Boyer’s CRM and ERP project manager team is growing with the addition of Alicia Hays as our PMO team lead. She has a master’s degree in communication with a minor in leadership and several years of experience in project management.
Hays grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado but has always had a thirst for adventure. She took an internship with Disney World, spent a year teaching fourth grade in South Korea and headed up a travel group for disabled adults, among other adventures.
Networking has been a big part of Hays’ life and is what led her across the globe. She ended up in South Korea when a friend who was leaving asked if Hays would want the teaching position. She jumped at the chance to experience a new culture.
“I loved it there … the people, the culture, the food — It was all great,” she said.
When she returned back to the States, she landed a job in the nonprofit industry as a supervisor at group homes for developmentally disabled adults.
“When you have an opportunity to serve others in that environment, it puts a lot of other things into perspective and allows for a remarkable feeling of fulfillment,” Hays said.
She loved getting to know the residents and made it her mission to better their lives. Never one to sit still long, she took on the role of travel liaison, taking her clients anywhere they wanted to go. They went to the Special Olympics in Los Angeles and to Disneyland, took several camping trips and attended lots of local events. One year alone she went to 30 baseball games.
“My goal was to improve their quality of life whatever that looks like for them. That was the most rewarding,” she said. She remembers lots of wild stories and belly laughs during that season of life.
Hays spent another five years working with Colorado 811, working in damage prevention as part of their call before you dig campaign. There she created an online class for construction workers and facilitated events for 300-plus people.
It wasn’t until a friend recommended her for a job at a software company that she realized her true passion. That’s when Hays realized that she’d been doing project management all along — just never with the official title of a PM.
“My goal is always how to improve other people’s lives … I feel like my purpose is to help others,” she said.
She spent the last several years as a CRM and ERP project manager for Microsoft Dynamics software implementations.
“I had really great projects across the board. The clients were all really, really great,” she said. At her previous position, she focused on enterprise projects, which meant a lot of time with the same individuals. One client in particular became a good friend and still chats with Hays on a monthly basis.
For her part, Hays is passionate about helping others, both her own teammates and Boyer’s clients.
“It’s that team effort we need to successfully get over the finish line. I really enjoy looking and seeing what the teams have accomplished to help improve the day-to-day jobs of our clients,” she said.
On the lookout for the next growth opportunity, Hays saw a good match with Boyer’s request for a PMO team lead.
“I’m looking to expand my skillset and grow into the next level of project management at a company that is driven to provide value to the clients while driving successful initiatives internally,” she said.
She had previously worked with a few of Boyer’s team members and knew them to be “the A team,” she said. She’s excited to be working with such highly skilled consultants again and is looking forward to growing with Boyer as a CRM and ERP project manager.
Hays and her husband, Bryson, live in Colorado with their three mini Aussies, named Birkley, Addie, and Pooky. With three active pups, they can most often be found outside.
“We hike all the time. We’re outdoors as much as possible,” Hays said. When they can’t be outside, Hays brings the outdoors inside with 40-plus household plants.
