How Did I Get Here? A Career Profile of Mary Rownd, ACP

Welcome to Mary Rownd!

Mary’s story is the latest in our series “How Did I Get Here?” Mary has a background in Marketing and enjoys working in the Digital Project Management space.

Here’s her story.

When did you first decide to become a project manager?

Starting out, I was a Marketer and used my PM skills to manage million dollar marketing campaigns, manage cooperatives and launch new products.

Eight years ago, I was at a crossroads in my career.  The marketing industry was changing fast due to the impact and influence of the Internet and technology.  While I love marketing, I felt restless and wanted to try something new.  So, when a digital project manager position presented itself to me, I accepted it and joined the Web Services department of a professional association.  The department was comprised of technical talent and my business background brought new insights and focus on projects. I found a new direction in my career and flourished in the digital PM role.

What was your academic and/or corporate background before you became a project manager?

Prior to becoming a digital project manager, I held marketing management positions at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Arby’s Inc. and the American Marketing Association.  To this day, I still leverage my marketing experience since skill set is very similar (analysis, customer focus, team collaboration).

 If you made a transition, did your company support your transition to project manager?

Not really.  Many were surprised by my decision to pursue this path.  According to Strength Finders, my natural ability and talent are being an “arranger” so I knew in my heart this was the right decision for me.

Which credential do you have?

• Agile Certified Practitioner, Project Management Institute
• Digital Project Manager, Boulder Visual Arts

How has having your credential helped (or hurt?) your career?

The PMI-ACP helps me. It gives me credibility with scrum masters and the development team.  Also, companies are looking for project managers with agile experience and my certification validates my knowledge and experience.

 What advice would you give an aspiring project manager?

Starting out, find a collaborative, supportive team environment.  I’m thankful to the front and back-end developers and experienced project managers who were patient when I asked questions and advised me on articulating challenges and obstacles to the client.

Also, join the local PMI community or project manager Meetup groups.  The term “project manager” is broad and it’s interesting to see how the skillset is applied across many industries.

Any final advice?

Never underestimate the value of UX research!  My most successful projects all incorporated the user experience since it shaped the vision and articulated the business value.  Not only does the user experience prioritize the backlog, but it’s also a great tool to manage stakeholders’ conflict.

After 20 years of city living in Chicago, Mary Rownd traded the Great Lakes for the Rocky Mountains, relocating to Denver in 2016.  Mary embraces the Colorado lifestyle and enjoys hiking, yoga, and gardening.  She describes herself as a versatile, results-oriented digital project manager who is drawn to solving problems through business analysis, the user experience, and relationship building.  Mary has worked at Healthgrades, HIMSS and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts where she’d earned a reputation for collaborative leadership and strategic thinking.  She received a Bachelor’s degree from Albion College and earned certifications in Agile project management, content strategy, and search engine optimization.  Go Cubs!

Contact her at www.maryrownd.com.