V. Paul Cusumano
Raleigh,NC
Summary
Dynamic IT Projects Manager with a focus on service delivery and environmental initiatives, recognized for strong customer support and strategic planning capabilities. Demonstrated success in managing complex projects with diverse stakeholders, ensuring transparency in project scope, timelines, and budgets. Strong technical skills in project management, application deployment, and security processes, combined with a commitment to community engagement. Extensive cross-cultural experience and fluency in Spanish enhance ability to work effectively in diverse environments.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
Work History
Information Management Officer (IMO) and Senior IT Leader (SITL) OPMO IT Team Lead
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
06.2022 - Current
- Responsible for all IT related activities for the Office of Air and Radiation, including IT portfolio management, IT expenditure, security compliance, and lifecycle management. Serve as the Team Leader for the Information Management Team that supports immediate front office of the OAR SIO and Deputy Associate Administrator. Represent OAR on Agency level committees with Office of Mission Support, EPA 10 Regions, and other EPA Offices that collectively manage and prioritize IT activities for EPA.
- Lead, coordinates, and facilitates IT projects requiring cross-team interaction within OPMO and with the Immediate Office of the Assistant Administrator relating to information systems, information security, and development of data bases, use of computer hardware and software, and administration of the Local Area Network.
- Oversee all information security matters and is responsible for managing a security program that covers all OAR's mission critical systems and major applications. Envisions and takes steps to implement necessary controls to limit threats to OAR data and information.
- Coordination, preparation, and review of all reports on IT assets reported to OMB, such as capital planning and investment control business cases and security action plans of action; e-Gov and Presidential Management Agenda initiatives; and budget reports. Exercise technical, and administrative responsibility for planning, implementing directing, evaluating OAR IT activities.
- Leads OAR IT-IM Council to review and approve new OAR IT Systems, providing technology and system lifecycle recommendations with design and architectural guidance.
- Sever as Senior Data Officer for OAR and Artificial Intelligence lead for the OAR.
- Lead Agency level applications development projects such as in the creation of a new Electronic Permitting program, coordinated the introduction of a new Clean School Bus Rebates program that included integrations into financial systems.
- Coordinated the customization of multiple billion-dollar Infrastructure Reduction Act grant programs that include the Climate Plan Reduction Act Grants, Clean Ports, Indoor Air, HFC, Greenhouse gas grant programs.
- Managing ATO Authority to Operate documentation for all OAR low, moderate and high FISMA level applications.
- Support OAR remote and lab locations that include leading efforts to modernization network connections and fully security compliant sensor and remote equipment.
- Coordinate technical liaison and coordinator with Office of Mission Support on all IRM-related matters. As well as be responsible for OAR Records Management activities and compliance, 508 Compliance activities, monitoring Working Capital Fund (WCF) reports and plans.
- Approves and coordinates all IT Spend and FITARA approvals.
- Represent OAR with OMS CIO for annual Information Technology Portfolio Review (ITPR)
- Assisted in risk mitigation initiatives by establishing thorough data backup policies and disaster recovery plans.
- Enhanced decision-making capabilities by generating comprehensive business intelligence reports for management teams.
- Championed process improvement initiatives that resulted in streamlined workflows, reduced redundancies, and increased productivity across departments.
- Served as a central point of contact for any information-related queries or concerns from internal or external parties as required.
- Improved overall data quality with consistent monitoring, validation, and correction efforts.
- Managed vendor relationships to secure favorable contracts for software licenses, technical support services, and hardware purchases as needed.
- Contributed to legal compliance efforts by ensuring proper record-keeping practices in accordance with industry regulations and company policies.
- Streamlined communication between departments with the development of an effective knowledge sharing platform.
- Collaborated with IT teams to define requirements for new systems implementations or upgrades, ensuring seamless integration with existing infrastructure.
- Facilitated successful project completion by maintaining accurate records and providing timely status updates to stakeholders.
- Increased team efficiency with the design and delivery of targeted training programs on various software applications and tools used within the organization.
- Collaborated with key personnel to verify data integrity and compliance with related regulatory guidelines and legal requirements.
- Oversaw user provisioning efforts, verifying credentialing policies, security and maintenance to encourage safe sign-ins.
- Analyzed large datasets to identify trends and patterns in customer behaviors.
- Led cross-functional teams to achieve company-wide goals, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
- Assisted with new hire processing and existing training programs.
- Increased team productivity by streamlining communication and implementing effective project management strategies.
- Built high-performing teams by recruiting top talent and providing ongoing support through professional development programs.
- Championed change initiatives, successfully navigating teams through periods of transition while maintaining morale and engagement levels.
- Managed budgets and resources, ensuring optimal allocation towards achieving organizational objectives.
- Evaluated customer needs and feedback to drive product and service improvements.
- Optimized customer experience by delivering superior services and effectively troubleshooting issues.
- Created and managed project plans, timelines and budgets.
- Generated reports detailing findings and recommendations.
- Established strong relationships with stakeholders across various departments by providing exceptional support during projects or crisis situations alike.
- Assisted in development of system security protocols.
- Facilitated cross-functional collaboration by creating shared access points for relevant documentation, fostering a more cohesive organizational culture.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of existing information management strategies, identifying areas for improvement and implementing necessary changes to drive continuous evolution.
Senior Environmental IT Specialist, Team Lead
Office of Mission Support (OMS)
06.2006 - 06.2022
- Responsible for managing, developing, and deploying new IT systems ensuring compliance with all applicable laws regulations that support any Federal IT system. Primarily point of contact for Mission essential applications for Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Water, Office of Solid Waste, and Internal Office of Mission Support applications.
- Customer Liaison: Provide overall application planning and support for EPA Program Offices and/or Regional Offices
- Act as central point of contact for Program and Regional offices to aid them in planning their future application IT needs as early in the requirements stage as possible.
- Perform Cloud Readiness Assessments to determine good fit for cloud deployment
- Support initial planning of applications prior to development to ensure that any hosting issues are identified and addressed. Major customers include Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Research and Development and Office of Land and Emergency Management.
- Provide customers analysis of alternatives including initial and out year costs of alternatives. Include discussions of changes to customer responsibilities with the various alternatives that may impact the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
- Manage all Documentum and Imaging Applications hosted at the NCC, customers include Office of the Administrator, Superfund program (SEMS), and the Office of Chief Financial Officer.
- Operations: Managing the planning, deployment, operations, and updates for National Computer Center customers.
- Manage and developed new Agency DevSecOps solution that includes automated CI/CD Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment pipeline and container orchestration using Kubernetes.
- Work with new and existing customers early in the development of applications to be hosted to aid them in determining the best environment for deploying their application(s).
- Scrum Master Certified, knowledgeable of Agile Principles and working with Jira software tools.
- Set up new platforms and service offering for Atlassian, GitLab and FedRAMP AWS cloud services.
- Prepare cost estimates of for various hosting, deployment, and ongoing operations, and upgrades to application hosting environment through the Working Capital Fund (WCF).
- Ensure that code scans are completed and any vulnerabilities are resolved prior application deployment.
- Address any non-standard port requirements needed by the application and ensure that they are tested and in place prior to deployment.
- Work with customers to ensure that an approved Authority to Operate (ATO) and Authority to Utilize (ATU) are in place prior to application deployment and coordinate with customers to adjust schedules as needed
- Work with customers to do load testing and adjust hosting infrastructure to ensure the hosting environment will support initial and determine if adjustments to the hosting environment is needed.
- Work with customers to deploy application developed using agile methodology with minor updates and major releases of applications to ensure a seamless implementation.
- Work to ensure effective deployment and decommissioning of hosting resources.
- Serve as Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) For multiple IT provided services include Application and Database support (TZDB).
- Assure contractors perform the technical and management requirements of IT contracts in accordance with contract terms, conditions, and specifications in terms of cost, quality, quantity and schedule.
- Review contractor invoices for accuracy and correctness, and approve, suspend, or disapprove costs; or recommend approval or disapproval to the invoice approver.
- Communications / Outreach: Providing a wide range of timely and appropriate communications (briefings, presentations, talking points, emails, etc.) for the purpose of conveying highly technical information and issues in an easily understandable manner.
- Develop communication materials outlining outages, changes to the hosting and middleware environments, targeted to the audiences they need to reach.
- Coordinate outreach sessions to disseminate new technologies, new versions of existing technology, and process changes to customers, developers and appropriate contract staff.
- Own / Manage SharePoint and web sites supporting providing information to customers, developers, and for internal support.
- Hispanic Employment Program Manager - EPA Research Triangle Park Campus
- Agency Co Chair Hispanic Employment Program
- Configured hardware, devices, and software to set up work stations for employees.
- Maintained servers and systems to keep networks fully operational during peak periods.
- Provided exceptional customer service by promptly addressing problems reported by endusers.
- Walked individuals through basic troubleshooting tasks.
- Enhanced system efficiency by implementing and maintaining IT infrastructure upgrades.
- Optimized network performance through regular monitoring and maintenance.
- Led migration projects to modernize legacy systems without disrupting daily operations or compromising security standards.
- Maintained a comprehensive knowledge of current industry trends, developments, tools, or techniques relevant to the role of an IT specialist.
- Implemented effective backup systems to ensure data integrity and availability in case of disaster recovery scenarios.
- Collaborated closely with other departments to provide tailored technology solutions that addressed their specific needs or challenges.
- Explained technical information in clear terms to promote better understanding for non-technical users.
- Responded to support requests from end-users and patiently walked individuals through basic troubleshooting tasks.
- Trained employees on new technologies, increasing competency levels across the organization.
- Patched software and installed new versions to eliminate security problems and protect data.
- Evaluated emerging technologies for feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential value-add to the company''s IT ecosystem.
- Monitored systems in operation and input commands to troubleshoot areas.
- Streamlined technical support process for enhanced user satisfaction and faster issue resolution.
- Secured sensitive data by establishing robust cybersecurity measures and protocols.
- Conducted regular system audits to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, or deviations from established policies or procedures.
- Reduced downtime by identifying potential issues and resolving them proactively.
- Designed comprehensive IT policies to ensure compliance with industry regulations and best practices.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop innovative IT strategies aligned with business goals.
- Implemented user access controls to minimize unauthorized access risks while preserving operational flexibility for authorized users.
- Managed hardware and software inventory, ensuring timely updates and replacements as needed.
- Configured and tested new software and hardware.
- Researched and identified solutions to technical problems.
- Responded to customer inquiries and provided technical assistance over phone and in person.
- Trained new team members by relaying information on company procedures and safety requirements.
- Promoted a positive work environment by fostering teamwork, open communication, and employee recognition initiatives.
- Coached team members in techniques necessary to complete job tasks.
- Enhanced overall team performance by providing regular coaching, feedback, and skill development opportunities.
- Established clear performance metrics for the team which helped in tracking progress towards set targets effectively.
- Led cross-functional teams for successful project execution while maintaining strong collaboration among team members.
Community Planner
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
09.1999 - 06.2006
- Responsible for the design and implementation of multi stakeholder, urban open-space management, trail development, river corridor protection projects throughout the Southwest. Illustrative activities include:
- Provide technical assistance in the development of strategic plans for partnership groups including local community groups and local, state and federal government entities.
- Plan and coordinate funding, design and coordination of both volunteer and contract construction efforts.
- Organize information dissemination events for program activities.
- Maintain partners and stakeholders well informed on program progress and results.
- Manage project budget and resources.
- Provide technical assistance on grants and other fund-raising activities.
- Facilitate meetings with a wide range of stakeholders (business, government, tribal officials, elected officials, and residents)
- Promote and develop outreach materials for each project to enhance project internal and external communication
- Work with National Park Units Superintendents in promoting park outreach and community activities
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align goals and ensure project success.
- Managed successful day-to-day operations of projects by maximizing productivity from available resources.
- Presented progress reports regularly to senior management during project updates meetings.
- Developed strong relationships with stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and timely resolution of issues.
- Prepared reports and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations to decision-makers.
- Improved stakeholder satisfaction by effectively communicating project updates and incorporating feedback into planning strategies.
- Led community engagement sessions to gather input for urban development projects, ensuring plans met needs of diverse stakeholders.
- Successfully navigated complex zoning challenges, collaborating with legal experts to adjust plans and secure necessary approvals.
- Enhanced decision-making processes by providing detailed analysis reports, highlighting key data and trends relevant to project success.
- Facilitated cross-functional team meetings to align project objectives and foster collaboration among departments.
- Created detailed timelines and budgets for events to meet all deadlines.
Environmental Intern
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
- Provide technical input and administrative support in the design, execution, and evaluation of three courses in the areas of environmental education, agriculture & natural resource management, and health
- Evaluate and recommend Honduran candidates for a follow-up U.S. training
- SUMMER
Education
Masters - Urban and Environmental Planning
University Of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA1999
Bachelor Of Arts - Economics and Environmental Studies
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA1994
Skills
- Special Training: Community Facilitation and Mediation, Federal Acquisition Certification COTR, PMP Project Management Training, US Government Project Management Training, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) - Foundation Certified, Methodologies for Identifying User Requirements, Certified Scrum Master, DevOps Foundation
- Information Technology (IT) Skills: Operating System: MS Windows, Word Processing: MS Word, Presentation: Power Point, Graphics: Photoshop, Illustrator Spreadsheets: MS Excel, Data Base: MS Access, Oracle, MySQL GIS: ArcGIS, Google Earth interface Web: Drupal Project Management: MS Project, ServiceNow, Atlassian Collaboration Tools: MS Teams, Atlassian Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, SharePoint, Application Hosting: GITLAB, GITHUB, EPA’s Application Deployment Checklist process E-business, Salesforce, Oracle Business Intelligence, PowerApps, Application Monitoring: OPNET, ScienceLogic, EM7 Agile Methodologies: Scrum Master
- Document management
- IT infrastructure
- Records management
- Data privacy
- API integration
- ITIL framework
- Disaster recovery
- Information security
- Scrum framework
- Business intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Digital asset management
- Information architecture
- Data storage
- Web development
- Data architecture
- Machine learning
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Excellent communication
- Team collaboration
- Data governance
- Data recovery
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Continuous improvement
- Project management
Awards
OEI CIO Award for Customer Service, OEI Diversity Award, EPA Bronze Medal Award (Groundbreaking Success of Renewable Fuels Reporting System), EPA Bronze Medal Award (Application Development Team Delivers to Customer), 1 EPA Silver Medal Award (Outstanding Performance in the Development of Emission Inventory System), Office of Environmental Information CIO Outstanding Customer Service Award, Office of Environmental Information 2008 Web 2.0 Innovation Award, Outstanding Performance Awards 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, Star Award National Park Service, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 National Program Recognition for Outstanding Project 2004
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Information Management Officer (IMO) and Senior IT Leader (SITL) OPMO IT Team Lead
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
06.2022 - Current
Senior Environmental IT Specialist, Team Lead
Office of Mission Support (OMS)
06.2006 - 06.2022
Community Planner
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
09.1999 - 06.2006
Environmental Intern
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
Masters - Urban and Environmental Planning
University Of Virginia
Bachelor Of Arts - Economics and Environmental Studies
James Madison University