Meet the Architect : Sarah Burns

With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of technology and business leadership, Sarah  Burns is the Founder and Managing Consultant of Nova Elite, LLC. Holding a Master’s in Technology Leadership and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Sarah bridges the high-level vision of the C-Suite with the functional requirements of a scalable cloud tech stack.

What sets Sarah apart is her uncompromising independence. Unlike traditional software consultants, Sarah has never been part of the Oracle corporate machine, nor does she share the values of high-pressure software sales. This separation is intentional; it allows her to operate with a neutral lens, often stepping in to remediate the "broken" implementations and architectural missteps left behind by large-scale legacy providers. Her loyalty belongs to the client’s operational health, not a software vendor’s quarterly quota.

In 2026, medium-sized businesses face a "pincer maneuver": they need the power of AI and Cloud ERPs, but are often strangled by "Spreadsheet Shadows" and aging Technical Debt. Nova Elite provides the Functional Architecture that scaling firms need without the $300k+ overhead of a full-time CIO.

Sarah’s approach is grounded in Operational Integrity and True Vendor Agnostic Strategy:

• Solution Neutrality: While Sarah is a NetSuite Certified ERP Consultant, she recognizes that it isn't a "one-size-fits-all" fix. She recommends the solution that fits the business, even when that means looking outside the Oracle ecosystem.
• Pure Advocacy: Nova Elite refuses to partner with software vendors or participate in resale commissions. This ensures that every recommendation is driven by technical merit and business need, never by a kickback or sales incentive.
• Blueprint First: Providing a custom Cloud Playbook, Technical Design Documents  and functional strategy required to build it right the first time—or fix it the second time.
• Speed to Value: Utilizing Agile ERP Management to deliver high-impact results in weeks, not years.
• Cybersecurity Hardening: Protecting capital by architecting MFA-protected approval workflows to mitigate Business Email Compromise (BEC).

After five years of successful independent consulting, Sarah is intentionally pivoting Nova Elite toward a more community-focused and collaborative model:

"I’ve spent years building systems as an external advocate, often cleaning up the aftermath of rigid, 'big-box' implementation values. By refusing to partner with software sellers, I maintain the freedom to tell my clients the truth. Today, I am focused on integrating into diverse, high-performing teams where my architectural expertise can serve a shared mission. Whether I am acting as a Fractional CIO for a Michigan mid-market business or collaborating with a national financial institution, I believe the strongest systems are built through partnership, shared perspectives, and a commitment to collective growth."