Ronald Ward
Manassas
Summary
Results-driven Associate Administrator with expertise in strategic planning, budgeting, and team collaboration. Proven track record in implementing data-driven practices to enhance program efficiency and support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Acting Associate Administrator
Food and Nutrition Service
02.2025 - Current
- Currently lead eleven Branches, including two quality assurance Branches, to support policy development, implementation, and oversight of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- Oversee daily operations of the program, providing guidance and support to team members as needed. Including the oversight of contract procurements and a budget of just over $50 million.
- Implement data-driven decision-making practices, promoting informed choices for operational improvements.
- Develop strategic goals, position descriptions, and performance standards for the program and just over 130 individual staff members.
- Improved interagency and external partner relationships through regular meetings, fostering a collaborative work environment.
Director
Food and Nutrition Service
01.2011 - 02.2025
- Led three Branches, including a Quality Control Branch responsible for monitoring outcomes and performance of the $130 billion dollar SNAP program.
- Directed strategic initiatives to enhance food assistance programs and improve service delivery efficiency.
- Led cross-functional teams to develop and implement nutrition education campaigns nationwide.
- Oversaw budget management and contract oversight, ensuring alignment with federal regulations and program objectives.
- Proactively identified potential risks and implemented mitigation strategies to minimize negative impacts on projects or business operations.
Branch Chief
Food and Nutrition Service
05.2009 - 01.2011
- Oversaw operations for managing retail grocer participation in the SNAP program.
- Streamlined operational processes, improving service delivery efficiency across multiple branches.
- Served as the Contracting Officer Representative for the development and implementation of a new web based system managing all aspects of retailer participation in SNAP, with a $5 million annual contract value.
- Analyzed program data to identify trends, informing strategic decision-making for resource allocation.
- Mentored staff in best practices for program administration and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, History
DePaul University
Chicago06-1996
Skills
- Budgeting expertise
- Strategic planning
- Work Planning and Prioritization
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Team collaboration
Accomplishments
- Led team to partner with State agencies to improve collections. In calendar year 2025, SNAP collected approximately $236.5M in delinquent debts through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP), about 15% more than the amount collected in 2024.
- Worked with the Contracts Management Division (CMD) to identify and cancel nearly $2.9M in non-essential contract awards and tasks, negotiate a revised pricing model with a vendor, resulting in a cost savings of $576,750 for FY25 and a projected savings of up to 25% over the remaining life of the contract, and I saved $1.2M in projected contractor costs by identifying an alternative solution to meet business needs.
- Modernized SNAP retailer management by Increasing the number of SNAP online retailer chains by 143% from 390 in FY 2024 to 950 in FY 2025. During FY 2025, one-quarter of SNAP households made an internet purchase, up almost 40% from the previous fiscal year.
- Supported development of a new quality control system (QCS) that will improve efficiency and workload management to enhance SNAP’s ability to hold States accountable for payment accuracy.
Timeline
Acting Associate Administrator
Food and Nutrition Service
02.2025 - Current
Director
Food and Nutrition Service
01.2011 - 02.2025
Branch Chief
Food and Nutrition Service
05.2009 - 01.2011
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, History
DePaul University