Breakout #1​

Translating Strategy into Execution

Jennifer Bleen, Enterprise Transformation Coach | Peer to Peer, LLC 

1 Strategic: C003ZN7HY1

Speaker Bio: Jennifer Bleen, MBA, PMP, ACP, PSMI, PSPOI, CSM founder of Peer to Peer, LLC. is tenacious and 

open to new challenges. Building on a foundation of agile values and continuous learning, she brings her creative 

and entrepreneurial spirit to every endeavor. Experienced with large portfolios and programs, organizational change, 

and corporate culture transformations, she enables business owners and teams to envision and execute the best 

version of themselves and their organizations. Jennifer actively works as an enterprise agile and digital 

transformation coach. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  An agile transformation fundamentally helps an organization implement its strategy. 

Unfortunately, depending on the study you read, more than 47% (and up to 96%) of transformations fail to fully meet 

their intended outcome. In this talk, you will learn why agile transformations fail, what it takes to lead a successful 

transformation, and what skills you and your team need to avoid being part of the statistic.  

Participants will reflect on their own organizations journey to identify potential failure points and identify actions to 

mitigate. 

​

A Person Without a Country - The Project Manager’s Role in an Agile Transformation

William Gubser, Delivery Methods & Practices | NiSource 

1 Technical: C003MA6SHI

Speaker Bio:  William spent the first 20 years of his career working on IT delivery projects across the following 

industries: oil and gas, state government, retail, healthcare, and utilities. In 2017, he transitioned to the NiSource 

PMO where he is currently responsible for methodology standards, the IT test framework and testing tools, and has 

a leadership role within the NiSource agile transformation. He has a degree in computer science from the University 

of Dayton. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  This session will help participants answer the question: what is the role of a project 

manager in agile delivery? 

We will begin by level setting the audience with a quick overview of agile and scrum. Then we will talk about how 

project managers can either incorporate agile practices into teams that follow a traditional waterfall methodology or 

support teams that are fully agile. 

​

Artificial Intelligence: The PPM Professional’s Survival Guide

Gordon Withrow, Principle | Gordon Withrow & Co. LLC 

0.25 Technical 0.5 Strategic 0.25 Leadership: C003FUVACH

Speaker Bio:  Gordon is an independent executive consultant and Principal of Gordon Withrow & Company, 

providing digital, agile, and organizational transformation leadership at scale.  Gordon leads businesses in moving 

from strategy to action to realize value, with a people-first approach to getting things done.   

Prior to his independent work, Gordon functioned over the prior 25 years as an executive program manager with a 

large, international consultancy, and as a leader within a Fortune 100 financial services company.  He has led 

organizational change and business transformation with heavy IT complexity in financial services, consulting, 

publishing, manufacturing, and logistics organizations.  Gordon is a PMP in good standing since 1999. 

​

Presentation Abstract:  In this session Gordon will highlight the changing business landscape that is being brought 

about through automation and the implications for PPM professionals. 

The pause and re-calibration brought on by the great pandemic of 2020 not only accelerated digital transformation 

work but allowed top organizations a once in a generation opportunity to work on their more perfect business 

model… while everyone else was distracted with just surviving.   

What will be automated?  What are the hardest things to automate? What roles should I target to be safe from the 

automation squad?  What is my future as a PPM professional? 

Gordon has spent the last 18 months implementing a Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence capability for a major 

international publisher and learned several keys to this specific work model that can assist in planning, executing, 

and setting expectations for delivering value through the application of machine learning to business problems. 

​

Breakout #2

Next Evolution of Project Management

Dave Davis, Program Manager | Ohio Health 

Collen Griffin, Program Manager | OhioHealth and Project Management Guerillas 

0.5 Technical 0.5 Strategic: C003QC85NN

Speaker Bio:  Dave Davis, PMP, PgMP, PMI-PBA, PMI-ACP, DASSM, CSM, HA-MC, CDAI is a recognized 

professional in project and program management, leadership, change management, and business acumen.  Dave 

has several accomplishments in various PM roles. Regarding Agile, Dave has been a SCRUM Master and a Product 

owner on several initiatives.  He orchestrated several Agile teams while implementing Brilliant Factory at General 

Electric.  Dave has helped organizations prepare for and implement a Disciplined Agile flow into PMO processes.   

Dave is a certified PMI Authorized Training Partner and trains on PMP, ACP, PBA, and DASSM. 

 

Speaker Bio:  Colleen Griffin, is a project management enthusiast, teacher, and speaker. She has adapted the 

project management framework to meet her customer’s needs over the last twenty years in healthcare, business and 

manufacturing. A life-long learner, she is adjunct faculty at Columbus State Community College and helps 

colleagues prepare for PMI certification exams.  Her credentials include PMP, SCM and DASSM. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  This workshop helps the existing PMP holder to learn the new standards, exam content 

outline, and the evolution of project management as a critical component for delivering change in an organization.  

This workshop helps the professional that currently holds the PMP credential to embrace the changes to the exam 

and the PMBOK Guide.  The workshop is open to all whether you have your PMP or not, as it provides a portal from 

the way things were to the way of the future.  This workshop has been developed and will be delivered by a certified 

PMP, PgMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, DASSM, Mico Credential Hybrid Agile, and a PMI Authorized Training 

Partner.   

This workshop connects the dots between the past, present, and the future for Project Management Professionals 

and is the ideal investment of time for the modern continuous learner. 

​

Building a Culture of Trust to Foster Diversity

Sapna Welsh, Executive Coach & Consultant | Leverage HR 

Bob Welsh, Partner | Leverage HR

1 Leadership: C0039TFCM3​

Speaker Bio:  Sapna Welsh is the Founding Partner of Leverage HR. She is an entrepreneur, business executive 

and certified coach with over twenty years of experience working in various sectors. Sapna builds on her own 

various professional transitions ranging from corporate to dot.com to entrepreneur; and from domestic to 

international, to coach and train diverse talent for professional fulfillment and success. She has served in Talent 

Development roles with JPMC, Nationwide, Deloitte, and eBank. Sapna has trained and coached countless leaders 

and consulted with some of the most notable Fortune 500, Fortune 1000 organizations, and NGOs across the US 

and Europe.  

Sapna holds a Master of Labor and Human Resources from OSU, a BBA from The George Washington University, 

licensure in HR and Coaching, and certification in various assessment tools. She currently serves on the National 

Board for WELD (Women for Economic and Leadership Development) and the Boards of Family Mentor Foundation, 

NC4K, and Leadership Westerville. She is the proud mother of three and committed to her family, community, and 

profession. 

 

Speaker Bio:  Bob Welsh is a Partner with Leverage HR, and an expert is organization development. He has over 

25 years of experience leading talent, learning and transformation as a consultant and an internal top executive for 

Fortune 100 and 500 companies. This includes leading nearly every area of HR and overseeing HR Systems and 

HR Strategy. This broad experience enables him to quickly develop a deep understanding organizational goals and 

where to focus to engage, enable and inspire employees. He has significant international experience which includes 

6 years living and working in Europe.  

Bob holds an MBA from Otterbein University and a BA from The George Washington University. He is an ICF 

credentialed Coach and certified in a broad range of psychometric assessments and business tools and practices. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  CEOs consistently identify “having the talent I need to drive my business” as one of their 

top three imperatives. To achieve business goals, you need the best men and women leaders. While women 

represent over half the available talent pool, organizations struggle to retain and grow talented women. 

This session focuses on highlighting current global research on barriers preventing gender diversity at the top and 

how managers can build trust that is needed to unleash the power of diversity and will provide a strong foundation 

for all future diversity initiatives.​

Building a (gender) diverse team requires more than respecting and valuing differences. It requires trust. Successful 

diversity initiatives are always built on a foundation of trust. Trust creates an environment where each individual feels 

uninhibited and can show his/her authentic self-avoiding the common information effect. Each individual will be 

stronger, and the team will be more effective and cohesive.  

Contribution 

• Highlight global research trends (research being completed in Q4 2017) on enablers encouraging women to pursue leadership roles and deterrents preventing women from taking on leadership roles. 

• Understand why trust is required for any diversity initiative to be successful. 

• Learn three tactical ways to engender trust. 

 

How TABITHA Can Help You Make Presentation Magic!

Terry Wiegmann, CBAP, CSQE, PSPO, CCA, ACG 

0.5 Strategic 0.5 Leadership: C003LRJVGZ

Speaker Bio:  Terry was the founding president of the Columbus Chapter of the IIBA and was an Awesome Woman 

in Agile nominee. She is an IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional, an ASQ Certified Software Quality 

Engineer, a Professional Scrum Product Owner, Certified Collaboration Architect, and an Advanced Toastmaster 

Gold. 

 She has a solid background in both theory and hands-on experience in quality engineering, business analysis, 

project management and coaching in commercial and back-office software, across both plan-driven and agile 

approaches in private and public sectors. She presents frequently on software engineering, agile practices, business 

analysis, quality assurance and test automation, including Agile2014 and COC PMI PDDs, and has been published 

in AgileConnection, Sticky Minds and Best Practices for Better Business Analysis. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  Everyone has stories to tell about projects and your peers need to hear yours!  

Have you passed up career-building opportunities to do presentations at work or at events like COC-PMI chapter 

meetings because you just didn’t know where to start or how to go about it? 

Have you heard “You win some, you learn some”?  Whether it’s an awesome success or spectacular fail, a great 

article or book that made a difference to you, a technique you tried, or information about an emerging topic that you 

are exploring, you have something to offer to other project managers. 

But how do you describe it? How do you get your proposal accepted? How do you attract attendees? How do you 

stand out from your competition for the job or opportunity you really want? 

Join Terry as she shares what she has learned from offering over 100 presentations and workshops – including 

COC- PMI meetings and PDDs.   This isn’t about bullet points on a slide or Zoom features, rather she shows us how to use TABITHA to help us plan and deliver presentations – and contribute to our professional community!

​

Breakout #3

PMICOC Outreach Committee: Connecting PMs with their Communities

Jenna C Reed Livingston, Product Sr Consultant Manager | Nationwide

1 Leadership: C003CXT2C0

Speaker Bio:  Jenna C Reed Livingston is serving the chapter as VP of the Outreach Committee. The mission of the 

Outreach Committee is to provide meaningful opportunities for our PMI Central Ohio Chapter members to 

significantly impact their communities. Jenna oversees the connection of PMI COC members to a variety of 

initiatives including nonprofit partnerships, mentorships, programs for colleges and universities and furthering 

diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) practices within the PM profession. 

Jenna works for Nationwide as a Product Sr Consultant Manager. She has been a proud Nationwide for the past 15 

years and has served in a variety of roles focused on project/program management, process design, innovation, 

change management and product development. Jenna earned her PMP in 2019 and her Lean Six Sigma Green Belt 

in 2020. She is currently working toward her Certified Change Management Practitioner (CCMP) certification as well 

as a Master’s degree in Business Psychology. She serves her community through Outreach with the PMI COC, 

animal activism via the Humane Society of the United States and career coaching through Vineyard Columbus. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  Are you a current (or aspiring) Project Manager who would like to contribute your PM skills 

to nonprofit organizations in Central Ohio? Join us for a fun and informative session hosted by the PMI Central Ohio 

Chapter’s Outreach Committee! During this session you’ll learn more about the Outreach Committee’s mission, how 

we are currently serving in our Central Ohio community and how you can get involved. Come to the session 

prepared to learn, share and connect with your fellow PMI COC members and the leaders of the Outreach 

Committee—and we may even have a nonprofit partner (or two) in attendance as well! 

During this presentation you will: 

• Learn about the PMI Central Ohio Chapter’s Outreach Committee, including our mission, partnerships and work that is currently underway 

• Hear from one of our current nonprofit partners and how they have interacted with a PMI COC Outreach Committee volunteer PM 

• Have the opportunity to sign up for specific projects from local nonprofit organizations in need of project management expertise 

​

Exploring PMI Certifications

Dave Davis, Program Manager | Ohio Health 

1 Strategic: C0035C7YWJ​

Speaker Bio:  Dave Davis, PMP, PgMP, PMI-PBA, PMI-ACP, DASSM, CSM, HA-MC, CDAI is a recognized 

professional in project and program management, leadership, change management, and business acumen.  Dave 

has several accomplishments in various PM roles. Regarding Agile, Dave has been a SCRUM Master and a Product 

owner on several initiatives. He orchestrated several Agile teams while implementing Brilliant Factory at General 

Electric.  Dave has helped organizations prepare for and implement a Disciplined Agile flow into PMO processes.   

Dave is a certified PMI Authorized Training Partner and trains on PMP, ACP, PBA, and DASSM. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  PMI offers 17 certifications in several disciplines.  This presentation will define the different 

certifications and how they can work together to map out a career path for a project manager.  It will look at core 

certifications, micro certifications, and advanced certifications to help an individual plan their career path, mentor 

another professional, or categorize required skills to be a distinguished project / Agile professional in the future.  

​

Hiring Military Members and Veterans into Project Management Careers

Chris Picha | Ohio Department of Veteran Services 

1 Strategic: C003A436VP​

Speaker Bio:  Ryan Blackburn is a native of central Ohio and a United States Air Force veteran. While serving on 

active duty from 2004-2010 as an Operations Intelligence Analyst, Ryan was stationed around the world while 

deploying to Iraq twice and once to Afghanistan. Ryan utilized his post-military education benefits to pursue a 

bachelor’s degree at The Ohio State University in Business Administration and then a graduate leadership certificate 

in Public and Non-profit Leadership. Now as the Workforce Director with the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, 

Ryan directs a team of consultants across the state that assist employers with hiring veterans 

​

Presentation Abstract:  This session will focus on finding and hiring military talent into project management 

careers. Many careers in the military consist of project management; however, it can be difficult to translate these 

experiences into the civilian world. Attendees will be able to better understand military talent and how certain roles 

translate directly into project management experience.  

It is also important for audience members to know where to find this talent, from career fairs to community events. 

Veteran unemployment is lower than non-veteran unemployment, so it can be difficult for employers to connect with 

this group. There are also free programs where veterans can obtain project management certifications, if required.  

By better understanding military experience and occupations, audience members will be better able to recruit, hire, 

support, and retain this great talent pool. 

​

Breakout #4

Applying Organizational Maturity & Emotional Intelligence to Group Management

Jeffery Keller, Director, Office of Project Management | MESA Associates, Inc. 

Stephen J. Maloney, Co-Founder | OBP3: Organization-Based Performance Mgmt., Project Mgmt., 

and Project Controls 

1 Leadership: C0034I8KJF​

Speaker Bio:  Jeffery Keller is a Professional Engineer (PE) and Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 

three (3) decades of experience performing a broad range of engineering and program & project management 

services.​

Working in numerous areas of project management and across a wide spectrum of engineering and construction 

services has allowed Mr. Keller to gain a great deal of understanding about various processes, industries, and 

clients. Projects and programs have included numerous industrial, municipal, & utility clients across multiple 

technical & construction disciplines. 

 

Speaker Bio:  Stephen J. Maloney - Organizational Project Manager (OPM) Consultant, Portfolio/Program Manager 

Consultant, Project Management Consultant, Project Controls Consultant, Performance Based Management 

Consultant 

Four decades of direct project management and project control experience including large, complex, environmentally 

focused projects. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  Complacency. Silos. Indifference. Poor morale. High Turnover.  

Do these words describe your group, company, or organization?  More importantly, how does the proper application 

of organizational maturity and emotional intelligence drive your organization to be more effective? Finally, how does 

that involve you, your leadership abilities, and the overall group dynamics?

In this presentation, attendees will learn about organizational maturity and how it applies to organizational 

effectiveness and why organizations can rise and fall from an effective or ineffective assessment of maturity.  We will 

see how personal and group behaviors and personality dynamics play into that same organizational effectiveness.  

And finally, we see how emotional intelligence factors into everything you try to do as a manager or leader.  

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of their teams, themselves, and the dynamics that control and 

define both. 

​

Rock Your Retros!

Terry Wiegmann, CBAP, CSQE, PSPO, CCA, ACG

0.5 Technical 0.5 Strategic: C003NCXADQ

Speaker Bio:  Terry was the founding president of the Columbus Chapter of the IIBA and was an Awesome Woman 

in Agile nominee. She is an IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional, an ASQ Certified Software Quality 

Engineer, a Professional Scrum Product Owner, Certified Collaboration Architect, and an Advanced Toastmaster 

Gold. 

She has a solid background in both theory and hands-on experience in quality engineering, business analysis, 

project management and coaching in commercial and back-office software, across both plan-driven and agile 

approaches in private and public sectors. She presents frequently on software engineering, agile practices, business 

analysis, quality assurance and test automation, including Agile2014 and COC PMI PDDs, and has been published 

in AgileConnection, Sticky Minds and Best Practices for Better Business Analysis. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  You have probably heard about Van Halen’s “no brown M&Ms” clause in their contract, but 

did you know it was not about rock star ego and excess, but rather a sign there might be problems?   

Do you suspect problems with your retrospectives?  Are they dull, boring and predictable? Are they like bad cover 

versions of your once favorite song? Do your “Lessons Learned” make you wonder whether we’ve learned anything 

at all? 

Whether you call them retrospectives, after-action reviews, lessons learned or stage-aged reviews, continuous 

improvement is serious, but it doesn’t have to be somber. 

Terry presents some brown M&Ms you can watch for and a variety of ideas to spice up your retros and make them 

rock! Learn how to get the most out of retros and make sure they are an investment not a cost. You’re sure to come 

away with new ideas and new resources you can use to start planning your next retro tomorrow and take it to the top 

of the charts! 

​

Project High Notes

Alan Mallory, Speaker | Author | Performance Coach ​

1 Leadership: C0030PX0U9​

Speaker Bio:  Alan Mallory is an international speaker, author and performance coach who is passionate about 

reaching new heights in all that we do. His unique philosophy of life revolves around empowering people and 

embracing an agile mentality focused on goals and outcomes. Alan holds a degree in engineering from Queen’s 

University and a masters in psychology from Adler University, giving him a well-balanced approach to the outer and 

inner challenges we all face. He has worked internationally with large organizations as a professional engineer and 

project manager developing patents and implementing solutions to complex challenges in the mining and metals 

industry. Alan is also an accomplished musician specializing in the electric violin, a distinctive talent that he 

integrates into many of his programs. 

 

Presentation Abstract:  Alan’s engaging presentation focuses on the external, internal and interpersonal factors that 

connect project teams and allow them to function effectively. Through psychology-based evidence and examples, Alan 

explores the concepts that project managers need to understand in order to enhance project cohesion. Integrated into this 

program are live electric violin segments to help illustrate the points Alan is making. This also creates a very upbeat, 

engaging and entertaining environment for learning. 

​