Business Continuity/Risk Management

Multifaceted Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery professional with distinguished career supporting federal business continuity, COOP, disaster recovery, and risk management programs. Spearhead teams, providing subject matter expertise and innovative program solutions in the areas of emergency management, risk mitigation, business contingency planning, and disaster recovery. Provided analysis to government agencies focusing on standardization, internal control systems, and contingency of operation procedures, crisis management, and compliance of federal regulations, risk management, audit findings, implementation, training, and maintenance of plans.Skilled at developing safeguards, business recovery plans, and procedures to govern business units within the organization. Responsible for the management of projects through entire life cycle.Flexible work style according to project dynamics. 

• Business Impact Analysis
• Program Management and Strategy
• Executive Presentations
• Testing, Training, and Exercises
• After Action Reports Disaster Recovery
• Business Recovery
• Risk Management
• Asset Management
• Compliance
• COOP
• Development and Implementation
• Internal and External Reviews
• Audits
• Corrective Action
• Regulatory Requirements
• Catastrophic Response Strategies
• Development and Maintenance of Business Contingency/Disaster Recovery Plans
• Resilient Infrastructure Environment

Confidential, Boca Raton, FL, Jan 2012 –June 2012

FPL- Business Continuity Manager /Disaster Recovery Project Manager (Miami Office) 
Serve as a BCP/DR Project manager for the AMI Smart Grid Solutions project. I am responsible for the following.

• Conduct BIA assessment, work with team to define critical time sensitive systems and business functions
• Design, develop, and document Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans
• Coordinate DR/BCP exercises
• Facilitate training with critical support staff and management
• Develop project plans for lifecycle of DR/BCP project
• Develop ad hoc presentations for senior management
• Plan for mission asssurance of operations and critical business functions for AMI
• Conduct business impact analysis, risk assessments of critical systems and business functions
• Responsible for developing business group ICS structure
• Responsible for developing TTX for Corporate Dry Run and Departmental test

Confidential, Washington, DC, 2011- Jan 2012
House of Representatives- Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Specialist
Safeguard critical support systems and information technology operations by identifying potential problem areas and single points of failure that may result in interruptions of critical infrastructure systems. Develop and implement IT Recovery Policies, Information Contingency Plans, and Disaster Procedures for critical IT business systems.

Serve as Risk Manager tracking and reporting milestones. Charged with the responsibility of developing plans and procedures, conducting information security audits, identifying gaps, TTX exercises, identifying risk, single points of failure, establish recovery time objective, and documenting and developing milestones per Inspector General, Information Technology Infrastructure Audit- House of Representatives. Align team members and resources to evaluate overarching Disaster Recovery capabilities.Changed business models to support risk mitigation andthe integration of processes and policies.

Project Highlights:

• Directed activities within DR program including information security audits, establishing disaster recovery process, development of continuity plans, recovery support, and critical systems recovery.
• Developed and updated Information Technology Contingency Plans providing overall management in DR program capabilities regarding applications, infrastructure recovery, information security, crisis management, and disaster recovery compliance/audit initiatives.
• Worked with senior leadership and House Compliance Committtee to provide response to Inspector General IT Audit
• Developed policies and procedures for disaster recovery initiatives. Facilitated testing of procedures, wrote after action reports, and updated plans based on corrective action findings.
• Updated Disaster Recovery Procedure Annex Plans. Implemented policy guidance for Emergency Notification.
• Coordinated and facilitated Disaster Recovery testing for business units/critical systems. Provided guidance and wrote policy in support of standardization for System Recovery.
• Consulted and provided guidance to business units regarding vendors, service level agreements, contracts regarding recovery, and blanket agreement.

Confidential, Washington, DC, 2009-2011
Department of Health and Human Service- Senior Program Manager (BCP/COOP)
Program Manager supporting the Department of Health and Human Services’, nationwide regional contingency planning for mission assurance of operational and business functions and the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response, COOP department. Interpreted government regulations and applicable codes, and advised senior leadership on the best course of action to ensure compliance. Developedpolicy, programs, procedures and contingency plans based on risk mitigation and proposed solutions that monitor, evaluate and enable resolution of safety and continuity of operations compliance. Performed business impact analysis, risk assessments of essential functions and information systems. Orchestrated the development, integration, and exercising of contingency plans. Prepared and conducted briefings and overviews to educate business units. Briefed senior leadership to understand broader issues. Managed emergency notification alert system.

Project Highlights:

• Developed andimplemented Business Continuity Management components such as: Business Impact Assessments (BIA), Business Resumption Planning, Plan Maintenance, National Level Exercise Testing, COOP, COG Plans, Incident Management
• Conducted nationwide risk assessments for business units and identified operational risks, potential magnitude of impact and guidance for risk mitigation in alignment with federal continuity directives and regulatory.
• Managed, Business Continuity Program developed and maintained appropriate documentation. Coordinated and facilitated monthly Business Continuity efforts with internal partners, participated in the development and execution of periodic Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity testing.
• Coordinating full scale exercises for National Level Exercises. Developed framework for exercise design including Master Scenario Exercise Lists, Situational Manuals, Explans, After Action Reports, and other exercise materials.
• Conducted gap analyses to identify IT resources availability issues. Continuously monitored and reported the availability of IT resources. Assessed risk associated with disruptive events.
•  Maintained and monitored a DR/BCP risk action plan. Planned IT services recovery and resumption and established procedures for conducting post-resumption reviews. Facilitated the documentation of disaster recovery and service contingency plans. Ensured that all IT systems were in compliance and contained comprehensive plans for the recovery of assets and services.
• Annually tested ITS continuity and disaster recovery plans and developed follow-up action plans from test results.
•  Assisted with efforts to improve disaster/emergency notifications.
• Identified and evaluated business and technology risks, internal controls which mitigate risks, and opportunities for internal control improvement. .
• Developed weekly status metrics reportreflecting status of program strength of continuity planning.

Confidential, New York, NY 2008-2009
Business Continuity, Project Management
Worked with various departments within the Catholic Charities umbrella providing expertise and support to establish and maintain good standing with Federal and State donors.
Prepared detailed risk and vulnerability assessments. Conducted HVAs, hazard mapping, community mobilization, as well as other best practices.

Project Highlights:

• Developed, prepared, evaluated, and/or coordinated written emergency management planning documents in support of departmental emergency programs and integrated documents into a Comprehensive Emergency Plan.
• Advised department managers to support development, testing, and evaluation of policies, plans, and procedures for emergency preparedness and response programs. 
  Ensured plans and procedures complement NYOEM guidelines; plans were consistent  with NIMS regulatory requirements.
• Created response to natural, accidental, and terrorism at city and state level for clients within the Catholic Charities umbrella that receive state funding. Developed training 
  and readiness initiatives as part of BCP.
• Researched and accurately interpreted related local, state, federal codes, regulations and findings for the development of recommendations and consults with the director and other c-level executives for implementation. Designed, developed, and conducted  exercises- planning meetings and progress reviews. Provided steering committee with  information and reports on the current status of activities, findings, recommendations,  and the means of implementation of all activities.

Confidential, New York, NY, 2004-2008
Business Continuity Specialist
Controlled project plans for critical support initiatives, task level schedules, risk management plans, and itemized budget allowances.Provided direction to successfully develop business continuity/emergency management program. Researched and analyzed all federal and state regulatory requirements for health care based programs. Developed strategies and guidance to manage volumes of storage and backup needs. Consulted and created outside relationships to secure alternative site in the event of a disaster. Performed critical infrastructure evaluation for alternate site.

Project Highlights:

• Performed business impact analysis, risk assessments, formulated recovery strategies, documented business continuity plans, conducted exercises, and implemented maintenance and improved testing and correct action scheduling.
• Coordinated and managed resources responsible for the development, validation and maintenance of Security, Disaster Recovery, and Capability plans.Minimized the impact of major system outages to critical patient care and business operations.
• Identified and recommended security and disaster recovery practices/procedures based on cost benefit analysis.
• Developed corporate continuity program based on risk associated with business units. Educated management, leadership, and response teams.

Confidential, 1999-2002
Network Administrator
Setup administrator and service accounts for 600 end users, maintained system documentation, tuned system performance, and installed system wide software. Responsible for the maintenance of Disaster Recovery (DR) plans.Performed periodic analysis to ensure recovery plans were consistent with expectations and internal/external Service Level Agreements. Defined loss of revenue, analysis for outages events. Recognized and identified potential areas where disaster recovery policies and procedures required changes, or where new ones needed to be developed.

Project Highlights:

• Participated in the operations/optimization of key Business processes including (Incident, Change, Problem and Release Management, and document Standard Operating Procedures).
• Worked closely with Chief Information Officer in recommending hardware and software upgrades, coordinated installs, and provides backup recovery.
• Monitored performance and provided periodic reports to management on system performance.
• Performed all tuning, backup planning, disaster recovery, upgrades, patching, security configurations requirements, and monitoring and troubleshooting for 600 end users.
• Multi tasked in critical downtimes, articulated technical information to end users and management.
• Managed weekly, monthly, and quarterly controls to ensure that proper monitoring and evidence collection was taking place. Facilitated annual compliance audits.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
Masters of Public Administration, Emergency and Disaster Management
Bachelors of Arts, Human Service

SKILLS/TRAINING

• Anti-Terrorism and Advanced Security Training Certificate
• HSEEP Certification
• Associate Business Continuity Professional
• FEMA Independent Study (IS) 7, 22, 100, 100HC, 120,130, 197, 230, 700, 200, 200HC, 805, 808 (and more)
• NIMS and Incident Management Training
• OSHA, EPA, DOT knowledge
• Port Authority/MTA Drills
• Paralegal Certificate
• Emergency Action Plan Director Certification
• Weapons of Mass Destruction Trainer Certificate

Facilitate Courses to train educators and groups on WMD

• NY US Homeland Security—Incident and Response to Suicide Bombing Certificate
• Functional & Table Top Drill Facilitator
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Association of Contingency Planners
• Associate Business Continuity Planners (pending)
• Professional Continuity Planner (FEMA)