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Carla Keys
Accokeek
Summary
Results-driven IT Project Manager with a strong track record in managing complex technology initiatives aligned with strategic goals. Led high-performance teams to achieve significant improvements in risk management and operational efficiency within the intelligence community and Department of Defense, consistently meeting mission-critical objectives.
Overview
3
3
Certification
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Project Manager
U.S. Department of Defense
Fort Meade
11.2025 - Current
- Manage the end-to-end preparation, quality assurance, and on-time submission of all Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) deliverables. Provide comprehensive oversight and monitoring of all contractor personnel to ensure 100% compliance with qualification requirements.
- Lead monthly Program Management Reviews (PMR) to brief the COTR and CO on performance metrics, status reports (CDRL-006), and strategic contract topics. Maximize cost reduction opportunities across the program.
- Ensure all SOW requirements are delivered in strict accordance, prioritizing efficiency, timeliness, and quality.
- Ensure all tasking guidance from the Government is unambiguous and translated effectively to the team, guaranteeing all tasks are completed within established deadlines.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for the COTR regarding all aspects of contract management, performance, personnel security, and invoicing.
- Identified and recommended automated tools, process improvements, or SOP changes to enhance operational speed and reduce costs; submitted formal cost-analysis proposals to CO/COTR for approval.
- Plan, organize, and direct all daily activities to ensure mission objectives are met.
Supervisory IT Specialist & Unit Chief (GS-14)
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.
11.2024 - 11.2025
- Lead the Information Technology Operations Center (ITOC), providing 24x7x365 global IT operations coverage.
- Drove strategic planning, conducted risk assessments, and developed policies to enhance IT resiliency and support digital transformation initiatives.
- Managed incident response (SEV 1-4), coordinated crisis evacuations, and restored IT services for classified and unclassified networks.
- Author SOPs and process enhancements to improve workload distribution and risk mitigation.
- Direct staff planning, hiring, and performance management for 30+ personnel.
- Delivered executive briefings and policy recommendations to inform SES-level leadership decision-making.
IT Specialist, Policy & Planning (GS-13)
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.
07.2022 - 11.2024
- Advised Department leadership and interagency partners on IT/telecommunications policy, enhancing strategic decision-making.
- Oversaw risk assessments and strategic planning for enterprise IT initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and effective lifecycle management.
- Coordinated COOP/COG reviews to ensure mission continuity in national security and emergency preparedness scenarios.
- Modernized AFN processes and influenced NS/EP communications policy.
ITOC Manager
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.
01.2018 - 07.2022
- Directed enterprise IT operations, ensuring adherence to departmental SOPs and risk management standards.
- Advised Department CIOs on enterprise resilience and policy development.
- Coordinated interagency IT projects, ensuring comprehensive global network support coverage.
- Led cross-functional teams to implement policy changes across various departments.
- Coordinated diplomatic initiatives to enhance international relations and partnerships.
- Oversaw staff development programs, enhancing team efficiency and technical skills.
- Collaborated with external stakeholders to align objectives with U.S. foreign policy goals.
- Monitored staff performance and proactively addressed issues to enhance productivity.
Senior Watch Officer, ITOC Crisis Management Team
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.
01.2014 - 01.2018
- Managed 24/7 operations, delivering daily IT status reports to inform executive leadership decisions.
- Briefed SES staff on critical incidents impacting classified and unclassified networks to enhance situational awareness.
- Monitored global events to assess implications for U.S. foreign policy.
- Coordinated information flow between various government agencies and departments.
- Analyzed intelligence reports to inform decision-making processes.
Earlier Roles
01.2008 - 01.2014
- Managed IT operations and support roles, overseeing system administration, exchange administration, virtualization administration, SCOM monitoring, tier III analysis, and document/process management.
- Facilitated enterprise infrastructure stability through network contingency planning and proactive troubleshooting.
- Completed day-to-day duties accurately and efficiently.
- Contributed innovative ideas and solutions to enhance team performance and outcomes.
- Worked successfully with diverse group of coworkers to accomplish goals and address issues related to our products and services.
Education
Executive Leadership Program - Executive Leadership
Graduate School USA
600 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 2002405-2025
Leadership Principles - Leadership Principles
Harvard Business School Online
Harvard, MA12-2024
B.S. - Computer Networks & Cybersecurity, Business Administration
University of Maryland Global Campus
Hyattsville, MD07-2026
Skills
- IT program management
- Project management
- Agile methodology
- Scope management
- Requirements gathering
- Process automation
- Cross-functional coordination
- Project planning
- Project scheduling
- Documentation management
- Technical documentation
- Cost control
- Budget allocation
- Risk assessment
- Risk mitigation
- Change management
- Vendor and contract management
- IT strategy development
- IT portfolio management
- IT governance and compliance
- Strategic planning
- Business alignment
- Process improvement
- Process automation
- SLA performance management
- Incident response
- Business continuity planning
- Cross-department collaboration
- Operational excellence
- Client liaison
- Quality control
- Project goals and milestones
- Cross-functional communication
- Team leadership
- Staff development
- Staff management
- Leadership development
- Work Breakdown Structures
- Task prioritization
- Documentation reporting
- Kickoff meetings
- Communication
- Decision support
- Analytical thinking
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Team collaboration
- Stakeholder engagement
- Stakeholder relations
- Task prioritization
- Documentation reporting
- Risk assessment
- Team collaboration
Certification
- PMP CE
- Security+ CE
- ITIL v4
- Microsoft System Center Operations Manager
Technical Proficiencies
ServiceNow, ServiceNow PPM, Remedy, SolarWinds, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Office Suite, PMP, ITIL, Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, ISO 20000, COBIT, COOP/COG Planning, Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Entra ID (Azure AD), Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Windows Server (2008-2025), Active Directory, Group Policy, VMware ESXi/vSphere, VMware vCenter, Nutanix, Hyper-V, DNS, DHCP, PKI
Clearance
Active TS / SCI Eligible
Timeline
Senior Project Manager
U.S. Department of Defense
11.2025 - Current
Supervisory IT Specialist & Unit Chief (GS-14)
U.S. Department of State
11.2024 - 11.2025
IT Specialist, Policy & Planning (GS-13)
U.S. Department of State
07.2022 - 11.2024
ITOC Manager
U.S. Department of State
01.2018 - 07.2022
Senior Watch Officer, ITOC Crisis Management Team
U.S. Department of State
01.2014 - 01.2018
Earlier Roles
01.2008 - 01.2014
Executive Leadership Program - Executive Leadership
Graduate School USA
Leadership Principles - Leadership Principles
Harvard Business School Online
B.S. - Computer Networks & Cybersecurity, Business Administration
University of Maryland Global Campus