Program Analyst - Travel Manager

KATHY PATRICK-SELIGMAN

St. Petersburg ***** 612-***-**** **********@*****.***

Summary

Results-driven travel manager with over 7 years of experience managing travel and expense operations at the US Food and Drug Administration and Department of Veteran Affairs government agencies. Notable achievements include streamlining expense payment processes, train and motivate travelers and leadership, expedite travel payments on the travel card program and reducing errors that resulted in overpayments. Implemented effective Concur Government Edition solutions into VISN 23 of the Department of Veterans Affairs and solely trained over 3000 travelers of use of system. Demonstrate strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of federal travel regulations while consistently delivering exceptional customer service. Aiming to leverage expertise to enhance travel management efficiency in future roles.

Skills

Corporate/Government Card AOPC (Program Coordinator) Travel Approver/Manager/Trainer

Bi-Annual Travel Presenter

JP Morgan and Citibank Credit Card Familiarization Concur discrepancy resolution expert

Excellent customer service skills with travelers, Union representation and Executive Leadership

Travel and Expense Motivator

Experience

Management & Program Analyst 01/2020 to 05/2025

US Food and Drug Administration Saint Petersburg, FL

• Travel manager for OMDRHO (Medical Devices), OBPO (Blood Products) and TOS (Tobacco) divisions, create, approve, and verify travel authorizations in CGE (Concur Government Edition)

• Provide travel management and analytical support to the OMDRHO, OBPO, and TOS program divisions for the East coast and Florida locations

• Furnish guidance to leadership by providing formulation of budget estimates, travel operating and spend plans, invoice payments, financial reporting, yearly operating budgets by providing administrative support and project oversight

• Audit expense reports applying government travel regulations, adjust organizational changes for approvers within Concur and update lines of accounting to be properly aligned with department

• Expert planner and coordinator for OMDRHO, OMPTO and OBPO program areas pertaining to travel, government travel cards, budget, awards, and training

• Participant on management teams conducting analysis of management and program support concepts, systems, processes, and practices to ensure definition of the requirements and development of administrative plans, policies, procedures, and systems to meet current and anticipated requirements

• Serves as the Central Control Point for the purchase card program and the Office Program Coordinator for the travel card program

• Bi-Annual travel training coordinator for all programs

• Monitor and approves the spending of travel and ensures the availability of funds

• Communicated status of assigned responsibilities to management. Administrative and Management Specialist

US Food and Drug Administration

01/2019 to 01/2020

Minneapolis, MN

• Local liaison and advisor to management within the assigned office to ensure compliance with established travel and personnel management policies

• Monitors and approves the spending of travel and ensures the availability of funds in CGE/Concur Government Edition

• Supports operational travel and administrative issues for the Minneapolis office

• Office Program Coordinator for the government travel and purchase card holders

• Conducts administrative audits relative to safety, travel, budget, property, credentials, vehicles, etc., determining areas of discrepancy, potential misuse and/or abuse uncovered during the audit and prepares written reports or briefings to inform management of results

• Provides general administrative support related to office supplies, office property (furniture, telephone, laboratory equipment, etc.,), and office moves as needed

• Conducts semi-annual or annual inventories of government property in accordance with FDA regulations

• Participant in the HSPD-12 Program, ensuring employees and other non-employees are sponsored, enrolled and issued PIV badges

Supervisory Program Specialist 01/2018 to 02/2019

Department of Veteran's Affairs Minneapolis, MN

• Direct report for 20 employees, including medical, administrative and support staff

• Manage personnel leave administration, personnel vacancies, promotions, evaluations, and readiness

• Responsible for interpreting, teaching, and applying community care regulations and laws, while leading the team towards our ever-changing program goals and objectives

• Successfully review and readjust program regulation changes by leading the team through the latest policy guidance

• Process of the monthly community care budget for contract nursing homes, local hospitals, and clinics, to include weekly analysis, and year-end projections

• Develop and manage performance measures while evaluating program success rates and achievements reporting techniques

• Key strategist in current office layout and future departmental move of over 100 employees while implementing a seniority-based selection of team location

• Created, developed, and continuously monitor the initiatives of the department while evaluating the progress through to completion using national guidelines

• Maintained all administrative expectations including but not limited to: weekly forecasts, monthly reports, time reports, schedule adherence and conformance measures

• Using innovative ways to best implement and administer occupational safety and health policy and procedures for the employees in an off-site facility

• Created, developed, and executed the departments first mentorship program between well-educated team members and newly hired staff members

• Daily professional communicator between department heads, veterans, veteran service organizations, clinical staff, the public and Executive Leadership

• Eagerly identify areas of concern while preparing and implementing resolution

• Managed, monitored, and reviewed workloads, ensuring equitable allocation of tasks and shared knowledge to maintain service standards

Senior Travel Coordinator 08/2011 to 01/2018

Department of Veteran's Affairs Minneapolis, MN

• Program manager and subject matter expert of the Minneapolis VA employee travel department using Concur / CGE travel system software

• Implemented and conducted financial system reviews between the FMS payment system and the Concur travel system

• Evaluated, adjusted, and monitored travel regulations for compliance of federal government spending for over 1900 Minneapolis traveling employees

• Minneapolis VA Medical Center Travel Card Manager of the US Bank card program

• Assisted the Chief Finance Officer of Finance with the review, corrections, and approvals of all reimbursement claims

• Acting liaison between Minneapolis Travel and FSC / Austin for all travel payment inquiries

• Ad hoc processing of reports on a daily, monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis

• Developed reimbursement strategies for efficiency and accuracy

• Evaluated and implemented transportation policies directly with the facility Director of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center

• Timekeeper of 20 employees in VISTA and VATAS

• Payroll and transportation advisor for all phases of auditing

• Coordinated auditing efforts between payroll technicians and human resource personnel when documenting complex pay cases and processing grievances

• Promoted teamwork while exchanging ideas between travelers, federal government agencies and SES/Senior Executive Team while adhering to compliance and fiscal responsibility Senior Crew Payroll Analyst 02/2003 to 02/2011

Mesaba Airlines/Pinnacle Airlines/Northwest Airlines Eagan, United States

• Analyzed and provided monthly financial and compensation data to leadership and the executive team pertaining to travel and per diem of 1300 crew members

• Transformed manual monthly payment process to automation, saving over $13,000 monthly

• Audited and supported pay records for over 1600 crew members pertaining to all overtime and per diem calculations

• Supervised three pay specialists within the department

• Created and responded to payroll discrepancies withing 24 hours

• Critical participant in contract negotiations

• Processed over guarantee hours, premium pay, union leave reimbursements and per diem payments

• Closely monitored the monthly budget of overtime hours and flying per diem

• Transmitted crew payroll per diem and over 75 payments monthly

• Analyzed and uploaded SAT times into CrewTrac quarterly with ALPA review and approval

• Processed pay rate changes as needed

Education and Training

Travel Planning Certificate: Tourism And Travel Management Dakota County Technical College Rosemount, MN

Activities and Honors

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workgroup member and presenter 2019-2021 KeyTrak Work Group Participant and Pilot Team member 2019 FDA Mentee Administrative Manual Volunteer and Selectee 2018 Minneapolis VA Medical Center Emerging Leader Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certified

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (in process)

Certified Veteran's Affairs Mentor 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Recipient of numerous Customer Service Awards Supervisor Boot-camp graduate

Soft-Skills for Professionals graduate

Interests

Previous Animal Ark Foster and Volunteer – Hastings, Minnesota American Red Cross – Service to the Armed Forces Volunteer Clearwater Marine Aquarium – Clearwater

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