1. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in project management. 

• I spent over 25 years in the military, where I was constantly solving complex problems across aviation, logistics, and operations. That’s where I developed my project management mindset—before I even knew to call it that. Over time, I formalized that skill set with certifications like PMP, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and Agile Scrum Master. 

 

2. What aspect of project management are you most passionate about? 

• I can't even pick one thing.  Project management is where ideas turn into action. I enjoy breaking big ideas down into actionable pieces, creating a structure of workflows, automation, metrics, and graphical dashboards to show our team's progress. But really, my favorite might be being part of a team, where we all celebrate when we accomplish something really hard that we have worked on together. 

 

3. What role do you currently play as a volunteer with PMI, and what does that involve? 

• I am currently Vice President of Programs, which is really outreach.  I work with our team to create opportunities to inform our community about our organization and about opportunities related to project management.  Two of my biggest passions in this space are helping veterans through their transition into a civilian project management career and helping university students develop effective career strategies.  I have a small, but amazing team in our chapter that I work with in these areas to help veterans and students become aware of project management as a career earlier in their lives.

 

4. What has been the most rewarding part of volunteering with PMI? How has volunteering with PMI contributed to your personal or professional growth? 

• It's definitely been the people.  When you leave the military, your professional connections (and friends) from the military are still focused on military things.  So, there is a sense of loss of your former community. By volunteering with PMI-SVC, I found a new professional community of "my people".  This feeling was reinforced when I attended the North America Leadership Institute Meetings (NA LIM) in 2023. I was in a sea of PMI chapter volunteers, all looking to help others and serve their communities. I never intended it this way, but the more people I meet and develop relationships with as I volunteer, the more I learn and grow professionally in my career. 

 

5. What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a PMI volunteer? (Why should someone join PMI? Why should they volunteer for PMI?) 

• My advice is to volunteer in an area that you are passionate about and be consistent. Volunteering is work. Do a little at a time, work with others, and develop long-lasting relationships- you don't need to take on the world to be a volunteer. When you volunteer for something you're passionate about and you are serving others, it seems to work magic in a way that provides returns more than you could ever imagine. 

Curious about volunteering? Check out our open volunteer positions here