Resume

AUG 2024 – Present
Independent Product & Technology Strategy Development
Independent: Charlonis.com

Extending my enterprise Product and Transformation background through applied work in AI strategy, governance, workflow redesign, decision systems, and emerging technology. The work focuses on how new capabilities can be evaluated, introduced, governed, and integrated into real business environments.

Selected Work

• Built and operated the Governed Intelligence Operating System, a governed AI-assisted strategy environment for market intelligence, opportunity evaluation, evidence management, portfolio development, and controlled learning.
• Developed AI governance frameworks covering use-case intake, risk assessment, human oversight, decision authority, escalation paths, adoption readiness, vendor governance, and value realization.
• Designed human-in-the-loop and agentic AI operating models with guardrails, thresholds, monitoring concepts, accountability structures, bounded autonomy, and responsible implementation controls.
• Created executive-level strategy artifacts clarifying AI risk taxonomy, operating models, intake criteria, decision authority, roadmap sequencing, oversight needs, and measurement logic.
• Evaluated Web3, tokenization, smart contracts, settlement infrastructure, Bitcoin infrastructure, and programmable compliance through enterprise value, financial-infrastructure modernization, technical literacy, auditability, institutional readiness, and risk.
• Published portfolio case studies and Intelligence Briefs translating enterprise AI, governance, product strategy, and programmable-infrastructure research into practical leadership implications.

2012–2024
Associate Director, Product Strategy & Enterprise Transformation
Cognizant Technology Solutions

Led product-strategy, discovery, experience, and transformation workstreams within complex Fortune 500 engagements, helping define future-state products and workflows, mobilize multidisciplinary delivery, and move underdefined initiatives toward structured execution.

Regularly entered complex or underdefined initiatives during discovery or early solution definition to clarify the problem, research the current state, identify dependencies and opportunities, define future-state products and workflows, establish technical feasibility, align stakeholders, and create enough structure for multidisciplinary teams to execute.

Selected Work

• Led product-strategy, discovery, and experience workstreams across commercial and consumer banking, financial services, insurance, healthcare, SaaS, e-commerce, enterprise applications, portals, workflow systems, POS platforms, and internal operational tools.
• Translated ambiguous business objectives and stakeholder needs into product capabilities, customer and employee journeys, workflows, controls, role-based experiences, roadmap inputs, and implementation-ready direction.
• Worked closely with technology teams during discovery and solution definition to understand platform strengths, constraints, dependencies, data considerations, and technical feasibility.
• Defined future-state concepts, prototypes, requirements, and roadmap inputs used to align executives, product owners, business teams, engineering, operations, compliance, vendors, and other stakeholders around direction, tradeoffs, sequencing, and delivery priorities.
• Led discovery and solutioning before scaled delivery teams were onboarded, helping determine required capabilities, workstreams, team roles, dependencies, estimates, timelines, and delivery approaches.
• Worked in parallel discovery-and-delivery models where early findings established enough direction for teams to begin execution while continuing discovery refined later requirements, workflows, dependencies, and sprint priorities; transitioned responsibility once delivery structures were sufficiently established for scaled execution.
• Guided Agile product definition and execution across domestic and offshore teams, often serving as the primary client-facing lead for the assigned discovery, product-strategy, or experience workstream while translating stakeholder feedback into actionable direction for distributed delivery resources.
• Directed product and design teams through concept development, prototyping, refinement, and delivery while preserving product intent as work transitioned into scaled implementation.
• Managed direct reports in the Cognizant system, including annual reviews, promotion recommendations, performance actions, PTO, and ongoing performance support.
• Supported engagement recovery, Agile adoption, and difficult delivery environments by diagnosing problems, rebuilding alignment, adapting delivery approaches, and maintaining client confidence through changing requirements.
• Contributed regularly to RFPs, pursuits, pre-sales, and business development by interpreting requirements, shaping solution narratives, defining workstreams and team structures, developing effort and cost estimates, supporting staffing models, and presenting proposed solutions to clients in person and remotely.
• Maintained commercial awareness around scope, staffing, effort, margin, delivery commitments, and client expectations while supporting product and transformation work.

Select Enterprise Clients

Banking & Financial Services
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), J.P. Morgan Chase, American Express, Wells Fargo, Discover Financial Services, TIAA, Dun & Bradstreet

Insurance & Benefits
Prudential Financial, AIG, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

Healthcare & Life Sciences
Edgepark Medical Supplies / Cardinal Health, Zoetis / Pfizer Animal Health

International Development & Professional Associations
World Bank Group, CFA Institute

Real Estate & Housing
AvalonBay Communities, Sotheby’s International Realty / Realogy

Consumer, Commerce & Technology
The Coca-Cola Company, American Tire Distributors (ATD), BlueTriton Brands / ReadyRefresh, Microsoft, EZCorp, PepsiCo