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Grace A. Vera

E-mail:   vera.a.grace@gmail.com

Tel:         619.838.0716

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Professional Information

Workplace Operations Program Manager with 10+ years of experience leading large-scale relocation programs, workplace infrastructure, and facilities operations across global organizations including Apple, NBCUniversal, and Disney.

Proven track record of owning end-to-end program delivery, driving process improvements, and partnering with business leaders to execute complex workplace transitions at scale with high stakeholder satisfaction. Experience supporting capital planning, investment prioritization, and cross-functional decision-making with Real Estate and Finance partners. Brings a unique combination of architecture, construction, program management, and MBA-level strategic thinking, with a strong track record of building scalable operational frameworks in fast-paced, high-growth environments.

Languages

 

Spanish (Fluent)

Work Experience

Studio Operations Program Manager | Studio Operations Lead  | Studio Project Manager

Apple (Contractor), Culver City, CA

2023 - Present

● Own end-to-end workplace relocation (MAC) and internal move programs, including planning, employee roster coordination, workspace assignments, and execution across Culver City, Cupertino, and New York locations supporting 1,800+ FTE employees and 2,500+ total users ● Serve as primary point of contact for business leaders and stakeholders, providing consultative partnership on workspace planning, relocations,

and operational needs ● Lead change management and communication strategies for employee moves, ensuring smooth transitions and high stakeholder satisfaction ● Scale and lead operations team from 4 to 10 members (150% growth), supporting a 7x increase in service demand while improving resolution times by over 50% ● Manage vendor performance across facilities, relocation, and operational services, ensuring accountability, quality, and timely execution ● Translate space planning decisions into executable move plans, coordinating cross-functional teams including HR, Security, IT, and Facilities ● Monitor KPIs, analyze trends, and drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational performance and service delivery ● Partner with Finance and leadership to support budget tracking, cost optimization, and resource planning ● Own and drive decision-making related to workspace allocation, capacity planning, and infrastructure readiness ● Make high-judgment decisions on workspace assignments, balancing employee needs, accessibility requirements, and site constraints ● Manage complex escalations during workplace transitions, making high-judgment decisions to balance business needs, employee experience, and site constraints ● Execute high-volume workplace relocations and transitions across multiple regions, supporting dynamic organizational growth and change ● Execute high-volume workplace relocations and internal moves, supporting ongoing organizational changes and headcount growth

Account Manager / Project Manager

Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA

2022 - 2023

● Served as primary point of contact and built long-term relationships with client ● Developed trusted advisor relationships with key accounts, customer stakeholders, and executive sponsors ● Ensured the timely and successful delivery of solutions according to customer needs and objectives ● Clearly Communicated the progress of monthly and quarterly initiatives to internal and external stakeholders ● Forecasted and tracked  key account metrics ● Enhanced department and organizational reputation by accepting ownership of new and diverse requests and exploring opportunities to add value ● Maintained client satisfaction and delivered exceptional day-to-day service ● Assisted with the completion and updates of project deliverables, proactively anticipated opportunities to provide value, and ensured deadlines and expectations were consistently met ● Helped define performance expectations and success metrics for projects  ● Held vendors and internal team members accountable for meeting or exceeding goals, actively aligned team performance with project objectives, and engaged stakeholders with minimal oversight ● Adapted project methods to client needs and evolving priorities, consistently seeking ways to improve delivery, performance, and skills ● Guided project teams and managed daily execution, accepted full accountability for outcomes, and maintained regular communication with clients ● Led project execution, delegated responsibilities effectively, and addressed challenges and opportunities proactively ●  Created original reporting content, analyzed data to deliver value-add recommendations, and served as the primary client contact across projects—anticipating needs and delivering high-quality, solution-oriented service

Facility Project Manager | Facility Asset Manager

Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA

2018 - 2022

● Led campus renovation projects from inception to occupancy ● Led development of project scope, budget, timeline, obtaining necessary approvals, change orders, and reports ● Partnered with Purchasing Department on RFP development and contractor selection or self-perform with internal trades ● Arranged expert consultation services required for projects, such as architects, engineers, surveyors, or designers ● Served as point of contact between stakeholders, committees, and external consultants/contractors ● Accelerated project meetings with internal and external stakeholders ● Spearheaded communication to key stakeholders by informing of project status, communicating any issues impact project delivery ● Ensured proper close-out of all projects, including final punch list, and close-out documents ● Led project resource acquisitions and approvals, coordinating with local community officials for clearances; reevaluated bridge designs with engineers, updating construction documents to reduce costs ● Examined system inefficiencies, customer requirements and business process timeline, compiling reasons for outages and breakdowns ● Analyzed service proposals contracts, and negotiating pricing ● Supervised performance under contract with internal trades and third-party agencies ● Ensured adherence to policies, procedures, safety guidelines, constructions safety procedures ●Obtained necessary approvals for job approval including estimates, change orders, material orders, and invoicing●Assisted with capital planning by identifying project needs and deficiencies, estimating project needs, and classifying and prioritizing major projects ● Led and oversee salaried and hourly employees (e.g., construction, electrical, HVAC, plumbing) ● Leadership by providing feedback, training, motivation, direction, and discipline to employees and direct reports ● Led around two hundred projects per year; all varying in budget and scope ● Designed and executed projects to minimize future corrective maintenance ● Managed third-party vendor projects including corrective and preventative maintenance ● Managed the development and administration of the department budget ● Build and manage an asset recording tool to track a sustainability strategy ● Identified 3-5 year capital/expense expenditure needs, managed the current year forecast, cost to date and project timelines, and provided monthly executive updates  ● Managed project opportunities for the Multi-Capital Plan (MCP) by defining and presenting facility capital projects and associated costs based on lifecycle asset roll-up ● Developed, maintained, and improved recurring, integrated multi-year plans for all facility units with a special focus on one year out ● Responsible for developing budgets and long-range facilities plans based on company growth and future facilities needs ● Kept executive staff informed about potential facilities operational risks, opportunities, and recommended actions ● Managed budgets and approved contracts of all third-party vendors ● Oversaw contractors involved in facility projects and delivery of services ● Developed and maintained department metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) ● Actively participated in required training and development programs and electives as suit one's needs, and supporting colleagues, trainers, and management as appropriate with these efforts ● Determined and assembled processes for internal trades to take on normal external responsibilities including capital mechanical and kitchen installs  ● Lead HVAC/R team through preventive and corrective maintenance parkwide

 

Assistant Project Manager

Project Management Advisors, Inc., Los Angeles, CA

2015 – 2018  

● Assisted with development and completion of project specific tasks as required to meet or exceed expectations of client and fulfill contractual obligations  ● Assisted with planning and analysis of conceptual design issues and pre-construction activities ● Coordination and review of development of architectural and engineering construction drawings and bid documents  ● Recorded, comprehended, and enforced contractual requirements for design and construction professionals; contributed project management staff in generating contracts and addenda ● Served as liaison between client, design and construction professionals ● Met with contractors, architects, engineers and consultants to review project status and resolve issues ● Collaborated in review and analysis of potential changes to budget or schedule ● Sustained and followed‐up on project open item lists ● Directed and/or documented project meetings ● Monitored of construction budget and schedule including updates and maintaining of web based project controls ● Facilitated building permit process and supported design and construction professionals in securing required permits  ● Observed and documented construction process and construction related issues (field reports, job walks, etc.) ● Maintained and followed-up on project open item lists ● Restructured project close out process to completion ● Prepared documentation for analysis and review of specific issues Direct and/or document project meetings ● Assembled and reviewed materials for project draw packages ● Promoted highest level of professionalism and ethics

Assistant Project Manager, Planning and Asset Management

The Walt Disney Company, Burbank, CA

2014 – 2015        


● Developed department programs and procedures to maximize efficiency of invoicing, contracting, and closeout ● Assisted project managers during the architect, general contractor and other vendor bid processes ● Reviewed payment applications for general contractor, architect, consultant, and vendor accounts and provide recommendation for approval or revisions ● Performed final quality review of all documentation prior to submission for department approval ● Assisted project managers in coordination with governmental agencies for applications and approvals and meet with relevant agencies to facilitate approvals ● Managed in tracking and distribution of directives, tracking of potential change orders, quality control of change order requests, and compiling change order requests ● Managed and coordinated selected project vendors in collaboration with project managers ● Collaborated with project controls and project managers on monthly cost reports, cash flows, and other reporting as needed ● Researched and facilitated resolution of project issues in collaboration with project managers ● Coordinated with fixed assets for final capitalization of projects

Assistant Project Manager 

All America Engineering General Contractor, National City, CA

​2013  2014

 

● Determined constructability by comparing plans, specifications and drawings to identify any discrepancies or missing details. Issue RFIs to gather necessary information ● Assisted in obtaining necessary permits and assist with Estimating to ensure quality take-offs ● Prepared scope of work, contracts and job orders to necessary subcontractors ● Generated, update and tracked all RFIs, submittals and procurement items with Architects, Engineers and Subcontractors to ensure the project schedule is met ● Reviewed and prepared all necessary change order requests ensuring validity of pricing and consistency of presentation to owner ● Generated and tracked all payment applications from subcontractors and to owner. Developed and maintained positive subcontractor relations through establishing and maintaining good communication, communicating on responsibilities, changes and issues, and following up on requests

Software

 

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Indesign

Autodesk AutoCAD

Autodesk Revit

Autodesk 3ds Max

Rhino 3d

Sketchup

Microsoft Office

iWork

Google Workspace

Visio

IBM Tririga

IBM Maximo

ServiceNow

SAP

Bluebeam

Adobe Acrobat

SmartSheet

Airtable

Wrike

ProjectLibre

Strategic Expertise

Workplace Relocations & Move

Management (MAC)

End-to-End Program Ownership

 

Stakeholder & Business Partnership

 

Change Management &

Communications

 

Vendor Management & Execution

 

Workspace Planning & Seat

Assignments

Budget Management & Cost

Optimization

 

KPI Tracking & Process Improvement

 

Cross-Functional Program Leadership

Certificates

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Project Management Institute

2025

Entrepreneurship and Strategic Innovation Certificate

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2024

Managerial Economics and Business Analysis Certificate

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2024

Financial Management Certificate

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2024

Global Challenges in Business Certificate

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2024

Value Chain Management Certificate

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2024

Strategic Leadership and Management Certificate

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2022

MasterTrack Certificate –

Construction Management

University of Michigan

2020 - 2021

Data Analysis - Excel

Rice University

2017

Education

 

Masters of Business Administration

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Urbana-Champaign, IL

2022 - 2024

Bachelors of Architecture

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ

2010-2014

Professional Affiliations

 

Commercial Real Estate Women, Los Angeles (CREWLA)

Communications Committee, and Social Media Coordinator

2015-2017

Urban Land Institute, Los Angeles (ULI)

Active Member (2015-2017)

Recognitions

 

Employee of the Month, June 2020

Design Excellence Award - AIA Southern Arizona 2014

 

Academic Year Academic Distinction CAPLA 2014

 

CAPLA Deans List 2013

 

Gordon H. and Myrtle J. Fremming Memorial Scholarship 2013

 

Honorable Mention CAPLA 2013

 

Academic Year Academic Distinction CAPLA 2013

 

Samuel H. Morris Scholarship 2013

 

LULAC National Scholarship Fund Scholarship 2012-2013

 

David Walther Memorial Scholarship 2012

 

San Diego Mesa College Student Service and Leadership Recognition 2008

 

Certificate of National Service 2008

 

Backcountry Attendance and Safety Award 2008

 

United States Department of Agriculture Certificate of Appreciation 2008

 

Certificate Of National Service 2007

2010 - present

2010 - present

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