Hi, I'm Meg.
I create thoughtful stories & dynamic solutions.
I am a creative young professional with a Masters in Business Administration experienced in contract proposal development, business management, and event production. In my current position as a proposal specialist for an IT reseller & services provider, I work with sales, capture, pricing strategists, and other stakeholders to create bid responses that are compliant & successful. I leverage win themes with customer & competitor intel to develop a business case that narrates a strong value proposition while strategically ghosting the competition.
I hold a PMP certification from the Project Management Institute, a CF APMP, and am a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. I utilize principles of creative marketing, sales, and project management in addition to my technical education to bring a collaborative, authentic approach to proposal management.
Maker.
Thinker. Storyteller.
Maker • Thinker • Storyteller
If you look at every point in my career, whether in high-end events, information technology, or business management, one thing stays the same: I create thoughtful stories & dynamic solutions.
The skills I gained in the world of high-end events - project management, client relationships, strategic marketing, pricing strategy, and detail-oriented creativity - apply whether you are creating proposals for information technology, making business strategy decisions, or planning the best day of someone's life.
As a proposal specialist, I have led teams of both internal and external stakeholders to create winning proposals of more than $50Mil in value. From conversations about solutioning to win theme drafting, I succeed at creatively showcasing how the organizations I work with can solve real issues for customers.
Project Manager
Project Manager
I began my path in project management as an events planner. In this role, I managed an average of 30+ events annually, working with over 100 different stakeholders and vendors such as photographers, venues, and caterers.
For each event, I managed the planning task list, timeline, and communication. I designed the event and identified what resources were necessary for the event.
When I moved into catering, I took on an opportunity to provide event management services for a multi-million dollar catering company, managing over 100 events in 2019. When the pandemic happened, I took a job with another catering company as the project lead for a food product development project.
Now, I work as a proposal specialist, where I manage proposal production for SLED IT products and services opportunities.
Team Leader
Leadership Methodology
Whether its a team of event coordination assistants or a group of IT specialists, I utilize servant leadership to motivate my team and keep the project on track.
As a proposal specialist, I work with sales representatives, contract negotiators, pricing strategists, legal counsel, technical solution architects, and other subject matter experts. All of these stakeholders come together to work on a specific opportunity, but also are managing busy schedules. As the proposal specialist who leads the opportunity, it is my job to create an environment where we can be mindful of their schedules while also accomplishing tasks on time.
Click the link believe to view more details about my leadership style.
View Meg's Leadership Style
Creative Problem Solver
Creative Problem Solver
As a wedding planner who owned her own business, I honed in on my creative problem solving skills to come up with out-of-the-box solutions to real problems. When I brought on a new event planner, I came up with a process that helped them understand the responsibilities of the job, learn the values of the company, and begin to hone in on the requirements of an event planner.
As a program manager for event coordination, I instigated valuable lessons learned meetings so the team could grow from previous events. I also developed a client lifecycle process that took our clients from booking to the end of the event.
As a proposal specialist, I created a series of well designed resumes and other graphics that were both on brand and thoughtful, showing the customer a clear vision of what to expect when hiring our team.
In addition to receiving her degrees, Meg has taken several courses to build up strategic skillsets, such as Storytelling 101 from Story District in DC and the Fundamentals of Graphic Design from the California Institute of the Arts.
Focus: Data Analytics
Masters in Business Administration, 2022
Longwood University
graduate
Focus: Spatial Analysis & Urban Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Geography, 2020
University of Mary Washington
Undergraduate
Diploma of General Studies, 2013
Bishop O'Connell High School
High school
Education
- PMP | Project Management Professional Certification from the Project Management Institute
- CF APMP | Certified Foundation Level of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals
- CAPM | Certified Associate of Project Management from the Project Management Institute
- IBM Certificate of Data Science
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Certifications
Skills & Expertise
Technical Experience
Skills
- Project Management
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning,
- Speaking,
- Time Management,
- Inductive and Deductive Reasoning,
- Written Comprehension,
- Information Ordering
- Microsoft Office Suite, Visio, Project;
- Google G-Suite;
- Adobe Creative Suite,
- Salesforce,
- Canva,
- Qorus Breeze
Technical Knowledge
- Develop and update project plans including information such as objectives, schedules, and staffing.
- Present findings to key stakeholders and conduct brainstorming sessions.
- Plan, schedule or coordinate project activities to meet deadlines.
- Develop and update project plans including information such as objectives, schedules, and staffing.
- Present findings to key stakeholders and conduct brainstorming sessions.
- Review processing schedules or production orders to make decisions concerning inventory requirements, staffing requirements, work procedures, or assignments, considering budgetary and/or time constraints.
- Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
- Plan, schedule or coordinate project activities to meet deadlines.
Monumental Food by Main Event Caterers | Arlington, VA
- Leads relevant stakeholders through a tailored process to create responses to RFPs, RFIs, and ITQs.
- Participates with a committee of stakeholders and leadership to create a streamlined proposal process to be implemented department-wide. Responsible for creating a collaboration toolkit and a process for meetings.
- Manages deadlines, timeline changes, and stakeholder tasks during the proposal development process.
- Leads stakeholders, including leadership, capture managers, program managers, contract negotiators, SMEs, sales teams, and partners, in the creation of responses to multi-million-dollar bid opportunities.
- Implements a tailored proposal development process that begins with a motivating, all-hands kickoff call and incorporates Shipley pink team meetings, red team reviews, and gold team meetings.
- Incorporates feedback from leadership, capture, pricing specialists, legal counsel, and program management to create a more thorough, cohesive, tailored process that benefits all aspects of the business.
- Interprets the needs of the customer and develops win themes and solution plans accordingly.
- Manages deadlines, timeline changes, color team meetings, and status of assigned tasks.
CDW Government | Reston, VA
Proposal Manager (Promoted From Proposal Specialist)
Monumental Food | Arlington, VA
Sept 2020-May 2021 | 9 Mo
May 2021 - Present | 1 Yr
Associate Project Manager
- Communicates updates with leadership and other relevant stakeholders via email and presentations.
- Ensures proposal compliance through tools such as detailed compliance matrixes, mock-evaluation sessions, red team reviews, grammar review software, gold team sessions, and white-glove sessions.
- Guides and mentors proposal specialists and other stakeholders in the proposal process methodology.
- Worked with the Proposal Optimization Project to create a scalable, innovative proposal development process and lead department-wide training sessions for collaboration tool methodology.
- Worked with other department stakeholders to create a proposal process checklist, to streamline resumes for proposals, and to create, edit, and standardize graphics and content to be rolled out department-wide.
- Established a research plan and comprehensive timeline
- Created a complex research database of 25+ different competitors
- Extracted data from review sites by utilizing data mining software
- Analyzed over 60k reviews to determine pain points and successes
- Established a research plan and timeline
- Created a complex research database of 25+ different competitors' reviews
- Analyzed over 60k reviews to determine pain points and successes
Research Analyst
- Managed major accounts and maintain customer relationships
- Acted as the liaison between culinary, operations, and the consumer
- Designed marketing materials in collaboration with the culinary team
- Created and implement the social media marketing strategy
- Managed major accounts and maintain customer relationships
- Acted as the liaison between culinary, operations, and the consumer
- Cold called local businesses to create new relationships
- Worked with clients to design custom menus and create proposals
- Designed marketing materials in collaboration with the culinary team
- Created and implement the social media marketing strategy
Mar 2020-May 2021 | 1 Yr 3 Mo
Corporate Account Executive
Monumental Food by Main Event Caterers | Arlington, VA
Monumental Food | Arlington, VA
June 2020-Aug 2020 | 3 Mos
- Consulted with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events.
- Maintained records of event aspects, including financial details.
- Met with sponsors to plan scope of events, to establish and monitor budgets, and to review progress.
- Identified, developed, and evaluated marketing strategy, including social media posts and trade show exhibits.
- Designed and created company website.
Sept 2019 - Mar 2020 | 6 Mos
Program Manager: Event Coordination
Classic Catering LLC | Lorton, VA
- Planned event design according to client's requirements using knowledge of design and properties of materials and selected appropriate style and design.
- Negotiated with vendors, project stakeholders, and suppliers to obtain resources or materials.
- Coordinated services for events, such as accommodation and transportation for participants, facilities, catering, signage, displays, special needs requirements, printing and event security.
- Planned and developed programs, agendas, budgets, and services according to customer requirements.
- Decorated and supervised the decoration of buildings, halls, churches, and other facilities for parties, weddings and other occasions.
- Served as the venue manager & team lead for a small events venue that handled over 150+ events annually.
- Planned and executed marketing strategy for both Happy to Be Events as well as a small events venue.
Jan 2017 - Aug 2019 | 2 Yrs 8 Mos
Lead Event Planner
Happy to Be Events | Fredericksburg, VA
- Planned event design according to client's requirements using knowledge of design and properties of materials and selected appropriate style and design.
- Negotiated with vendors, project stakeholders, and suppliers to obtain resources or materials.
- Served as the venue manager & team lead for a small events venue that handled over 150+ events annually.
- Consulted with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events.
- Maintained records of event aspects, including financial details.
- Met with sponsors to plan scope of events, to establish and monitor budgets, and to review progress.
- Identified, developed, and evaluated marketing strategy, including social media posts and trade show exhibits.
- Designed and created company website.
