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Samantha Paulson Kickler

@samanthapaulsonkickl

Senior Director of Portfolio Management at Markel, governing a multimillion-dollar US and Bermuda portfolio of cross-functional initiatives.

United States

Message

At Markel, I lead portfolio management across the US and Bermuda, governing a multimillion-dollar portfolio of cross-functional initiatives. I oversee financial forecasting and executive and board-level reporting, and I standardize governance frameworks and reporting cadences.

At Veracity Consulting Group, I managed the rollout of a major retailer’s first online B2B system for 20,000+ business users. Earlier, at Thought Logic, I directed five multidisciplinary teams to build an underwriting platform integrating 10 downstream systems, and at ICF Next I co-led the project management practice and oversaw a $3M portfolio.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Senior Director, Portfolio Management Office

Current

Markel

Oct 2023 - Present (2 years 11 months)

Leads the portfolio management function across the US and Bermuda, governing a multimillion-dollar portfolio of cross-functional initiatives. Directs a team of project and program managers and owns financial forecasting, budgeting, and variance reporting for enterprise initiatives.

Portfolio Management Governance Financial Forecasting Budgeting Variance Reporting Executive Reporting Risk Management Vendor Management IT leadership Resource Planning

Program Manager

Veracity Consulting Group

Feb 2021 - Oct 2023 (2 years 8 months)

Led complex digital transformation programs, overseeing client relationships, financials, executive reporting, and end-to-end program delivery. Directed multidisciplinary Agile teams across service design, strategy, and technology to deliver integrated solutions.

Digital Transformation Program Management Agile Customer Relationship Management Financial Management Executive Reporting Service Design Strategy Technology

Principal Consultant

Thought Logic

Apr 2018 - Feb 2021 (2 years 10 months)

Delivered technology-enabled business transformations across insurance, CPG, and government sectors, improving profitability, productivity, and customer experience. Identified operational improvement opportunities and implemented process enhancements to accelerate revenue growth.

Business Transformation Process Improvement Change Management Agile UAT Governance Salesforce Tableau Report Automation

Program Director

ICF Next

Apr 2007 - Apr 2018 (11 years)

Co-led the project management practice, overseeing a $3M portfolio and globally distributed Agile teams. Directed creative and technology projects including scope definition, strategy, milestones, timelines, marketing activities, and KPI monitoring.

Project Management Agile Portfolio Management Team Leadership Proposal Development Client Presentations Risk Management KPI Monitoring