“Driving quality, performance, and results through visionary leadership and operational excellence.”
Rashonda S. Adkins is a transformative technology executive with over 24 years of experience leading Quality Engineering, Performance Engineering, and IT Project Management organizations for some of the world’s most recognized companies. She is a results-oriented leader known for building high-impact, global teams and delivering complex technology solutions that improve system reliability, enhance user experience, and generate measurable cost savings.
Most recently, Rashonda served as Vice President of Data & Analytics Quality Assurance at Paramount, where she was charged with validating the analytics infrastructure for Paramount+. In this role, she successfully launched the company’s offshore automation strategy, established data quality metrics, and ensured the integrity of strategic analytics across multiple platforms. Her work directly supported Paramount’s data-driven decision-making during a time of organizational transition due to acquisition and restructuring.
Prior to Paramount, Rashonda spent over eight years at Ferguson Enterprises, rising through the ranks to become Director of IT Quality and Performance Engineering. At Ferguson, she led a $15M+ annual budget, built a global team of 200+ internal and consulting professionals, and directed initiatives across nine product lines. Her achievements included a $2M annual savings from offshore testing models, a 70% automation rate in regression testing, and a defect slippage rate of under 2% in production environments—proving her ability to improve both speed and quality simultaneously.
Rashonda’s earlier career includes strategic project leadership at Anthem, where she served as a Technical Project Manager overseeing $5M enterprise-wide programs to enhance customer insight systems. At Accenture, she held the position of Senior Manager of Systems Integration for over 12 years, partnering with clients such as Morgan Stanley, Verizon, AT&T, and the NYC Mayor’s Office to deploy global QA strategies and high-performance delivery teams.
With a strong foundation in psychology and business from Spelman College, Rashonda approaches leadership with empathy, strategic foresight, and a deep understanding of both human and technological dynamics. Her education also includes executive development credentials from the MIT Professional Education’s “Leading in the AI-Powered Future” and the McKinsey Management Accelerator, reflecting her commitment to staying at the cutting edge of innovation.
Rashonda is known for her ability to bridge the gap between business objectives and technical execution. She excels in communicating complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders and translating organizational goals into scalable IT solutions. This skillset has made her an invaluable advisor and cross-functional partner in high-stakes, time-sensitive projects.
Beyond her corporate roles, Rashonda is actively involved in board and community leadership. She currently serves on the Board Development Committee of the Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia Chapter and previously held the role of Vice President of the Jack and Jill Norfolk Chapter. A sought-after speaker, she has presented at the RVA Tech “Women in Tech” Conference, Ferguson Leadership Foundations panels, and served as a mentor and judge at Norfolk State University’s 3-Day Startup competition.
As a leader, Rashonda is passionate about giving back, developing others, and driving inclusive innovation. She believes in the power of technology not only to optimize operations but also to elevate people and communities. Her leadership reflects this purpose-driven approach, grounded in authenticity, collaboration, and continuous learning.
With a global lens shaped by international team leadership in India and beyond, Rashonda brings a diverse perspective to any board or leadership setting. Whether advising on digital transformation, automation strategy, vendor governance, or risk mitigation, she offers a rare combination of technical acumen and executive presence.
Character:
Rashonda leads with integrity, empathy, and resilience, cultivating trust-based teams and organizational cultures that thrive on accountability and mutual respect. She’s known for her authentic leadership style and commitment to fostering both results and relationships.
Knowledge:
With deep expertise in quality engineering, performance testing, and project management, Rashonda has a proven ability to architect scalable systems and lead cross-functional initiatives that align technology with business outcomes.
Strategic:
Rashonda brings a long-term, metrics-driven view to technology leadership. She builds frameworks that are not only efficient today but adaptable for tomorrow’s challenges, helping companies stay competitive in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
Communication:
A gifted communicator, Rashonda translates technical complexity into business insight. Her ability to clearly articulate value to C-suite executives, stakeholders, and global teams makes her an essential leader in cross-functional success.
