Toya Shields

Project Coordinator and certified Project Management Professional (PMP, CSM) with 5+ years of experience supporting and independently leading cross-functional business and technology initiatives. Proven track record of coordinating Agile delivery teams, facilitating sprint ceremonies, managing RAID logs, and driving UAT activities from test planning through defect resolution. Skilled at building relationships across technical and business stakeholders, maintaining organized project documentation, and communicating project status, risks, and milestones clearly at all levels of the organization.

Equally comfortable supporting senior project managers on large, complex programs and owning smaller projects from initiation through closeout.

Project Coordinator - Contract Position at 22nd Century Technologies, Inc. (2024-10 – Present)

• Support senior project managers in the planning, execution, and monitoring of the CloudVergent 360 Financial Implementation, coordinating cross-functional teams across technical and business units to ensure on-time, in-scope delivery.
• Lead UAT activities including test scenario development, defect documentation, and resolution tracking, ensuring system integrity and stakeholder sign-off prior to go-live.
• Maintain RAID logs to proactively identify, track, and escalate risks, issues, dependencies, and blockers; deliver clear status updates and milestone communications to stakeholders at varying organizational levels.
• Track project progress and publish status reports using JIRA, maintaining organized project documentation including meeting notes, decision logs, and action items.
• Coordinate intake and triage of incoming HelpDesk requests, prioritizing and routing issues to ensure prompt resolution and minimal system disruption.
• Facilitate cross-functional coordination and end-user training for 311 and CloudVergent 360 systems, driving adoption and proficiency across DeKalb County Government Offices.

Lead Project Coordinator - Contract Position at HTC Global (2022-06 – 2024-10)

• Partnered with business stakeholders to gather requirements, define project scope, and document outcomes throughout the Oracle Cloud Financials implementation, ensuring delivery aligned with agency goals and timelines.
• Created, refined, and managed user stories in support of backlog refinement and sprint prioritization activities, bridging communication between product owners, developers, and business teams.
• Facilitated Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and sprint reviews, driving team alignment and resolving blockers to maintain momentum across delivery workstreams.
• Coordinated UAT activities — developed test plans, tracked defect resolution, and documented stakeholder feedback to validate system functionality ahead of deployment.
• Maintained RAID logs and proactively escalated risks, issues, and dependencies to senior project managers, ensuring timely resolution and reduced project impact.
• Monitored and triaged incoming HelpDesk requests, coordinating cross-functional support teams to deliver prompt solutions and minimize end-user disruption.

Senior IT Project Coordinator at Trinity Metro (2019-08 – 2022-05)

• Independently led 3 system enhancement and modernization projects from planning through delivery, coordinating cross-functional teams of developers, vendors, and business stakeholders to meet scope, schedule, and quality targets.
• Collaborated with business and technical teams to gather requirements, define project scope, and document deliverables; maintained project plans, schedules, and status reporting throughout the full project lifecycle.
• Maintained organized project documentation — including meeting notes, decision logs, action items, and status updates — keeping stakeholders at all levels informed and aligned on progress.
• Proactively identified project risks, issues, and dependencies; implemented mitigation strategies that improved delivery timelines and reduced overall project risk exposure.
• Coordinated monthly QA maintenance cycles for EAM Databases, ensuring system updates were executed on schedule and quality standards were consistently met.
• Delivered end-user training and authored user manuals for JD Edwards, Trapeze EAM, and Laserfiche, driving system adoption and sustained proficiency across the organization.

IT Project Coordinator at Trinity Metro (2018-10 – 2019-08)

• Managed project risks, change requests, and stakeholder expectations across concurrent workstreams, driving seamless execution through proactive communication and timely escalation.
• Partnered with business and technical stakeholders to analyze system and business processes, document project outcomes, and implement improvements that reduced inaccuracies and enhanced operational efficiency.
• Led installation and UAT coordination for Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) across TEX Rail line platforms — DFW Airport to Fort Worth Stations — validating cash and credit card payment processing before go-live.
• Developed and maintained project documentation including user guides, feedback logs, and stakeholder status communications; facilitated regular review sessions to surface and resolve issues.
• Enhanced end-user experience by 75% through structured training programs, webinars, and proactive communication of system changes to stakeholders across the organization.

Information Technology Specialist at Claiborne County Human Resource Agency (2014-09 – 2018-09)

• Led end-to-end project management for a fleet-wide transit video camera system installation, coordinating cross-functional stakeholders and delivering on scope, schedule, and budget.
• Collaborated with agency partners to align technology initiatives with organizational goals, documenting requirements, project outcomes, and status updates throughout delivery.
• Coordinated the implementation of network upgrades, hardware repairs, and process enhancements; tracked issues and dependencies to ensure minimal operational disruption.
• Improved system speed by 60% and reduced unresolved technical issues, increasing overall user satisfaction by 80% through proactive system management and clear stakeholder communication.

Master of Science in Management Information Systems – Lamar University

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology – Computer Networking – Alcorn State University

Certificate in Enterprise Resource Planning – Lamar University