TARA FOSTER LEIGHTON
Irvine,CA
Summary
Strategic Portfolio and Transformation Leader with 20 years of experience in building PMOs and managing complex portfolios. Advises CIOs and CISOs on prioritization, capacity, and risk for multi-year initiatives. Certified SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC) specializing in Lean Portfolio Management and roadmap ownership, driving execution through effective governance and communication.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Program Manager, Health Services Group
TRACE3
01.2012 - Current
- Spearheaded $200M enterprise transformation for Kaiser Permanente across 700+ locations.
- Oversaw $11M cybersecurity portfolio at Cigna, ensuring strategic alignment with stakeholder objectives.
- Directed governance for large-scale cybersecurity, cloud, and infrastructure programs, ensuring compliance and risk mitigation in healthcare and enterprise sectors.
- Collaborated with CIOs, CISOs, and senior technical leaders to prioritize portfolio initiatives and establish operating models.
- Created enterprise roadmaps to assess risk, readiness, and capacity, facilitating informed decision-making across organizational levels.
- Established governance frameworks that enhanced transparency and aligned stakeholder objectives, leading to increased client satisfaction.
- Managed interdependencies among security, infrastructure, and application teams, ensuring seamless delivery of multi-year roadmap initiatives.
Managing Partner / Director
INSCOPE CONSULTING GROUP
01.2005 - Current
- Founded and led consulting practice specializing in PMO design, implementation, and management, driving successful client outcomes.
- Built and managed client PMOs and large-scale programs across various industries.
- Developed and managed multiyear program for LACare and CalOptima, facilitating over 500 Electronic Health Record implementations.
- Delivered PMO as managed service for technical consulting clients, enhancing project delivery and client satisfaction.
Director of Consulting Services / Engagement Manager
PROSUM TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING GROUP
01.2001 - 01.2005
- Drove margin increase from 17% to 35% while leading 60-member consulting organization.
- Developed strategic frameworks for technology implementation and process improvements, driving alignment with client goals.
- Designed and implemented PMI-aligned PMO, improving project delivery effectiveness for diverse initiatives.
- Managed cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality consulting services that met client expectations.
Product Manager / Product Owner
WINFIRE INC. / OCTIVE TECHNOLOGY
01.2000 - 01.2001
- · Managed development of CRM tools to enhance user experience for eMarketing, customer support, and sales.
- Oversaw product management for DSL fulfillment, coordinating development and implementation to ensure timely delivery.
Consultant
ANDERSEN CONSULTING (Accenture)
01.1998 - 01.2000
- Identified operational challenges during client engagements and proposed solutions that enhanced client satisfaction.
- Transformed business processes, leading to improved operational effectiveness and client outcomes.
- Developed strategic frameworks that streamlined business processes and improved overall efficiency.
- Facilitated workshops to gather requirements and align stakeholder expectations, ensuring project alignment and client buy-in.
Education
MBA -
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA05-1998
International Business Strategy
Groupe ESC Lyon
Lyon, FranceB.S. - Business Management
Pepperdine University
06-1995
University of California, Irvine
Skills
- Program management and portfolio governance
- Lean portfolio management (SAFe)
- Portfolio financials and forecasting
- Risk management
- Capacity planning
- PMO design and implementation
- Cross-functional program leadership
- Delivery models
- Executive advisory and steering
- Stakeholder engagement
- Change leadership
Certification
• SPC - SAFe 6 Practice Consultant
• SA - SAFe 6 Agilist (Leading SAFe)
• PMP – Project Management Professional
• CSM – Certified ScrumMaster
• CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• CISM – Certified Information Security Manager
• Smartsheet Project Management Certified
• SA - SAFe 6 Agilist (Leading SAFe)
• PMP – Project Management Professional
• CSM – Certified ScrumMaster
• CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• CISM – Certified Information Security Manager
• Smartsheet Project Management Certified
Timeline
Senior Program Manager, Health Services Group
TRACE3
01.2012 - Current
Managing Partner / Director
INSCOPE CONSULTING GROUP
01.2005 - Current
Director of Consulting Services / Engagement Manager
PROSUM TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING GROUP
01.2001 - 01.2005
Product Manager / Product Owner
WINFIRE INC. / OCTIVE TECHNOLOGY
01.2000 - 01.2001
Consultant
ANDERSEN CONSULTING (Accenture)
01.1998 - 01.2000
MBA -
University of Southern California
International Business Strategy
Groupe ESC Lyon
B.S. - Business Management
Pepperdine University
University of California, Irvine