Cherlyn R Guinyard

Business Requirements Analyst / Systems Engineer / Project Management Professional with 20 years of expertise in analytical and technical capacities. Proven proficiency in requirements gathering, project delivery and engineering support.

Professional Experience:                                                                                                            

BootBotWorks Studios  -   Chantilly, VA                                                                           Dec 2025 - Present

(Early-stage AI & automation studio)

• Designed, configured, and supported cloud-based system environments to enable scalable AI-powered business solutions.
• Assisted in building and maintaining development, staging, and production environments, ensuring system reliability and deployment readiness.
• Collaborated with engineering and operations teams to troubleshoot environment issues, configuration errors, and integration challenges.
• Supported CI/CD workflows, environment variables, and deployment pipelines to improve build consistency and reduce release friction.
• Assisted with system documentation, runbooks, and operational procedures to support repeatable builds and knowledge transfer.
• Participated in system testing, validation, and performance checks prior to client-facing deployments.
• Helped implement monitoring, access controls, and basic security practices aligned with industry best practices.
• Worked closely with leadership to translate technical requirements into operational system configurations.

Solutions Architect                                                                                                            Sep 2025 - Dec 2025

Department of Defense (DoD) Contract

Patriot Strategies – Crystal City, VA

• Supported enterprise architecture, standards, and compliance efforts supporting DISA/J6 mission systems and services aligning modernization initiatives with Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DODAF) standards
• Maintained design, development, and validation of architectural views to ensure interoperability, mission assurance, and compliance with architecture review board, ATO requirements, and governance for AS-IS baseline
• Partnered with cross-functional infrastructure, cybersecurity, portfolio management, configuration management, and development teams to drive lifecycle modernization, technical-debt reduction, and process automation initiatives

Systems Engineer / Architect, Office of the Chief Information Officer                 Nov 2024 – Aug 2025  

Nightwing Technologies / Dulles, VA

• Executed the vision of the Chief Enterprise Architect and CIO direct reports through the development, integration, and testing of advanced leading-edge Cybersecurity and Information Technology service capabilities
• Approving member of the Architecture Review Board and accountable for the safe, controlled deployment of systems and new capabilities into the enterprise architecture
• Change Coordinator for the Change Management Board (CMB); managed change requests; assigned tasks to engineering team members, monitored progress, ensured compliance with requirements and CM policy, convened the CMB as necessary, and verified all documentation and exit criteria were complete before closing requests
• Key contributor and organizer for product management teams responsible for the system design and implementation of advanced cybersecurity capabilities
• Interfaced directly with the Customer, Stakeholders and End-users regarding capability, architectures, requirements, use cases, and user stories to derive, develop and decompose next cycle updates and specifications

Sr Systems Engineer                                                                                                        Sep 2021 – Nov 2024

Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Contract

Raytheon Technologies / Dulles, VA 

• Supported a cross-functional team in establishing the AWS Control Tower, fostering effective collaboration between security, networking, and development teams.
• Gathered and analyzed user requirements to derive system specifications, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Organized and supported the migration of over 50 applications to the newly implemented AWS Landing Zone, optimizing both performance and security for cloud-based workloads.
• Organized and maintained comprehensive documentation libraries using ServiceNow Knowledge Management resources and Microsoft SharePoint, ensuring version control compliance and adherence to customer standards.

Sr Systems Engineer / Release Train Engineer (RTE)                                                Aug 2018 – Sep 2021

DHS CISA Contract | Novel Applications of Vital Information (NAOVI)          

• Served as the Release Train Engineer (RTE), offering strategic direction and oversight to Agile Release Teams and fostering an Agile mindset across software and service delivery initiatives.
• Directed  and organized value stream management across programs/projects utilizing tools such as Jira and Jira Align; Led continuous improvement initiatives by facilitating Retrospectives, Inspect and Adapt workshops, and conducting regular demonstrations. 
• Leveraged SAFe Agile methodologies to effectively scale operational processes and respond to changing engineering requirements.

Sr Project Lead                                                                                                                  Jan 2016 – Jul 2018

DHS Contract | General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS)                                                                     

• Led project team through a complex, large-scale initiative for the Cyber Indicator Analysis Platform.
• Cultivated a motivated and cohesive team environment to align with company objectives and accomplish project goals.
• Supervised project progress and tracked task completion using designated management tools.
• Prepared and disseminated detailed reports on project milestones for key stakeholders.

Sr Project Manager                                                                                                         Sep 2013 – Sep 2015
Department of State Contract | Edgesource, Inc

• Applied Agile Scrum principles to define program, project scope and objectives.
• Contributed to the development of the division’s comprehensive strategic plan (2014-2018), from defining Vision, Mission, and Core Values, through advancing the delivery strategy of Competitive Advantage and creating a marketable Service Portfolio, to creating a custom Business Model and identifying Goals and Objectives, for a $15 Million budget.
• Monitored and tracked program budget, resource allocation and risk/issue register; assisted in the removal/mitigation of program-level impediments.

Sr Project Manager                                                                                                        Jul 2012 – Aug 2013

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Contract | Safran

• Led the management of project and product releases, overseeing all phases from initial planning through deployment to production environments.
• Supervised business analysts and engineers to ensure the technical accuracy and integrity of biometric credentialing system requirements and designs.
• Presented newly developed biometric credentialing applications to airport authorities and stakeholders.
• Coordinated with the TSA Change Control Board to verify that all data was properly obscured and secured prior to deployment.

Sr Project Manager                                                                                                May 2011 – Jul 2012          

Department of Defense (DoD) Contract | Enterprise Information Management (EIM)     

• Provided support to the United States Department of Defense for the modernization of the Army Publishing Directorate.
• Facilitated meetings with stakeholders and teams to produce project artifacts such as project charters, project plans, requirements, user guides, training manuals, and release notes, by applying Agile/Scrum methodology.
• Assessed the effects of proposed changes on existing organizations and outlined possible solutions.
• Monitored and maintained product backlog, burn-down charts, and velocity metrics. 

FutureTech Inc.                                                                                                              Sep 2005 – Apr 2011

Sr. Project Manager /Business Process Engineer

• Led requirements gathering and process design initiatives, encompassing analysis, planning, and management support activities.
• Facilitated Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions with stakeholders to elicit requirements and identify opportunities for process enhancement, while proactively assessing and mitigating project risks.
• Established a standardized approach for identifying and documenting organizational business standards, lessons learned, and best practices.

• Central Michigan University, Master of Science - Software Engineering
• Claflin University, Bachelor of Science - Mathematics / Computer Science