2004 - 2024
Career Highlights Timeline
In 2004,
At Sun East Federal Credit Union, in my role as a Branch Sales and Product Manager, I spearheaded the creation and launch of a specialized checking account designed for teenagers aged 13-18, which seamlessly transitioned into a regular account when they turned 18. This account allowed teens aged 13-16 to access an ATM card, with eligibility for a debit card starting at 16. While the teen could be the primary account owner, an adult was required to be listed until the age of 18.
To support this product, I designed and delivered financial literacy classes tailored to educate teens on essential topics like money management, banking, and credit. I visited schools to personally deliver these lessons, covering topics such as savings, checking, and credit usage. Additionally, I established scholarships for high school seniors who participated in these classes, creating a fair, committee-led selection process to award scholarships during senior award events.
Collaborating closely with marketing, IT, external vendors, executive management, and cross-functional teams, I successfully launched the product, contributing to a 20% growth in membership. I also helped increase cross-selling opportunities by 6%, particularly with products like 529 Plans and CDs, promoting college savings.
This role exemplified my ability to create impactful financial products and services, coupled with educational initiatives, to drive both growth and meaningful community engagement.
In 2007,
In 2007, as part of my role as Lending Director / Product Manager at Union Settlement FCU, I spearheaded the creation and implementation of comprehensive financial literacy and money management classes tailored for adults. These classes encompassed various topics, including credit, banking, and debt management, providing in-depth insights into how credit works, credit utilization, and different types of loans, such as personal loans, mortgages, home equity loans, auto loans, and credit cards. Additionally, the classes delved into the distinctions between secured and unsecured loans/credit, offering a comprehensive understanding to the participants.
- Furthermore, I initiated the development of secured credit cards specifically designed for individuals with credit scores below 600. This unique product offered users the opportunity to convert to an unsecured card once their credit score surpassed 600. Moreover, participants attending my financial literacy classes were eligible for a $100 discount, allowing them to open a secured credit card account with only $400 deposit, as opposed to the standard requirement of $500. The credit limit ranged from $250 to $1000, providing flexibility to suit varying needs.
- In response to the challenges posed by payday loans and their associated fees, I also introduced a loan product called Express Cash, serving as a viable alternative. Many of our customers were burdened with exorbitant fees and interest rates from payday loan providers, resulting in financial strain and inability to pay off the loans in a timely manner. The Express Cash loan facilitated access to up to $500 with a maximum interest rate of 15%, without the need for a credit check. The loan required a direct deposit, and customers were provided with a maximum repayment period of 6 months, with flexible options of biweekly or weekly payments. To further support our customers, we offered payment extensions to prevent fees from accruing due to insufficient funds in their accounts.
No Data Found
- As a result of this innovative product, our credit union membership grew by an impressive 32%, as the loan was exclusively available to credit union members.
- To successfully develop and launch these initiatives, I created project plans that included cost forecasts, budgets, growth, and sales projections and then presented them to executive management. Once approved, I collaborated with key stakeholders, overseeing the entire process from conceptualization to execution. This included marketing efforts, managing budgets, creation of newsletters to announce the products in the community and on the website, and overall project management. I am proud to have successfully created and launched these products and services, making a positive impact in the market.
- This position introduced me to the technical aspects of product development, as the company lacked a dedicated development team. I collaborated with the IT department to create and implement these products on the website and through third-party software companies. This experience enabled me to gain valuable expertise in API integration, SQL, B2B and B2C, and SaaS, which I later applied in various roles throughout my career. Additionally, I gained expertise in UX/UI design and improved the user experience of these products on the company’s website.
From 2009 to 2016,
I held several management roles with a strong emphasis on sales, marketing, loan underwriting, mortgages, home equity loans, and credit cards. In these roles, my main objective was to expand loan portfolios across various products, leveraging both in-house marketing efforts and word-of-mouth campaigns.
As a branch manager, I operated with an entrepreneurial approach, giving me the freedom to implement my own marketing strategies and in-branch campaigns to promote our products, all while ensuring alignment with the company’s overall objectives. Thanks to my strategic marketing initiatives and promotions, my branch consistently ranked at the top, securing either first or second place among all other branches.
Portfolio Growth
No Data Found
My branch’ sales performance consistently exceeded expectations, with portfolio growth surpassing 90% and frequently exceeding 100% on several occasions. These accomplishments demonstrated my ability to drive sales and exceed performance targets, highlighting my commitment to delivering exceptional results in a competitive environment.
During these years, I also developed proficiency in CRM software, including Salesforce, SAP, and Oracle. In addition to sales and marketing, I was responsible for business development and relationship management. This involved identifying and evaluating new business opportunities by researching market trends, assessing competition, and analyzing potential customer bases and markets for growth. I also built and maintained strong relationships with key clients, partners, vendors, investors, and other stakeholders to support business expansion and growth.
In 2016,
I was offered a role that allowed me to continue my work in product development and project management, focusing on initiatives that directly benefited the community. As the Director of Lending at CRHDC, I led the creation and management of a range of loan products, including non-conforming loans such as VA, FHA, and USDA loans, specifically designed to meet the needs of both borrowers and the community.
To support CRHDC’s growth as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and ensure continued government funding, I focused on diversifying the portfolio by introducing new products. This included spearheading the development of Adjustable-rate Mortgages (ARMs), with interest rates that adjust periodically based on financial indexes tied to the loans. Additionally, I formed partnerships with other mortgage companies to share the mortgage debt as our portfolio expanded. I also created a down payment loan program to assist borrowers who lacked the funds, working with larger institutions to distribute the risk.
+18%
Mortgage Portfolio Growth
+5%
Small Businesses Loans
This position also allowed me to deepen my technical expertise in product development. Without a dedicated development team, I collaborated closely with the IT department and third-party software providers to implement these products on our website. This experience helped me gain proficiency in API integration, SQL, B2B, B2C, and SaaS solutions. I also enhanced my UX/UI design skills, applying A/B testing and User Acceptance Testing for the first time.
As a result of these efforts, our mortgage portfolio grew by 18%, and our client base expanded from 4% to 9%, thanks to the introduction of diverse, non-conforming loan products. Additionally, I established partnerships with local financial institutions to create loans for small businesses, particularly those owned by minorities and women, resulting in a 5% portfolio increase.
To further improve efficiency, I led a project to update our loan origination software (LOS), which streamlined the application process and significantly improved client retention, increasing it from 18% to 27%.
4% to 9%
Client Base Expanded
18% to 27%
Improved Client Retention
In 2017,
After government funding was depleted at CRHDC, I transitioned to a new role that aligned with my passion for product management. I joined Canvas Credit Union as a Product Manager, initially overseeing lending and deposit products, including Personal and Auto Loans, Home Equity, Credit Cards, Mortgages, and Checking and Savings accounts. In this role, I developed campaigns that successfully drove business, sales, and portfolio growth.
To bring new product initiatives to life, I created detailed project plans covering cost forecasts, budgets, and growth projections, which I presented to executive management. Once approved, I collaborated with key stakeholders, managed projects from conceptualization to execution, and developed marketing strategies, newsletters, and promotional materials for both community engagement and online presence. These efforts had a significant impact in the market, as we successfully launched new products and services.
With the success of my portfolio, I took on additional responsibilities, including real estate products that were underperforming. I hired and trained product managers, mentoring them on product management principles, project planning, stakeholder collaboration, and using Jira. I also brought in external experts to train the team on roadmaps, user journeys, story writing, and backlog management, and I developed structured procedures for product creation and launch.
A year into my tenure, I transitioned into the lead product role as the Real Estate Product Manager/Owner, focusing on mortgages and home equities. I diversified the loan offerings, introducing ARMs, Jumbos, and non-conforming loans like FHA, VA, and USDA. I also created a Home Equity Line of Credit product with flexible options, and launched successful marketing campaigns with promotional interest rates, consistently exceeding quarterly goals by an average of 112%.
+12%
Analyzed market trends and competitive landscapes to shape strategic decisions, driving differentiated product offerings and achieving a 12% increase in market penetration.
+112%
Exceeded 112% of product launch goals by leveraging customer feedback loops and data insights to refine and enhance the user experience.
Home Equity Line of Credit product with flexible options, and launched successful marketing campaigns with promotional interest rates, consistently exceeding quarterly goals by an average of 112%.
To improve customer experience, I implemented online and mobile transfer features for HELOCs and conducted A/B testing and User Acceptance Testing to ensure a smooth process. As the portfolio expanded, I hired a Digital Product Manager to manage the digital side of real estate products, and together we launched a new contact module for Mortgage Loan Officers, doubling our conversion rate from 2% to 6%.
I also led efforts in researching and updating our loan origination software (LOS), which resulted in client retention improving from 9% to 15%. Throughout this role, I honed my skills in API integration, SQL, and UX/UI design, managed various B2C products, and gained proficiency in using software like Temenos, Symitar, and Encompass. Additionally, I used data-driven visualization and product analytics to support decision-making and stakeholder engagement.
My role also provided me the opportunity to grow as a Scrum Master, leading Agile and Scrum methodologies, conducting daily stand-ups, and coordinating product releases and quality assurance testing. I was responsible for triaging bugs and defects across loan and deposit products and ensuring smooth collaboration between teams. I even had the opportunity to design and launch a 100% mortgage product, culminating in a successful Superbowl campaign that generated over 100 calls the following Monday and increased mortgage traffic by 62%, contributing to a 7% annual increase in membership at the credit union.
- Facilitated cross-functional teamwork through clear communication and process alignment, improving project delivery timelines by 20%.
- Introduced a data-driven product optimization framework that reduced development cycles by 15% and increased product delivery speed.
In 2018,
I successfully authored and launched my book, Two Faced, managing every aspect of the product from conception to publication. As the sole owner and decision-maker, I was responsible for overseeing all phases, including design, development, website creation, marketing, social media engagement, sales strategies, audience targeting, pricing, and messaging. This hands-on approach allowed me to hone skills that directly translate to product management.
Achieving a 4.8 rating on Amazon demonstrates the success of the product, which I attribute to the thorough attention to detail and strategic marketing efforts that shaped its launch. From ideating creative concepts to finalizing design and content, I applied critical problem-solving and decision-making skills that are essential in product management.
The creativity involved in writing a book translates into my work as a product manager by allowing me to think outside the box when identifying opportunities, creating compelling messaging, and developing solutions that resonate with customers.
Additionally, my experience managing direct-to-consumer sales on my own website taught me the importance of customer engagement, B2C sales strategies, and understanding the full product lifecycle. These experiences have enriched my product management journey, allowing me to effectively balance both creativity and strategic execution. I will be utilizing these skills once again as I set to launch my new book titled Three Ways to Die in 2025.
In 2021,
I joined Finance of America on a short-term contract to create non-conforming and unconventional mortgage loans as a temporary replacement for a colleague on maternity leave. I was recommended for the role by a former Canvas Credit Union colleague, who recognized my success in expanding the mortgage portfolio and developing new loan products. Based on this recommendation, Finance of America reached out to me to fill this strategic role.
When I arrived, I found research on riskier mortgage products like Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs), Non-Warrantable Condos, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans had stalled at the initial stages. I took the lead in developing these products, writing credit policies, and launching a suite of offerings called Flex. My ability to drive these initiatives forward ensured that the products were market-ready, contributing to the company’s growth.
Risk And Fraud Incidents
Minimized credit risk and fraud incidents by 20% for new and existing products
No Data Found
Although my contract was only for three months, Finance of America offered me a permanent position after seeing the results of my work. Despite this, I had already accepted a role at Lender Price, where I could further pursue my interest in the technical side of product management and software development.
During my time at Finance of America, I successfully launched new mortgage products by creating and executing comprehensive strategies that integrated sales, marketing, and production efforts.
In 2021,
At Lender Price, I joined as a Senior Product Manager, gaining extensive experience in SaaS and leading the API integration between Encompass and the company’s Product and Pricing Engine (PPE). My primary objective was to expand Lender Price’s client base by enabling seamless connectivity with one of the industry’s top loan origination software platforms. I successfully mapped all fields from Encompass to Lender Price’s PPE and collaborated closely with the development team to execute the API integration. Through this hands-on experience, I significantly advanced my understanding of API calls, error handling, and optimization techniques.
I engaged with clients weekly, gathering their specific requirements and preferences for the pricing engine while considering their unique setups. Based on their feedback, I documented detailed user stories and journey maps for each client, organizing their mapping and capabilities using dedicated Smartsheet and Miro boards.
I developed comprehensive product plans, including roadmaps, and presented them to executive management for approval, addressing key questions and aligning cross-functional stakeholders. My role also involved determining customer development needs through market research and recommending the scope of current and future product lines. By reviewing product specifications and new ideas, I helped shape long-term product strategies and developed roadmaps accordingly.
I designed process flows, mock-ups, wireframes, and use cases, bridging the gap between current and future states. I validated technical and functional business requirements to ensure smooth transitions. Additionally, I managed the scope, MVP definitions, and project details, following established project management and SDLC methodologies.
As a subject matter expert, I supported projects throughout their lifecycle, serving as a liaison between business and technical teams. I reconciled conflicting requirements, converting high-level business needs into detailed functional specs. My role also included resolving client issues through system testing, analyzing product requirements, and preparing ROI analyses.
I worked directly with the development team to design and implement UI changes that aligned with business needs. I prepared work plans, estimated project effort, and managed stakeholder expectations and communications across internal and external teams.
Using SQL and data-driven tools like Tableau, I gathered insights to make informed business decisions. I managed SaaS-based B2B software products, designed UI improvements, and drove business growth through product enhancements. I played a key role in hiring and training additional team members, including Product Managers, Project Managers, QA professionals, and Marketing staff.
Additionally, I leveraged SQL to gather key data insights, query databases, and make informed decisions that drove product development. My role required extensive querying to extract, analyze, and present data for stakeholder reports, which strengthened my proficiency in data manipulation and analysis using SQL.
As part of Lender Price’s expansion into cloud-based services, I also gained experience with AWS, which provided a scalable and secure platform for hosting and managing the software. Working on AWS-based services helped me understand cloud infrastructure, security protocols, and data storage solutions that are essential for building and maintaining SaaS products.
Moreover, I explored the growing potential of AI in fintech products by researching and integrating machine learning algorithms into pricing models to predict optimal rates for clients. This experience in AI gave me insight into how data-driven tools could improve decision-making and enhance user experiences.
To further expand my technical knowledge, I also worked on projects involving Java development. Collaborating with the engineering team on backend processes, I contributed to coding reviews and helped identify ways to improve system performance and scalability. These experiences enhanced my understanding of Java’s role in creating robust, reliable fintech applications.
In addition to my product management responsibilities, I triaged all bugs reported by clients in Jira related to the Encompass PPE. I identified issues, assigned them to the appropriate developers, and ensured timely resolution. As a startup, Lender Price required me to wear multiple hats, including Project Manager, QA, Scrum Master, Developer, UX/UI Designer, Marketing, Sales Lead, Trainer, and Business Analyst. This multifaceted role enabled me to bridge technical and business requirements, ensuring seamless product execution in an agile environment. By integrating AWS, AI, and Java into my product management toolkit, I was able to drive growth and innovation, contributing to a 13% to 24% increase in the client base and an 11% to 19% growth in client usage and retention.
- Evaluated product specifications/requirements, appraised new product ideas/modifications, and recommended enhancements to current/future product lines, resulting in enhanced product quality by 20%.
- Implemented a go-to-market strategy for new mortgage software features, including webinars, increasing feature adoption by 16%.
- Orchestrated a product roadmap for API integrations with major mortgage platforms, overcoming technical debt and implementing customer-driven features, boosting user adoption by 23% in a fast-paced tech environment.
- Analyzed API data usage and integration success rates, resulting in a 15% increase in API clients and a 20% reduction in support tickets.
- Refined MVP definitions and project scopes, streamlining delivery and reducing development timelines by 15%.
- Collaborated with a team of eight engineers and product developers, successfully managing the entire SDLC for B2B software integrations, improving client satisfaction by 28% by introducing the mobile application to access the PPE engine on the user’s phone.
- Organized interdepartmental coordination, including sales and customer support, to align product development with client needs, leading to a 24% increase in client base through enhanced communication of new feature releases.
- Championed Agile methodologies in the development of B2B SaaS products, introducing sprints that resulted in faster turnaround for client-driven features, increasing customer satisfaction by 18%.
In 2022,
I was recruited as a Senior Product Manager at PwC Digital to oversee the development of workspaces for their Project Management software.
I managed two teams for several months before they were merged into one, taking responsibility for end-to-end SDLC management, including project strategy planning and implementation to ensure timely and cost-effective completion.
I developed product/release project roadmaps, personas, and journey maps, prioritized, and organized the backlog, and authored user stories, epics, and features.
I worked closely with key stakeholders to understand and elicit business requirements, collaborated with business leaders and the development team to manage dependencies and risks, and provided direction for mitigation efforts.
I developed effective go-to-market strategies by analyzing customer, product, and pricing data to inform product strategy.
I aligned communication plans and reported progress to stakeholders/leadership and facilitated cadence meetings and developed high-level status reports to support decision-making.
I continuously explored emerging technologies and optimized resource utilization by strategically planning, allocating, and scheduling resources while proactively anticipating potential problems.
I oversaw project close-out processes, including evaluating the project’s effectiveness and identifying lessons learned to enhance the program’s future phases.
To keep track of new products and enhancements, I created Miro and Kanban boards that included timelines, UX designs, dependencies, risks, user testing feedback, and bugs to prioritize roadmaps and backlogs in Azure DevOps and Jira .
Before assigning bugs and defects to the development team, I conducted triage to prioritize them based on their impact on the product.
I collaborated closely with the Quality Assurance team to develop comprehensive test cases for both regression and smoke testing.
In preparation for product releases, I conducted User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and A/B testing with users to ensure product functionality and user satisfaction.
Prior to product releases, I also provided demonstrations to users on new and enhanced products to showcase their features and gather feedback.
To secure support for potential product developments and enhancements, I delivered PowerPoint and Miro presentations to leadership to obtain buy-in and alignment with organizational goals.
Effectively led stakeholder engagement by developing high-level status reports that used data-driven metrics (Power BI) and SQL to support decisions.
I took ownership of ensuring timely delivery of promised work within sprints.
I served as the primary point of contact for communicating project progress and deliverables to leadership and users, utilizing a variety of channels such as sprint retrospectives, release notes, Aha, Yammer, and newsletters.
I assumed responsibility for Pendo, Google Analytics and tagging to ensure that data was accurately tracked and reported to support informed decision-making and gain insights into customers with real-time data.
One of the teams I managed oversaw Workspace Creation in Concourse, which was PwC’s project management software. The database in Concourse used Couchbase, which is a NoSQL Database, and it used a query language similar to SQL called N1QL. We used that to execute queries to perform diverse activities in the Database (create, read, update, delete data) so that we could then execute those queries directly (sometimes we did that when someone requested us to write a query for X task or get certain data), but we also did things the recommended way which would be through the API or Backend. For Workspace Creation, we collected a lot of information from the UI/Frontend, we then sent all that data to the API, the API/backend then validated that data and executed the corresponding queries to create that data in the Database, making sure that data would endure in the time (for example, the Workspace name, description, team members, work items, etc.).
- Led the go-to-market strategy for a SaaS-based risk management tool, leveraging competitor analysis and achieving a 10% growth in enterprise clients.
- Collaborated with C-suite executives, business analysts, and engineering teams to present data-driven insights, gaining buy-in for strategic pivots that increased revenue by 10% for a global enterprise software platform.
- Tracked feature adoption and time-to-value metrics, making adjustments that boosted product usage by 22% within three months post-release.
- Managed two multi-disciplinary teams of 30+ members, including data scientists and UX designers, increasing team productivity by 25% and exceeding 100% product delivery targets through improved sprint planning.
- Created and prioritized a dynamic product backlog for B2C cloud solutions, incorporating user feedback and competitive analysis, accelerating feature delivery by 15%.
- Enhanced team coordination and reduced miscommunication by 30% through structured communication plans, issue tracking, and facilitating sprint meetings.
- Grew software adoption from 11% to 16% within six months by introducing new product offerings and enhancements.
- Boosted user satisfaction by 22% through innovations that streamlined interactions and reduced clicks.
- Led Agile transformations across cross-functional teams, improving delivery consistency and reducing rework by 20%.
In 2023 - Current,
I was recruited for a Program/Digital Product Manager IV at Charter Communications, and I currently manage multiple large-scale cross-functional capabilities focused on business growth, technology advancement, and process automation across value-chain activities such as logistics, operations, and service.
I gather requirements and monitor project execution for on-time, under budget, and within the highest quality of delivering the product and its value to the business.
Handling integration from Salesforce to Pega (NEOs) system.
I communicate with leadership and other stakeholders including SMEs on program strategy, direction, and changes to ensure efficient software tool implementations to support operational needs.
Partner with UX/UI, architecture, development, engineering and other teams to oversee the design, manufacture, and planning for each product/capability.
Reduced project delays by 27% and annual time savings to 50% through fostering strategic project coordination, communication, and management between project stakeholders and keeping them informed of project progress and milestones.
Improved SLAs by 23% and decreased SLO cycle times by 17% through implementing data-driven decision-making processes and automation frameworks.
Formulate and execute differentiation strategies based on competitor analysis that increased market share by 8% within a single quarter.
*Project Delay Minimization with KPI Tracking