Carolyn Duran
@carolynduran
Results-focused strategic program manager with 10+ years of experience.
What I'm looking for
I am a results-focused strategic program manager with over 10 years of experience managing large-scale, cross-sector initiatives at the intersection of health, technology, and equity. My proven success includes overseeing complex, multi-stakeholder programs within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where I have led enterprise health IT modernization and digital workplace strategies impacting millions of veterans nationwide.
Throughout my career, I have demonstrated my ability to design inclusive governance structures, align diverse teams, and embed operational best practices into organizational initiatives. I am skilled in stakeholder engagement, performance measurement, and risk mitigation, and I am committed to advancing equitable systems and community-centered outcomes. My strategic leadership and vision have consistently driven impactful results, and I thrive in ambiguous environments, always willing to take on increasing responsibilities.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Senior IT Program Manager
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Dec 2024 - Present (5 months)
Led strategic sourcing initiatives achieving $27M savings. Provided executive insights via dashboards and briefings. Managed vendor intake process achieving $30M cost avoidance. Implemented governance and process improvements. Directed contract processes. Spearheaded external communications and executive briefings. Built roadmaps and presentations. Coordinated budget language. Influenced contract
Senior IT Program Manager
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Dec 2024 - Present (5 months)
Led strategic sourcing and procurement initiatives, achieving $27M in annual savings and $30M in cost avoidance. Provided executive leadership with actionable insights via dashboards and digital briefings. Designed and managed vendor intake and service management processes. Implemented governance practices and process improvements. Directed contract kickoff and closeout processes. Spearheaded exte
Senior IT Program Manager
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Dec 2024 - Present (5 months)
Led strategic sourcing and procurement initiatives, achieving significant savings and cost avoidance. Provided executive leadership with data-driven insights through dashboards and briefings. Implemented governance and process improvements for vendor management and contracts. Coordinated budget formulation and influenced complex contract negotiations. Developed tools like Power BI dashboards and S
Program Manager
MidFlorida Guardians
Defined success criteria and KPIs by analyzing consumer data to ensure strategic activities delivered value. Leveraged clinical and IT background to tailor new tools and systems, driving operational efficiency. Implemented a new financial tracking and accounting system for three users with over 65 clients, managing portfolios valued over $1M. Leveraged consumer insights to improve system usability
Executive Director
MidFlorida Guardians
Supported over 65 clients and managed ongoing operations with expertise in workload management, financial management, legal, healthcare, and IT. Leveraged consumer insights to tailor services and build strong B2B relationships, driving growth and retention. Educated teams on advocating for consumer insights. Implemented a new intake and management process to prioritize workflows. Streamlined proce
Managing Consultant
Thrive Consulting and Research
Feb 2021 - Oct 2022 (1 year 8 months)
Managed digital content strategies and provided recommendations for operational management systems, enhancing sales enablement and resulting in a 30% revenue increase. Collaborated with business leaders to develop strategic roadmaps, defining success metrics and aligning initiatives with key performance objectives. Maintained comprehensive knowledge of industry trends. Managed and optimized workfl
Senior Project Analyst
TISTA Technology
Oct 2022 - Dec 2023 (1 year 2 months)
Drove customer experience and operational teams as a strategic consultant. Ensured critical stakeholder awareness. Served as Scrum Master for an Agile Scrum team, successfully delivering program initiatives and managing over 20 concurrent projects. Developed educational materials, including over 12 SharePoint sites, for operational excellence, employee growth, burnout, onboarding, and customer edu
IT Program Manager
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Dec 2023 - Dec 2024 (1 year)
Trained and mentored personnel to drive program strategy and end-to-end delivery. Briefed executive leadership weekly. Led a team for Enterprise Agreement recompete, building project plans and leveraging dashboards. Ensured successful execution of executive communications and initiatives through direct management of a team (4-10). Owned process improvement projects for employee engagement and cust
IT Program Manager
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Dec 2023 - Dec 2024 (1 year)
Trained and mentored personnel. Briefed executive leadership weekly. Led team for Enterprise Agreement recompete. Built project plan and critical path. Leveraged executive dashboards. Ensured executive communications and initiatives alignment by managing a team of 4-10. Owned process improvement projects for employee engagement and customer experience. Conducted surveys, developed action plans, an
Executive Director
MidFlorida Guardians
Supported over 65 clients and managed comprehensive operations including financial, legal, healthcare, and IT aspects. Leveraged consumer insights to tailor services, driving business growth and client retention. Built strong B2B relationships and educated teams on consumer advocacy. Implemented new processes to prioritize workflows and streamline service delivery, integrating client feedback.
Senior Project Analyst
TISTA Technology
Oct 2022 - Dec 2023 (1 year 2 months)
Served as a strategic consultant driving customer experience and operational improvements. Acted as Scrum Master for an Agile team, successfully managing over 20 concurrent projects. Developed extensive educational materials, including SharePoint sites, to enhance operational excellence, employee development, onboarding, and customer technology education.
IT Program Manager
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Dec 2023 - Dec 2024 (1 year)
Trained and mentored personnel, briefing executive leadership weekly on program progress. Led a team to deliver large enterprise agreements and built project plans. Managed a team of 4-10 individuals, overseeing executive communications and initiatives. Drove process improvement projects for employee engagement and customer experience, increasing satisfaction over 21%.
Program Manager
MidFlorida Guardians
Defined success criteria and KPIs by analyzing consumer data to maximize client value and satisfaction. Leveraged clinical and IT expertise to tailor tools and systems for operational efficiency. Implemented a new financial tracking and accounting system for multiple users managing high-value client portfolios. Utilized consumer insights to improve system usability and overall customer experience.
Executive Director
MidFlorida Guardians
Jan 2017 - Dec 2021 (4 years 11 months)
Supported over 65 clients and managed operations with expertise in workload, financial, legal, healthcare, and IT. Leveraged consumer insights to tailor services, driving satisfaction and growth. Built B2B relationships. Educated teams on consumer insights and accounting. Implemented a new intake and management process to prioritize workflows. Streamlined processes for timely and compassionate sup
Managing Consultant
Thrive Consulting and Research
Feb 2021 - Oct 2022 (1 year 8 months)
Managed digital content strategies and provided recommendations to operational management systems, enhancing sales enablement and resulting in a 30% increase in revenue. Collaborated with business leaders to develop strategic roadmaps, defining success metrics and aligning initiatives with KPIs. Maintained knowledge of industry trends. Managed and optimized workflows for over 50 clients, ensuring
Managing Consultant
Thrive Consulting and Research
Feb 2021 - Oct 2022 (1 year 8 months)
Managed digital content strategies and provided recommendations that enhanced sales enablement, resulting in a 30% revenue increase. Collaborated with business leaders to develop strategic roadmaps and define success metrics. Maintained knowledge of industry trends and optimized workflows for over 50 clients, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
Senior Project Analyst
TISTA Technology
Oct 2022 - Dec 2023 (1 year 2 months)
Drove customer experience improvements and operational teams as a strategic consultant on emerging issues and technology changes. Served as Scrum Master for the Executive Director's Agile Scrum team, delivering critical program initiatives and managing over 20 concurrent projects. Developed educational materials, including over 12 SharePoint sites, to drive initiatives focused on operational excel
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management
General Services Administration (GSA)
Certificate, Federal Acquisition
Completed the Federal Acquisition Certificate for Program Managers.
University of Florida
Master of Public Health, Program Administration & Data Analytics
Completed a Master of Public Health program focusing on Program Administration and Data Analytics.
University of Florida
Master of Public Health (MPH), Program Administration & Data Analytics
General Services Administration (GSA)
Federal Acquisition Certificate, Program Management
Completed a Federal Acquisition Certificate program focused on Program Management.
South University
Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Administration
Completed a Bachelor of Business Administration program.
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Professional Certification, Project Management
Obtained the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
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