Denessa Hernandez

Program management and business operations professional with a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and 10+ years of experience coordinating complex programs, strategic initiatives, and cross-functional operations. Experienced in translating priorities into actionable implementation plans, monitoring milestones, deliverables, dependencies, and risks, and developing governance materials, dashboards, executive updates, and decision-ready presentations. Proven ability to serve as a primary operational liaison, facilitate leadership and stakeholder meetings, drive action-item follow-through, standardize processes and documentation, and manage multiple priorities in matrixed and global environments.

Brings expertise in organizational effectiveness, continuous improvement, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and AI-enabled research and reporting.

Project Specialist at Harvard Business Impact Enterprise (2022-04 – 2026-06)

• Coordinated multiple concurrent client programs and strategic initiatives, translating objectives into actionable project plans while monitoring milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks, and stakeholder commitments.
• Served as a primary operational liaison between client leadership and cross-functional teams, coordinating information flow, priorities, decisions, deliverables, and issue resolution in a matrixed environment.
• Developed governance and business materials, including dashboards, status reports, executive presentations, decision materials, standardized templates, and communication plans to support leadership decision-making and execution.
• Planned and facilitated kickoff, working, stakeholder, and executive meetings; prepared agendas and materials; documented decisions, action items, owners, and deadlines; and drove follow-up.
• Coordinated programs with stakeholders across North America, Europe, and Asia, partnering across Customer Success, Product, Operations, facilitators, and client teams to maintain alignment across functions and time zones.
• Built Excel dashboards and reports using program and workload metrics and synthesized assessment results, client feedback, and stakeholder inputs to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Developed and standardized project documentation, templates, trackers, and repeatable processes while maintaining centralized knowledge across SharePoint, Smartsheet, Salesforce, and Confluence.
• Managed engagement and pre- and post-assessment activities using Qualtrics, including quality assurance, data validation, analysis, reporting, and presentation of findings.
• Applied tools including Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, Smartsheet, Salesforce, and Confluence, to support planning, collaboration, analysis, reporting, and program execution.

Executive Assistant at Adler School of Professional Psychology (2022-02 – 2022-03)

• Supported the Vice President of Finance & Operations with leadership scheduling, meeting coordination, documentation, communications, and confidential business activities.
• Prepared and organized materials, coordinated priorities and follow-up, and supported information flow across stakeholders.
• Processed vendor invoices for distribution to Accounts Payable and prepared detailed expense reports, supporting accurate and timely financial operations.

Student Support Counselor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (2018-09 – 2022-01)

• Managed a portfolio of 500+ students, balancing multiple priorities while monitoring engagement, progress, risks, and outcomes and coordinating appropriate interventions and institutional resources.
• Collaborated across academic departments, faculty, administrative functions, and leadership to coordinate programs, address operational challenges, and improve stakeholder outcomes.
• Coordinated and facilitated 70+ webinars, orientations, training sessions, and learning programs reaching more than 10,000 participants, managing schedules, materials, communications, stakeholders, and follow-up.
• Analyzed programs to identify trends, risks, and supported recurring reporting and data-informed decision-making.
• Developed and refined presentations, communications, training materials, and program resources for diverse groups.
• Interpreted institutional policies and procedures and translated complex requirements into clear, actionable guidance.
• Proactively identified risks and partnered with appropriate stakeholders to develop and implement action plans.
• Maintained accurate, audit-ready documentation and program records within a compliance-sensitive environment.

Department Assistant at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (2016-08 – 2018-08)

• Designed and administered feedback surveys in Qualtrics and analyzed results to support program evaluation.
• Gathered, organized, and maintained program, survey, and performance information supporting 300 doctoral students.
• Coordinated communications and documentation across academic and administrative stakeholders.
• Developed and maintained program procedures and documentation to improve consistency and information accessibility.

Office and Marketing Assistant at Lightengale Group (2018-01 – 2018-08)

• Coordinated communications, documentation, project materials, logistics, and meetings for a 10-person consulting team.
• Prepared consultant proposals and coordinated supporting content and stakeholder inputs to support business development activities and timely deliverables.

Collaborative Program Intern at Blue Cross and Blue Shield (2017-09 – 2018-01)

• Analyzed individual and organizational data using diagnostic methods to support evidence-based evaluation of programs.
• Conducted literature reviews and peer-reviewed research to support evidence-based program development and evaluation.
• Collaborated with stakeholders, including program administrators, to align program objectives and coordinate execution.
• Organized and analyzed information from multiple sources to identify findings and support program recommendations.

Booking Concierge at Groupon (2016-01 – 2016-04)

• Coordinated customer and merchant appointments and resolved stakeholder issues using Zendesk, Salesforce, and the Groupon Merchant Center.

Housing Specialist II / Project Manager at Nan McKay & Associates (2009-08 – 2015-06)

• Coordinated project and program operations within a training and consulting organization supporting federally regulated programs, managing personnel, workflows, priorities, documentation, and recurring deliverables.
• Monitored operational requirements, identified issues, and coordinated solutions to support program execution.
• Identified a recurring operational gap and developed and implemented a documented process improvement, trained staff on the revised process, and strengthened operational consistency and stakeholder experience.
• Developed procedures and standardized documentation to support consistent execution and knowledge sharing.
• Directly managed a team of three, including hiring, performance reviews, coaching, training, and day-to-day supervision.
• Served as a resource to staff and stakeholders by clarifying requirements, and resolving operational issues.
• Promoted through positions of increasing responsibility during tenure with the organization.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Business Psychology — Industrial-Organizational Psychology – The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (2018 – 2022)

Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology – The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (2016 – 2017)

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – San Diego State University (2006 – 2010)