Michele Telgen Email & Phone Number

Pottsboro, Tx, Us

Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, providing strategic leadership and oversight for a diverse program portfolio that includes new client implementations, major IT and engineering initiatives, and strategic product deployment. Directing multi-client, cross-functional programs to ensure alignment with corporate goals. Mentoring and empowering project managers and teams, driving continuous improvement in project execution and overall performanceKey Accomplishments:• Expanded the Program Management Office (PMO) beyond New Client Implementations to encompass Major IT and Engineering Initiatives and Strategic Product Initiatives, broadening its scope and impact.• Refined program governance and execution, establishing a robust framework for creating tailored implementation plans and repeatable processes that streamlined project delivery and results.• Lead complex projects by breaking down initiatives into actionable milestones, guiding teams through uncharted territories with adaptability and fostering a results-driven culture.• Mentored project managers to foster continuous process improvement, empowering them to enhance their skill sets, embrace growth opportunities, and improve team retention.• Exhibited decisive leadership in successfully onboarding major clients. Provided strategic guidance, ensured seamless coordination on parallel initiatives, and driving positive customer-centric results.• Program managed implementation of FreedomPay credit card processing across 19 clients, deploying 1,000+ payment devices in 15 months to meet PCI Compliance. • Led IT and Engineering initiatives, including data center migration to AWS Cloud and Oracle RDS, security initiatives such as patch management automation and remediation of vulnerabilities.• Implemented Enterprise tools, deployed ServiceNow for 30+ clients, Atlassian Cloud and Asana Enterprise Portfolio Management across multiple departments, streamlining workflows, and real-time project tracking.

Dallas, Texas, United States

Reporting to the VP of Technology Optimization, led multi-year, high-visibility initiatives, including complex product and technology migrations, platform deployments, and business process transitions. Established a centralized PMO, streamlining processes and standardizing best practices across global teams. Drove alignment between corporate objectives and program execution, ensuring successful outcomes through strategic leadership, collaboration, and a customer-centric approach.Key Accomplishments:• Spearheaded the creation of a centralized Project/Program Management Office (PMO), unifying project managers and scrum masters under cohesive leadership, and standardizing best practices.• Directed high-impact migration strategies and program plans for global teams and external business partners, aligning efforts and ensuring seamless execution across a diverse portfolio of projects.• Delivered strategic oversight for successful onboarding of major clients with overlapping schedules, ensuring constant support to project managers to keep all projects aligned and on track.• Provided executive management and stakeholders with comprehensive progress and performance reports, facilitating informed decision-making and transparency.• Identified and mitigated project risks across business units, fostering cross-functional alignment and resolving roadblocks to ensure the delivery of high-quality results.• Focused on PMO skill development, leadership growth, and enhancing team capabilities and value add.• Fostered and maintained strong relationships with clients and business partners, enhancing collaboration and satisfaction.• Conducted post-deployment reviews and coordinated issue remediation, focusing on process improvements for future project success.

Advanced to Director of Data Center Operations and Implementation, overseeing management of 20+ data centers. Senior technology leader with enterprise-level responsibility for data center operations and IT implementation services. Led IT strategies supporting broadcasting, publishing, and web design, while managing 24/7 operations for 3,000+ systems, including enterprise backup, high-density blade computing, and virtualization.Key accomplishments include:• Managed a $5M budget, a 25-person technical team, delivering 24/7/365 virtual support across the U.S.• Implemented training programs to boost retention and motivate top talent.• Prepare, manage, and deploy more than $20M in Capital Plans annually.• Outsourced mainframe hosting for 5 sites, saving $600K annually, reducing batch processing by 52%.• Directed office and DC relocations, managing vendors and stakeholder requirements.• Led the multi-year Data Center Optimization Program, managing large-scale migration projects nationwide. Built $20M corporate data center, introducing Virtualization, 10G Network, Cisco Blade, NetApp Storage, and Intelligent PDUs. ➤ Managed the migration of 2.5K+ servers and 3K+ applications with zero business disruption. ➤ Led a $2M enterprise backup re-engineering, boosting performance by 50-75%, reducing storage by 90%, and automating offsite backups. ➤ Migrated 3,000 applications to a new NetBackup platform, delivering a more reliable solution. ➤ Directed $25M enterprise virtualization infrastructure, migrating 2.5K servers, achieving 90% virtualization, and realizing $1.4M in savings. ➤ Deployed 1K+ Intelligent PDUs for remote management, reduced outage response time by 50% and enabled “lights out” operations at six remote data centers.

Provided IT leadership for production systems, managing a team of twenty-five across seventeen geographically dispersed locations, ensuring 24x7x365 support for mission-critical newspaper and advertising preprint systems. Enabled the business to achieve strategic goals by enhancing market competitiveness and revenue opportunities. Managed and maintained a $5M expense budget.Key accomplishments include:• Built strong relationships with business managers and stakeholders across eight locations, providing strategic technology leadership for revenue-generating projects.• Played a key role in implementing system integrations and technology solutions for commercial print partners, including The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Boston Herald.• Led production system changes to support newspaper redesigns across eight sites, saving $2M in operating expenses, enabling commercial printing contracts generating $5M–$12M annually.• Managed an $8M investment in Computer-to-Plate (CTP) and sortation equipment at the LA Times and Chicago Tribune, delivering a 40% ROI with a 3.3-year payback through cost savings.• Standardized Print Optimization at the LA Times, reducing ink costs by $650K annually (8% savings).• Improved employee skillsets by 20% and system support by 25% through cross-training and formal training, reducing vendor support reliance and saving $100K in annual maintenance.

Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States

Oversaw IT strategy, operations, and infrastructure for a premier publishing company, managing a senior technical team responsible for architecting, engineering, and third-level support for critical IT services. Delivered leadership across core network infrastructure, telephony, server infrastructure, virtualization, databases, and storage while ensuring 24/7 operational efficiency aligned with business objectives.Key Accomplishments:• Managed a $5M budget and led a team of twenty, delivering 24x7 support across multiple locations.• Directed $2M+ in annual capital projects, providing strategic leadership on infrastructure initiatives.• Collaborated with the CTO to establish a Project Management Office, recruiting, onboarding, and mentoring new project managers.• Led four key strategic initiatives: Infrastructure Growth, Consolidation/Virtualization, Deployment Automation, and Thin Client Technologies.1. Upgraded core network to support VoIP and increased productivity, migrating 1,500+ users.2. Achieved 70% virtualization on Wintel platforms, reducing hardware footprint by 30:1.3. Consolidated UNIX platforms and storage arrays, saving $200K in operating costs.4. Reduced desktop costs by 40% and improved deployment times by 75% through Thin Client and Application Virtualization.• Implemented staff training and development plans to retain and motivate top talent.