February 2026 Breakfast Meeting: How to Breathe Life Into Business Presentations

Christina Samore Webinar Library
 
 

Presentation Title: How to Breathe Life Into Business Presentations

Presentation Summary: Speak, present, and communicate with poise, power, and persuasion. Make a high impact in a short period. Today, presentations and public speaking are integral to every businessperson’s responsibilities. Effective business presentations and storytelling are what separate you from everyone else. This skill is crucial to both your individual success and that of your organization. Learn  to use powerful tools and techniques to turn every presentation into a memorable experience.

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Speaker: Ed Tate

Speaker Bio:  

Since 2009, Ed Tate has been a keynote and workshop speaker for 19 PMI PPDs and symposiums, including a PMI World Congress and Leadership Institute Meeting (LIM).

Ed Tate is an award-winning international keynote speaker, author, and former executive. He is "The Speaker Who Energizes, Educates, and Entertains. "He has spoken professionally in 50 states, 25 countries, and five continents.

Ed Tate's speaking ability has been recognized globally. He won the "American Idol of Public Speaking," earning the esteemed 2000 World Champion of Public Speaking out of over 30,000+ contestants. This accolade, bestowed by Toastmasters International, the world's leading organization devoted to communication and leadership skills development, is the most prestigious speaking award among its 310,000+ global members.

In 2008, Ed earned the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association, an honor bestowed on more than 12% of its members worldwide.

Ed is a faculty member of Dr. Robert Cialdini Institute of Ethical Influence. Dr. Cialdini is the New York Times best-selling author of Influence and Pre-Suasion (over 7 million copies sold).

Ed's business success has spanned more than two decades. For 14 years, he was a successful national account executive, selling over $512 million in products and services throughout the United States. He co-created two business units that produced over $1.25 billion in revenue, showcasing his business savvy.

Since 1998, Ed Tate has helped non-sales professionals, like project managers, rejection-proof their pitches to get project approval.

 

January 2026 Breakfast Meeting: Projectland Goes to the Movies, Team building from Twelve Angry Men

Christina Samore Webinar Library
 
 

Presentation Title: Projectland Goes to the Movies, Team building from Twelve Angry Men

Presentation Summary:  

In this session, Joe Pusz tackles the new book release, Projectland Goes to the Movies.  Along with 21 others, Joe has co-authored Welcome to Projectland, where projects are the main event, distinct from the routine of business-as-usual.  In Projectland Goes to the Movies, 22 A-list project management gurus and subject matter experts share their top lessons from their favorite films.

Script your success with practical insights from the silver screen, including:

  • Problem -solving from The Martian: Keep your project on track even in the most unexpected situations.

  • Team building from Twelve Angry Men: Foster collaboration and reach true consensus.
  • Sponsorship savvy from Jurassic Park: Keep your project from getting devoured.
  • Leadership from Wonder Woman: Unleash your team’s power and potential.
  • Stakeholder engagement from School of Rock: Turn up the volume on participation, trust, and buy-in.
  • And many more!
Grab your popcorn and get ready to roll out the red carpet for your next project! With these insider tips, you’ll be on track to impress everyone from your team to your toughest critics. Joe will dive into his chapter on one of his all-time favorite films, Twelve Angry Men.  
 

Speaker: Joe Pusz

Speaker Bio:  

Joe Pusz, PMO Joe is Founder and CEO of the PMO SQUAD, PMO SQUAD Staffing, and The PMO Leader global community. 

Joe is an internationally recognized leader in the Project Management and PMO community.  He is a frequent Keynote Speaker, Author, Project Management Innovator, and creator of the Purpose Driven PMO and Organizational Project Delivery Journey.  Joe speaks globally on Project Delivery,  Leadership, PMOs, Purpose Driven Mindset, and other trending Project Delivery topics. 

In addition to his role as CEO, Joe is the host of the Project Management Office Hours Radio Show and Podcast.  He is Co-Founder of VPMMA, the Veteran Project Manager Mentor Alliance and a Founding Partner of International PMO Day.  

Joe continues to support our Phoenix/Arizona Chapter and Project Management Industry serving as a Judge for the Global PMO Awards, participates with the PMI Executive Roundtable on PMOs, volunteer for the Annual PM Summit, and is a long-time member of the Project Management Institute.  He has been a PMI Volunteer, Sponsor, and Mentor.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepusz/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pmo-squad/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-management-office-hours/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/vpmma/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pmo-leader/

https://www.facebook.com/PurposeDrivenPMO

https://twitter.com/THEPMOSQUAD
https://www.instagram.com/thepmosquad/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMzOWtinokvxaEW9h2hGecw

 

October 2025 Breakfast Meeting - How to use the PMI PMO Practice Guide

Christina Samore Webinar Library
 
Presentation Title: 

How to use the PMI PMO Practice Guide 

Presentation Summary: 

Join us for an engaging panel discussion on how to apply the PMI PMO Practice Guide in real-world environments. This session will explore practical ways PMO leaders and practitioners can leverage the guide to improve delivery, governance, and organizational alignment. PMO Joe will be moderating and Panelists Kim Essendrup and Pitch Balasubramanian will share their experiences, insights, and lessons learned to drive PMO maturity and business value. Attendees will gain actionable takeaways they can bring back to their organizations to enhance effectiveness and credibility. Whether you are new to PMOs or a seasoned leader, this discussion will provide valuable perspectives on turning guidance into practice.

Speaker: Joe Pusz 

Joe Pusz, PMO Joe, Founder and CEO of PMO Squad Staffing, is an internationally recognized leader in the Project Management and PMO community, Keynote Speaker, Author, Project Management Innovator and creator of the Purpose-Driven PMO and Organizational Project Delivery Journey. Joe speaks globally on Project Delivery, Leadership, PMOs, Purpose-Driven Mindset, and other trending Project Delivery topics.  He is Co-Founder of International PMO Day, the Veteran Project Manager Mentoring Alliance, The PMO Leader Global Community and host of Project Management Office Hours.

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Speaker: Dr. Pitchiah Balasubramanian  

Dr. Pitchiah “Dr. Pitch” Balasubramanian is a seasoned business technology leader with more than 30 years of progressive program and project leadership experience across multiple industries. He currently serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Arizona State University and as Treasurer/CFO (second term) of the PMI Phoenix Chapter. A proud PMI member since 1999, he holds PMP, PgMP, PMO-CP, and ITIL certifications.
Dr. Pitch was a charter leader of the IT PMO at DaimlerChrysler Financial Services and has played a pivotal role in establishing, leading, and maturing enterprise and functional PMOs since 2000. His expertise spans program/project governance, organizational change, stakeholders' management, and aligning strategy with execution to drive meaningful organizational transformation.
Deeply committed to developing future leaders, he mentors and coaches high school students in STEM-based robotics competitions and frequently speaks at conferences worldwide, sharing insights on innovation, leadership, and project management excellence.
 
 

Speaker: Kim Essendrup, PMP CEO and Co-founder of RAIDLOG.com 

Kim is a PMP-certified project manager, TEDx speaker, author, and entrepreneur who knows how to turn project chaos into clarity. With over 20 years of experience managing projects, programs, and PMOs, he’s seen it all—and he’s not afraid to share the lessons learned along the way.

As the CEO and co-founder of RAIDLOG.com and author of The Ultimate Guide to RAID Logs,, Kim helps teams and organizations tackle risks, streamline decisions, and get critical initiatives back on track. He’s also the co-host of the popular Project Management Happy Hour podcast, where he mixes practical advice with real-world stories and a dose of humor to keep things fun.

When he’s not in the weeds of risk registers or project plans, Kim can be found on his bike training for epic climbs, reading the classics, or exploring new ways to make project management tools smarter and simpler. If you want to connect with someone who’s as passionate about PM as he is about helping others succeed, find him on LinkedIn.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-essendrup/  

September 2025 Breakfast Meeting - Hybrid Agile Processes for Project Management

Christina Samore Webinar Library
 
Presentation Title:   Hybrid Agile Processes for Project Management

Presentation Summary: 

Over the past few years, many organizations that manufacture tangible products have attempted Agile project management approaches for new product development. Unfortunately, many of these processes fail to deliver the expected results in speed-to-market and flexibility. Additionally, many firms label their processes “agile” but slip backward to predictable systems that remain bureaucratic and intractable. The solution is a hybrid waterfall-agile process.  

In this session, we will identify various processes and systems for new product development (NPD). You will learn about two specific approaches to hybrid project management that can enhance the culture and outcomes of innovation in your organization. We will discuss case study examples of companies adopting different processes to add flexibility while minimizing risk. Comparing and contrasting a non-profit using WAGILE Product Development and a manufacturer using Lean NPD, you will learn how culture and risk tolerance impact the choice of an effective project management process. You will leave with new insights of customer, financial, technical, and people risk to adopt a hybrid waterfall-agile process for product development within your own firm.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand risk in innovation from a perspective of requirements uncertainty and technical uncertainty.
2. Describe different hybrid waterfall-agile project management approaches to new product development.
3. Compare and contrast case studies from the design of NPD systems based on risk tolerance and culture in two different organizations.
4. Identify factors of customer, financial, technical, and people risk in your organization to adopt hybrid waterfall-agile approaches for product development.

Teresa Jurgens

Speaker: Teresa Jurgens

Speaker Bio:  

Teresa Jurgens is a writer, speaker, and executive coach helping leaders tap into creativity for successful innovation. She helps organizations improve time-to-market for new products by building collaborative teams and delivering enhancements across the innovation ecosystem. Teresa has worked with product teams around the world in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, home appliances, medical devices, publishing, petrochemicals, non-profits, and more. She is the author of The Innovation Book series, including The Innovation Process Book available at Amazon. Teresa lives in Tucson and enjoys hiking among the majestic saguaro cactus.

August 2025 Breakfast Meeting - Imposter Syndrome - Diagnosis and Treatment

Christina Samore Webinar Library
 
 

Presentation Title:  Imposter Syndrome - Diagnosis & Treatment

Presentation Summary:

Join Kate Anderson, Co-Founder of the PM Happy Hour Podcast, for an engaging session on Imposter Syndrome – Diagnosis & Treatment. Learn how to recognize the signs of impostor syndrome in project work, apply the 3R Strategy (Recognize, Reframe, Reinforce), and develop a toolkit to build confidence and own your expertise. With her unique blend of empathy, strategic insight, and storytelling, Kate empowers project professionals to overcome self-doubt and lead with confidence.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to:

  • Recognize the signs of Imposter Syndrome in real-world project work.
  • Apply the 3R Strategy (Recognize, Reframe, Reinforce) to shift out of self-doubt.
  • Build a personal toolkit to reinforce confidence and own your expertise

Kate Anderson

Speaker: Kate Anderson, PM Happy Hour Podcast Co-Founder

Speaker Bio:  

    • Kate is a dynamic entrepreneur, consultant, community builder, and project management thought leader. By blending empathy with strategic acumen, they help organizations and individuals overcome challenges, build trust, and achieve long-term success.   
    • As the founder of PM Happy Hour, a thriving community and podcast for project managers, they help those who often feel alone or out of their depth to connect, develop soft skills, and build the confidence to succeed at the highest level. Through innovative coaching methods grounded in empathy and empowerment, they teach others how to manage uncertainty, lead with confidence, and deliver exceptional project outcomes.
    • A passionate storyteller and D&D enthusiast, they bring worlds to life by weaving rich narratives filled with complex characters and moral dilemmas. Whether coaching entrepreneurs, facilitating project management workshops, or guiding adventurers through perilous campaigns, they are dedicated to fostering growth, collaboration, and meaningful change.

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