Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
I am an accomplished management, finance, and strategy professional, with an eye towards leading continuous process improvement. I serve as an internal management consultant, and lead a team of professionals to ensure that the financial underpinnings of our endeavors are strong. My work is always cross-functional, and involves coordination across a number of substantive areas, often managing multiple concurrent projects. In my budget management functions, I build financial and other actionable data models – typically in Microsoft Excel – and apply appropriate business acumen to present informed recommendations to executive leadership, and negotiate implementation details with multiple stakeholders. I often work with people across a spectrum of technical and non-technical understandings, and help them identify the right approaches to various challenges. This progress typically involves navigating quickly through ambiguous situations. Frequently work with: Budget management Forecasting revenues and expenses, and other financial analysis and planning Distilling and communicating actionable recommendations to senior leaders Guiding program management Data analysis Developing analytical frameworks and communicating financial concepts to leadership Leading and developing skilled teams Project management Policy analysis and development Big fan of: The excitement over all I do not yet know, and finding other people who feel the same way Integrity: Good people, and being a good person Emotional intelligence Productivity Personal fitness Equity Sustainability Comedy Live music I would love to connect with those who resonate with anything herein.
As Associate Chair for Finance and Administration in the Computer Science Department at UNC–Chapel Hill, I oversee the operational, financial, and administrative functions that support one of the University’s most dynamic academic units. My role spans budgeting and financial planning, research administration, HR and staffing, facilities, and strategic initiatives - working at the intersection of faculty excellence, student success, and institutional complexity. I’m fortunate to work alongside an extraordinary staff whose dedication, institutional knowledge, and teamwork keep the department running every day. Their commitment enables our faculty -internationally recognized leaders in research and teaching - to focus on advancing computing, data science, and interdisciplinary scholarship that meaningfully impacts the world. Managing a large, fast-growing department within the College of Arts and Sciences and across the broader UNC-Chapel Hill ecosystem requires collaboration, creativity, and persistence. I partner closely with faculty leadership, College colleagues, and campus offices to navigate complex systems while advocating for the resources and support our people need to thrive. Above all, I see my role as building stability, enabling innovation, and creating an environment where talented people can do their best work together.
I had the honor of managing the budget and other financial business services for Chapel Hill Transit, a remarkable fare-free transit system operated under the authority and guidance of the Town of Chapel Hill, as a funding partnership between Chapel Hill, UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Town of Carrboro. I lead a team of professionals who ensure that the business service needs of the department (largely budget, grants, procurement, payroll, and accounts payable) run smoothly and within our various legal parameters, and facilitate the daily operations for our customers. While the financial management and data–driven decision-making were integral to my work in this ~$30+ million (annual) enterprise, just as important, if not more so, are the collaborative efforts towards finding mutually beneficial solutions and compromises to meet our customers’ wants and needs. This includes teamwork not only within the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC- Chapel Hill, and Carrboro, but with our regional partners in GoTriangle, the NC Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration, and others. I thrive on the complexities and challenges, and even more so on the services we in turn provide our community. Some aspects of my work: Manage all full – cycle processes for departmental budget totaling over $40M Lead development and delivery of budget analyses, financial reports, and recommendations to senior leadership, UNC administrators, and elected officials; present synthesized proposals to key stakeholders, distilling information for laypersons and experts alike, ultimately increasing organizational revenues from $16M to $40+ M Manage compensation and classification efforts, career advancement plans, and payroll for 200+ staff across full range of functions within organization Guide $25+ M grants, procurement, accounts receivables and payables, and administrative staff and processes
Led analytical efforts for departments managing over $100M in state funds Coordinated and performed ad hoc management and financial analyses in response to legislators’ requests Identified budget reductions of $10+ M, implemented across several state agencies Presented findings to legislative committees, facilitated budget discussions with key legislators and agency leaders, and developed analyses and recommendations informed by their priorities Assisted with management studies, program evaluations, and conducted legal and other research
Directed all fiscal operations for the Town, including investments, procurement, accounts payable and receivable, audit process, debt management, risk management, and leading staff in those capacities Planned, executed, and evaluated the Town’s operating, enterprise, and capital budgets, including establishing revenue projections and expenditure plans for presentation to the Board of Aldermen Estimated present and future financial needs and advised Manager and elected officials on key strategies Catalogued, analyzed, and revised or developed policies and practices to improve efficiency and effectiveness Supervised professional and clerical staff in a time of rapid change, including reorganization of duties Presented findings and recommendations to the Town Manager and the Board of Aldermen Managed the utility administration for billing, recycling, and refuse collection, including rate-setting
Planned, coordinated, and evaluated the operating and capital improvements program (CIP) budget processes, along with Town Manager, Deputy and Assistant Town Managers, and department directors, leading to adoption of $80 M budget Conducted budgetary analyses of all departments and programs, including identifying and evaluating alternatives and developing recommendations Presented findings and recommendations to the Business Management Director, the Manager, the Town Council, and department heads