Palo Alto Networks

Senior Project Manager

Project Success Academy℠

Course Instructor

Velvet Vision

Founder

Raytheon Technologies

IT Project Manager

Fulcrum Technology Solutions

IT Project Coordinator

University of Houston

Program Manager

Project Manager | Helping Women Land Tech PM Roles | your PM bff

In 2024, I noticed something: most mid-career project managers weren’t underqualified. They were under-positioned. They had the skills, experience, and drive, but weren’t landing six-figure project management roles because hiring managers couldn’t see their value.

That realization led me to build the Velvet Vision framework. It helps project professionals position themselves as the obvious hire before they ever apply.

This isn’t resume tweaking or chasing certifications. It’s about clarity, strategy, and execution. My clients stop blending in, start leading with confidence, and step into roles that pay them what they’re worth.

Who I Work Best With:
I work with project managers in the U.S. and Canada who:
• Have at least 3 years of project management experience
• Are ready to step into $100K+ roles
• Want to be seen as leaders, not task managers
• Value clarity, execution, and accountability

This program is not for people who are brand new to project management, unwilling to take ownership of their growth, or looking for a quick fix.

Results so far:
• Clients have collectively secured $313K in salary increases with an average uplift of $44K per person
• On average, clients land offers in 3.3 months (fastest in 68 days)
• ROI consistently exceeds 800%, with some clients covering their investment in the first paycheck

If you’re a project manager in the U.S. or Canada ready to earn more, lead more, and finally get seen, you don’t need luck or endless hustle. You need positioning.

No fluff. No guessing. Just strategy that gets results.

👉 Apply to work with me: https://calendly.com/d/cm7j-vb9-kvr

Yonelly G.

I walked into the interview knowing I didn’t meet half the requirements.

And I could feel the room had already met candidates who "looked better" on paper.

For a moment, I wondered if I was wasting everyone’s time 
(including my own)

So I redirected the conversation.

Instead of defending my gaps, I told them how I lead when things get messy.

And that’s when the interviewer leaned in.

She wanted someone who could steady the work when the plan stopped matching reality.

It became really obvious when I stepped into the role.

The biggest problems were alignment issues and broken communication loops.

Most people lose confidence when they see a job spec they can’t fully match.

But at senior levels, you’re rarely hired for a checklist.

You’re hired for your ability to lead through uncertainty and make progress visible again.

--
If we haven’t met — I’m Yonelly Gutierrez.
I talk about the moments, setbacks, and wins that shaped my career, so you can grow with more confidence in yours.

Yonelly Gutierrez

Senior Program Manager | Helping Founders Stabilize Delivery Without Adding Headcount

Most leadership challenges happen with people who don’t report to you.

But few people are ever taught how to lead without authority.

“Can you get everyone aligned?” becomes the real test of leadership.

And many feel stuck because they’re relying on authority they don’t have.

I hear this concern from professionals across roles and seniority levels.

Here are 7 ways to lead without formal authority:

1. Lead with Clear Direction
 ↳ People follow clarity
 ↳ State the outcome before discussing tasks

2. Listen Longer Than You Speak
 ↳ Listening creates instant influence
 ↳ Ask: “What’s your view on this?” and give space

3. Remove Friction for the Team
 ↳ Support builds trust more than authority
 ↳ Spot blockers early and simplify the next step

4. Make Expectations Simple
 ↳ Confusion slows collaboration
 ↳ Keep instructions short and confirm understanding

5. Share Credit Generously
 ↳ Recognition motivates teams to work with you
 ↳ Highlight contributors in meetings and updates

6. Build Relationships Before You Need Them
 ↳ Influence grows through consistent touchpoints
 ↳ Check in without an agenda and offer help early

7. Stay Calm When Things Shift
 ↳ Composure reassures your team
 ↳ Take a breath, focus on solutions, and keep your tone steady

Leading without authority grows easiest when people trust your judgment and your consistency.

♻️ Repost to help your network
➕ Follow Yonelly Gutierrez for more leadership insights

7 Ways to Lead Without Authority

Strong PMs do not stay stuck because of skill.
They stay stuck because their system hides them.

Teams rely on delivery.
But they do not create visibility.

No shared framework.
No consistent feedback.
No common language for outcomes.

Strong PMs do the work.
Leaders never see the impact.

That is a system problem.
Not a talent problem.

When teams build visibility into how they work, everything changes.

Work becomes easier to read.
Communication becomes lighter.
Decisions become faster.

I build those systems.
If your PM team is strong but unseen, DM me.

The first call told me everything.
People talking over each other, frustration leaking through every answer, and a customer who’d clearly had enough.

I’ve walked into tough programs before, but this one felt heavy in a different way.

I stopped taking notes halfway through.
There was no point collecting “updates.”
The issues weren’t in the tasks.
They were in how people were working around each other.

After the call, I started checking in with folks one by one.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱? 
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬? 
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨?

It took about a day to see the pattern.
A bunch of small things pulling in different directions...

-Different definitions of done.
-Priorities that didn’t match.
-Risks everyone recognized but no one wanted to own because it would start another round of blame.

It was drift left alone too long.

I pulled the whole thing onto a single page.
Then I walked teams through it.
(to ensure we're talking about the same thing)

The customer communication needed the same reset.
The tension eased a bit once they knew what to expect from us.

The following weeks weren’t exciting.
Most of it was clearing out old decisions that never really got made.

You don’t notice progress at first.
Then suddenly the calls feel lighter.
People stop hedging.
You hear less contradiction and more “okay, that makes sense.”

Around day 41, the project finally stabilized.

Finally steady enough to move without bracing for the next hit.

Most “red” projects are teams trying to do good work inside a setup that no longer supports them.

Once you fix the setup, the work finds its rhythm.
People do too.

GEICO

Legal Initiatives Project Manager

Brogdon Law Offices LLC

• Spearheaded the launch of 20+ complex projects with budgets of over $500K, utilizing the software development life cycle and Agile methodology, using tools like Jira, Confluence, and Asana, with a project completion rate of 98%.
• Led the implementation of a SaaS-based contract management platform (Clio) to streamline legal documentation and approval workflows, reducing contract review times by 25% and improving compliance tracking by 30% across 100+ client agreements within the first quarter of adoption.
• Championed alignment across large cross-functional teams, increasing team productivity by 20% through detailed-oriented oversight and optimal resource allocation.
• Orchestrated 50+ partner meetings, ensuring transparent representation of the Privacy team and client satisfaction by 35%.
• Established and streamlined structures for the migration of a legacy system into SaaS, leading to a 30% improvement in team scheduling efficiency and communication.
• Pioneered weekly team updates, enhanced meeting materials, and ensured consistent documentation, driving team alignment and project success.

Project Manager 

Shipstock 

• Implemented a streamlined inventory management system, reducing errors by 50% and improving overall efficiency by 45%. 
• Utilized statistical modeling techniques to analyze sales data and identify trends, resulting in the implementation of targeted marketing campaigns that increased revenue by $1 million within one year.
• Implemented strategic vendor management initiatives, resulting in a 15% reduction in procurement costs and improved supplier performance metrics by 20%.
• Collaborated with the accounting team to streamline customer invoices, resulting in a 25% reduction in late payments and improved cash flow. 
• Spearheaded the deployment of a cloud-based IT inventory management system (SaaS) that automated asset tracking, resulting in a 40% reduction in manual errors and a 20% improvement in inventory audit times across 500+ devices within the first six months of implementation.
• Developed and executed a streamlined communication system with external partners, reducing response time by 50% and improving overall satisfaction ratings.
• Implemented a new project management software that improved team collaboration and efficiency by 30%, leading to a decrease in project completion time by an average of 15%.
• Collaborated closely with Product Designers, UX, and Research teams to successfully launch 5 new software products within a 12-month period, resulting in a 20% increase in market share.
• Developed and executed a strategic communication plan to engage stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, resulting in a 30% increase in stakeholder engagement and timely decision-making.

WHITE DIAMOND COUNSELING CONSULTING COACHING, LLC

• Led multidisciplinary healthcare initiatives, ensuring 98% compliance with technical specifications, resulting in 15% quicker project completion than industry standards.
• Implemented strategic relationship-building techniques and increased client retention by 40%, resulting in the procurement of contracts 25% more valuable than prior engagements.
• Orchestrated design sessions for multiple healthcare initiatives, ensuring that every design element adhered to compliance standards, resulting in a 20% faster turnaround for contract document processes.
• Oversaw a team of over 50 professionals and drove initiatives that increased overall productivity by 35% by developing and directing training programs to improve team competencies and project outcomes.

Project Manager

College Shortcuts

• Implemented and maintained an efficient tracking system for applications, resulting in a 20% reduction in missing or incomplete documents.
• Provided clear and timely communication to prospective students, guiding them through application requirements, deadlines, and additional information needed with a 95% completion rate or applications.
• Provided technical support and assistance to applicants, resolving 90% technical issues within 24 hours, and improving the overall user experience.
• Maintained accurate applicant records and data using a student information system or CRM ensuring a 99% data accuracy rate and streamlined application processing.
• Generated insightful reports and conducted statistical analysis on applicant demographics, trends, and admission outcomes, enabling data-driven decision-making and improving admission strategies.
• Ensured strict adherence to data protection and privacy regulations, safeguarded applicant information, and maintained 100% compliance with applicable regulations.

Project Coordinator

For Job Opportunities: catherinelopany@gmail.com

📈 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
I am a Project Manager professional with 9+ years of experience delivering successful projects in the technology industry. I lead cross-functional teams, manage timelines, budgets, and resources, and mitigate risks. I have expertise in strategizing and executing plans, as well as adapting to evolving project environments as well as strong organizational and communication skills. 

💻TECH STACK
JIRA, Confluence, Trello, Asana, MS Office, MS Project, Microsoft Teams.

Specialties 
Agile Project & Methodologies, Process Improvement, Analytical Skills, Project Management Office, Business Process, Vendor Management, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Operations Management, Coaching, and Consulting.

🏆I have a track record of delivering complex projects on time, within budget, and with high quality.

🎖Through my extensive background in coaching, training, and mentoring, I have finely honed my skills in effectively managing and guiding teams with utmost efficiency.

⭐️Besides my Project Management background, I am a Virtual Assistant Coach and Founder of Virtuallymade4me.  I am deeply committed to empowering women to start and grow their Virtual Assistant business. I teach aspiring VAs with Skill Development and Training to help them achieve their goals and unlock their full potential as Virtual Assistants. I provide 1:1 and group coaching to assist them with the tools and resources they need to thrive and help them reach their full potential in business.

FUN FACTS
🏅I love sports, and in high school and college, I was on the tennis, field hockey, and track teams.
✈️ I love traveling because it is a unique blend of adventure, relaxation, learning different cultures, meeting new people, the thrill of the unknown, a sense of freedom, and personal growth that captivates me to explore and embrace the wonders of the world.

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The Battle

Yonelly G.

Catherine Lynda Opany, PMP, CSM

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taplio

The Battle

Yonelly G.

Catherine Lynda Opany, PMP, CSM

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