Open to opportunities

Maria Estrada

@mariaestrada

Message

I am an MHA, PMP healthcare program manager driving quality improvement and operational efficiency.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek program/project management roles in healthcare that use quality improvement and data-driven decision-making, within collaborative, equity-focused organizations offering growth and meaningful impact on patient care.

I am an MHA-certified and PMP credentialed healthcare professional with extensive experience managing programs and projects across academic health systems. I have led initiatives in clinical operations, quality improvement, inclusive excellence, and laboratory stewardship at UCLA and UCSF.

I develop and implement policies, change management strategies, and data-driven solutions using cost-benefit, trend, variance, and performance analyses to meet departmental goals and regulatory requirements. I have led campus-wide projects, refined onboarding and operational procedures, and contributed to a centralized authorization effort that increased authorized appointments by 30%.

I am fluent in Spanish and proficient in Tableau, EPIC (CareConnect), and Microsoft Word, Visio, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint. I bring strong stakeholder communication, strategic planning, and quality management skills, and I am motivated to drive measurable improvements in patient care, equity, and operational efficiency.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Program Manager

Current

UCLA Health & DGSOM

Apr 2024 - Present (1 year 5 months)

Lead departmental laboratory stewardship and quality improvement initiatives across Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, developing policies and change-management strategies to improve operational efficiency and patient care.

Quality Improvement Laboratory Stewardship Change Management Policy Development Stakeholder Engagement Tableau Microsoft Project

Project Manager

UCSF Dean's Office at ZSFG

Oct 2022 - Apr 2024 (1 year 6 months)

Managed campus-wide strategic projects and policy initiatives, leading process and data analyses (cost-benefit, variance, trend) to refine procedures such as onboarding and Hydra database workflows.

Project Management Policy Development Data Analysis Process Improvement Stakeholder Management Hydra Database Budget Analysis Communication

Project Manager

UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine

Jan 2021 - Sep 2022 (1 year 8 months)

Managed cross-departmental projects for OBGYN and Urology, creating work plans, budgets, and metrics; supported business planning for a Men’s Clinic and led taskforces to operationalize equity and social justice recommendations.

Project Management Cross Functional Collaboration Roadmapping Strategic Planning Metrics Process Improvement Change Management

Assistant to the Chair

UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine

Jun 2018 - Dec 2020 (2 years 6 months)

Provided executive administrative support to the Department Chair, revamped onboarding and faculty recruitment processes, and managed compensation reporting and special projects to improve departmental operations.

Administrative Support Onboarding Faculty Recruitment Compensation Analysis Process Improvement Adobe Acrobat

Analyst, Department of Urology

UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine

Jan 2015 - Jun 2018 (3 years 5 months)

Provided data analysis and operational support during departmental integrations, produced organizational visuals for a 5-year plan, and contributed to an Authorization Task Force that increased authorized appointments by 30%.

Data Analysis Organizational Charts Project Coordination Reporting

Care Extenders Internship

UCLA Health

Apr 2014 - Jun 2015 (1 year 2 months)

Supported clinical teams in NICU, ICU, and Emergency Room settings and gained operational knowledge of hospital workflows to assist patient care delivery.

Clinical Support Patient Care NICU ICU ER Assistance Communication Teamwork

Administrative Assistant II

UCLA Health

Jun 2012 - Dec 2014 (2 years 6 months)

Served as Authorization and Surgery Coordinator, managed billing audits and clinical operations, and assisted transition of medical records into CareConnect to improve documentation accuracy.

Authorization Care Connect Clinical Operations Administrative Support

Administrative Assistant

UCLA Health

Oct 2009 - Jun 2012 (2 years 8 months)

Supported the Department Chair with clinic preparation, scheduling, and patient coordination, improving appointment management and administrative workflows.

Scheduling Patient Coordination Administrative Support Appointment Management Records Management Customer Service