Monica Painter is the Executive Vice President at DolJenn Consulting, LLC, where she provides transformational consulting services across the Federal Government. Building on more than three decades of experience in client sales, proposal and capture management, engagement management, consulting, and team facilitation, Monica is well-known in the industry and government as a Subject Matter Expert and a certified Master Black Belt/Change Agent.
As a seasoned consultant, Monica enjoys collaborating with clients to understand their organizational needs, to design a tailored approach, and to collaboratively implement customized strategies. A firm believer in transparency, her natural commitment, enthusiasm, and open, pragmatic style help to inspire, inform, and motivate. Monica is a testament to success, confidence, and dedication to work.
Career Trajectory
Monica earned a BS in Marketing and Management from the McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia, and an MBA from the Carroll School of Management, Boston College. She began her career at Andersen Consulting – now known as Accenture, where she led multi-functional teams in strategic and business transformation engagements. Monica then served as Vice President of Quality at GE Capital. Even though Monica enjoyed working for her former client, she missed the everchanging challenges of the consulting world. This desire prompted her to join Pricewaterhouse Coopers Consulting (PwC). Shortly after joining PwC, the organization was acquired by IBM in 2002. During her 14+ year tenure with PwC/IBM, Monica served as a leader, advisor and consultant for the firm’s internal business transformation efforts and led over 300 consultants within its Operations Strategy and Supply Chain Business Service Areas. She was the Global Leader for Lean Six Sigma and the Federal Sector’s Operations Strategy Partner for Operations and Supply Chain Management.
Although Monica provided exemplary service to all her clients while at PwC/IBM, her passion was partnering with the US Department of Defense, supporting DoD to improve mission critical processes.
DolJenn Performance Consulting: Fostering Innovation to Drive Results & Growth
In 2014, Monica embarked on her entrepreneurial path and founded DolJenn Performance Consulting LLC, a woman owned small business. She is asked quite often how she landed on the name DolJenn. She happily responds, “That was an easy decision. It represents my Mom, Dolores, and my Dad, Jennings. They’ve always supported my endeavors.”
After forming a business partnership with long-term friend and colleague, Alexandrea Griswold in 2019, DolJenn Consulting became a Native American, HUB Zone, and small woman-owned business. With offices in Nevada and outside Washington, D.C., the firm seeks to provide broad industry perspectives with customized approaches. The team emphasizes partnering across the public sector to bring optimal solutions to clients.
DolJenn’s core capabilities include business transformation and innovation, business process management, change management, organization design and development, business performance improvement (including Lean Six Sigma), and community outreach and engagement modeling. The firm combines a passion for its work with industry expertise and innovative approaches to produce compelling results.
To date, DolJenn Performance Consulting has provided strategic consulting and organizational change management services to a vast array of public sector clients, including Veterans Affairs, the US Army, the US Navy, Food and Drug Administration, and the Office of Management and Budget.
What Sets DolJenn Consulting Apart from Other Market Competitors?
Leveraging and aligning best practices to customized solutions are two of the factors that set DolJenn Consulting apart from other market competitors. DolJenn solutions are not cookie cutter; the firm creates solutions that address its customer’s unique needs. Moreover, Monica and her team implement sustainable, measurable solutions that make a lasting impact.
Another standout factor is DolJenn Consulting’s seasoned team consisting of members, partners, and sub-contractors who have been on the front lines of organizational transformations for decades, overcoming challenges, identifying opportunities, and creating innovative solutions. The Firm does not train its resources on its client’s dime. DolJenn Consulting leverages senior resources with an impeccable knowledge base to mentor and help develop talent through its professional development programs.
While shedding light on what makes DolJenn Consulting unique, Monica shares, “We are really good at listening. We step back, listen, and understand what keeps our clients up at night. We focus on determining the root causes of those issues and then create the approaches to address them.” In addition, responsiveness and reliability are the foundation upon which DolJenn Consulting builds and grows great client relationships.
A Project Close to Heart
In 2014, Monica supported the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Economic Communities Initiative (VECI) as the National Public Engagement Strategic Advisor. The VECI’s goal was to increase veterans’ education and employment opportunities by bringing together local and national employers to coordinate services for veterans, service members and military families.
Monica developed the program’s mission and objectives and collaborated with internal and external stakeholders, including Congress, agency partners, government and non-government organizations, non-profits, service members and veterans. She developed strategies for connecting veterans and transitioning service members with local and regional competitive employment and education opportunities. Drawing from the experience and successes of the VECI, she created a national collaborative called VeteransNCommand. The collaborative coalesces a nationwide network of Executive Consultants committed to promoting the economic mobility of veterans and their families. For Monica, this project is amongst her favorite and close to heart as it enabled her to give back to the nation and make a difference in the lives of veterans, service members, and military families. That support and passion continue today.
Lessons Learned
Monica has had some amazing mentors and partners throughout her career who have inspired and motivated her. She explains that in terms of submitting winning proposals, in the consulting business you fail more often than you succeed. “Hence, you need to be resilient, to ask for feedback, to learn from mistakes, and never stop pursuing your passions,” asserts Monica.
Sources of Inspiration
What inspires and motivates Monica is developing talent and learning new things from employees, clients, and trusted partners. Hearing positive feedback from her clients always encourages her. Likewise, working in a consulting environment allows her to tackle different challenges, and welcome daily learning scenarios with her team. Building solid relationships of trust and respect with colleagues, partners, and competitors is especially important to her. “I feel if you can inspire others to be transparent, keep commitments, and remain trustworthy, while also walking the talk, that’s a good way to be a leader.” As an authentic leader fueled by the desire to help others succeed, she bestows complete trust in her team and values their decisions.
Pearls of Wisdom
Monica recommends aspiring consultants to research management consulting organizations, large and small. If you believe it is the right path for you, take the plunge, as it can be a rewarding career as long as you have the right mindset and manage expectations. She also suggests they find an organization that will allow them to learn, focus on their career development, and will provide several types of engagement opportunities. She also recommends finding a mentor who will provide support and wisdom in navigating a consulting career.
The Road Ahead
Moving forward, DolJenn Consulting aims to remain at the top of its game and continue to bring exciting and innovative solutions to its clients. Monica and her partner, Alexandrea also aspire to evolve DolJenn Consulting as a firm and stay at the forefront of technology, whether it is AI or digital transformation, to deliver the solutions organizations need to reach the next level of performance.
For More Info: https://doljennconsulting.com/