Lauran Jackson Smith
Centene Corporation
Los Angeles,CA
1
Certification
16
years of professional experience
Dynamic and results-oriented business leader with extensive experience in people leadership, project and program management, and client relationship management across the healthcare, technology, and professional services sectors. Demonstrated expertise in steering complex portfolios, fostering cross-functional collaboration, enhancing executive partnerships, and achieving significant business outcomes. Recognized for the ability to translate strategic vision into actionable plans through meticulous planning, stakeholder engagement, operational excellence, and effective communication. Committed to driving organizational success by leveraging a blend of innovative thinking and disciplined execution.
Work History
Manager, Project Management
6 Years 10 Months- Lead a portfolio of strategic initiatives impacting Centene Corporation's Medicare, Medicaid, ACA Marketplace, and Commercial lines of business. Manage project managers and business analysts while directing cross-functional delivery across Product, IT, Compliance, Operations, and the PMO to keep work aligned to scope, timelines, budget, and business priorities.
- Delivered a global vendor partner onboarding initiative for enrollment and billing operations, strengthening stakeholder alignment and enabling $1.3M in projected annual savings.
- Improved executive decision-making by leading portfolio reviews, communicating risks and issues, and presenting progress against KPIs, SLAs, and strategic business objectives.
Program Manager, Business Services
1 Year- Represented Resources North America, the shared services arm of Publicis Groupe North America, partnering with internal and external clients and presenting to C-suite stakeholders to align business needs, service delivery, and transformation initiatives.
- Delivered $1.2M in savings by managing critical program timelines, aligning stakeholders, and exceeding business savings targets.
- Reduced costs 60% by leading cross-functional teams to streamline processes, improve governance, and align agencies with negotiated vendor contracts.
Associate Director, Account Management
7 Years- Promoted to Lead Account Manager for 7 Saatchi & Saatchi, Publicis, and MSL advertising agencies across North America based on strong client relationship management, strategic problem-solving, and delivery execution. Served as a trusted advisor to C-suite stakeholders, built senior-level partnerships across Publicis Groupe agencies, and aligned agency priorities with shared services, business applications, and transformation initiatives.
- Strengthened client relationships by partnering with engineering teams to deliver network infrastructure solutions that met both enterprise standards and local agency needs.
- Identified a client capability gap and designed “Adobe Days,” a targeted training initiative that improved adoption and strengthened agency engagement in Los Angeles, contributing to a 20% increase in the use of Adobe for digital work.
- Earned promotion to Lead Account Manager by delivering high-value client solutions, deepening executive relationships, and helping align agencies to broader Groupe strategy.
Education
Master of Arts - Business Management
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration
Skills
People Leadership & Team Management
Project & Program Management
Portfolio Governance & Delivery Oversight
Executive Stakeholder Engagement
Account & Relationship Management
Cross-Functional Team Leadership
Business Development & Client Solutions
Executive Presentations & Business Communications
Certification
- ITIL Certified
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
Timeline
Manager, Project Management
Centene Corporation
08.2019 - CurrentRead More
Program Manager, Business Services
Resources NA / Publicis Groupe NA
01.2017 - 01.2018Read More
Associate Director, Account Management
Resources NA / Publicis Groupe NA
01.2010 - 01.2017Read More
University of Redlands
Master of Arts from Business Management
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University of Washington
Bachelor of Arts from Business Administration
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