Laura Avent
Nicholasville,KY
Summary
Results-driven leader with extensive experience in driving enterprise transformational programs with business and IT executives in the public and private sectors. Exceptional talent in guiding successful responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve critical business challenges. Proven abilities to create and execute strategies for growth while building proper teams, and executive partner relationships. Highly effective at driving global global complex implementations of CRM, ERP, Quote to Cash, COVID and cloud programs. Capable of driving new offerings to market, finding ideal target markets, and pricing models, and building the IT portfolio required for success.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Advisor
Amazon Web Services
05.2022 - Current
- Guide IT & business executives through complex digital transformations aligned to critical business needs including desired growth areas including Artificial Intelligence, portfolio modernization, contact center optimization and redefining customer user experiences
- Decrease customer IT infrastructure costs by a minimum of 30% percent while decreasing project delivery timelines by 40% for new innovations and ensuring 99 % uptime of critical through migration to the cloud
- Increased customer digital experience satisfaction scores by 50% working backwards from user needs and using modern technologies to re-imagine user experience
- Align AWS customer business and IT organizations through “executive envisioning sessions” resulting in 20% savings on IT applications budgets portfolio rationalization enabling re-investment in strategic IT projects needed to support strategic business initiatives
- Leverage AI and modern technologies to improve contact center self- service, lower cost, increased employee productivity, and satisfaction while lowing agent attrition by 25%
- Guide AWS customers through the process of overcoming AI barriers and begin building a responsible AI chatbots reducing support cost by 42% through effective self service
- Influencer for AWS in the Industry through keynote presentation and panelist at key industry events, online seminar presenter, and published white papers.
Chief Digital Officer
MTX Inc
01.2020 - Current
- Executive leader for pre-sales, application delivery, UX/UI, contact management teams (320 employees) responsible for driving over 70% of company revenue
- Built a new organization in six months for pre-sales, delivery, and support teams, representing over 50% projects delivered each year, and over 70% of total company revenue
- Increased company revenue by over $600M by creating and overseeing the delivery of a COVID-19 response management strategy and product roadmap while collaborating with other C-suite leaders
- Productized solution offerings to increase the profitability of as-delivered solutions by 40% and decrease time to market by 60%
- Closed the largest deal in company history at $265M through formation of strategic partnerships with Amazon, Salesforce, and Google, and TEKSystems.
- Decreased post go live support costs by 32% by proving delivery team gold standards increase the quality and satisfaction of services delivered to customers.
Innovation Officer
TEK Systems Contractor
04.2019 - 01.2020
- Developed and drove the first state IT modernization strategy across agencies while rationalizing the existing portfolio
- Scope included migration from on premise to cloud and building a unified CRM strategy including citizen facing portals for healthcare and unemployment
- Unskilled and Infused skills into Central IT and agency IT organizations to to save $3M per year in System Integrator fees
- Slashed cost of IT services to the agency by $5M in year one through application rationalization and improving buying power across agencies
- Decreased licensing and permitting processing times from 90 days to 7 days through process and technology standardization across agencies
- Re-invented the citizen experience for benefit enrollment and shortened citizen wait times while using AI to save the commonwealth millions in identification of fraudulent claims prior to payments
- Re-apply $50M per year in savings from cloud migration to innovation initiatives aligned with agency priorities.
Director, Front Office Applications
Schneider Electric
02.2016 - 04.2019
- Accountable for the modernization of the North American front office applications portfolio with a focus on CRM, quotation, business intelligence, ERP, integration, system support, and change management teams
- Successfully modernized the first new quotation platform in North America in 27 years in 6 months with over 573,000 quotes per year and $3.4B revenue annually
- Digitally transformed distributor/partner online self-service portal from concept to production in 7 months for over 10,000 partners with over 503,00 transactions per year that accounted for over $2B per year in revenue
- Directed the construction of a new IT Center of Competency for Front Office Applications that included onshore and offshore development, product owners, scrum masters, training & change management team, and offshore and onshore development teams.
Director, IT Center of Excellence
Lexmark International
08.2011 - 02.2016
- Responsible for transforming the front office processes and applications, aligning the front office & back office, and starting a master data management practice for a 360-degree view of the business
- Managed global implementation of $18M Salesforce CRM ecosystems across all egos and business units
- Successfully integrated the front and back-office applications and CPQ process
- Merger and Acquisitions IT leader for over 14 different acquisitions in a three-year period
- Implemented the first global systematized forecast management process to decrease wait time for product delivery by 15%
- Managed the global implementation of a $9M quote management system for direct sales, channel partners, and online sales to increase profitability by 18%.
Skills
- Digital Transformation/ Innovation
- Data-driven decision making
- Strategic Planning & Tactical Execution
- Global Program Management
- Ethics and integrity
- Responsible Artificial Intelligence
- Merger & Acquisition
- Mentoring & Training
- Public Speaking and Presentations
Certification
- AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification
- Member of NASTD Women in Technology
- MTX Executive of the Year 2022
Languages
French
Professional Working
Timeline
Executive Advisor
Amazon Web Services
05.2022 - Current
Chief Digital Officer
MTX Inc
01.2020 - Current
Innovation Officer
TEK Systems Contractor
04.2019 - 01.2020
Director, Front Office Applications
Schneider Electric
02.2016 - 04.2019
Director, IT Center of Excellence
Lexmark International
08.2011 - 02.2016
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