Jennifer Howe headshot

Jennifer Howe

Director, Program Management Office · Ascent Global Logistics

I build and lead the technology programs behind one of North America's fastest-growing logistics companies. Connecting people, process, and technology to get the right things built for the right reasons.

About Me

People, process, and technology — in that order.

As Director of the Program Management Office at Ascent Global Logistics, I stood up the company's first enterprise PMO and now run the initiatives that matter most: consolidating six legacy transportation platforms into one, launching a real-time supply chain control tower, expanding into European markets, and modernizing the system that generates the majority of company revenue. My team spans Product, UX, Engineering, and Business Analysis, and the work we do touches every business unit and every customer.

I got here by a path most people in tech leadership don't expect. I spent nearly 16 years in nonprofit program management before pivoting into UX design, then product strategy, then building and scaling a DesignOps practice from scratch. That background gave me something I don't think you pick up in a traditional tech career: a real feel for how people work, what motivates teams, and how to build something meaningful when the resources are tight and the stakes are personal.

Right now I'm focused on AI enablement across product and engineering organizations, helping teams adopt AI tools in a way that's practical, well-governed, and actually makes their work better — not just faster. If any of that resonates, I'd love to connect.

10+
Years at Ascent
6x
Team Growth
500+
Connections

Career Journey

A track record of building teams, systems, and products from scratch.

Aug 2024 – Present
Director, Program Management Office
Ascent Global Logistics · Remote
Built Ascent's first tech-focused PMO from the ground up, leading programs that span Product, UX, Engineering, and Business Analysis across every business unit. Led the replacement of six legacy TMS platforms with a unified system and launched a cross-business-unit customer portal — the most complex technology program in Ascent's history. Launched SCMS, a centralized control tower for real-time visibility and customer self-service. Delivered GDPR-compliant infrastructure for European expansion. Led modernization of the ColdFusion application generating 80% of company revenue. Established enterprise-wide intake, prioritization, and governance connecting IT investments to business strategy.
2020 – Present
Sr. Manager of Product Strategy / Head of Product Design
Ascent Global Logistics
Built and scaled a DesignOps practice from scratch — establishing Standard Operating Procedures, a cohesive design system spanning multiple product lines, and a Product Leadership Council that shaped company-wide product strategy. Pioneered company-wide Hackathons to drive a culture of continuous creativity and problem-solving.
2016 – 2020
Product Design Lead
Ascent Global Logistics / Roadrunner Transportation Systems
Developed design best practices and design-thinking culture across all product teams. Led UX for domestic transportation management software — user research, persona development, wireframing, high-fidelity prototyping, and UI design — embedded in an agile team driving UI/UX, UAT, and functionality design.
2015 – 2016
Lead Customer Experience Designer
Saunders Manufacturing
Owned end-to-end visual and UX design for web and e-commerce, grounding every decision in customer research and user experience methodologies. Integrated inbound marketing strategy with product positioning — an early bridge between design thinking and go-to-market execution.
1999 – 2015
Community Outreach Manager
Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center
Nearly 16 years of hands-on program management in a mission-driven environment. Led the planning, budgeting, and execution of marketing and outreach programs — managing cross-functional projects from concept through delivery, coordinating web design, print production, client research, and database management. Built and managed a diverse team of staff, volunteers, and community partners while orchestrating large-scale fundraising events. This is where I learned to run complex programs with tight resources and high stakes — the same skills I bring to enterprise technology leadership today.

Areas of Expertise

Where strategy meets execution.

Program Management

Building and leading cross-functional PMOs that align technology, product, and business teams around shared goals and measurable outcomes.

Product Strategy

Defining product roadmaps and go-to-market strategies for B2B logistics technology platforms serving enterprise customers.

DesignOps & UX Leadership

Establishing design operations from scratch — building teams, design systems, UI libraries, and scalable workflows that elevate product quality.

Agile & Scrum

Certified in Agile Scrum methodology with deep experience running sprints, retrospectives, and continuous delivery in fast-paced environments.

AI Enablement

Helping product and engineering teams adopt AI tools in a way that's practical, well-governed, and actually makes work better — not just faster.

Platform Modernization

Leading large-scale system consolidation — replacing legacy transportation platforms with unified, modern solutions that serve every business unit and customer.

Community & Advocacy

Leadership that extends beyond the office.

Former President of the Board of Directors

Kennebec Valley Humane Society

Served on the board of a regional animal welfare organization starting in 2014, driving strategy, fundraising, and community engagement to improve outcomes for animals in need.

Dog Foster Home & Volunteer

Friends of Homeless Animals Inc.

Dedicated nearly a decade (2006–2015) to fostering and caring for dogs in need, providing temporary homes and helping animals find their forever families.

The PMO Is Dead. Long Live the PMO.

Join me on LinkedIn where I write about technology leadership, product strategy, DesignOps, and the evolving role of the PMO in modern organizations.

Subscribe on LinkedIn