Pam Gutmann is the Sr. Director of Operational Excellence at Northwestern Mutual, where she leads a team of process excellence consultants. With nearly 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Pam has dedicated half of her career to supporting operations in various disciplines, including change management, project management, and operations leadership. In the past 18-24 months, Pam has been instrumental in leading a cross-functional program aimed at implementing a new Operating model designed to drive iterative improvements within operations teams. This initiative has introduced new ways of working to a diverse set of team make-ups and sizes, impacting over 750 individuals. Pam holds an undergraduate degree in Human Resource Management and a graduate degree in Adult Education & Organizational Development. She is a self-proclaimed Cultural Broker, fueled by working on the edges of organizational structures, seeking to drive partnerships and bring systems thinking to all her endeavors. Residing in Wisconsin with her husband and 8-year-old daughter, Pam lives for summers spent at the lake.