Boyer is pleased to welcome Beth Angelo to the team as our new Microsoft PMO Lead. Angelo has more than 20 years of experience in project management.
She started her IT career in 1994 as an engineering assistant, inputting numbers for capacity planning and inventory management on “green screen” computers. After some initial database training she started dabbling in programming.
“From there I got excited about technology and all the things I could do,” Angelo said.
A young mother at the time, she convinced her boss to let her work from home, going into the office on a regular basis to exchange floppy disks. Eventually she decided to start her own consulting business, and she spent the next six years co-hosting 100 different websites.
As a SMB owner, Angelo realized her project management skills were lacking. A firm believer in the growth mindset, she decided to do something about it.
“If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not changing,” she added.
It turns out that decision changed her entire career trajectory. While working on her PMP certification, Angelo landed a job as a PM at an Ohio-based payment software company. She has worked in project management ever since.
“It’s kind of been rinse and repeat my whole career,” she said.
At one point Angelo told a customer that their PM’s were not doing a good job. The customer, a Microsoft partner, promptly turned around and hired her to lead their Microsoft PMO team herself. That’s when she got her first look at Microsoft’s business software solutions.
“I fell in love immediately with the whole Microsoft ecosystem,” Angelo said. She stayed there for eight years, until the company was acquired.
Another two companies and two more acquisitions later, Angelo was job hunting when she reached out to Boyer. She was already familiar with the Boyer brand from previous coworkers and was especially intrigued with the company’s forward-thinking mindset toward AI.
“AI is interesting. AI is changing. … I recognize I have to stay relevant in it, keep learning and bring these advancements to the PM role,” she said.
Angelo is excited to put her skills to work at Boyer. “I’m happy to be here. … I’ve been enjoying every single day here,” she said after her first week on the job.
Passion for project management
As for why she chose project management, Angelo said it’s just a natural fit for her personality.
“I think it’s in your DNA. … I really like keeping things organized, getting a roadmap in front of me and accomplishing those things,” she said.
Her goal is to pass that passion on to others and get them excited about the importance of a good plan. She likes helping others find better ways to work.
“What I love about my role the most is inspiring others to develop a passion for project management,” she said. “It can be so rewarding, and it’s fun.”
Angelo enjoys seeing a plan come to fruition despite the challenges that always arise. Assessing risks early and being prepared with a plan to overcome any issues is key, she said. She referenced the COVID pandemic as a great example of the need for risk management at any company — and within any Microsoft PMO project.
“The impact to our customers was enormous,” she said. “Customers were just shutting doors.” Meanwhile, Angelo’s company at the time was already equipped for remote work and able to weather the pandemic relatively well.
As for Angelo, she’s weathered three acquisitions and 30 years of technology advancements, all while raising children and running her home.
Angelo currently lives in Youngstown, Ohio with her husband Michael, a software developer she met at work. Together they have four grown children and two grandsons.
Not one to sit still, she loves crafting and homemaker hobbies such as crochet, quilting, sewing, painting, gardening, cooking, canning and more. Outside of the home she also sings in a band, performing in various classic rock groups for the past 20 years.
