Tammy Kaufhold, MBA, PMP
Tammy Kaufhold is a seasoned strategy and operations leader with more than 15 years of experience driving enterprise transformation, integration, organizational change, and operational excellence in the FinTech industry. With a career rooted in bridging strategy and execution, Tammy is known for turning complex, large-scale initiatives into clear, actionable plans that deliver measurable business and cultural outcomes. Her expertise spans program and project management, process optimization, risk management, sustainability, business development and change leadership, and her leadership style is grounded in transparency, servant leadership, and strong relationship-building. Throughout her career—most notably during her two decades at TIAA—Tammy led high-impact initiatives across mergers and acquisitions, culture transformation, SMART building programs, and crisis response. She delivered more than $25 million in sustainable savings through organizational redesign and automation, managed $225 million-plus portfolios with consistent performance under forecast, and achieved significant productivity gains through AI-enabled workflows. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tammy played a critical role in designing and leading enterprise-wide response and return-to-office strategies, stabilizing operations while keeping people at the center of decision-making. Today, Tammy is exploring new opportunities where she can apply her strategic leadership, operational rigor, and transformation expertise to forward-thinking organizations. Holding an MBA, a PMP certification, and advanced training in change management, she remains deeply committed to continuous improvement and creating environments where people and businesses can thrive together. Tammy’s career reflects not just a record of results, but a sustained dedication to impact, resilience, and purposeful leadership.
• Project Management Professional
• Prosci Change Management Certificate
• Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate
• Texas A&M University- B.S.
• University at Albany- M.A.
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte- M.B.A.
• Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Award
• CFO/CIO Award
• Woman of Outstanding Leadership
• Woman of the Year
• International Women's Association
• National Association of Professional Women
• National Geography Society
• PMI - Dallas Chapter
• Grace Lutheran Church & School
• Dress for Success Charlotte
• Wounded Warrior Project
• Junior Achievement USA
• Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
• Ronald McDonald House
What do you attribute your success to?
Tammy attributes her success to not being afraid to fail. Failures bring about the best learning opportunities and when you pick yourself or your team back up quickly, course correct and move forward - the next attempt is better than the last. Nothing great came from getting it right the first time. Tammy also believes strongly in the value and benefits of mentors. She surrounds herself with multiple mentors at varying degrees of success in their fields to bounce ideas, think out loud without judgement and be promoted to think differently. Tammy is a continual learner to which she also believes is a cornerstone of her success.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t just play it safe, take calculated risks. Ask for the promotion, ask for the responsibilities no one else wants to grow in place of the timing is not right for the promotion. Move around in the company, don’t let yourself get pigeon holed into being known for only a few capabilities. Be the jack of all trades and the master of several.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Get - Be - Stay curious! Grow your network first within your team, then your department, then with the other departments your team interacts with, then with areas of the company your team doesn’t interact with.
Always know how your role directly connects to the service to the customer or delivery of a product. If at first someone tells you, we don’t do anything directly, ask someone else. This is important to understand so you find a role you “get” to do and not “have” to do.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The demanded expectation for more quality, quicker delivery to market with a smaller budget. Change is no longer just a season in the business cycle, it is the new normal- you have to be accepting of this or others will pass you by.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Tammy’s values are anchored in servant leadership. What can she do to make things make sense for her family and her personally. Which then translates into a strong work ethic of carrying things thru from ideation to execution. Making connections, maximizing everyone’s contributions, respecting multiple view points and learning along the way make work and life enjoyable and meaningful.
Locations
Dallas, TX 75146
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