This area is expressly reserved for examining the culmination of experiences Kim Terrell,
Founder of Katz International Management Solutions, or KIMS, has gained working within
and managing-to in the midst of change.
For an in depth look at our technical, project management, communications, systems
engineering and integration responsibilities and achievements please see the Experience
page and the support services links: Program Management, IT and Technical, Business
Development & Education and Outreach.
Project Manager/KIMS, NASA Education STEM Outreach Initiative:
Approached the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Education Office to supplement their
usual Visitor’s Center tour to produce a custom event that would motivate and inspire a
gifted-group of high school students continuing on their path of science, technology,
engineering and math studies. It was my idea to pursue an active astronaut’s participation
and a NASA Contractor to sponsor the students’ lunch on-Center, as well as to have the
Office of Education and extra guest speaker representatives on hand to engage with the
students in question and answer forums.
Successfully convinced Goddard’s management to go above and beyond their normal tour
offerings with an expansion to include the additional areas identified. Also, worked with
multiple organizations within NASA to solicit and win the time of the astronaut, successfully
garnered on-site facilities to host the students and won the support of a SGT, Inc. to fund
the lunch.
Technical Project Management Trainer/KIMS, GSFC Journey-men Level Engineers:
Working with the Greenbelt Space Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers at
NASA GSFC as the focus group and sponsor for the work, surveyed the community to
understand their needs and wishes for a custom project management training to bridge a
gap with Online, Center and APPEL courses.
The planning, development, and subsequent roll-out of the short course spanned a
leadership transition within NSBE. Initiated group and one-on-one meetings before, during
and after the transition and suggested the use of participant surveys to monitor and assess
the effectiveness of the training to meet the goals and objectives contractually agreed upon.
Subject Matter Expert & Technical Writer/KIMS, OCIO Architecture & Integration:
A contractor had an emergency need for someone to answer RFP requirements during the
Marshall Space Flight Center IT services procurement. With no lead time I engaged on the
project and agreed to answer sections that addressed utilizing Enterprise Architecture (EA)
documentation to align business objectives, technical initiatives, and the IT projects of the
Center.
Showing much agility I was able to begin the work on behalf of the Contractor within a day or
so notice even as we worked out the final contract. Within 60 hours sections were
completed on OCIO architecture and integration, portfolio and innovation management and
governance that showed how the contractor would support the work of the Center through
Boards and Councils. A red-team review revealed that the only changes required were to
add labels to the graphics.
Senior Engineer/Futron:
Accepted the position and on-boarded in time to manage and deliver the final two NASA
GSFC customer deliverables (monthly State of the Center Report). I was then tasked with
developing an internal risk-management training “semester” to utilize and engage the
engineers budgeted on the contract wind down.
In addition to planning, designing and implementing the semester of training my job was to
motivate the department’s resources to contribute their expertise to provide input to the
curriculum and course plans as well as cross-train our peer group and participate in the six
weeks of training, approximately 108 hours. The course work and resulting assessment
feedback generated was handed over to Human Resources to establish the baseline for
future internal training programs.
IT Specialist/NASA Goddard, Student Temporary Employment Program:
Having joined GSFC’s first EA working group (EAWG) on a graduate student internship (my
mentor then the chair) the secretariat role was prescribed for me. The immediate turn-over
in the chair person opened up an opportunity for me to further define the role in which I
would contribute; during the course of the 12-weeks of that work there were three different
chair persons named. As the constant lead on the team my role was to create and facilitate
the processes to motivate the various directorate members to work together as one Center
and provide a Goddard-centric EA response to the Agency’s to-be plans. We did, and the
Agency Enterprise Architect complimented our document and work.
After returning to GSFC (following two-weeks away to graduate) the Division manager and
CIO had changed. My role morphed to among other things developing processes to triage,
manage, and track the all-CIO’s actions responding to Agency data calls and supporting the
ODIN Program Management office’s transition from Glenn RC’s Web-ex demo to an Agency-
wide roll-out.
Team Lead, Group Project/International Space University (ISU):
Transitioning from our Master of Science in Space Studies course-work to the group project,
served in a roll to focus the team consisting of 20-graduate students from thirteen different
countries to execute a literature review that would result in the explicit topic for our final
project.
Interfaced with the ISU professors and administration on behalf the group, facilitated some of
the small and whole group meetings, worked within the team to develop and adhere to the
schedule and choreographed the team literature review output and presentation resulting in
the selection of our project theme and title: “Space-based Progressive Interoperable
Networks”. This work largely helped to result in my being selected as the graduation class
speaker.
Systems Engineer/Sun Microsystems, Civilian, USDA, IRS, Interior & NASA:
Having transferred to the DC-area within Sun I transitioned to calling on direct customers,
systems integrators, as well as the reseller channel. Promoted internally to originally
support the IRS, within several months I was successful in convincing Sun to place me on
the NASA account. They did and added USDA, Interior, and EDS to create an expanded
patch and hired a new sales rep to join me in that territory.
Three months later I volunteered to work in a dual role upon learning that the sales person
resigned with little notice. During several months of serving in a combined systems
engineer/sales representative capacity I was able to close and generate new business by
influencing both technical and sales support persons to partner with me in innovative ways
to ensure that the level of competency and satisfaction that the customers deserved and
expected was adhered to.
Best of the Best (BOB) Systems Engineer/Sun Microsystems, Reseller Channel:
Originally joining Sun in Chicago my first-year as a “BOB” was a meant to be set-aside for
on-the-job training. Recognizing that I had worked approximately a decade before pursuing
and attaining my B.S. in Computer Engineering degree the job quickly changed to my
gaining responsibility for account coverage within the first few months in the position.
After being assigned the largest reseller in that patch while being tasked to complete Sun
Solaris training and certifications the entire systems engineering team, including
management for the Chicago-land and neighboring offices, turned-over. Left alone for a
while with 4-sales reps and their accounts I reached out to and partnered with senior
engineers throughout the region to provide technical continuity and integrity for both the
resellers’ end-customers’ initiatives as well as to make sure the resellers themselves
received and maintained the training and certifications necessary to champion Sun’s
products and comply with certified VAR requirements. This work paved the way for my
ability to transfer within Sun and ultimately land the NASA account.
Founder of Katz International Management Solutions, or KIMS, has gained working within
and managing-to in the midst of change.
For an in depth look at our technical, project management, communications, systems
engineering and integration responsibilities and achievements please see the Experience
page and the support services links: Program Management, IT and Technical, Business
Development & Education and Outreach.
Project Manager/KIMS, NASA Education STEM Outreach Initiative:
Approached the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Education Office to supplement their
usual Visitor’s Center tour to produce a custom event that would motivate and inspire a
gifted-group of high school students continuing on their path of science, technology,
engineering and math studies. It was my idea to pursue an active astronaut’s participation
and a NASA Contractor to sponsor the students’ lunch on-Center, as well as to have the
Office of Education and extra guest speaker representatives on hand to engage with the
students in question and answer forums.
Successfully convinced Goddard’s management to go above and beyond their normal tour
offerings with an expansion to include the additional areas identified. Also, worked with
multiple organizations within NASA to solicit and win the time of the astronaut, successfully
garnered on-site facilities to host the students and won the support of a SGT, Inc. to fund
the lunch.
Technical Project Management Trainer/KIMS, GSFC Journey-men Level Engineers:
Working with the Greenbelt Space Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers at
NASA GSFC as the focus group and sponsor for the work, surveyed the community to
understand their needs and wishes for a custom project management training to bridge a
gap with Online, Center and APPEL courses.
The planning, development, and subsequent roll-out of the short course spanned a
leadership transition within NSBE. Initiated group and one-on-one meetings before, during
and after the transition and suggested the use of participant surveys to monitor and assess
the effectiveness of the training to meet the goals and objectives contractually agreed upon.
Subject Matter Expert & Technical Writer/KIMS, OCIO Architecture & Integration:
A contractor had an emergency need for someone to answer RFP requirements during the
Marshall Space Flight Center IT services procurement. With no lead time I engaged on the
project and agreed to answer sections that addressed utilizing Enterprise Architecture (EA)
documentation to align business objectives, technical initiatives, and the IT projects of the
Center.
Showing much agility I was able to begin the work on behalf of the Contractor within a day or
so notice even as we worked out the final contract. Within 60 hours sections were
completed on OCIO architecture and integration, portfolio and innovation management and
governance that showed how the contractor would support the work of the Center through
Boards and Councils. A red-team review revealed that the only changes required were to
add labels to the graphics.
Senior Engineer/Futron:
Accepted the position and on-boarded in time to manage and deliver the final two NASA
GSFC customer deliverables (monthly State of the Center Report). I was then tasked with
developing an internal risk-management training “semester” to utilize and engage the
engineers budgeted on the contract wind down.
In addition to planning, designing and implementing the semester of training my job was to
motivate the department’s resources to contribute their expertise to provide input to the
curriculum and course plans as well as cross-train our peer group and participate in the six
weeks of training, approximately 108 hours. The course work and resulting assessment
feedback generated was handed over to Human Resources to establish the baseline for
future internal training programs.
IT Specialist/NASA Goddard, Student Temporary Employment Program:
Having joined GSFC’s first EA working group (EAWG) on a graduate student internship (my
mentor then the chair) the secretariat role was prescribed for me. The immediate turn-over
in the chair person opened up an opportunity for me to further define the role in which I
would contribute; during the course of the 12-weeks of that work there were three different
chair persons named. As the constant lead on the team my role was to create and facilitate
the processes to motivate the various directorate members to work together as one Center
and provide a Goddard-centric EA response to the Agency’s to-be plans. We did, and the
Agency Enterprise Architect complimented our document and work.
After returning to GSFC (following two-weeks away to graduate) the Division manager and
CIO had changed. My role morphed to among other things developing processes to triage,
manage, and track the all-CIO’s actions responding to Agency data calls and supporting the
ODIN Program Management office’s transition from Glenn RC’s Web-ex demo to an Agency-
wide roll-out.
Team Lead, Group Project/International Space University (ISU):
Transitioning from our Master of Science in Space Studies course-work to the group project,
served in a roll to focus the team consisting of 20-graduate students from thirteen different
countries to execute a literature review that would result in the explicit topic for our final
project.
Interfaced with the ISU professors and administration on behalf the group, facilitated some of
the small and whole group meetings, worked within the team to develop and adhere to the
schedule and choreographed the team literature review output and presentation resulting in
the selection of our project theme and title: “Space-based Progressive Interoperable
Networks”. This work largely helped to result in my being selected as the graduation class
speaker.
Systems Engineer/Sun Microsystems, Civilian, USDA, IRS, Interior & NASA:
Having transferred to the DC-area within Sun I transitioned to calling on direct customers,
systems integrators, as well as the reseller channel. Promoted internally to originally
support the IRS, within several months I was successful in convincing Sun to place me on
the NASA account. They did and added USDA, Interior, and EDS to create an expanded
patch and hired a new sales rep to join me in that territory.
Three months later I volunteered to work in a dual role upon learning that the sales person
resigned with little notice. During several months of serving in a combined systems
engineer/sales representative capacity I was able to close and generate new business by
influencing both technical and sales support persons to partner with me in innovative ways
to ensure that the level of competency and satisfaction that the customers deserved and
expected was adhered to.
Best of the Best (BOB) Systems Engineer/Sun Microsystems, Reseller Channel:
Originally joining Sun in Chicago my first-year as a “BOB” was a meant to be set-aside for
on-the-job training. Recognizing that I had worked approximately a decade before pursuing
and attaining my B.S. in Computer Engineering degree the job quickly changed to my
gaining responsibility for account coverage within the first few months in the position.
After being assigned the largest reseller in that patch while being tasked to complete Sun
Solaris training and certifications the entire systems engineering team, including
management for the Chicago-land and neighboring offices, turned-over. Left alone for a
while with 4-sales reps and their accounts I reached out to and partnered with senior
engineers throughout the region to provide technical continuity and integrity for both the
resellers’ end-customers’ initiatives as well as to make sure the resellers themselves
received and maintained the training and certifications necessary to champion Sun’s
products and comply with certified VAR requirements. This work paved the way for my
ability to transfer within Sun and ultimately land the NASA account.
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| Copyright © 2010 KIMS, All Rights Reserved |
| KIMS |
| Experience Seen Through a Lens of Transition Office/Issues/Projects |
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| Your Project Success is our Mission |
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| Click Thumbnail to View KIMS' Interdisciplinary Capabilities by Projects Matrix |
| View Comprehensive Testimonials from Clients, Business Partners, Managers & End-User-Customers See Endoresements |
| KIMS delivers timely, accurate, cost effective solutions allowing you to minimize risk and maximize return on your investment |
| Ms. Kim Terrell, Goddard Contractor's Association tour of NASA Goddard's Detector Development Laboratories |
"As a service provider
to ManTech, Kim
responded to a critical
need by being available
on very little notice.
With a gap to fill and
virtually no lead time
we were able to
leverage her Goddard,
IT, and EA experience
to assist us with a
timely response to
another NASA Center."
Michael Yachmetz,
ManTech International
"A gap was discovered
and the formal need
established for KIMS to
work with NASA to
plan the afternoon...
Kim ran logistics and
managed
communications
including providing an
astronaut appearance
and corporate
sponsored lunch for
about 50 students
during our GSFC visit."
Charlie Lumpkin,
Consultant, School
District of Philadelphia
"There were three
different Team Leaders
within a 3-month
period. Kim stepped
right in and filled the
gaps in absence of
permanent leadership,
and she effectively
managed the collective
efforts of a team of 20
people representing the
scientific and
engineering disciplines
at the (Goddard Space
Flight) Center."
Kelly Carter, NASA
Headquarters
to ManTech, Kim
responded to a critical
need by being available
on very little notice.
With a gap to fill and
virtually no lead time
we were able to
leverage her Goddard,
IT, and EA experience
to assist us with a
timely response to
another NASA Center."
Michael Yachmetz,
ManTech International
"A gap was discovered
and the formal need
established for KIMS to
work with NASA to
plan the afternoon...
Kim ran logistics and
managed
communications
including providing an
astronaut appearance
and corporate
sponsored lunch for
about 50 students
during our GSFC visit."
Charlie Lumpkin,
Consultant, School
District of Philadelphia
"There were three
different Team Leaders
within a 3-month
period. Kim stepped
right in and filled the
gaps in absence of
permanent leadership,
and she effectively
managed the collective
efforts of a team of 20
people representing the
scientific and
engineering disciplines
at the (Goddard Space
Flight) Center."
Kelly Carter, NASA
Headquarters
| Successful through Change |
