I turn career questions into career strategies — and business problems into working technology.
I solve the problems that sit between business and technology. 35+ years from software engineering at Bechtel and leadership at Disney to UCLA, where I lead Epicenter and launched Alumni Affairs’ $3M Salesforce CRM, from business case through implementation across 700,000 records.
What I take on: business analysis (turning business problems into buildable requirements); program management (65+ large-scale projects, 20+ product launches); systems integration (connecting platforms, migrating data, automating the routine); education & training (design thinking, cloud, and AI bootcamps from UCLA to Kurdistan); partnerships (revenue-generating programs with AWS, Harman, Slalom); and career counseling at every stage, across industries.
My approach starts with empathy: understand the person and the problem before prescribing the path. Exploring a career move? Try my free AI Career Plan tool at raffi-simonian.com/career-plan and bring your results to our session.
Starting a career is harder than anyone admits: 900+ career paths, and nobody hands you the map. In this 45-minute session we find your direction using the Ikigai framework - what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, what pays - then get practical: target roles and industries for your major, the skills and internships that get you there, and your resume, LinkedIn, and networking first moves. Prepare with my free AI Career Plan tool at raffi-simonian.com/career-plan.
A focused one-on-one hour for professionals at a crossroads: changing careers, stuck in a job search, or eyeing a pivot into tech or leadership. Using the Ikigai framework, we map your strengths against real market demand, then build your plan: target roles, skill gaps, resume and LinkedIn positioning, and a timeline for this month, quarter, and year. Prepare with my free AI Career Plan tool at raffi-simonian.com/career-plan and bring your results - we’ll go deeper, faster.
A working hour for organizations with a problem between business and technology: a project that’s stalled, systems that won’t talk to each other, requirements nobody has pinned down, or a team that needs new skills. I bring 35+ years and 65+ large-scale projects - including UCLA’s $3M Salesforce CRM, from business case through implementation. We’ll define the real problem, map your options with costs and risks, and leave you with concrete next steps you can act on immediately.