Dionne Blackledge
Ellicott City
Summary
Professional with extensive experience in founding and managing businesses, demonstrating exceptional leadership and strategic planning capabilities. Proven track record in creating and implementing effective business strategies, fostering team collaboration, and driving growth. Known for adaptability and results-focused approach, excelling in dynamic and fast-paced environments.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder/Co-owner & Operations Manager
Pop Lash Beauty Lounge
11.2018 - Current
- Built and scaled a profitable beauty lounge from concept to a staffed team of four, achieving profitability within three years
- Directed daily operations, including budgeting, payroll, inventory, vendor relations and regulatory compliance
- Spearheaded marketing and client retention strategies through social media, promotions and customer engagement
- Founded an in-house academy to train and certify aspiring lash and brow professionals, contributing to industry talent and development
- Honored twice by the Howard County Executive during Small Business Week for excellence in entrepreneurship
- Established operational processes to enhance service delivery and customer satisfaction.
- Created and monitored promotional approaches to increase sales and profit levels.
(Contractor) Senior IT Project Manager
Dept. of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities
09.2014 - 01.2016
- Led cross-functional teams to implement IT solutions enhancing service delivery for behavioral health programs.
- Managed requirements gathering with senior analysts and communicated progress to executive stakeholders.
- Led technical upgrade projects for clients by working and coordinating with consultants and developers for integrations.
- Developed project plans identifying key issues, approaches and performance metrics.
(Contractor) Senior Project Manager
Southwest Airlines
03.2014 - 09.2014
- Oversaw migration of AirTran's customer data and transactions to Southwest platforms.
- Simultaneously led 4-6 high-impact projects totaling $2.5M+.
- Partnered with project team members to identify and quickly address problems.
- Oversaw large portfolio of projects to support teams, report progress, and influence positive outcomes for key stakeholders.
(Contractor) Senior Business Analyst
SunTrust Banks
11.2013 - 03.2014
- Managed migration of 27K+ employees from Windows XP to Windows 7.
- Documented business/system/data requirements and supported rollout planning.
- Interacted with internal customers to understand business needs and translate into requirements and project scope.
- Developed customized reports, summarizing and presenting data in visually appealing format.
- Analyzed business processes to identify inefficiencies and recommend strategic improvements.
Project Manager & Process Improvement Analyst
Delta Airlines / Delta Community Credit Union
08.2009 - 01.2012
- Spearheaded cross-departmental consumer lending program initiatives and IT integrations.
- Built a credit risk model using predictive analytics.
- Authored business cases and optimized operations through data-driven recommendations.
- Managed projects from procurement to commission.
- Planned, designed, and scheduled phases for large projects.
Education
Master of Business Administration -
University of Georgia - Terry College of Business
Athens, GA08.2009
Bachelor of Science - Mathematics, Minor: Pre-Medicine
Spelman College
Atlanta, GA08.2000
Skills
- Project & Portfolio Management
- Business Process Optimization
- Cross-Functional Team Leadership
- Data & Risk Analysis
- Relationship Management
- Change Management
- Marketing
- Revenue development
- Entrepreneurial and innovative
- Start-up operations
- Strategic thinking
Affiliations
- Member, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
- Program Leader, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - Advocate and facilitator for community mental health initiatives
Timeline
Founder/Co-owner & Operations Manager
Pop Lash Beauty Lounge
11.2018 - Current
(Contractor) Senior IT Project Manager
Dept. of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities
09.2014 - 01.2016
(Contractor) Senior Project Manager
Southwest Airlines
03.2014 - 09.2014
(Contractor) Senior Business Analyst
SunTrust Banks
11.2013 - 03.2014
Project Manager & Process Improvement Analyst
Delta Airlines / Delta Community Credit Union
08.2009 - 01.2012
Bachelor of Science - Mathematics, Minor: Pre-Medicine
Spelman College
Master of Business Administration -
University of Georgia - Terry College of Business
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Instituted company-wide risk planning protocols, reducing consumer loan defaults by 5%.
- Collaborated with Marketing to increase consumer loans by 15% via a credit risk promotion initiative.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction ratings by 10% through UI improvements.
- Founded and led 'Business Analyst Community of Practice' and 'Project Center of Excellence' at Delta Airlines and Old Mutual, improving project methodology alignment.