Kendra WhitneyTransformational Change

Manager

Kendra Whitney is an adaptable change management and communications professional recognized for her ability to maximize relationships and resources to masterfully manage the people side of transformational projects effecting entire organizations. Customer-oriented, inclusive, and collaborative, she connects people to strategies to create dynamic communication, stakeholder and executive sponsorship plans building a sense of awareness, energy and desire for the change. Kendra’s experience with managing large enterprise wide projects showed her that no project can be successful unless you have committed sponsors, and detailed change management and communication plans. She takes that experience into her transformation initiatives to create thoughtfully bold yet pragmatic change management and communication plans. Experienced in managing cross-functional and matrixed project teams of up to 25 people, she is particularly effective in keeping the team focused on the tasks that address root causes of problems, improving the process and the project change goals. She is well known for her skill to simplify complex initiatives into discrete tangible tasks for maximum results. One example of her success is when she implemented a large scale business change initiative to successfully migrate the email of 9,000 users in Puerto Rico, Canada and the US from Lotus Notes to Outlook. She meticulously managed the migration schedule to minimize business risk, achieving a 99.8% success rate of email data migration with no irreparable issues, loss of business critical functionality or information.

Over the last 20 years she has focused her skills on improving the success of projects through her detailed stakeholder management plans and creative use of communication channels. In 2013 she supported 380 employees that were being moved into a Smart Working environmental model and included the creation of a new department which had a goal of embedding a process improvement culture. Not only did she create structured change and stakeholder management plans for a smooth transition to the new space, she was also the event planner for the Grand Opening celebrations. Over 100 volunteers enthusiastically and creatively worked on a 1950’s High School theme party on a shoestring budget. The big surprise of the day was the High School Marching Band that marched through the building to kick off the festivities. The staff still talk about that event as one of the most memorable times they have ever had work.

Kendra is perpetual learner. She earned a multi-disciplinary Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policies from Michigan State University. Working in the corporate environment, she loves taking training and earning certifications. In addition to her PMP and PROSCI certifications, over the years she has earned a green belt in Six Sigma, trained in instructional design, and was certified in a company designed program that focused on project management, process improvement, lean sigma and change management principles.