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About Our Firm
SOAR — Strategic Optimization and Research, LLC — is a Tallahassee-based management consulting and professional development firm. We exist because the shortage of skilled professionals in project management, change management, agile, and AI is real — and growing. Organizations can’t afford to fall behind.
We address this through two service lines that work together: consulting and professional development. We work directly with government and private sector clients on transformational projects, and we train professionals in the certifications and skills that we use on our engagements – and what matter most in the workforce right now.
SOAR is the only firm in Tallahassee recognized as both an authorized project management training partner (ATP) and a qualified change management education provider (QEP).
Our core belief is simple: strategy only works when people are trained equipped to execute on it.
Our CEO
Joanne Gallagher, PMP, CCMP, HCS
Our CEO Joanne Gallagher, PMP, CCMP, HCS
Joanne Gallagher brings over 25 years of management consulting experience, including executive roles at Deloitte, Accenture, and KPMG. She has led multi-million-dollar engagements across more than a dozen states, supporting local, state, and national initiatives.
Joanne founded SOAR after seeing a widening gap in the workforce: professionals were being trained in project management, change management, and agile without the benefit of globally recognized frameworks — and then entering the market as consultants. She built SOAR to change that, grounding both training and consulting in the credentialed standards that give organizations and professionals a real foundation to stand on.
Meet the SOAR Team
Our team of seasoned professionals brings decades of real-world experience across diverse industries — and that depth is what sets a SOAR learning experience apart. Every instructor draws from their time in the field to make training more engaging, relevant, and immediately applicable to the challenges participants face in their own organizations.
Joanne Gallagher, PMP, CCMP, HCS
Joanne is a Project Management Professional (PMP)®, a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP)®, and a Human Capital Strategist (HCS). Her background includes leadership/executive positions with Big Four consulting firms and Board of Director leadership roles within professional organizations, including the Project Management Institute (PMI) and Florida’s Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP)®. She has also received recognitions including Entrepreneur of the Year (2023) and Woman of Distinction (2022), and holds degrees in psychology, criminology, and law.
Joanne Gallagher is a business process consultant and Chief Executive Officer of SOAR, with more than 25 years of experience supporting organizational transformation across public sector and enterprise environments. She specializes in aligning business processes, human capital, and technology to support strategic goals and operational improvement.
Her extensive project management and change management work includes advising executive leadership on large-scale transformation initiatives, agency modernization, change management, technology integration, and operational efficiency. Joanne has supported organizations in improving complex operational environments performance through structured process improvement and measurable implementation strategies.
Phillip Johnson, CCMP
Phillip is a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP)® and serves on the Association of Change Management Professionals® Florida Chapter, Board of Directors. He is the lead for the Professional Development Committee. He brings a practical perspective to help organizations and individuals navigate change.
Phillip Johnson is a change management practitioner and professional development trainer with more than 20 years of experience supporting workforce, education, and public sector organizations. He specializes in people-centered transformation, workforce development, and professional learning.
His background includes experience with state and local agencies, where he supports organizational change and workforce initiatives. He currently serves as Training Coordinator for SOAR, where he develops and delivers training programs, supports credentialing initiatives, and advances professional learning aligned with workforce development goals.
Yamilee Francois, CSM, CCMP
Yamilee is a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP)®, a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, a Certified ScrumMaster®, and a Crucial Conversations Trainer. She brings a people-centered approach to helping organizations navigate change and build long-term capability in organizational change management (OCM).
She is a change leader with experience supporting transformation initiatives across financial services, nonprofit, higher education, and public sector environments. She specializes in human-centered change, organizational readiness, and stakeholder engagement.
Her work includes designing and implementing enterprise-level change strategies, supporting workforce readiness, building training and enablement programs, and guiding organizations through periods of transition. She combines Prosci-based methodologies, organizational development practices, and agile approaches to support adoption and sustained outcomes.
Steve Cardon, CAPM
Steve is a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®, and an approved trainer for CAPM® through the Project Management Institute. Steve brings a technology-informed perspective to project planning and stakeholder collaboration.
He is a project manager with a background in technology services and solutions delivery. He specializes in bridging the gap between technical teams and stakeholders through structured planning, stakeholder engagement, and practical problem solving.
His experience in Tier 2 technical support has strengthened his ability to translate technical requirements into clear, actionable plans aligned with stakeholder and organizational needs. Steve focuses on helping teams improve communication, coordination, and project execution through practical approaches to delivery.
Dr. Smriti Ingrole, Ph.D.
Dr. Ingrole brings a structured and accountable approach to the use of Generative AI, emphasizing operational efficiency, governance, and responsible technology adoption within real-world organizational settings by using AI frameworks to guide the training curriculum.
Dr. Smriti A. Ingrole is a data analytics and artificial intelligence professional focused on the responsible and practical application of emerging technologies within organizational and public sector environments. She specializes in enterprise analytics, decision-support systems, and AI-enabled process improvement.
She currently serves as Decision Support Lead at Emory University, where she leads the development of enterprise analytics and decision-support systems that support institutional effectiveness and strategic planning. She is also Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cosmic Data Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in AI-enabled analytics, governance, and process improvement.
Dr. Aniket Ingrole, Ph.D.
Dr. Ingrole holds a Ph.D. from Florida State University and brings an AI and engineering-based approach to problem solving, helping organizations and learners apply data and analysis in structured, practical ways.
He currently serves as Assistant Research Faculty at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, where he leads precision testing and analysis of superconducting materials for advanced magnet systems. Aniket contributes to AI-enabled analytics’ programs with Ingrole.
Kelly Johnson-Merrell, PMP, ITIL® Certified
Kelly is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds an ITIL® 4 certification. She brings a structured, service-oriented approach to project delivery, emphasizing accountability, collaboration, and consideration for the people impacted by organizational change.
Kelly Johnson-Merrell is a project management professional and Founder of Kelly Johnson-Merrell LLC, with experience supporting information technology and public sector initiatives. She specializes in people-centered project delivery, structured execution, and organizational support.
Kelly teaches our Associate (CAPM) and full Project Management (PMP) training courses.
Sanjay Katti, CSM
Sanjay Katti is an AI and data strategy professional with more than 30 years of public sector experience supporting organizational operations, modernization, and technology-enabled improvement. He specializes in bridging business needs and technology solutions to help organizations address complex operational challenges.
His background includes experience in data architecture, machine learning, predictive analytics, and intelligent solution design. Throughout his public sector career, Sanjay has supported organizations in navigating challenges related to stakeholder management, data security, and mission-focused service delivery, helping align technology capabilities with organizational goals.
Sanjay is a Certified ScrumMaster® and has completed professional training in machine learning, including TensorFlow and predictive analytics applications. He brings a practical understanding of how artificial intelligence and data can support operational efficiency, informed decision-making, and improved public service outcomes.
Michael Black, PMP, PMI-PMOCP, A-CSM®, FCCM
Michael is a Project Management Professional (PMP)®, PMI-PMOCP™, an Advanced-Certified ScrumMaster® and an approved trainer for CAPM® and PMP® through the Project Management Institute. He continues to expand his expertise through ongoing certification and professional development.
He is a project management leader with experience in government technology, enterprise oversight, and statewide program development. He currently serves as Program Management & Oversight Administrator at the Florida Digital Service, where he leads the development of statewide project management standards and provides independent oversight for government IT projects exceeding $10 million.
Michael began his project management career at the Florida Department of Revenue in 2017, where he led information technology initiatives related to data analysis, software development and testing, server security, and enterprise-scale change efforts. He has also contributed to internal capability development by helping establish a project management training program for state employees.
Syed Khalil, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, CSP-SM, CSPO
Syed holds multiple industry certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP)®, PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Certified Scrum Professional – ScrumMaster (CSP-SM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), and Prosci Change Practitioner. He brings a structured, people-centered approach to helping organizations and teams navigate complexity and improve delivery performance.
Syed Khalil is an Agile transformation leader, Scrum Master, and project management professional with more than 16 years of experience supporting technology modernization, organizational agility, and enterprise delivery. He specializes in aligning business strategy with Agile execution to improve team performance, delivery outcomes, and operational effectiveness.
His background includes experience supporting Fortune 100 organizations, public sector agencies, and complex enterprise environments, with work spanning software development, digital modernization, process improvement, and cross-functional team performance. Syed has supported organizations including Amazon, Apple, Publix, and FL Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles helping leaders and teams improve collaboration, delivery, and organizational agility.