Donte Adams

DonteLAdams@yahoo.com

323-839-5565 (m)

Education: Bachelor’s in psychology from California State University, Dominquez Hills, Carson, CA

Certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP)

Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert

Microsoft Certified Azure AI Engineer Associate

Portfolio Management and PMO Implementation:

Accomplished professional with a proven track record in Portfolio Management and PMO Implementation. Demonstrated expertise in leading cross-functional teams to establish and stand-up Project Management Offices, develop project schedules, and oversee portfolios comprising high-budget programs. Proficient in implementing and managing Project Portfolio Management (PPM) methodology to ensure alignment with organizational goals. Skilled in creating comprehensive dashboards and concise portfolio summary reports, highlighting key performance indicators for effective decision-making.

Program & Project Management:

With over 25 years of extensive experience, adept at overseeing numerous large-scale and enterprise-level complex projects, programs, and portfolios. Proficient in managing scope and budget, meticulously tracking and reporting the financial implications of all initiatives. Skilled in managing risk, resources, and project delivery timelines using a diverse range of project management methodologies.

Budgeting, Financial, and Contract Management:

Expertise in enterprise financial management with extensive professional experience in capital allocation, capital budget governance, Oracle Cloud EPM tax reporting, reconciling, forecasting, business case development and presentation, PO creation, and OpEx and CapEx determination of budgets in excess of $400 million. Contract management with customers, vendors, and business partners.

Business Analyst, Data Analysis and Process Improvement:

Expertise in analyzing organizations and business domains documenting business structure, processes, and systems, assessing the business model and its integration with technology while creating and implementing business process improvements by utilizing technical and business understanding to communicate and liaise between executives and technology subject matter experts.

IT Service Management, Incident Management, and Support Desk Management:

Twelve years of corporate level experience managing over 75 IT technicians, information security experts, system administrators, and network architects. Successfully managed data center builds and migrations reorganized and improved desktop support, incident response times and support ticket resolution. Strengthened network security, network reliability, disaster recovery and business continuity while supporting over 25,000 onsite and remote clients both domestically and overseas.

Organizational Change Management:

Expertise in managing, maintaining and approving change management and change control practices. Lead the organizational change management team in redefining and modifying management and organizational structure, business processes, and overall departmental cultural changes.

Software/Applications/Tools:

Microsoft PPM Tool, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, PowerBI, Monday.com, ServiceNow, Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, Microsoft Office 365, Copilot, Teams, Microsoft Visio, VMWare, Aruba ClearPass, BlueCat, Zoom, Cisco WebEx, Google Apps, Azure, Enterprise WorkFront, WorkDocs, Dalet, Dropbox, OneDrive, Tivoli Storage Manager, NetBackup, PC and Mac hardware

Summary:

Over 25 years of professional experience reporting to executive sponsors at CEO, CIO, VP, and Director levels, overseeing PMO implementation, portfolio and program management, and project management.
Proficient in budget forecasting, financial planning, analysis and reporting, managing and tracking budgets, conducting cost benefit analysis, and overseeing supply chain logistics management.
Skilled in organizational change management, developing strategic project plans, and maintaining project timelines.
Experienced in mergers and acquisitions, enterprise ITSM governance, strategic planning, business analysis, QA test management, and training delivery.
Experienced in managing and directing project teams, vendor management, and reviewing design documents.
Experienced in risk assessment, mitigation, and contingency planning, with expertise in resource allocation.
Proficient in developing and presenting executive level dashboards, project status reports, communication plans, and facilitating relationship building with stakeholders.
Strong background in managing data center migrations, helpdesk resources, creating project schedules, and maintaining project scope in large-budgeted projects.

Professional Experience:

Robert Half/Skechers, Manhattan Beach, CA Dec 2024 – present

Senior IT Portfolio Program Manager (Tax Technology)

Revitalized an underperforming tax and e-invoicing team into a high-impact group of project managers driving operational efficiency
Spearheaded global e-invoicing initiatives across LATAM, EU, and APAC (Philippines), ensuring compliance with region-specific fiscal mandates (e.g., CFDI 4.0, PEPPOL, SAF-T) and seamless integration with store-level POS systems
Directed a cross-functional team of 12 project managers to execute multi-country rollouts, leveraging Agile and Waterfall methodologies to meet aggressive timelines and regulatory deadlines
Oversaw vendor governance and strategic partnerships with Oracle (Fusion Tax, E-Business Suite), KPMG (tax advisory and compliance automation), and regional e-invoicing providers (e.g., EDICOM, Sovos, Inventti), ensuring SLA adherence and solution scalability
Managed a $15M portfolio budget, driving cost optimization through vendor consolidation, cloud migration (OCI), and process automation using RPA and API orchestration
Led end-to-end program lifecycle from business case development and stakeholder alignment to UAT, hypercare, and post-implementation audits, ensuring SOX and GDPR compliance
Architected integration frameworks between ERP systems and local tax authorities using XML/UBL schemas, RESTful APIs, and middleware platforms (e.g., MuleSoft, Dell Boomi)
Developed KPI dashboards and real-time analytics using SQL and Power BI to monitor invoice throughput, error rates, and tax reconciliation across jurisdictions
Championed change management and training programs across 300+ store locations, driving adoption of new e-invoicing workflows and enhancing operational readiness

CDW/Costco, Bellevue, WA Aug 2024 – Mar 2025

Senior PMO Program Manager

Led the strategic implementation of a private cloud network for Costco, leveraging cutting-edge virtualization technologies to enhance operational efficiency and scalability
Spearheaded end-to-end data center design and build-out initiatives across multi-jurisdictional environments, overseeing site selection, infrastructure architecture, vendor coordination, and phased implementation
Directed a team that architected and designed a robust VMware infrastructure, ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and optimal resource utilization across the organization
Conducted comprehensive risk assessments and developed mitigation strategies to ensure seamless transition and minimal disruption to business operations
Aligned project goals with organizational objectives, driving digital transformation and fostering a culture of innovation within Costco's IT ecosystem
Delivered weekly status reports to key stakeholders, maintaining transparency and facilitating data-driven decision-making throughout the project lifecycle
Successfully led team that implemented automation solutions using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools, significantly reducing deployment times and human error
Optimized project velocity through Agile methodologies, resulting in faster time-to-market and improved adaptability to changing business requirements

The Walt Disney Company/Marvel Studios, Burbank, CA Jun 2024 – Jan 2025

PMO Senior Program Manager

Directed cross-functional execution for corporate rebranding initiatives, collaborating with Production, IT, and Engineering for marketing of feature films, television programs, and interactive entertainment.
Lead a dedicated team responsible for planning, facilitating, and executing operational activities related to mergers and acquisitions. This includes orchestrating executive, staff, and technology migration activities, overseeing people transitions, technology and application migrations, hardware migrations, issue tracking, process optimization, vendor management, procurement, and establishing efficient resolution processes across multiple studio technology business units within Marvel Digital and Walt Disney Company.
Developed and streamlined operating procedures, document critical processes, and conducted knowledge transfers to HR and Deskside Support teams to ensure a smooth transition during mergers and acquisitions.
Executed comprehensive end-to-end technology transition migrations in collaboration with technology workstream owners and their respective teams.
Led planning and execution of strategic Media Engineering programs, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and delivering impactful results.
Proactively drove risk mitigation and contingency planning, resolving issues promptly to minimize disruptions to program delivery.
Utilized Smartsheet to track and report key program metrics, providing regular updates and summaries to inform stakeholders and drive decision-making.
Managed vendor relationships and contracts, ensuring alignment with program objectives and delivering value for the organization.
Communicated program status, updates, and project summaries via presentations, email, and direct communication channels with key stakeholders and executive leadership.
Collaborated with program management colleagues to coordinate activities across multiple technology teams, fostering a cohesive and collaborative working environment.
Scoped and planned very large technology projects, identifying resources, applying project methodologies, and conducting project review meetings with directors and VPs.
Partnered closely with stakeholders to proactively identify gaps and mitigate risks to execution, creating detailed project plans and tracking mechanisms for regular reports to executive leadership.

CDW/Trader Joes, Monrovia, CA May 2023 – June 2024

Senior PMO Portfolio Manager

Established and led PMO buildout, implementing governance structures, and resolving escalations and conflicts effectively.
Directed Portfolio Operations, conducting audits, and ensuring organizational alignment with strategic objectives.
Led a team of financial analysts in developing and implementing strategic financial plans, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting processes for multiple business units, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and objectives.
Served as Chief of Staff to the IT Director.
Developed and maintained portfolio status reporting dashboards to communicate key metrics to C-Suite executives and stakeholders.
Managed portfolio budgets, optimizing operational and capital expenditures to maximize value.
Oversaw vendor performance governance, contract management, and Statement of Work (SOW) management.
Planned initiatives, projects, data center buildouts, and ongoing IT services, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Standardized and scaled roadmaps, programs, and projects to deliver value to clients.
Managed capacity, time, and resources effectively to optimize project delivery.
Conducted portfolio gap analysis and implemented process improvements to enhance efficiency.
Evaluated and implemented strategic business goals, driving digital transformation and business application initiatives.
Directed program and project manager activities across multiple business units, from project ideation to delivery.
Ensured alignment and increased visibility across PMO teams, fostering leadership, governance, and collaboration.

The Walt Disney Company, Burbank, CA Aug 2021 – May 2023

Senior Program Portfolio Manager

Executed comprehensive end-to-end technology transition migrations in collaboration with technology workstream owners and their respective teams.
Managed multi-million-dollar budgets for branding and marketing of KSPN radio entertainment, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with project timelines and objectives.
Led the full lifecycle of data center design and build-outs, from site selection and infrastructure planning to vendor management and phased deployment
Led planning and execution of strategic Media Engineering programs, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and delivering impactful results.
Proactively driven risk mitigation and contingency planning, resolving issues promptly to minimize disruptions to program delivery.
Implemented program governance practices, driving, tracking, and reporting on program budgets to stakeholders and executive leadership.
PMO budgeting, financial planning, forecasting and reporting, fiscal year reconciliation.
Utilized Smartsheet and MS Project to track and report key program metrics, providing regular updates and summaries to inform stakeholders and drive decision-making.
Managed vendor relationships and contracts, ensuring alignment with program objectives and delivering value for the organization.
Communicated program status, updates, and project summaries via presentations, email, and direct communication channels with key stakeholders and executive leadership.
Collaborated with program management colleagues to coordinate activities across multiple technology teams, fostering a cohesive and collaborative working environment.
Scoped and planned very large technology projects, identifying resources, applying project methodologies, and conducting project review meetings with directors and VPs.
Introduced and implemented large program process changes, defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and fostered a healthy teamwork environment to drive program success.
Partnered closely with stakeholders to proactively identify gaps and mitigate risks to execution, creating detailed project plans and tracking mechanisms for regular reports to executive leadership.

Polypeptide Laboratories, Torrance, CA Oct 2020 – Feb 2023

Global IT PMO Director

Directed program governance, IT Service Management, and steering committee management, aligning IT initiatives with strategic objectives.
Spearheaded development of IT PMO best practices, policies, and procedures, enhancing operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Provided end-to-end delivery program and portfolio management via Smartsheet and MS Project in a fast-paced biopharmaceutical environment, marketing pharmaceutical products while maintaining business continuity and stakeholder satisfaction.
Directed all phases of data center build-outs—from initial planning and site selection to infrastructure deployment and vendor oversight—delivering resilient, scalable environments that enabled enterprise cloud adoption and supported mission-critical operations.
Managed stakeholder relationships and resource allocation, ensuring successful project execution.
Implemented a comprehensive data governance framework, ensuring compliance with international data protection regulations and US FDA regulations.
Managed incident management, data center migration, desktop support, and network engineering teams, utilizing KPI metrics to track business objectives and successful ticket closures.
Oversaw vendor management and onboarding approval processes, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
Managed data center migration and consolidation efforts, evaluating network design and infrastructure to optimize performance and reliability.
Led company and customer privacy initiatives, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.
Directed User Experience (UX) team in redesigning and relaunching the company intranet, focusing on time reporting, procurement, and project management.
Oversaw supply chain management activities, including procurement, transportation, and distribution of hardware and final products.
Provided leadership within the PMO, guiding conflict resolution, risk and issue management, and knowledge transfer.
Coordinated project intake, prioritization, and evaluation frameworks, ensuring effective communication and stakeholder engagement throughout project lifecycles.

Gilead Sciences, Inc., Santa Monica, CA Aug 2018 – Apr 2020

Program Portfolio Manager

Orchestrated the integration of two biopharmaceutical companies, consolidating operations and fostering synergy within a mergers and acquisitions matrixed environment.
Led and directed Portfolio Operations, overseeing local and offshore teams comprising Project Managers, network engineers, help desk technicians, and contractor resources.
Managed large-scale transformational initiatives in a multi-site, 24x7 international help desk operating business model, ensuring seamless business operations post-merger.
Maintained strict compliance with patient privacy, program privacy, and sensitive company data privacy regulations.
Provided leadership within the IT department, developing guidelines and procedures to streamline operations.
Coordinated project plans, prioritization, and evaluation, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
Maintained effective communication with project sponsors, managers, functional leads, and stakeholders throughout project lifecycles.
Built and nurtured relationships to efficiently deliver large, strategically important programs while managing scope, schedule, cost, risk, resources, and quality.
Acted as liaison between merging companies, guiding the implementation and integration of networks, data systems, and help desk services.
Hosted weekly project status meetings and disseminated weekly program status reports, facilitating transparency and accountability across teams.

City of Burbank, Burbank, CA Aug 2019 – Feb 2020

Asst. PMO Director

Spearheaded the restructuring of City IT PMO workflow and program management operations for the City of Burbank, facilitating effective communication between critical departments.
Led the redesign and branding project of the City of Burbank website, collaborating with cross-functional teams and vendors to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
Served as Scrum Master, overseeing roadmap and sprint planning sessions for website development and rebranding initiatives.
Partnered with UX Designs to translate user requirements into actionable website development strategies.
Conducted daily standup meetings with department managers and project team resources, enhancing coordination and collaboration.
Directed the implementation of a city-wide Office 365 migration and Axon Evidence Management Program, ensuring successful execution.
Implemented Organizational Change Management strategies to streamline incident management and IT helpdesk operations.
Developed and deployed a PMO program status reporting solution, improving visibility and accountability.
Enhanced communication, planning, and workflow across federated and siloed business units within the organization.
Established standard operating procedures (SOP) for help desk and vendor accountability, ensuring efficient task management.
Increased utilization of SharePoint and Teams collaboration sites among resources and stakeholders.
Conducted successful staff training sessions on PMBOK project management principles and MS Project utilization, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Hyundai Motor America, Fountain Valley, CA May 2018 – Sep 2018

Sr. Program Manager

Coordinated and ensured stability of all project-oriented work efforts in a balanced matrix environment, implementing project management processes and methodologies to deliver projects on time and within budget.
Managed large-budget, high-visibility projects spanning various areas including Oracle Cloud Financial System implementation, Network Expansion, and Disaster Recovery.
Utilized tools such as MS Project, MS Excel, MS Visio, Autoway, and GCSC to manage programs and projects effectively.
Led project teams in supporting network and communications implementations, while identifying and implementing process improvements for efficiency.
Managed customer privacy program and organized program management documentation, overseeing the program SharePoint site.
Developed Service Level Agreements (SLA) and introduced service improvements aligned with corporate goals.
Produced and updated weekly executive status reports and presentations, ensuring effective communication with stakeholders.
Developed project charters, RACIs, and change control procedures, overseeing business operating plans and developing use case scenarios.
Maintained risk and issue logs, managed program budgets, and tracked scope, schedule, governance, variance, and compliance.
Built strong relationships with executives, sponsors, department heads, and resources across various business units, coordinating procurement of equipment and software.

University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA Feb 2017 – Dec 2017

Sr. Program Manager

Built and managed a diverse team at USC, comprising project managers, subject matter experts, help desk technicians, and vendors, ensuring alignment with IT project management methodologies and frameworks.
Led several large-scale initiatives, including USC Village construction, data center construction, Identity Access Management, and network infrastructure redesign, achieving successful completion.
Managed multi-million-dollar IT program budget, enhancing cost/benefit analysis and risk management documentation via Smartsheet.
Managed the complete build-out of enterprise data centers, handling everything from site selection and infrastructure design to vendor coordination and rollout.
Led UX team in developing and implementing a new student enrollment and course registration portal, fostering user-centric design principles.
Spearheaded organizational change management efforts to redefine management structures, business processes, and departmental cultural changes.
Managed contract and vendor relationships, guiding PMO development for value-added services.
Successfully recovered from a six-month schedule variance, ensuring timely delivery of infrastructure and telecom construction for USC Village grand opening.
Completed major building infrastructure upgrades for 55 decentralized buildings, enhancing campus facilities.
Implemented software development projects and Identity Access Management programs, ensuring system security and efficiency.
Managed student data privacy program, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Oversaw Office 365 rollout and conference room modernization, driving increased participation rates.
Spearheaded stakeholder meetings and coaching sessions to improve conflict resolution and staff development, while optimizing project communication and vendor management.

NBCUniversal, Universal City, CA Mar 2013 – Dec 2016

Sr. PMO Program Manager

Managed a diverse portfolio of high-visibility, multi-million-dollar projects for various business units within NBCUniversal organization IPMO, utilizing standard PMI methodology.
Collaborated with marketing, production, and IT teams for big budget film and television show release.
Created, implemented, and optimized PMO policies and procedures, producing project work plans and refining project charters.
Analyzed project budgets, improved labor planning, and ensured projects were completed on time and within scope and budget.
Acted as liaison between vendors, engineers, clients, IT support technicians, and stakeholders, managing multiple data center migration projects.
Spearheaded weekly project status meetings, managing logistics and expectations with business unit managers.
Implemented data center construction, identity access management, disaster recovery, and network security protocols, driving end-to-end project management of large-scale IT infrastructure deployments.
Managed VOIP telecom system implementation and conference room modernization projects across multi-site locations.
Successfully implemented Office 365 during corporate merger, initiated and implemented facility build and relocation projects for various NBCUniversal networks.
Directed data center construction and infrastructure build-out across Universal Studios properties, overseeing hardware decommissioning and e-wasting initiatives.
Formulated impact assessments, devised contingency plans, and ensured project deliverables and objectives were met.
Advanced project and service delivery through collaborative communication and relationship building with vendors, executive sponsors, and offshore resources.
Generated and delivered weekly project status reports to executive level sponsors, ensuring transparency and accountability.

City of Pasadena, Pasadena, CA Oct 2012 – Feb 2013

Sr. Project Manager

Developed and implemented PMO policies and procedures within the City of Pasadena's IT department, overseeing projects to upgrade network infrastructure and deploy new technologies.
Achieved significant successes in streamlining project schedules, expanding subject matter expert teams, and delivering projects ahead of schedule and under budget.
Directed infrastructure team, coordinating all project phases and managing expectations in meetings with vendors, contractors, clients, and stakeholders.
Managed various projects including citywide network upgrades, datacenter migration, data analytics, server virtualization, and Office 365 rollout.
Led desktop virtualization and wireless networking rollout projects across city facilities.
Oversaw infrastructure lifecycle refresh initiative and managed office and network exit and relocation project for city employees.
Prioritized and revised project schedules to adapt to changing needs and circumstances.
Demonstrated ability to deliver projects efficiently, saving the city over $200,000 in project costs.
Ensured successful execution of projects, contributing to improved citywide technology infrastructure and operations.

Los Angeles Harbor College, Wilmington, CA Oct 2009 – Oct 2012

Sr. Program Manager

Managed diverse portfolio of projects, including PMO implementation, design-build construction, network infrastructure, and desktop virtualization on college campus impacting faculty and students.
Ensured minimal waste and budget overruns, resulting in $1.5 million budget savings upon project completion.
Supervised project managers in adhering to PMO policies, procedures, and standards, guiding them towards successful project outcomes.
Acted as liaison between IT Director, vendors, contractors, and various departments, serving as primary contact for technology-related construction projects.
Conducted review of RFIs, RFPs, change orders, and billing, alongside overseeing contractor progress and site inspections.
Managed projects encompassing student data privacy, campus data center construction, structured cabling implementation, and infrastructure installations.
Led initiatives such as vendor management, server virtualization, desktop lifecycle refresh, and operating system migration.
Oversaw construction projects for library, physical education, science, child development center, student union, and music building.
Demonstrated comprehensive project management skills in a construction and secondary educational environment, ensuring successful project outcomes and campus-wide technology advancements.