Rebecca Bustamante, senior manager at Verisign Inc., is a dedicated and decorated leader in information technology (IT) and the fine arts. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a rare blend of technical acumen and creative vision. Her professional journey spans more than two decades, marked by progressive leadership roles and a commitment to fostering growth in others.
Affiliated with VeriSign Inc. for more than 25 years, Ms. Bustamante has been a senior manager since 2021. In this capacity, she oversees key analysts who report directly to her and focuses on asset management initiatives that support the asset technology team. She manages two analysts while also conducting management activities and internal messaging campaigns for various projects under the chief information officer.
Among a range of responsibilities, Ms. Bustamante holds monthly meetings with senior management to review corporate portfolios for grants and projects, acts as a liaison to the project management office to ensure adequate resource allocation across departments, and collaborates closely with a budget management specialist on streamlining annual planning processes. She also oversees quarterly tracking and support for corporate audit activities. Additionally, Ms. Bustamante is responsible for managing quarterly accomplishments for the chief information officer to be delivered to her supervisor and engages in program management and project management for special assignments, typically overseeing five to eight initiatives each year.
Ms. Bustamante began her career at VeriSign Inc. as a data center operations facilities specialist from 2000 to 2002. In this foundational role, she was responsible for creating network, phone and modem cables, and provisioning equipment, and providing Tier 3 support. Ms. Bustamante then worked as an enterprise IT purchasing specialist from 2003 to 2005 before becoming a corporate programs project manager at VeriSign Inc. until 2020. ,
Before joining her organization, Ms. Bustamante worked from 2000 to 2001 in public relations at Lincoln Restaurant Group, where she developed communication strategies and engaged with diverse stakeholders. Her early professional experience included her role as a marketing administrative assistant at Congress Financial Corporation (now Wells Fargo) between 1989 and 1996 and as the director of The Gryphon Players from 1994 to 1995.
Ms. Bustamante holds a Bachelor of Arts in speech and drama from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, and a Master of Fine Arts in theater from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. While in college, she was a graduate teaching assistant at Southern Methodist University. Further, Ms. Bustamante is certified as a project management professional by the Project Management Institute (PMI) Inc., maintaining this credential since 2011.
Ms. Bustamante’s expertise is recognized through her active memberships in several industry-related organizations, including the PMI and Women in Film & Video DC, where she notably held numerous roles, including president, committee liaison, and marketing chair. She also has a charter membership with the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Civically, Ms. Bustamante contributes to Project Management for Change, Women Giving Back, and Habitat for Humanity, demonstrating a strong commitment to community service and social impact.
In the creative sector, Ms. Bustamante was a theater festival coordinator for Out of the Kitchen during the 1990s. She later became a screening director and an award presenter at the La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival from 2018 until its recent closure, but she continues her involvement in fashion through participation in New York Fashion Week. Moreover, Ms. Bustamante was a festival advisor and a jury member for the Nepal America International Film Festival under the Nepal America Film Society from 2019 to 2024.
Among her creative works, Ms. Bustamante has led WIFT International Summit projects and contributed to CFNPS: YouTube Marketing initiatives since 2012. She previously held the title of executive producer for the Toastmaster regional television programming on Comcast from 2011 to 2013 and authored “Tips for Building Your Brand on SlideShare” via Career Central at the PMI that same year. In 2025, Ms. Bustamante penned “Reaching for the Sky” and has forthcoming works that include “Murder by Blood” and “Starfish from the Heart.”
Ms. Bustamante’s achievements have been recognized through numerous awards, dating to 2008 when she was honored with a Collaboration Award from Stewart Kibby. More recently, she was given several STAR Program Above and Beyond Awards from various directors at VeriSign Inc. in 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024. Ms. Bustamante attributes her success to determination, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning. Looking ahead, Ms. Bustamante aims to complete her Master of Business Administration at Rice University, leveraging its resources for career development while remaining open to new opportunities within or beyond her current organization. She seeks not only personal growth but also strives to help others advance by applying insights gained through ongoing education.