Open to opportunities

Tonya Blanks

@tonyablanks

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Program Manager and PMO leader modernizing payer operations with responsible AI and measurable transformation outcomes.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking to lead PMO and transformation programs as a Director or Senior Manager—bridging strategy, communications, operations, technology, and responsible AI—to modernize payer workflows, strengthen compliance, and deliver measurable cycle-time and quality gains.

I’m a Transformation Program Manager / PMO Lead with payer-side expertise across Medicare, Medicaid, claims, provider operations, and enterprise PMOs. I modernize high-friction workflows to improve operational efficiency, strengthen compliance, and elevate member and provider experiences through responsible AI and disciplined governance.

In my recent role, I built and led a PMO supporting Product, Technology, Clinical Operations, and Regulatory organizations. I managed a portfolio of 15+ initiatives—including claims modernization, provider workflow optimization, automation pilots, and payer-facing systems—while implementing standardized planning, RAID controls, governance cadence, and stakeholder reporting to reduce execution risk.

I drive visibility and decision-making using dashboards and reporting tools built with Smartsheet, Planview, Microsoft Project, and Excel. I strengthen alignment across Compliance, Legal, IT, Clinical Ops, and Data teams to improve decision cadence and cross-functional accountability.

Earlier, I led multi-workstream payer operations projects at Centene, delivering improvements across claims, EDI, pharmacy, provider/member services, appeals/grievances, and benefits configuration. I also bring strong delivery fundamentals from Agile/Scrum and Waterfall leadership in regulated environments, plus a continuous focus on change management that accelerates adoption of automation, analytics, and digital tools.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

PMO Lead / Program Manager

Impresiv Health

Jan 2023 - Jan 2025 (2 years)

Built and led a PMO supporting Product, Technology, Clinical Operations, and Regulatory organizations, managing a portfolio of 15+ initiatives across claims modernization and provider workflow optimization. Implemented governance, RAID controls, and reporting cadence to improve predictability, reduce execution risk, and strengthen cross-functional compliance alignment.

PMO Portfolio Management RAID Management Microsoft Project Provider Operations

Senior Project Manager

Centene Corporation

Apr 2018 - Sep 2022 (4 years 5 months)

Led multi-workstream payer operations projects across claims, EDI, pharmacy, provider/member services, and appeals/grievances to reduce defects and improve cycle time and member/provider satisfaction. Partnered with IT and operations to identify automation opportunities and strengthen governance, reporting, prioritization, risk visibility, and forecasting.

Claims Operations EDI Pharmacy Operations Appeals & Grievances Benefits Configuration Automation Opportunity Assessment

Project Management Consultant

Mitchell Martin

Oct 2016 - Apr 2018 (1 year 6 months)

Managed Agile/Scrum and Waterfall delivery routines for software teams in a regulated environment, improving delivery predictability and reducing rework through governance and reporting practices. Owned sprint execution, milestone tracking, requirements documentation, and cross-team communication.

Agile Scrum Sprint Management Requirements Documentation Change Management

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Microsoft

Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900), Cloud AI / Machine Learning

Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900) certification is currently in progress.

Generative AI with Large Language Models

Generative AI with Large Language Models, Generative AI

Generative AI with Large Language Models program/certification is currently in progress.

University of North Florida (UNF)

Artificial Intelligence in Work and Life Certificate, Artificial Intelligence

Completed an Artificial Intelligence in Work and Life certificate program at the University of North Florida (UNF) in 2025.

LSSGB

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), Lean Six Sigma

Holds the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB) certification.

PMP®

Project Management Professional (PMP®), Project Management

Holds the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification.

University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Bachelor of Science in Business & Technology, Business & Technology

Activities and societies: Skills noted include AI and automation (ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, OpenAI, prompting) and healthcare operations topics (Medicare, Medicaid, claims, prior authorization, utilization management).

Completed coursework toward a Bachelor of Science in Business & Technology at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).