Founder and CEO
Paulita M. Brown
Paulita M. Brown established A Diamond in the Rough, LLC as a company that could provide women with a foundational outlet to live up to their fullest potential, while providing resources that support their vision and relieve self-apprehensions. While change is not always easier, it is necessary for growth and personal fulfillment.
She is a seasoned legal and business operations professional with over 20 years of experience in managing all aspects of a $100M business with P&L responsibility. A savvy negotiator with proven ability in analyzing market trends, forecasting return on investments, and determining solution sustainability, as it relates to responsiveness to client goals and financial sensitivities. Paulita has worked with companies to develop targeted strategic plans for prospecting new business and growing existing tenured accounts, with client specific marketing campaigns; and the utilization of kaizen methodology of continuous process improvement to enhance operating efficiencies that generate revenue and increase profitability.
Additionally, she encourages high performing cross-functional teams to outperform performance goals through charismatic leadership. Committed to creating and promoting a work environment that brings together diverse departments to develop cohesive programs that perpetuate comradery and high productivity, while minimizing labor force turnover due to lack of growth opportunities, transparency and inclusion. She possesses global business exposure in providing strategic business development analysis and recommendations for international companies in Africa and Turkey.
After spending 20 years managing and growing multimillion dollar accounts for Fortune 500 companies, Paulita realized that her professional expertise and charisma could be used to promote initiatives that resonate with her personal goals.
Paulita holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in Philosophy and an Executive MBA from the George Washington University School of Business.
Business Financial Operations Consultant
Tangy T. Smith
Admired for shattering financial performance records, driving radical growth, and building the financial infrastructure of several start-up companies, Tangy T. Smith is a trusted financial expert with a remarkable history of designing highly efficient reporting systems, and optimizing staff performance. She has an outstanding background in supporting executive boards and maximizing profits of Fortune 500 companies.
As the Controller at CMP Global, Inc., Tangy deployed revolutionary financial strategies that empowered the company to grow by 30% annually. By restructuring financial operations and completing several acquisitions, she expanded the annual revenue stream by over 30% in just 3 years. While doing so, she brought operational profits from 9% to 26%.
Tangy specializes in handling large-volume financial services, drafting and implementing operational accounting processes and policies, preparing financial statements, forecasting and budgeting.
As the Vice President of Business Financial Operations, Tangy manages the daily accounting operations, financial consultations, human resources and client services.
Tangy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from American InterContinental University, Master of Business Administration from Saint Leo University, and Masters of Finance from College of William and Mary.
Performance Management Consultant
George Lino
George is an accomplished health and human services industry executive with over 20 years of experience creating ways for organizations to perform at their best. As Volunteers of America Chesapeake and Carolina’s (VOACC) Vice President, Human Resources and Administration, and a commissioned minister, George works in partnership with the both senior and executive leadership teams to create and execute on leading-edge best practice solutions and programs in support of the organizations mission and goals.
Prior to this role, since 2018, George has held a number of increasingly responsible roles in Human Resources leadership for organizations that provide care to persons in need and budgets that were from 10 to 50 million in scope. His most recent role prior to Volunteers of America Chesapeake and Carolinas, Inc. was the Head of Human Resources (CHRO) with START Treatment and Recovery Center in Brooklyn, New York City, a Medicaid assisted treatment program servicing individual with co-occurring disorders in substance use and mental health.
As a strategist and accessible leader, he understands the need for complementary leading edge technology and employee centered human resources and professional development to increase employee performance, ensure employee engagement programs are effective and champion a comprehensive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion culture. George's focus is to ensure that all aspects of the employee experience, from on-boarding to off-boarding, provides quality employee centered care for every staff member. He accomplished these actions through the leadership and collaboration of his teams, Human Resources, Information Technology and Organizational Excellence, to align the objectives against the organizational goals to ensure that VOACC, or any organization he has been with continue to grow and be sustainable.
In four years, he has impacted VOACC by ensuring the turnover rates have decreased, revamped the health insurance for all employee access, led the coordination and accomplishment of the CARF Accreditation for three years and implemented and implemented a new Human Capital System Paycom, which minimized service distribution during the urgent COVID pandemic.
George was reared in New York City (the Bronx) with both Black and Hispanic heritage/legacy from Central America, Honduras. He holds a Masters in Organizational Leadership, Bachelors in Organizational Management and certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources. He speak three different languages (Spanish, English and French).
Organizational leader with a focus on creating a culture of accountability and sustainability.