Joni Y. Reyes is a highly accomplished Engagement Manager at MetLife Inc., based in New York, NY, where she has consistently delivered exceptional results since joining in 2015. With a career marked by strategic acumen and a deep commitment to driving organizational excellence, Joni excels in leading transformative initiatives that span enterprise-wide processes and technologies.

In her role as Customer Success / Engagement Manager, Joni plays a pivotal role in MetLife’s Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) initiatives. She brings together quantitative and qualitative analysis to provide strategic consultancy, identifying future-state potentials and prioritizing transformative opportunities across the organization. Joni is a key member of the EGRC Governance and Working Group committees, where she provides advisory expertise and influences strategic decision-making.

Joni’s expertise extends to orchestrating highly complex technical projects from inception through to implementation and post-deployment support. She adeptly navigates the intricacies of workshop facilitation, solution analysis, planning, testing, and training, ensuring that stakeholder requirements are met with precision. Her role encompasses managing vendor relations and negotiations, overseeing up to 4 direct reports, and engaging with over 60 stakeholders, depending on project scale and phase.

Throughout her tenure at MetLife, Joni has led several high-impact initiatives that have significantly enhanced operational efficiency and risk management capabilities. Noteworthy projects include the EGRC platform upgrade to 8.2.03, implementation of Horizon Scanning APIs, and the development of critical data governance frameworks. She has also spearheaded initiatives such as policy change management, financial reporting enterprise dashboards, and AI Watson Proof of Concept (POC), all of which have contributed to MetLife’s strategic goals and operational excellence.

Joni Reyes is a key member of MetLife’s AI Center of Excellence (COE), where she leverages her expertise to advise on the development and implementation of the internal Risk Language Assistant, ensuring robust data governance across the organization. Additionally, Joni plays a crucial role in advising on data cleanup and remediation efforts for MetLife’s Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) initiatives, contributing significantly to the integrity and reliability of the company’s data management processes.

One of Joni’s standout achievements includes her leadership in the Financial Matters Processing and Reporting Project (2020-2021). Under her guidance, this project streamlined financial controls and actuarial processes into a cohesive and automated system, significantly improving traceability and compliance across financial teams. Her strategic oversight and meticulous planning resulted in substantial cost savings and operational efficiencies, setting a benchmark for future enterprise-wide projects.

In addition to her technical prowess, Joni is recognized for her ability to build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders across various functions and levels within the organization. Her collaborative approach and effective stakeholder management have been instrumental in driving consensus and achieving buy-in for critical projects. Joni’s dedication to excellence and her proactive leadership style have earned her the reputation of a trusted IT partner and a consultative strategic influencer within MetLife.

Character: Joni Y. Reyes demonstrates unwavering integrity and a commitment to excellence, evident in her proactive approach to driving transformative initiatives at MetLife.

Knowledge: With a robust background in Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), Joni leverages extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis to inform strategic decisions and optimize enterprise-wide processes.

Strategic: Joni excels in strategic planning and execution, orchestrating complex technical projects and aligning them with organizational goals to achieve significant operational efficiencies and cost savings.

Communication: Joni possesses exceptional communication skills, adept at building consensus among diverse stakeholders and effectively articulating complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.