Jeanine Rust

Technology Professional: Software Quality, Scrum Master, Product Owner

Jeanine.Rust@gmail.com

720.757.7796

linkedin.com/in/JeanineRust

Drawing from extensive experience in the technology sector, I have honed my expertise in Agile methodologies, QA strategies, and business systems analysis at renowned companies such as H&R Block, Vail Resorts, Nordstrom, and Mercury Payment Systems. My unique strength lies in my ability to bridge the gap between business needs and technical solutions, ensuring that projects not only meet but exceed stakeholder expectations. I excel in gathering and documenting complex requirements, conducting thorough data analysis, and creating comprehensive documentation that drives efficient and effective project outcomes. By fostering cross-functional collaboration and leveraging data-driven insights, I have consistently delivered high-quality software solutions and business process improvements. I am dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation, which has significantly enhanced team performance and organizational success. 

Skills

  • QA Strategy and System Architecture: Proficient in architecting and executing comprehensive QA strategies that support scalable and maintainable automated testing solutions, aligning with enterprise system requirements.
  • Advanced Test Automation: Deep expertise in automated testing frameworks and tools, focusing on optimizing processes to enhance accuracy and operational efficiency.
  • Agile Leadership and DevOps Integration: Skilled in leading Agile transformations and integrating DevOps practices to boost team efficiency and enhance project delivery.
  • Project and Technology Management: Experienced in managing technology projects from conception through to delivery, aligning with strategic business objectives and ensuring stakeholder satisfaction.
  • Team Leadership and Talent Development: Adept at building, mentoring, and leading high-performance teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.
  • Strategic Planning and Implementation: Capable of devising and implementing strategic plans that drive significant organizational change and enhance operational effectiveness.
  • Effective Stakeholder Communication: Proven ability to engage and communicate with stakeholders at all levels, effectively translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights.
  • Operational Process Optimization: Demonstrated success in streamlining operational processes, adopting best practices, and boosting overall efficiency.
  • Certifications: Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)

Professional Highlights

  • Strategic QA Leadership and Architectural Innovation: Championed the adoption and refinement of QA methodologies, leading the development and implementation of scalable, maintainable automated testing solutions. Recognized for strategically aligning QA initiatives with core business objectives, significantly improving testing outcomes and operational efficiencies.
  • Leadership in Team Development and Coaching: Established and led comprehensive skill development programs tailored for QA teams, significantly elevating QA practices and addressing skill gaps. Mentored diverse groups, from junior testers to senior QA engineers, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement rooted in Agile principles.
  • Operational Excellence and Best Practice Standardization: Directed the standardization of QA best practices and introduced innovative automated testing frameworks, achieving greater efficiency and consistency across testing operations and boosting team productivity and software quality.
  • Cross-Functional Team Leadership: Demonstrated exceptional ability to lead and mentor cross-functional QA and development teams, driving complex QA projects from inception to completion with a focus on strategic alignment, quality assurance, and timely delivery.
  • Advanced Communications and Stakeholder Engagement: Excelled in articulating and translating complex QA concepts into actionable insights for stakeholders at all levels, ensuring clarity and strategic alignment in decision-making processes.
  • Technical Expertise in QA Tools and Continuous Innovation: Advanced skills in utilizing leading QA tools and technologies, emphasizing automation and continuous testing integration within Agile and DevOps frameworks.
  • QA Process Optimization and Advocacy: Actively promoted a culture of quality and agility, leveraging in-depth understanding of Agile, Scrum, and DevOps practices to enhance QA processes and outcomes.

Professional Experience

Agile and QA Leadership Professional | H&R Block – Kansas City, MO | July 2021 – June 2023

  • Revitalized Agile practices for a critical backend processing team at a major tax preparation company, enhancing collaboration and efficiency across multi-national team members. Initiated and led the development and execution of an automation testing curriculum for manual testers in the US and India, significantly boosting team capability in automated processes.
  • Assumed the role of Scrum Master during a pivotal transition, providing essential leadership in sprint planning and backlog management. My mentorship and direction led to marked improvements in team performance and sprint execution.
  • Received widespread recognition from team members and team leadership for profound impact on operational effectiveness and personal development, leaving a lasting legacy of enhanced Agile practices and team empowerment.
  • Conducted tailored training and feedback sessions for onshore and offshore manual testers, advancing their capabilities in automation and promoting a shift-left DevOps culture.
  • Standardized best practices and introduced Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), significantly streamlining project elaboration and delivery phases and fostering role equity within the team.
  • Developed and disseminated and Agile and DevOps curriculum, recognized and adopted across multiple teams, enhancing organizational engagement in Agile testing and DevOps practices.
  • Collaborated with architects and leadership in align team activities with organizational DevOps goals, driving strategic objectives and contributing to a cohesive technology strategy.

Software Development Engineer in Test | Vail Resorts – Broomfield, CO  |  August 2020 – December 2020

  • Enhanced automated testing frameworks, increasing test coverage and efficiency, and introducing XML capabilities to accommodate diverse data formats.
  • Collaborated with developers to resolve critical caching issues, improving system reliability.
  • Mentored junior testers and led initiatives to integrate automation more closely with product development, accelerating the testing cycle.
  • Recognized for dynamic team leadership and transforming team culture, enhancing team performance and improving operational efficiency.

Senior Technical Leader | Nordstrom – Denver, CO  |  May 2017 – May 2020

  • Led the implementation of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), across the credit card division, focusing on user-centric test cases to enhance system reliability and prevent potential fraud. This initiative was crucial in maintaining stringent security standards, protecting customer data, and supporting the company’s reputation for trust and safety.
  • Mentored team members and upskilled them in automated testing and Agile practices, transitioning a UAT tester to automation roles and enhancing team capabilities. Expanded mentoring to a diverse range of Agile team members, from testers to product owners, fostering a comprehensive understanding of best testing practices and contributing to a robust Community of Practice. This initiative not only uplifted individual competencies but also cultivated a collaborative and knowledgeable team environment, enhancing the company’s overall testing capabilities and culture.
  • Developed and standardized testing protocols, influencing company-wide testing standards, leading presentations and workshops that educated senior management and team members, facilitating strategic alignment and enhanced understanding of testing innovations.
  • Strategized with senior leadership on risk management and technological integrations, playing a crucial role in the incorporation of automated testing into a cloud-based AWS project within the CI/CD pipeline. This integration significantly enhanced deployment processes and operational reliability, aligning with agile development cycles and improving project deliverability.

Software Tester  | Trio Health – Boulder, CO  |  June 2016 – April 2017

  • Provided automated tests for a data-driven product.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional team to introduce testing concepts.

Technical Leader and Test Strategist | Mercury Payment Systems – Denver, CO  |  May 2012 – May 2016

  • Led the adoption of early and acceptance testing practices, significantly enhancing cross-team collaboration and the standardization of methodologies, which resulted in improved testability of user stories and technical requirements. Orchestrated the integration of standardized tools that boosted testing efficiency and reliability.
  • Established and championed rigorous testing standards and strategies, which were crucial in maintaining high-quality software delivery from concept to production, markedly improving project scope control.
  • Emerged as a recognized industry thought leader, presenting innovative testing strategies at major conferences such as STPCon in San Francisco and SQuAD in Colorado, thereby shaping testing practices within the broader community.
  • Developed and executed comprehensive training programs on effective testing strategies and Agile testing principles, mentoring both internal and external team members. This leadership helped cultivate a strong culture of quality and agility, enhancing team capabilities and project outcomes.
  • Drove the implementation and refinement of the Acceptance Test-Driven Design (ATDD) process using SpecFlow for C# APIs, which not only elevated the team’s testing capabilities but also facilitated significant operational efficiencies. Played a pivotal role in redesigning key software components, ensuring robustness and advancing pattern-based development processes.

Early Career Summary

  • Initiated my professional journey in healthcare, providing direct care and support. This early experience laid the foundation for a career characterized by deep empathy, robust teamwork, and a steadfast commitment to impactful work.
  • Transitioned into technology, initially gaining experience with IBM I/Mainframe systems (AS400). I have since leveraged these foundational values in leadership and project management roles, driving success in software development and enhancing team performance across modern technological environments.

Education

  • Master of Business Administration (MBA)
    • University of Massachusetts, Lowell
  • Bachelor of Science – Computer Information Systems
    • DeVry University
  • Certifications
    • Certified Scrum Master (CSM) | Scrum Alliance
    • Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) | Scrum Alliance
  • Continuing Education
    • Data Ethics certificate | Cornell University
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate | Cornell University

Presentations

SQuAD Conference, 2015 &  STPCon Conference, 2016: Co-Presenter on “Collaborative Testing: Why We CAN Have Nice Things”

TestTalks Podcast, 2017: Interview on Acceptance Test Driven Development and Collaborative Testing, Episode 141

Recommendations…

01

Max, Principal Engineer

I haven’t worked with someone as talented as Jeanine before. We worked closely on developing software together at Nordstrom – Her insights on testing approaches as well as experiences writing complex testing systems were invaluable to our projects success!

02

Josh, VP Platform Engineering

Jeanine supported my teams in creating an environment where business and domain defects disappeared. She demonstrated that through collaboration and focusing on the problem at hand we can remove the blockers that allow misunderstandings and assumptions to creep into our software. Using collaborative workshops focused on behavior-driven design and using tools like Specification by Example, she helped my organization raise the bar on engineering quality and effectiveness, and she will help yours do the same.

03

Stephen, Principal Engineer

It was an honor to be able to work with Jeanine at Nordstrom. She has a deep understanding of what it takes to create an amazing product. She has a strong drive to continually improve not just her own knowledge base, but that of everyone around her. She took on the responsibility to help create best practices for testing across not just our department, but the entire company. She is a joy to work with, an invaluable teammate, and an inspiring leader. Definitely an asset to any organization that she is apart of. I hope to be able to work with her again.

04

Joshua, Software Engineering Manager

Few colleagues stand out over their peers as much as Jeanine. I have worked with Jeanine on the same scrum team for about a year and a half and am constantly impressed with the level of rigor she brings to the testing side of the project. She brings significantly more to our team than any other member of the QA department that I have worked with at Mercury. Particularly impressive is her adoption and championing of Acceptance Test Driven Development that has ensured constantly above average quality software with very few production bugs. On top of her quality work and great teamwork her chocolates can always make the day a bit better. I highly recommend Jeanine as both a valued member of the team and a advocate of advanced testing techniques across her department.

05

Mike, Staff Data Architect

Jeanine lead the transformation of our development teams at Trio Health from manual QA methods to a full suite of automated testing. She showed us how to adapt our processes to include test planning and creation as an integral part of the larger development process. Her leadership was informative and collaborative which allowed the team to adapt without coercion. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to modernize their QA practices.

06

Joe, Senior Middleware Engineer

It was a pleasure working with Jeanine while we were at Nordstrom. Jeanine was committed to ensuring and improving the quality of our SDLC. She would schedule quick meetings to make sure that we taking in to account all of the Acceptance Criteria for each story to ensure that AC would make it in to the Acceptance Tests. She led the effort to make sure these tests were part of our automated testing strategy as well.

I have to say, I learned more from Jeanine than any other Test Engineer I have worked with. I thought I knew SpecFlow before I started working with Jeanine but I was sadly mistaken. Jeanine even gave a brown bag on the in’s and out’s of SpecFlow and that really helped bring the entire teams understanding to another level.

Any company that has the opportunity to work with Jeanine will be richer for the experience. Her attention to detail and passion for quality in everything that she does comes through every day in her work and her interaction with her team members.