Analyzing your concerns to create valuable solutions.

At the heart of Smith & Welch LLC is a belief grounded in experience: every successful project begins with one critical step—strategic intake.

Our founder’s journey began with a simple yet powerful observation: what you choose to include at the start of a project can determine its outcome. This insight, gained across diverse enterprises and departments, became the cornerstone of a career defined by results.

But the path to success wasn’t easy. Before entering the corporate world, our founder overcame a personal history of abuse—choosing not to be defined by hardship, but to rise from it. With no formal background in engineering, she taught herself the principles of process design and improvement, carving a path as a self-made process engineer. Her resilience, self-education, and determination not only built a better life but inspired a career rooted in transformation and excellence.

Her journey broke barriers. She became the first African American and first woman to lead Global AI & Machine Learning at her company—an achievement that redefined what leadership could look like. Later, she was promoted to oversee Global Corporate Risk, expanding her impact on enterprise-wide operations and strategy.

One standout moment came while serving as a Senior Analyst. Faced with a major project backlog, she implemented a streamlined strategy that reduced it by an astonishing 113% in just 30 days. The impact was so immediate, some joked it was the work of an automated system. That breakthrough didn’t just solve a problem—it opened the door to larger contracts, greater influence, and a path straight to the C-Suite, where leadership and innovation continue to thrive.

Today, she is recognized as one of fewer than 100 professionals globally to hold all of the following certifications:

• PMP®
• Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT®)
• SAFe® Practice Consultant (SPC)
• SAFe® Release Train Engineer (RTE)
• SAFe® Advanced Scrum Master
• SAFe® Scrum Master
• Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM) – Scrum Alliance
• AgilityHealth® Facilitator
• ICAgile Certified Enterprise Coach

This rare combination of credentials reflects a deep, cross-functional mastery of Agile leadership, governance, and enterprise strategy.

Her personal and professional impact has also been recognized by the NAACP with a Community Service Award, honoring her dedication to uplifting others and creating accessible pathways into Agile and tech careers. Having risen from adult poverty to become a global Agile expert, her life stands as a testament to what’s possible through courage, service, and continuous learning.

From this foundation emerged Lean Intake Analysis—a proprietary method designed to uncover the essential elements of both a project and a customer’s journey. This approach aligns project outcomes with real-world client experience, ensuring that every solution delivers measurable success.

At Smith & Welch, we don’t just teach frameworks—we lead with lived success.