Kara J.

About Kara J.

As a seasoned HHS Program Manager and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, I have over 14 years of experience in managing complex projects and ensuring compliance with federal regulations. I collaborate with stakeholders to define project scope and objectives, manage schedules, budgets, and assets, and review and approve proposed project change requests. I also work closely with cross-functional and matrixed project teams to recognize potential changes in project scope or requests not adequately captured in the requirements, minimizing schedule impact.In addition to my role as a HHS Program Manager, I was also a certified instructor at BMRA, where I delivered contracting and acquisition classes to federal employees. I utilized my knowledge of federal government procurement and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to train others in areas including contracting and acquisition, grants, and leadership. I also applied principles of adult learning in course presentations and communicate with students to encourage a collaborative learning environment. I\'ve held roles as an IT program Manager for over 10 years, leading complex, High Value Federal Assests (HVA) of $180M+ and over 120 contractors using waterfall, hybrid, and agile methodologies. I\'ve also lead and participated on a variety of federal Technical Evaluation Panels and received seven federal awards over the course of 9 years including two DHHS Agency Awards and two CMS Administrator Awards.My roles as a federal employee and Contract Officer Representative (COR) and Program Manager at the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS/CMS), federal contractor at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), and state contractor at Deloitte Consulting, have provided her with a unique perspective and ability to see the big picture from a variety of angles. I enjoy applying my passion, knowledge, and experiences in Operations Management to manage small to large programs.

Experience

1. Msp Business Function Lead and Cor

   Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

   Mar 2013 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   Project and Program Management:Manage multiple concurrent MSPSC projects, contributing to integrated plans covering requirements, development, testing, outreach, and training. Proactively identify risks and implement mitigation strategies to ensure on-time delivery of milestones. Collaborate with stakeholders to define scope, prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and manage risks, scope creep, and bottlenecks. Serve as Business Function Lead for Batch Modernization Phase ensuring a successful implementation through effective planning, coordination, and post-deployment support.Contract and Acquisition Management:Oversee MSPSC contract performance through engagement with the DMPO systems team, addressing issues in recurring status meetings. Led an 18-month contract extension by transforming the Statement of Work (SOW) into a Performance Work Statement (PWS), developing the Acquisition Plan, compiling documentation, obtaining leadership approvals, and mitigating risks to ensure continuity. Partner with Contracting Officers and Specialists to prepare and execute contract modifications, including IGCEs, 14-point memos, COR certifications, and revised SOWs/PWSs.Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:Build and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders by providing timely and accurate responses and aligning support with strategic goals. Lead cross-functional coordination with MSPSC, OIT, and OFM to complete the MSPSC Systems Census data call, ensuring accurate and timely system reporting. Facilitate communication between technical and non-technical teams through negotiation, active listening, and translating complex concepts into accessible language.Technical Oversight and Analysis:Evaluate invoices and proposed solutions, including AWS and third-party tools, to ensure cost-effective, technically sound decisions. Assess license utilization to support financial stewardship and operational efficiency.

Education

• General Assembly

  Front-End Web Development (HTML, CSS, Javascript, JQUERY, Responsive Web Design)

  2014 — 2014

• University of Maryland Baltimore County

  Bachelor's Degree, Management Information Systems, General

• University of Maryland Baltimore County

  Certificate, Instructional Systems Development

Skills

• Program Management
• Project Management
• Ms Project
• Sdlc
• Technical Writing
• Analysis
• Instructional Design
• Quality Assurance
• Instructor-Led Training
• Management
• Photoshop
• Wordpress
• User Acceptance Testing
• Html 5
• Agile Methodologies
• Css3
• Call Center Development
• Wbts
• Web-Based Training
• Adobe Illustrator
• Cbt
• Medicare Part D
• Webinar Development
• Remedy User
• Call Center Start-Up
• Product Development
• E-Learning
• Change Management
• Pmp
• Government Contracting
• Business Process Improvement
• Process Improvement
• Contract Management
• Leadership
• Adobe Captivate
• Project Server
• Digital Photography
• Functional Testing
• Online Retail
• Agile Methodolgy