Vanessa Wood, Developer in Tokyo, Japan
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Vanessa Wood

Verified Expert  in Engineering

IT Program Manager and Information Security Developer

Location
Tokyo, Japan
Toptal Member Since
November 27, 2023

Vanessa is an energetic and highly competent Certified Information Systems Security and Project Management Professional (CISSP, PMP). She has spent 10 years successfully directing complex technical programs for companies like Salesforce, Microsoft, and Boeing. Vanessa also has an excellent track record demonstrating leadership abilities, executive decision-making, complex problem-solving, detailed project planning, and effective communication.

Portfolio

Salesforce
Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Complex Problem Solving...
Microsoft
Technical Program Management...
Boeing
Certified Information Systems Security Professional...

Experience

Availability

Full-time

Preferred Environment

Windows, MacOS, Microsoft Project, Confluence, SharePoint, Agile, Scrum, Waterfall Methodology, Kanban, Slack

The most amazing...

...opportunities I've engaged in are championing security knowledge sharing and standard planning/processes and fostering organization-wide continuous improvement.

Work Experience

Director of Program Management | Government Cloud Security

2019 - 2022
Salesforce
  • Led strategy, planning, and build activities for core compliance investments with the Department of Defense—including impact level 4 (IL4) authorization and the cloud access point and enterprise email security gateway solutions.
  • Provided crucial program structure—planning, schedules, progress meetings, and ongoing program status updates to executive leadership—to execute complex, multi-phase projects in the government cloud environment.
  • Drove cross-functional collaboration with architecture leads, engineers, and subject matter experts to recognize and remediate compliance gaps and prepare the cloud environment for certification audits and control requirements for IRS 1075 and HIPAA.
  • Created and oversaw new program processes, identity and access management, and the long-term roadmap to support the Criminal Justice Information Services' customer and downstream investments.
  • Championed knowledge sharing, standard planning and processes, and engagement across the security organization.
Technologies: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Complex Problem Solving, Compliance, Technical Program Management, Leadership, IT Security, CISSP, Project Management, IT Program Management, Information Security, Strategy, Planning, GRC, Documentation, Risk Management, Security, IT Project Management, IT Security, Security, Cybersecurity, Risk Analysis, Business Process Improvement (BPI), Project Management Office (PMO), SOC 2, Communication, Project Management, Compliance, Project Management Professional (PMP), Technical Writing, SOC 2, Organization

Program Manager II | Cloud Health & Security Engineering, Governance & Compliance

2017 - 2019
Microsoft
  • Wrote requirements and managed multiple offshore development teams as the feature program manager on a major project to automate audit technologies and compliance requirements.
  • Managed the Azure security, transparency, and accessibility compliance program to validate that Azure services met the government's Section 508 accessibility compliance.
  • Stabilized workloads and schedules by implementing Scrum across multiple governance and compliance teams.
Technologies: Technical Program Management, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Compliance, Complex Problem Solving, Leadership, IT Security, CISSP, Project Management, IT Program Management, Information Security, Scrum Coaching, Strategy, Planning, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Accessibility, Web Accessibility, GRC, Documentation, Risk Management, Security, IT Project Management, IT Security, Security, Cybersecurity, Risk Analysis, IT Infrastructure, Research & Critical Thinking, Communication, Business Process Improvement (BPI), Project Management Office (PMO), SOC 2, Communication, Project Management, Compliance, Project Management Professional (PMP), Technical Writing, SOC 2, Organization

Security Project Manager | Information Security Portfolio

2015 - 2017
Boeing
  • Provided crucial program structure—planning, schedules, progress meetings, and ongoing program status updates to executive leadership—to implement complex information protection and computing security infrastructure projects.
  • Optimized and supported key information security portfolio management and vulnerability assessment processes.
  • Fostered a culture of continuous improvement by training other project managers on current tools and techniques and participating in peer reviews of ongoing and recently completed projects.
Technologies: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Technical Program Management, Leadership, IT Security, CISSP, Project Management, IT Program Management, Information Security, Compliance, Complex Problem Solving, Strategy, Planning, Documentation, Risk Management, Security, IT Project Management, IT Security, Security, Cybersecurity, Risk Analysis, IT Infrastructure, Research & Critical Thinking, Communication, Business Process Improvement (BPI), Project Management Office (PMO), Communication, Project Management, Compliance, Project Management Professional (PMP), Technical Writing, SOC 2, Organization

Information Security Analyst | Information Security Integrated Vulnerability Assessments (IVA)

2014 - 2015
Boeing
  • Supported end-to-end IVA efforts, including coordination and facilitation of pre-assessment efforts, customer communications, remediation planning, and implementation.
  • Defined, documented, and improved consistent processes across all IVA entities and developed new opportunities to better integrate processes within information security.
  • Designed and implemented enterprise information security training modules in support of the International Information Security Command Center.
Technologies: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Technical Program Management, IT Security, CISSP, Leadership, Project Management, IT Program Management, Information Security, Compliance, Complex Problem Solving, Planning, Documentation, Risk Management, Security, IT Project Management, IT Security, Security, Risk Analysis, IT Infrastructure, Research & Critical Thinking, Communication, Business Process Improvement (BPI), Project Management Office (PMO), Communication, Project Management, Project Management Professional (PMP), Technical Writing, Organization

Government Cloud Environment

The strategy, planning, and implementation of critical compliance initiatives for the new government cloud environment, encompassing IL4 authorization, the cloud access point, and the enterprise email security gateway.

I spearheaded the project and was pivotal in establishing a robust program structure. This entailed meticulous planning, detailed scheduling, regular progress meetings, and ongoing communication of the program status to executive leadership and government entity program sponsors.
2011 - 2012

Master of Science Degree in Management Information Systems

University of Arizona | Eller College of Management - Tucson, Arizona, USA

2010 - 2011

Bachelor of Arts Degree in English

University of Arizona - Tucson, Arizona, USA

DECEMBER 2020 - PRESENT

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Project Management Institute (PMI)

MAY 2016 - PRESENT

CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional

ISC2, Inc.

AUGUST 2013 - PRESENT

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

Scrum Alliance Inc.

Tools

Microsoft Project, Confluence, Slack

Languages

SQL

Industry Expertise

Project Management, Cybersecurity, Teaching

Paradigms

Agile Software Development, Agile, Scrum, Kanban, DevSecOps

Platforms

Windows, MacOS, SharePoint, Azure, Salesforce

Other

Technical Program Management, IT Program Management, Information Security, Planning, IT Security, Project Management Professional (PMP), CISSP, Project Management Office (PMO), IT Project Management, Communication, Project Management, Compliance, Project Management Professional (PMP), Organization, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Security Management, Risk Management, Compliance, Scrum Coaching, Strategy, Research & Critical Thinking, EMR, Security, Business Process Improvement (BPI), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Web Accessibility, Accessibility, Leadership, GRC, Documentation, IT Security, Security, Risk Analysis, SOC 2, Technical Writing, SOC 2, Vulnerability Management, Risk Assessment, IT Project Management, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management, Organization, Software Project Management, Software Release Management, IT Infrastructure, Writing & Editing, Constructing arguments, Presentations, Communication, Waterfall Methodology

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