Senior Project Manager, Mitratech
Austin, TX
In her current position as a Senior Project Manager, Bridget leads software implementation projects, typically for clients adopting new systems to streamline their operations or modernize outdated tools. She says, “My job sits at the intersection of technology, business, and people. On any given day, I might be facilitating meetings between technical teams and stakeholders, planning and managing project timelines, identifying and resolving risks, or translating complex requirements into clear, actionable steps. A big part of the role is keeping everyone aligned and moving forward. Essentially, I make sure the right work gets done, by the right people, at the right time.
“One of the more challenging and rewarding projects I’ve worked on involved implementing a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for a healthcare technology organization. The project required coordinating input from clinical engineering teams, IT, compliance, and operations, each with distinct needs and priorities. More recently, I’ve been leading the implementation of an Enterprise Legal Management (ELM) platform, working closely with in-house legal departments to streamline their matter and spend management processes. Managing these types of projects has highlighted how much of this work depends not just on understanding the software, but on being able to navigate complexity, communicate clearly, and bring people together around a shared goal.”
As was the case with our other alumni profiled in this issue of Connections, Bridget’s path into the tech world wasn’t something she had planned while she was studying history. It unfolded gradually after graduation. “I finished my degree in 2010, during a particularly tough job market for new graduates. At the time, I was applying to roles that aligned more directly with my academic interests: museums, historical institutions, and a number of nonprofits in New York City. However, I wasn’t gaining much traction.
“Through a personal connection, I ended up applying to an advertising software company and was hired into a role within their managed services department. Just a few weeks after I started, the company acquired a competitor and began integrating teams. They needed help on the support side, and I was offered the opportunity to move into a Tier 1 support role on the newly acquired product.
“That role turned out to be an unexpected but foundational career move. Supporting clients directly gave me a crash course in communication, expectation-setting, and problem-solving in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment. I collaborated closely with teams across the company (Account Management, Technical Services, and Engineering) to troubleshoot issues, escalate bugs, and find solutions. I learned about SaaS platforms, software release cycles, and defect resolution. I also worked on internal documentation and helped train new hires, which helped me solidify what I was learning on the job.
“What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was building a foundation for an entire career in tech. Because I had learned the product so thoroughly in my support role, I was later able to transition to the implementation team as a technical design consultant. In that position, I advised clients on best practices, developed custom integration solutions, and worked on several enterprise-level projects. That experience confirmed for me that I wanted to keep growing in the technology space, and that there were many ways to contribute beyond coding or engineering.”
Bridget maintains that studying history gave her a skill set that she uses every day in her work, even if the subject matter is completely different. “One of the most valuable things I took from my history degree is the ability to take in large amounts of complex information, identify what’s important, and communicate it clearly to different audiences. That’s exactly what I do when I’m managing a software project: understand client needs, translate technical details for non-technical stakeholders, and bring structure to something that can easily become overwhelming.
“History also teaches you to recognize patterns, evaluate sources critically, and ask thoughtful questions, which are skills that are incredibly useful when you’re dealing with ambiguity, troubleshooting issues, or helping clients solve problems that don’t have obvious answers.
“At Catholic University, I especially appreciated courses that focused on interpreting primary sources and constructing arguments based on limited or conflicting information. That kind of intellectual rigor prepared me well for the kind of problem-solving I do now. I was fortunate to work with Dr. Laura E. Nym Mayhall as my thesis advisor, and her mentorship had a lasting impact on the way I think and write. She pushed me to be precise, to dig deeper, and to defend my ideas clearly. These are all skills that continue to serve me in my professional life today.
“Even though I didn’t know at the time that I’d end up working in tech, I’m grateful for how the history program challenged me to think deeply, communicate clearly, and stay curious.”
Bridget is well aware that, these days, there is an increasing concern about humanities subjects’ value, and increasing cultural pressure upon students to concentrate on the value-added of “practical” college majors. “It’s true that there can be a lot of pressure, both culturally and economically, to choose a major that seems to promise a clear career path. I remember feeling some of that uncertainty myself. But what I’ve come to realize is that a degree in history is more practical than it might appear at first glance. It teaches you how to think critically, communicate effectively, and make sense of complex systems, all of which are incredibly valuable in the professional world, especially in fields like technology.
I didn’t set out with a plan to work in tech, but when the opportunity presented itself, I was prepared in ways I hadn’t expected. I knew how to ask the right questions, spot patterns, understand different perspectives, and communicate clearly with different types of people. Those skills came directly from studying history.
To any current history major, I would say: don’t box yourself in. The skills you’re developing are transferable and in demand. Be open to paths that may not look obvious. Talk to people working in industries you're curious about, even if they seem unrelated to your major. Learn how your strengths as a humanities student can apply in those contexts. And don’t underestimate the power of curiosity and adaptability. Those will take you far.
“If I could go back and tell my college self one thing, it would be that the path doesn’t have to be perfectly linear. You’re building a foundation, and the direction you take from here can be shaped by experience, opportunity, and what you find energizing, not just by what your major says on paper.”