stakeholders about project objectives, scope changes, timeline updates, resource allocation adjustments.
Director of Database & Technology
American Advertising Federation
Washington
02.2022 - 04.2024
- Serves as a consultant for AAF's newly created Database Business Division.
- Assessed present business environment to create forward-looking strategies for database system compliance.
- Spearheaded the execution of business management, financial management, and administrative management operations for AAF.
- Guided team of seven to incorporate organization's overall direction into actionable strategies and objectives.
- Key duties and accomplishments include: DATABASE MANAGEMENT: Provides database security policy compliance and adherence, top-to-bottom records management of organizational Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database systems, internal/external security scan reports, database patching, monitoring, installations, and upgrades in accordance with policy and business needs.
- Develops and maintains databases incorporating various elements such as tables, relationships, forms, queries, reports, and macros.
- Develops processes that capture information for dual databases for AAF and AAFF.
- Develops solutions to meet the objectives of the collected data, using tools such as Microsoft SQL Server 2014 and Microsoft Visual Studio.
- Evaluated potential vulnerabilities throughout hardware and software lifecycles.
- Participated in trade shows or conferences to stay informed about current trends in the marketplace.
- Negotiated and reviewed contracts, rates and terms with current facilities and suppliers.
- Created reports detailing all vendor-related activities, such as order status updates or cost savings initiatives.
Senior Program Manager, Information & Database Systems Operations
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
Washington
10.2019 - 03.2022
- Oversaw processes essential for the development, implementation, and maintenance of CASE databases.
- Worked alongside database experts, suppliers, and major stakeholders to resolve widespread database concerns.
- Collaborated with IT managers and technical consultants to evaluate information systems issues.
- Set and upheld organizational standards for database management.
- Facilitated meetings with management to identify, discuss, and gather information about new business requirements.
- Led evaluations for future project capabilities.
- Managed reporting services and security for access to reports.
- Developed tasks to disseminate reports, ensuring accuracy through standardized data entry modifications.
- INFORMATION ASSURANCE: Analyzed cyber intelligence reports to maintain awareness of emerging threats and vulnerabilities.
- Applied technical expertise in IA and cybersecurity policies, commercial technologies, and risk management frameworks to ensure highly secure, robust, and resilient solutions are delivered to end users globally.
- DATABASE MANAGEMENT: Conducted performance tuning and optimization of databases and indexes, and resolved logic in slow-running queries.
- Implemented security for server logins, database logins, server roles, database roles, and permissions on objects.
- Addressed database problems by identifying, tracking, and troubleshooting reported issues.
- Delivered detailed briefings to senior leaders and staff on information systems, security policies, and organizational vision.
- Performed continuous maintenance and development of bug fixes for web applications.
- Established compatibility with third-party software products by developing a program for modification and integration.
- Collected and analyzed cyber threat intelligence from diverse open and closed sources.
- Assessed network activity and system configuration for anomalous activity to determine system security status.
- Delivered Splunk engineering support for user accounts, dashboard development, and data integration.
- RISK MITIGATION & INCIDENT MANAGEMENT: Collaborated with internal departments to determine continuity requirements.
- Evaluated key operations to enhance resilience and continuity planning.
- Established incident recovery testing methodology.
- Coordinated testing efforts for recovery support procedures to validate effectiveness.
- END USER SUPPORT: Operated as the primary global point of contact for CASE staff worldwide.
- Informed staff on new processes and procedural guidance, ensuring optimal office proficiency.
- Provided expert technical advice, guidance, and recommendations to staff, management, and other technical specialists on current and updated critical IT issues, including systems security and accreditation, and usage.
- Provided status briefings as required by both internal and external customers.
- Offered guidance to staff and specialists on data file accessing techniques.
Lab Information Systems Administrator
Champions Oncology
Rockville
10.2017 - 09.2019
- Served as a System Administrator, responsible for supporting security initiatives and providing strategic mitigation strategies.
- Managed Information Technology (IT) requests for both domestic and foreign organizational footprints.
- Conducted risk assessments, as well as drafted policies and procedures.
- Responsibilities encompassed the management of information flow, databases, and systems security, including reporting, auditing, and certifying compliance with organizational IT security standards.
- Utilized a Laboratory Information System database to conduct specialized oncology services, studies, and tests, providing quality assurance for data that was erroneously entered and updating the system as required.
- Key duties included: SYSTEM ANALYSIS & ADMINISTRATION: Applied knowledge of data modeling and statistical analysis to note trends and draw conclusions.
- Led and audited international subsidiaries and operational processes to mitigate risks.
- Oversaw the installation of software programs and hardware systems to meet requirements.
- Organized system infrastructure documentation and operating procedures, strengthening controls, and enhancing overall performance.
- Planned and conceived computer systems using information engineering, data modeling, and structured analysis.
- Developed flowcharts and diagrams to describe and lay out logical operational steps.
- Resolved malfunctions with systems and programs through troubleshooting.
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT: Oversaw the monitoring of processes to ensure incidents were appropriately managed, meeting requirements and scope as defined in SLAs, utilizing Remedy and dashboards.
- Accurately identified and communicated potential risks and issues that would have had a substantial program impact.
- Provided exceptional customer service for end users while administering, installing, configuring, and maintaining systems to ensure maximum system uptime.
- IT Operations Management: Maintained software license databases and supporting documentation to ensure current information.
- Managed procurement activities, such as entering purchase requisitions into the appropriate system.
- Liaised between technical and non-technical staff during the implementation and migration of programs and systems.
- Coordinated meetings with federal employees and employees of the Chief Technology Office to ensure that systems and programs aligned with the guidelines and policies of the referenced stakeholders.
- IT Systems Analysis: Analyzed systems to monitor the efficiency of the case process after the deployment of a new system, service, or program.
- Created and cloned virtual machines and templates, and installed, configured, and supported web servers.
- Provided system monitoring and security, and maintained systems such as servers, switches, firewalls, and routers.
- Coordinate and consult with end-users, application development, infrastructure, client services, reporting manager, vendors, and team members to meet or exceed user requirements, and end-user satisfaction.
- TECHNICAL BUSINESS ANALYSIS & REPORTING: Managed all aspects of data collection, analysis, and entry in the Laboratory Information System database.
- Assisted in the automation of workflows to increase efficiency and productivity.
- Documented business workflows for stakeholder review.
- Recommended data standardization and usage for the protection of data integrity.
- Participated in requirements meetings and data mapping sessions to understand business needs.
- Used various methods of data collection to research and record data successfully.
- Ensured confidentiality when handling qualitative data files, reports, and records.
- Provided training on proper usage of IT systems to end-users within the organization.
- Analyzed equipment performance records to determine need for repair or replacement.
- Performed daily maintenance tasks such as backups, disk space monitoring, user account management and system log reviews.
Education
Master of Science - Informatics
University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi, MD, United States12-2019
Technical or occupational certificate - Project Management Professional
Project Management Institute
Harrisburg, PA, United StatesTechnical or occupational certificate - Information Assurance
University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi, MD, United StatesBachelor's degree - Psychology
University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi, MD, United StatesSkills
- Budget and forecasting
- Technical budget forecasting
- Data analysis
- Database Management
- Project Management
- Cybersecurity and Incident Response
- Systems Analysis
- Firewalls, VPNs, and security products
- TCP/IP protocol
- Troubleshooting and diagnostics
- Software installation
- System Configuration
- Network hardware and software maintenance
- System Administration
- Application support
- IT documentation
- Business intelligence
- IT service management
- Project management expertise
- Project scheduling
- MS Excel
- Program management
- Train staff
- Vendor management
- Policy and procedure modification
References
- Sona Camara, CASE, Membership Manager, 240-899-4945, charlene.jackson@kp.org, Sona.Camara05@gmail.com
- Erica Blake, AAF, Manager, Mosaic Center, eblake@aaf.org
- Charlene Jackson, Kaiser Release of Information, Permanente Specialist, 240-997-9841
Availability
Permanent, Telework, Full-time
Additional Information
Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint, CRM Software, Microsoft Azure, Active Directory, IMIS, Google Suite, EveryAction, Jira, Budget and Forecasting, Technical Budget Forecasting, Data Analysis, Database Management, Project Management, Cybersecurity & Incident Response, Systems Analysis, Firewalls, VPNs and security products, TCP/IP protocol, Troubleshooting and Diagnostics, Software Installation, System Configuration, Network Hardware and Software Maintenance, System Administration
Job Related Training
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM), 2023
- Project Management Professional (PMP), 2023
- Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM), 2024
Certification
- CISM
- PMP
- Professional Scrum Master
Timeline
IT Specialist, Cloud Policy and Governance
Department of Homeland Security- FEMA
02.2023 - Current
Director of Database & Technology
American Advertising Federation
02.2022 - 04.2024
Senior Program Manager, Information & Database Systems Operations
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
10.2019 - 03.2022
Lab Information Systems Administrator
Champions Oncology
10.2017 - 09.2019
Master of Science - Informatics
University of Maryland Global Campus
Technical or occupational certificate - Project Management Professional
Project Management Institute
Technical or occupational certificate - Information Assurance
University of Maryland Global Campus
Bachelor's degree - Psychology
University of Maryland Global Campus
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