DEBORAH M SMITH
Montgomery,USA
Summary
Results-driven Agile professional with over 20 years in Financial Services and a decade of experience in enhancing collaboration and refining workflows. Skilled in facilitating Scrum ceremonies, project management, managing sprint backlogs, and implementing continuous improvement processes. Committed to leveraging expertise in the Waterfall and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to elevate team performance and drive project success.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
SCRUM MASTER
EVEREST RE GROUP, LTD
Warren, NJ
10.2025 - Current
- Lead the Corporate & Global Reporting Team to design and develop C-suite Power BI reports across 7 reporting tracks covering In Office Attendance, Session Tracking, Cyber Security, Global Billing, Insurance Data Repository, Jira/Agile Metrics, Investments, Reinsurance Accounting and Human Resources.
- Conduct concentrated, time-boxed and effective daily team sync, backlog refinement, sprint planning, retrospective and sprint review meetings, adhering to Scrum best practices.
- Guide team members to understand and execute Scrum practices proficiently, increasing self-organization each quarter and fostering continuous improvement.
- Monitor and report key performance metrics, improve velocity and sprint burndown by 10% each sprint, highlight progress, and identify areas of improvement to eliminate tech debt each quarter.
- Collaborate with Product Owners across 4 data ingestion teams to prioritize tasks, manage product quality and ensure the delivery of value each sprint adheres to the product roadmap.
- Identify and eliminate barriers to progress to ensure seamless
workflows, increase delivery by 10% each sprint and maintain high team morale, demonstrating strong risk management. - Cultivate an environment focused on development and Agile adoption within the immediate team and across cross-functional groups.
- Update project plans for Corporate & Global Reporting Team projects with information such as project objectives, technologies, systems, information specifications, schedules, funding, and staffing.
SR. BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST II/PRODUCT OWNER
EVEREST RE GROUP, LTD
Warren, NJ
05.2022 - 10.2025
- Led projects for Reinsurance, Insurance, and Corporate & Global reporting teams, driving behavior change and implementing Agile methodologies.
- Led cross-functional teams in designing, developing, testing,implementing and maintaining enterprise-wide information systems projects, managing product quality.
- Led cross-functional teams in designing, developing, testing,
implementing and maintaining enterprise-wide information
systems projects, managing product quality. - Analyzed user requirements and identified potential solutions for
complex business problems, contributing to the product
roadmap. - Analyzed user requirements and identified potential solutions for complex business problems, contributing to the product roadmap.
- Conducted sprint reviews to acquire in-depth insight and validate that developed features met user needs and business goals, reducing defects and errors by 8%.
- Monitored delivery value throughout software development lifecycle, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
- Developed effective relationships with key stakeholders through strong communication skills, supporting risk management.
BUSINESS ANALYST
STATEWIDE UNDERWRITING SERVICES
Montgomery, NY
07.2021 - 03.2022
- Served as a key collaborator on a major transformation initiative for Underwriting, Claims, and Accounting systems aimed to increase automation by 50%, managing risk.
- Participated in meetings with prospective software vendors, leading to more informed, data-driven decisions that support long-term business objectives and the product roadmap.
- Compiled data to support the facilitation of workshops focused on gathering information requirements, ensuring Product Quality.
- Drafted detailed documentation outlining essential process workflows that enhanced the organization's efficiency and productivity by 15%, contributing to continuous improvement.
- Contributed to the formulation of user cases and narratives, ensuring all stakeholders had a shared understanding of the system's functionality and supporting sprint planning.
BUSINESS ANALYST CONSULTANT (EQUITABLE FINANCIAL)
RESOURCE GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS (RGP)
New York, NY
10.2020 - 06.2021
- Collaborated with process owners, stakeholders and project teams to document workflows for the EEM forecasting tool, improving productivity by 10% and enhancing Product Quality.
- Utilized Power BI and Excel queries to verify and boost forecasting tool accuracy by 15%.
- Directed evaluations to assess risks, uncover gaps, and propose enhancements for the EEM forecasting tool.
- Bridged gaps by facilitating cross-functional engagement among Valuation, Model Development, and Finance teams, supporting risk management.
- Collaborated with process owners and stakeholders to reach agreement on EEM's practices and procedures, contributing to the product roadmap.
- Shared best practices to enhance project team efficiency and reduce development cycle time by 6%, fostering continuous improvement.
- Led and contributed to sprint ceremonies and collaborative team efforts, ensuring effective sprint planning.
BUSINESS ANALYST II
GUARDIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
New York, NY
01.2017 - 10.2020
- Facilitated workshops to gather and document detailed business needs, aiding in risk management efforts.
- Converted business needs into comprehensive business and functional requirements, reducing scope creep by 15% and supporting the product roadmap.
- Validated requirements to ensure alignment with project goals and maintain product quality.
- Enhanced business cases for Profit Center, streamlining processes by 25% and ensuring product quality.
- Increased alignment with the organization's long-term objectives by 10% through prioritization and transition of evolving business requirements.
- Advanced collaboration between cross-functional teams and technical departments, fostering continuous improvement.
SR. BUSINESS INFORMATION SPECIALIST
GUARDIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
New York, NY
01.2010 - 12.2016
- Authored comprehensive systems requirements for intricate applications, guiding product development and aligning with business objectives.
- Established precise requirements for inputs and outputs while ensuring compliance with project goals and supporting sprint planning.
- Oversaw end-to-end project phases, including initiation, development, and post-implementation evaluation for multi-scale applications, managing risk.
- Validated and assessed outcomes of batch, online, and database application tests, ensuring system reliability and performance.
- Analyzed product impacts on complex systems to identify potential issues.
- Facilitated communication among Actuarial Services, Financial Management, and Valuation Actuary users and Business Technology Solutions Department, enhancing collaboration.
- Provided extensive assistance to Managers and Lead Business Information Specialists in system operations, ensuring Product Quality.
- Trained analysts and end-users effectively, promoting continuous improvement.
SR. ACTUARIAL SYSTEMS ANALYST
GUARDIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
New York, NY
10.2000 - 12.2009
- Drafted systems requirements and specifications for advanced applications, enhancing clarity for the product roadmap.
- Executed systems life cycle tasks from project initiation to post-implementation review, effectively managing risk.
- Evaluated effects of new product developments on complex existing systems.
- Reviewed and analyzed test results, ensuring application functionality and performance met established standards.
- Outlined necessary input specifications, acceptance standards, processing guidelines and output needs, supporting sprint planning.
- Collaborated with Lead Business Information Specialists and Managers to facilitate systems-related tasks.
- Acted as liaison to coordinate communication between actuarial, financial management, and valuation actuary teams and technical solutions department.
- Delivered guidance and training to analysts and end-users, promoting continuous improvement.
ACTUARIAL SYSTEMS ANALYST
CONSECO SERVICES, LLC
Carmel, IN
08.1999 - 06.2000
- Generated high-level reports from corporate data warehouse for management and executives to inform strategic decisions.
- Verified accuracy of newly added data in the corporate data warehouse through database and spreadsheet tools, ensuring Product Quality.
- Forecasted selling patterns of agents by analyzing policy information, supporting risk management.
- Conducted mortality studies to assess discrepancies between actual death claims and expected outcomes, supporting risk assessment.
- Compiled quarterly GAAP Revenue financial reports.
- Executed data retrieval using Business Objects and SQL tools to enhance data integrity and accessibility.
ACTUARIAL ASSISTANT
LONE STAR LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
Dallas, TX
10.1998 - 06.1999
- Processed premium asset/liability data monthly for analysis, enhancing product quality.
- Compiled market trend data for statewide surveys, supporting informed decision-making.
- Developed and managed Microsoft Access database for tracking new business acquisition, streamlining data retrieval.
ACTUARIAL ANALYST
UNION LABOR LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
Washington, DC
07.1993 - 09.1998
- Assisted in preparing quarterly and annual financial reports, utilizing performance metrics.
- Gathered industry trend data to enhance accuracy of annual financial statements.
- Reconciled premium, claim asset, and liability balances with general ledger accounts.
- Utilized financial software methods to evaluate and refine pricing strategies.
- Determined reserve factors for diverse life insurance products.
- Analyzed product trend data for state rate regulatory filings to ensure compliance.
- Translated technical calculations to administrative areas.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Mathematics
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Washington, DC05-1993
Skills
- Scrum Master
- Product Owner
- Agile coaching
- SAFe Agile Methodology
- Kanban knowledge
- User story creation
- Requirements gathering
- Business Systems Analysis
- Software development lifecycle
- Waterfall methodology
- SQL
- Power BI
- Business Objects
- Financial Reporting
- Analytical Problem Solving
- Strong Organizational Skills
- Effective Collaboration
- Strong Interpersonal Communication
- Meeting facilitation
- Adaptive leadership
- Microsoft Office
Certification
- AI Empowered SAFe Scrum Master, 2025
- SAFe Product Owner Product Manager, 2023
- Fellow, Financial Services Institute (FFSI), 2005
- Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI), 2002
Publications
www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-smith-0b3241114
Activities
- Habitat for Humanity Volunteer
- LOMA Society of Greater New York (former Board Member 2006 to 2019, former Vice President 2009 & 2010)
Timeline
SCRUM MASTER
EVEREST RE GROUP, LTD
10.2025 - Current
SR. BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST II/PRODUCT OWNER
EVEREST RE GROUP, LTD
05.2022 - 10.2025
BUSINESS ANALYST
STATEWIDE UNDERWRITING SERVICES
07.2021 - 03.2022
BUSINESS ANALYST CONSULTANT (EQUITABLE FINANCIAL)
RESOURCE GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS (RGP)
10.2020 - 06.2021
BUSINESS ANALYST II
GUARDIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
01.2017 - 10.2020
SR. BUSINESS INFORMATION SPECIALIST
GUARDIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
01.2010 - 12.2016
SR. ACTUARIAL SYSTEMS ANALYST
GUARDIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
10.2000 - 12.2009
ACTUARIAL SYSTEMS ANALYST
CONSECO SERVICES, LLC
08.1999 - 06.2000
ACTUARIAL ASSISTANT
LONE STAR LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
10.1998 - 06.1999
ACTUARIAL ANALYST
UNION LABOR LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
07.1993 - 09.1998
Bachelor of Science - Mathematics
HOWARD UNIVERSITY