Quality Assurance Project Manager

Laura L. Kasten

************@*****.***

Mobile: 405-***-****

CURRENT CONTRACT SPECIALIST CPARS FOCAL POINT QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM BUILDING OFFICE MANAGER SKILLED COMMUNICATOR SECURITY CLEARANCE

AIR FORCE VETERAN MASTER’S DEGREE

Adheres to law, regulations and policies. Detail-focused manager and quality assurance inspector. Well- trained, educated and skilled at unifying diverse organizations toward common objectives. Experienced with military customs and courtesies. Effectively organizes programs and processes with consistent team and individual recognition. Confident professional with desire for group success. Expert communicator, negotiator mentor, and visionary; motivated by collaborative results. Mission driven. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Contract Specialist/CPARS Focal Point/Proposal Writer Acquisitions Management- Public Health Service/Indian Health Service Aug 2023 – Present Department of Health and Human Service, Oklahoma City, OK Works as a certified contracting specialist creating, editing and maintaining federal government proposals and contracts in compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation as well as other department and service instruction and regulations.

• Adheres to federal acquisitions regulations FAR, other public law, agency regulations and congressional policies.

• Performs complex procurement transactions utilizing federal acquisition procedures and automated procurement systems to create contract awards.

• Assists programs with development of source selection plan for complex requirements taking into consideration socio-economic programs.

• Prepares solicitation documents, evaluates quotes/proposals by applying price and/or cost analysis techniques to complex procurements.

• Independently performs all contract administration functions.

• Negotiates and prepares various types of contracts and modifications.

• CPARS focal point for Headquarters Area Office Oklahoma City.

• Works directly with the Contracting Officer Representative to maintain healthy contracts.

• Collaborates with COR to manage the integration of vendor tasks and track and review vendor deliverables as well as final payments prior to contract closeouts.

• Formulates Basis for Award from various types of proposals for $50mil contracts.

• Creates government proposals for procurements acquired by the Oklahoma City executive headquarters office.

Secretary to the Fifth Air Force Chief of Staff Feb 2021 – Aug 2023 Fifth Air Force Headquarters, Yokota AB, Japan

Managed and administered supervisor’s calendar. Established, analyzed, and carried out administrative office procedures. Developed, edited and coordinated staffed correspondence for General Officers. Utilized task management software to manage programs and taskers. Inventoried, procured, and coordinated all supplies.

• Maintained Chief of Staff’s organizational calendar with staff battle rhythms, reoccurring meetings and required level of engagement. Updated/Briefed staff of cancellations and attendance requirements.

• Demonstrated great attention to detail in all tasks including development of new work methods such as updated PowerPoint slides and new projects that relay classified and unclassified presentations.

• Edited, updated, and completed tasks and slides in multiple government tracking systems.

• Scheduled tasks via TMT and coordinates with various team members and units to accomplish mission.

Traffic Management Counselor/Quality Assurance Inspector Apr 2019 – Feb 2021 Traffic Management Office, Vance AFB, OK

Assisted personnel with movement of personal property, arranged passenger travel, and operated as Quality Control Inspector for all shipments in the area of responsibility. Demonstrated knowledge of principles, policies and practices of system acquisition and program management by implementing policies and practices.

• Provided briefings to base organizations to ensure awareness of DoD travel policies and changes.

• Advised Traffic Management Officer of technical Joint Travel Regulation and USAF policies and directives governing the movement of personnel and personal property.

• Effectively communicated oral/written briefings to USAF leadership and community organizations. Licensed Commercial Insurance Agent/Office Manager Jul 2015 – Apr 2019 Michael Sprague & Associates, Owings, MD

Researched regulations to determine proper handling of applications. Designed process-improvements to reduce delays by 20%. Generated personal and commercial contracts in excess of $6B annually while managing inventory of $2M of daily accounts.

• Identified accounting errors and reconciled accounts ensuring accurate daily data outputs.

• Prepared and verbally provide status updates for monthly metric slides for financial management review meetings and provided financial oversight for more than 2,200 clients.

• Performed payroll administration for all employees. Ensured accurate/timely payments. Enhanced Staffing/Special Education Specialist Sep 2012 – Aug 2015 Calvert County Public School, Prince Frederick, MD Performed tasks and duties to maintain healthy educational environment for 25 public schools. Served 1,600 school aged children struggling with reading and fluency. Mastered and implemented hardware/software technologies to incorporate different styles of instruction. Utilized American Sign Language skills daily.

• Implemented team-teaching process to incorporate community of instructors with varying styles.

• Provided tailored educational resources for/to students while performing administrative tasks.

• Visionary! Created weekly plans in accordance with local guidance to accommodate student needs. Enhanced Staffing/Special Education Specialist Nov 2007 – Sep 2012 Department of Defense Education Activity, Germany & Portugal Served as Paraprofessional within three Department of Defense school systems. Utilized extensive knowledge of early childhood education and elementary education/youth development to promote and foster working relationships with children. Managed & maintained campus organization while demonstrating positive behavior intervention strategies and applied behavior analysis.

• Facilitated special education teacher responsibilities with development of data/record trackers.

• Designed deployment group utilized by counselors to assist students with life/event transitions.

• Managed focus-group of 50 personnel with process improvement vision for resident students. United States Air Force April 2001 – Dec 2002

Active Duty – Security Forces

EDUCATION

Master of Arts w/ Procurement and Acquisition Management, Webster University, St. Louis, MO Bachelor of Arts, Humanities w/ Sociology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD Associate of Applied Science, Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell, AL FAC-C Level 1, CON 1100, CON 1200, CON 1400 Management Concepts, Tysons Corner, VA AWARDS/ACCOLADES

• Annual Award Civilian Unit Cat II 5 AF HQ 2023

• Annual Award 374 Airlift Wing Kensei Civilian of the Year- 5 AF 2022

• Quarterly Award 374 Airlift Wing Kensei Civilian of the Quarter- 5 AF 2022

• Outstanding Performer Award 2022

• Quarterly Award Civilian Cat II 5 AF Sep 2022 & Jan 2022

• Quarterly Award Civilian Cat II 71 ISS Jan 2020

SOFTWARE EXPERIENCE

• Microsoft

• MS TEAMS

• SharePoint

• Adobe

• OneDrive

• Government Specific Programs and entities: UFMS, FPDS, IPP, PRISM, SAM, DAU, GSA, CPARS, SBA, ATAAPS, DPS, DTS, GATES, TMT, ITAS, CONCUR

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