Darla Desantis

About Darla Desantis

I’m a strategic, results-driven professional with 15+ years of experience spanning subsurface geoscience and enterprise PMO & IT Problem Management, uniquely positioned at the intersection of technical depth, governance, and business execution. My career began in upstream oil & gas, where I supported drilling and development through seismic interpretation, well planning, and subsurface data quality—building a rigorous analytical mindset that continues to shape how I approach complex, high-impact problems.Today, I specialize in PMO leadership, ITIL-aligned Problem Management, and continuous improvement, driving measurable outcomes in stability, accountability, and portfolio transparency. Since 2022, I’ve helped reduce time spent in RCA status by 50%, improved RCA cycle times by 23% year-over-year, increased SLA performance, and significantly expanded proactive problem identification across the enterprise. I’ve led the restructuring of enterprise-wide Problem Management frameworks, established a cross-functional Problem Review Board, and launched targeted task forces to eliminate recurring incidents and systemic risk.I’m known for my ability to translate governance into execution—ensuring frameworks are not only compliant, but effective and adopted. Through strong change leadership and stakeholder partnership, I’ve embedded Problem Management practices into day-to-day operations while elevating visibility for leadership via Power BI and ServiceNow dashboards. In PMO roles, I’ve strengthened financial controls, improved data integrity, standardized reporting, and enabled leaders with clear, real-time insight across portfolios.With an MBA, MS in Geology, and certifications in ITIL, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Scrum, and ServiceNow, I bring a systems-thinking, data-driven approach to problem solving. I thrive in complex, matrixed environments where structure, collaboration, and continuous improvement are essential—and I’m passionate about building PMO and Problem Management capabilities that deliver lasting business value.

Experience

1. IT Problem Manager

   LyondellBasell

   Dec 2022 — Present · US

   Restructured and enhanced LYB’s enterprise-wide problem management framework, driving greater efficiency and resilience across IT operations. Leveraged problem management to initiate continuous improvement initiatives that optimized processes and functions across multiple business units. Accelerated root cause analysis and resolution by streamlining workflows in ServiceNow. Designed and maintained Power BI and ServiceNow dashboards to deliver actionable insights, enabling data-driven decisions.

Education

• University of Houston

  Master's degree, Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

• University of Houston

  Master of Science Degree, Petroleum Geology

  2013 — 2015

• University of Houston

  Bachelor of Science, Geology

  2007 — 2009

• Houston City College

  Associates of Applied Arts, General Studies

  2003 — 2006

• University of Phoenix

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Business Administration

  2010 — 2011

Skills

• Teamwork
• Spotfire
• Petrophysics
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Geographix
• Standardization
• Geological Mapping
• Microsoft Word
• Communication Skills
• Sequence Stratigraphy
• Databases
• Geology
• Unix
• Petroleum Geology
• Data Management
• Standards Development
• Energy
• Workflow
• Employee Training
• Openworks
• Mineral Exploration
• Powerpoint
• Petroleum
• Arcgis
• Drilling
• Microsoft Office
• Seismology
• Earth Science
• Petroleum Development