Tammy M. Wilkins
Executive Director of Administration, Lean Enterprise Institute
Tammy oversees human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and business and office operations, leading the administrative staff in improving the execution of these functions.
With more than 30 years of experience enabling technology and improving complex upstream and downstream processes, Tammy has brought operational efficiencies and/or business transformation that yielded positive results for Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations. Her career advanced from being a software engineer to functioning in an executive capacity with responsibilities involving planning and execution; oversight of several complex and cross-functional strategic initiatives involving core business functions such as HR, IT, Marketing and Communications, Legal, Accounting and Finance, and Procurement; and large-scale conference planning and execution, with a keen focus on people, process, technology, and data. Her employers included Ashland Oil, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, American Express, The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), and contractual assignments in the Health Care industry.
As the former Chief of Staff and VP of Operations at NMSDC, she focused on several areas of operational improvements and strategic alliances to advance the organization’s mission and brand. Her employment with Toyota Motor Manufacturing, NA, is where she developed the skillset, experience, and value of lean thinking and applying the Toyota Production System principles to bring about operational efficiencies. She has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Winston-Salem State University (HBCU) and an MBA in Global Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management.