Grow Your Career with GovCIO
At GovCIO, our environment is designed to drive personal and professional growth. We are committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation to empower our employees to reach their full potential. By providing robust development opportunities and a supportive atmosphere, we help individuals transform their careers and achieve their goals. Discover how our employees advance within our organization, turning their career aspirations into reality.
Haley Hartzell, Director of Proposal Management
Haley joined GovCIO as a Talent Operations Specialist and has successfully advanced to her current role as Director of Proposal Management by taking proactive steps to expand her expertise. To grow within the company, Haley volunteered for assignments beyond her usual responsibilities, which allowed her to gain experience in areas of interest. She collaborated closely with her managers on stretch assignments, acquiring new skills essential for her development. Haley also tapped into the collective knowledge of her team and the broader company, leveraging their insights into industry best practices.
Throughout her career at GovCIO, Haley has received strong support from her leadership team, who have advocated for her growth and provided ample opportunities for advancement without needing to look outside the company.
In her current role, Haley manages the complete development lifecycle for strategic proposals across various sectors. Her responsibilities include developing schedules, conducting reviews, coaching and ensuring compliance.
Saajan Panikar, Agile Transformation Director/Lead
Saajan joined GovCIO in 2019 as an Agile Coach. To advance in his career, Saajan actively engaged with his team, clients and partners to identify opportunities for growth and improvement. He took on additional responsibilities and volunteered for various initiatives, which helped him expand his network within both the company and customers.
Initially, Saajan’s role as an Agile Coach involved collaborating with customers to enhance communication, streamline workflows and reduce defects and errors in development work. He transitioned to a SAFe Agile Coach role, where he focused on implementing the Scaled Agile Framework to support larger programs and improve agile practices across extensive projects.
Due to the success of his engagements and strengthened relationships with the customer, Saajan was promoted to the supervisory lead of the SAFe Agile team within his first year. In this capacity, he managed a team of 6-12 members and handled multiple engagements simultaneously, while also fulfilling duties as an unofficial Program Manager.
Saajan now serves as an Agile Transformation Lead, focusing on providing agile support wherever needed on the contract. His journey at GovCIO reflects his dedication to continuous improvement and leadership in agile practices.
Carolina Pena-Villegas, Jr. Project Manager
Carolina joined GovCIO a year ago and has thrived in our dynamic environment that cultivates innovation and propels meaningful change. In her short time here, Carolina has experienced significant growth and opportunities that have reshaped her career path. Starting as an Onboarding Coordinator for the VETS and HCS sectors, Carolina has recently transitioned to the role of Jr. Project Manager.
As an Onboarding Coordinator, Carolina exemplified GovCIO’s values, ensuring a smooth transition for new hires and managed extensive paperwork, including background checks, I-9 Verifications and account set-ups. This role was highly fulfilling, involving collaboration with the HR team, managers and employees to enhance the onboarding process and develop effective strategies for the company.
In her current role, Carolina leads a talented team and works with dedicated colleagues to improve healthcare and benefits for veterans, their families and survivors with compassion and efficiency. Additionally, Carolina actively contributes to DEI&A initiatives, including our Women’s Employee Resource Group that elevates and empowers the women of GovCIO. The exceptional support and mentorship within the organization has enabled Carolina to accelerate in her career, diversify her experience and make a significant impact. Carolina proudly works alongside some of the most talented individuals, all committed to pushing boundaries and driving industry change.
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Are You Ready to be a Transformer?
We’re always looking for fresh and exciting talent. If you like what you see, we may be an awesome fit for you. Check out our Job Search page to view our open positions.