ROMONA N. SMITH
Indianapolis
Summary
Seasoned Municipal Compliance and Program Oversight Leader with 18 years of experience in government operations and regulatory compliance. Expertise in evaluating operational risks, conducting regulatory reviews, and ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local requirements. Skilled in interpreting complex regulations, coordinating corrective actions, and communicating regulatory expectations to diverse stakeholders. Committed to enhancing accountability and organizational integrity through effective policy development and risk mitigation.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Compliance Manager
Department of Metropolitan Development
Indianapolis
05.2023 - Current
- Lead environmental and regulatory compliance reviews for federally funded development projects, ensuring adherence to federal regulations and program requirements.
- Oversaw compliance for federally funded housing and development activities in Indianapolis, ensuring adherence to federal regulations and municipal requirements.
- Conducted site inspections and project reviews to verify compliance and identify regulatory risks, implementing necessary mitigation measures.
- Provide training and ongoing compliance guidance to program staff and grant teams on federal requirements, risk mitigation, and regulatory procedures.
- Develop written guidance, reference materials, and internal procedures used by program teams to improve regulatory consistency and program compliance.
- Investigated compliance concerns, collaborating with project managers, contractors, and partner agencies to resolve issues and uphold program integrity.
- Review contractor and partner activities to ensure adherence to federal regulations and city program requirements.
- Recommended corrective actions and mitigation strategies to address compliance risks and regulatory deficiencies.
- Maintain comprehensive project documentation and compliance records to ensure audit readiness and transparency for federal monitoring.
- Prepare compliance summaries, written determinations, and technical guidance used by leadership and executive staff to support operational and regulatory decisions.
- Coordinate with federal partners, city leadership, and internal departments to ensure consistent interpretation and application of regulatory requirements.
Project Coordinator
Redpath Consulting
Minneapolis
04.2022 - 03.2023
- Facilitated project planning and documentation for over 50 engagements with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment.
- Coordinated project activities, maintained project controls, and assisted teams in identifying operational risks for large-scale consulting engagements.
- Maintained project schedules, documentation, and status reporting systems to support accountability and project transparency.
- Monitored progress with cross-functional teams to identify risks to project timelines and deliverables.
- Assisted project leadership in implementing tracking systems used to monitor project performance, costs, and outcomes.
- Worked with stakeholders to ensure alignment with organizational standards and contractual obligations.
Project Manager
MSD of Decatur Township
Indianapolis
06.2010 - 02.2018
- Managed federally funded education programs and coordinated multi-stakeholder initiatives designed to improve student outcomes while maintaining compliance with federal funding requirements.
- Administered more than $1 million in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education and Indiana Department of Education.
- Ensured compliance with federal grant requirements through effective reporting, monitoring, and performance measurement.
- Monitored program milestones and deliverables to ensure compliance and facilitate successful project completion.
- Developed tracking systems for program outcomes and financial reporting to enhance operational performance.
- Led regular meetings with community partners and stakeholders to review progress, address operational challenges, and coordinate program activities.
- Participated in federal and state program monitoring reviews during tenure, coordinating documentation and responding to compliance inquiries to ensure programs met grant requirements.
- Conducted program evaluations and internal reviews to identify areas for improvement and strengthen program accountability.
Education
AmeriCorps Member, Team Leader, Director -
AmeriCorps
Indianapolis, IN05-2009
Bachelor of Arts - Merchandising
Indiana University
Bloomington, INSkills
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk assessment
- Policy writing
- Project documentation
- Data tracking and analysis
- Salesforce CRM
- Microsoft applications expertise
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom and Webex
- Adobe Acrobat proficiency
- Data organization
- Presentation skills
- Remote collaboration tools
- Written communication
- Remote collaboration tools
Government Compliance Risk Experience
- Regulatory interpretation and compliance oversight
- Monitoring federally funded programs and projects
- Site inspections and compliance verification
- Risk identification and issue resolution
- Documentation management and audit preparation
- Interdepartmental coordination and stakeholder communication
- Development of guidance and compliance documentation
Leadership Organizational Impact
- Provide ongoing compliance training and regulatory guidance to program staff and grant management teams to ensure consistent understanding of federal requirements.
- Develop internal guidance documents, compliance reference materials, and procedural resources used across departments to strengthen regulatory adherence.
- Serve as a subject matter resource for leadership and staff when complex regulatory questions arise, helping teams interpret and apply federal requirements appropriately.
- Present compliance findings, regulatory determinations, and risk considerations to department leadership to support informed operational decision-making.
- Work collaboratively with contractors, community partners, and internal departments to resolve compliance issues and ensure program integrity.
- Recommend corrective actions and mitigation strategies when regulatory deficiencies or operational risks are identified.
Timeline
Compliance Manager
Department of Metropolitan Development
05.2023 - Current
Project Coordinator
Redpath Consulting
04.2022 - 03.2023
Project Manager
MSD of Decatur Township
06.2010 - 02.2018
AmeriCorps Member, Team Leader, Director -
AmeriCorps
Bachelor of Arts - Merchandising
Indiana University