Experience

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  Kranz Consulting

  • San Francisco Bay Area

  • Director of Learning and Development

    • Jul 2022 - Present
    • San Francisco Bay Area

    Responsible for building a strategic learning function to support the development organizational competencies for a rapidly growing professional services firm. Working with senior leadership to create development programs that improve employee engagement and culture in a nationwide remote workforce.

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  MRA Learning

  • Chapel Hill, North Carolina

  • Founder and Managing Partner

    • 2013 - Present
    • Chapel Hill, North Carolina

    In 2013, I established a full service learning and development strategy firm guiding organizations in aligning talent development programs with business objectives. Partner with C-level executives, HR and organizational development business partners to improve learning effectiveness by identifying gaps in high-level skills. Design and execute strategies to redesign and build corporate learning functions. Deliver customized skills development workshops, both in-person and online. My Achievements Include:► Developed and delivered four-course training curriculum to maintain productivity, employee engagement and organizational culture in a remote or hybrid work environment.► Manage up to 4, 6-8 month engagements for private companies with between ~2500 - ~5000 employees. ► Rapidly pivoted to remote learning to address COVID restrictions on in-person gatherings that enabled client to deliver 4 training curriculums with no disruption to client service and at a highly reduced cost.► Collaborated with client HR team to develop training programs to address issues related to the human capital implications of sustaining productivity and addressing cultural diversity while working within a remote environment.► Partnered with a firm to create an eLearning program to improve project consultants understanding and interpretation of data analytics in the new data-driven work environment.

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  Professional Services Firm

  • Outsourced Learning Manager – Audit

    • 2016 - 2019

    I was selected by this financial services company to restructure its audit training program, aspiring to improve effectiveness of learning programs in alignment with business goals. Collaborated with business stakeholders to analyze learning needs and restructured curriculum programs to improve performance in areas that were driving cost overruns and stalling growth. Built internal training capabilities and eliminated costly and ineffective outsourced training model to accomplish new learning goals focused on driving operational efficiencies, business development and service quality. My Achievements Include:► Revamped and constructed 100 hours of continuing professional education successfully delivered to 300+ professionals.► Drove adoption of new audit platform to 90% in 1st year by collaborating with subject matter experts, business unit leaders and software provider to create a change management workshop to drive systemwide adoption through cross-functional training. ► Jumpstarted improvement of audit service delivery model, resulting in 5 new process improvements through the creation of a 4-day innovation program, which engaged 5 teams in creative problem solving to address quality and efficiency problems.

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  The Vistria Group

  • Operating Advisor

    • 2013 - 2016

    I was engaged by this private equity firm to research investment strategies for education and corporate workforce development companies. Built networks and business relationships across the education and workforce development landscape and participated in investment process.My Achievements Include:► Identified 3 potential businesses for investment and participated in development of investment proposals.

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  American Institute of CPAs

  • Director, Continuing Professional Education – AICPA

    • 2010 - 2013

    I was enlisted by this leading international association for Certified Professional Accountants to modernize and evolve the multimillion-dollar professional education business with a focus on online learning to expand its customer base and B2B opportunities. Created eLearning programming, an innovative concept at the time, and built a new Learning and Development operating model that was capable of creating and delivering online learning. Improved operational efficiencies, expanded capabilities, and improved coordination within the organization to support other business units more effectively. Relocated L&D team from Texas to North Carolina and rebuilt a 50-person staff. My Achievements Include:► Retained existing customer base and successfully delivered legacy training programs while simultaneously redesigning mission critical operations, rebuilding and hiring 95% of the 50-person team and launching a new product line ► Grew revenue by up to $1M+ and increased gross margins by approximately 10% through introduction of a scalable new product line, which has grown to a multimillion-dollar business.

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  Michael J Ramos, CPA

  • Independent Writer & Consultant

    • 1995 - 2010

    During this time, I operated an independent business, applying my auditing and training expertise from KPMG to author numerous books, practice aids and authoritative publications on accounting and finance matters, including Sarbanes-Oxley Act, fraud detection and risk assessment. Enlisted by accounting firms and associations to improve operating processes and facilitate training. My Achievements Include: ► Innovated new audit methodology for a multibillion-dollar commercial software publisher’s audit platform. Solution was recognized by trade magazine as New Product of the Year. Retained by publisher to develop platform and regulations training.► Designed 4 CD-based training courses for AICPA, providing a new product line for the association’s membership of firms and individuals.

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  KPMG

  • Audit Senior Manager | Manager, Professional Development Department

    • 1982 - 1991

    In my early career, I assisted KPMG partners in the creation and facilitation of audit training programs in the US and internationally. Transitioned to audit engagement management for public and privately-held companies primarily in financial services and real estate.