The PMI Atlanta Chapter would like to welcome our new members who will serve on the 2025 Executive Board of Directors. Please plan to join us at the Holiday Celebration on Monday, December 2, 2024 at Magginao's Perimeter or the next Chapter Meeting on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at Maggiano's Buckhead.
Chair-Elect
Joseph Sisto, PMP, PMI-ACP
Joe's entire career has been in project management. He has been a continuous member of PMI for 26 years, and hold a PMP- thrice renewed, and a PMI-ACP. Joe is currently the Director of PMO for Driven Brands. He has resided in the Georgia area now for over 30 years.
Joe has a degrees in both Management and Psychology and have been active in the last several PMI Global Congresses.
Volunteer Experience:
I have been the AVP of Membership for 1 year at PMI Atlanta, when I took the position of VP of Engagement. Since my tenure as AVP of Membership, I have expanded our role in supporting the candidacy process, expanding our role with universities- with both Georgia Tech and UNG scholarship programs, and expanding our partnership with support of the now annual picnic.
I have championed improved processes for new members, as well as revised the onboarding processes and we now have over 30 new people attending new membership orientations every month.
Membership has expanded this year with over 800 new members to over 5,400 members. In addition, our new recommended venue has drawn sell-out crowds, thanks to our special project lead. We have retained all of our AVPs this year for the last 3 years, and added a new AVP of New Membership- Allison Gartner.
Beyond my role in Engagement, I have supported the Forum Groups. I have spoken in front of several forum groups in assisting our forum teams over 6 times in the last 4 years.
Vision Statement:
I have a vision of expanding our engagement to those who cannot making our meetings in person- to all of North. I see this fulfilled with technology and partnership to bring our meetings that are live to the internet. My vision also includes improving and expanding our in-person venues to larger, and more variety of spaces that attract people from all areas of the City and Suburbs of Atlanta.
In addition to membership and engagement, I see expanding our university partnership coverage to a new university with more students and opportunities for more coverage and events.
For the chapter, I would like to see us become a model organization for training and career support with more programs to assist new project managers and more in house mentoring and training opportunities- for example agile training and mentoring for late career and new career (new entries) people.
I see our chapter growing in both size, and engagement. What I see staying the same, is our commitment to Servant Leadership and partnership with our community.
Secretary
Ulrica Andujar, MPH, PMP
Ulrica Andujar, MPH, PMP, is a dynamic leader with experience that spans 20 years across a range of programmatic roles from program advisor, project officer, to senior program manager. Her experience includes roles at the local and federal government level, as well as in the private and nonprofit sectors. Throughout her career, Ulrica has been fortunate to work at the cross section of public health and information systems. Her work on health information technology projects and initiatives has included immunization information systems, vaccine ordering systems, and emergency preparedness systems. Information technology is a critical component of public health and Ulrica believes embracing emerging technologies will be important to the advancement of public health practice into the future.
Volunteer Experience:
My volunteer experience has included serving as a greeter in the children’s ministry at my church for eight years. Besides having the opportunity to serve parents and their children, I learned many lessons that carried into my personal and professional life, along with developing lasting relationships with the people I served alongside. I also had the honor of volunteering and serving as a reviewer on my employer organization’s awards and recognition team by conducting monthly reviews of submissions to the awards program for organization-wide recognition and receipt of rewards. Recommendations I provided were compiled with other review team feedback to determine a range of monthly award winners. This was an impactful service opportunity because I was able to see the depth of excellence across my organization. I was also able to translate my experience serving on the awards review team to improve my skills in conducting performance evaluations for the team members that I managed on my projects. I volunteered in this role for one year. Additionally, I am a member of several employee resource groups within my employer organization. Although I have not previously volunteered with the PMI Atlanta Chapter, I was excited for the opportunity to get involved after attending the 2023 PMI Global Summit. This was the first PMI Global Summit I attended, and it was electrifying. I tried to respond to a request to volunteer at the 2023 PMI Global Summit but I believe I may have missed the deadline.
Vision Statement:
Maintaining a comprehensive document repository that supports communications, compliance, and archiving of Chapter business and affairs in service to Chapter members, and in support of the Board.
Director-at-Large Candidates
Teresa Durham, PMP
Teresa Durham, PMP, CSM, Lean Six Sigma Certified, is a dedicated project management professional with over 20 years of experience, combining strategic vision, leadership, and operational efficiency. Teresa began volunteering with PMI before officially joining in 2007 and dedicated eight years to the chapter in roles such as Board Secretary, Governance Forum leader, and the first VP of Special Interest.
After navigating personal challenges and taking a sabbatical, Teresa returned to Atlanta and the professional world by founding Teresa Durham, LLC in 2023, where she specializes in project management, process improvement, and AI-enhanced solutions.
Teresa played a pivotal role in restructuring the PMI Atlanta Board into its current model with board members and a leadership management team. Although controversial at the time, the change was needed to better position the chapter to effectively grow and improve event management. Also as former Board Secretary, Teresa led the effort to document volunteer positions and contributed to rewriting the chapter’s bylaws and operating procedures, supporting the chapter's anticipated expansion.
Teresa brings a wealth of leadership experience, having directed teams across multiple industries and is known for her strong communication skills and commitment to helping others. She believes in fostering collaboration and innovation to help organizations thrive. With her extensive experience and passion for innovation, Teresa is committed to helping PMI Atlanta continue to lead the industry in project and program management.
Volunteer Experience:
My involvement with PMI Atlanta began from a genuine interest in project management and a desire to connect with others in the field. Starting as a volunteer, I contributed to Professional Development Day events, dinner meetings, educational classes, and speaker engagements. These experiences allowed me to immerse myself in the project management community and support its growth.
Over eight years, I held significant roles including Board Secretary, Governance Forum leader, and the first Director of Special Interest. I played a crucial role in restructuring the Board, enhancing the chapter’s ability to manage growth and volunteer activities. My efforts in documenting volunteer positions and updating the chapter’s bylaws were instrumental in streamlining operations and supporting the chapter's expansion.
Despite personal challenges and a hiatus from formal chapter activities between 2015 and 2021, I remained dedicated to mentoring and advising fellow project managers, demonstrating my commitment to the profession. Since founding Teresa Durham, LLC in 2023, I have spent most of my time working on my business but still make myself available as people reach out to me. Through my business I continue to contribute to the field through my work in project management, process improvement, and AI-driven solutions.
My passion for project management drives me to foster collaboration and support the success of others. I am dedicated to continuing my service to PMI Atlanta and advancing the profession.
Vision Statement:
My vision for PMI Atlanta is to build on our current strengths while actively listening to the needs and requests of our membership. I am committed to supporting the chapter's existing vision to be the industry leader in project and program management and fostering professional growth through project leadership. To ensure we continue to meet our members' needs, I plan to engage with both the membership, Leadership Team and the current Board to gather insights and align our strategies with their expectations.
My goal is to support strategic planning efforts that drive the chapter’s growth and success, ensuring that we not only uphold our core mission but also adapt to emerging opportunities and challenges.
I believe I can help continue to advance PMI Atlanta’s leadership in the field and enhance our ability to deliver value to our members and the broader project management community.