24 Mar Meet Angelo Esposito, Senior Program Manager
Criterion’s program managers play a critical role in helping our Federal government customers meet their mission objectives. Each brings a unique perspective and background to their jobs, a combination of technical expertise and problem-solving capacity that helps Criterion develop and implement creative solutions to the challenges our teams face every day.
Today we would like to introduce you to Angelo Esposito, a senior program manager for our National Science Foundation customer, where he is responsible for information security activities including compliance and oversight, information security engineering support, FISMA audit support services, and project management activities for new security systems additions/upgrades.
Angelo has extensive experience in the governance of enterprise IT, Project Management Office (PMO) practices and operations, and vendor and contract management. He is skilled at working with teams to design and develop process improvement efforts for IT-related solutions supporting the enterprise. He previously worked as a program manager for Synergy BIS for the U.S. Department of Labor; as a senior lead technologist at Booz Allen Hamilton helped establish the Cloud Brokerage Model for the U.S. Navy; and held multiple positions at Jacobs Technology supporting the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), the Joint Strike Fighter Program (JSF), and the Navy’s Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN). He also has held senior level positions within the financial services industry in data center operations.
Angelo has a BS in Management Information Systems from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and holds the following certifications: PMP, ITIL V3:2011 Expert, Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and COBIT v5.0.
What would you consider your key subject matter expertise?
In my humble opinion, my expertise is in the execution of large-scale IT governance. Through the use of metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and critical success factors (CSFs), I help to drive the achievement of strategic business goals and objectives.
What is an important lesson learned in that area that you apply frequently to add value to your customers?
The most important lesson that I learned over the years is that periodic (annually at minimum; semi-annually, ideally), in-depth analysis of collected metrics reveals organizational trends that may not be readily apparent. This often leads to new and innovative ways to ascertain trends, which is the area that most frequently adds value to the customers’ understanding of their business processes. An added advantage is that this analysis is also an ideal way to make them more aware of emerging industry trends and direction.
Do you have a particular approach to solving problems?
When approaching a problem, I always ask myself two key questions: what is the underlying root cause of the problem and what are the benefits and consequences of remediating it? Examining the pros and cons of a proposed solution allows you to achieve the right balance of process improvement without the undue burden of over-engineering. Nine times out of ten, I’ve found that this simple approach often strips away the extraneous, allowing one to get at the true crux of the problem.
What drives you? What is the key to your success?
I’m driven by my desire to be the best there ever was at what I do. I believe I am successful because I pay attention to detail. In my experience, it’s typically the smallest things that leads one astray. When building a staircase, it’s important to make sure that each step is solidly placed. Another factor in my success is my empathy toward others. I always trying to put myself in the other person’s shoes so that I can view things from their perspective. Only by understanding someone else’s pain can you then help to alleviate it.
What do you feel is your greatest achievement in your role here at Criterion?
I haven’t achieved my greatest success yet, but to date, I am particularly proud of instilling a performance-driven, metric-based approach to the team’s execution of their daily responsibilities. What gets measured gets improved.
What is the craziest job you ever worked?
I don’t know that I’d call it the craziest job I ever held, but when I was 16, I lied about my age so that I could apply for a union job making bed frames for box spring mattresses. I landed the job and earned $75 a week (a veritable fortune back then). When I left the position, I held the floor record for constructing the most box springs in a single day (20).
Tell us something about yourself that may surprise your coworkers
In my spare time, I write short stories and literary novels.