PMI-Central Illinois Chapter October 2026 Newsletter
Straight Talk with Ingrid
Dear Chapter Members and Friends,
October changes the light before it changes anything else. The evenings get short fast, the fields finish coming in, and the fourth quarter is no longer something coming; it is something you are standing in. A few things this month have more to say to project professionals than the calendar lets on.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Every project runs on data, vendors, and logins whether or not that is written into the charter, so this one is ours too. Take twenty minutes and check who still has access to your project files and tools. People roll off teams. Their access does not always roll off with them.
October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I want to spend a minute on it beyond the ribbon. Anyone who has sat with a family working through a diagnosis has watched a project happen in real time, whether they called it that or not. A care team gets assembled fast. A treatment plan gets sequenced against biology instead of a calendar. The scope changes with every scan, and it gets reassessed instead of defended. A family becomes stakeholders who never asked for the role and still show up to every decision. I have run plenty of projects, and I have never run one under that kind of pressure with that little room for error. If someone on your team is walking through this right now, that is not time away from the work. It is the discipline the rest of us only read about. Take care of your people this month.
And then there is Halloween, which I will use for one thing: the projects that scare people are rarely the ones anybody wrote down. It is the decision nobody documented, the dependency two people both assumed the other owned, the concern somebody has been sitting on since August. Turn the lights on before the thirty-first. The best thing you can do for your team this month is make it easy to say the quiet part out loud.
Our board just wrapped up strategic planning, and I am excited about what is ahead. We spent real hours in the room working through what 2027 should look like for this chapter, and I am looking forward to executing what we mapped out. Part of that is a new chapter theme, and I am not going to spoil it here. You will get the reveal in January, and it will be worth the wait.
Our calendar of events for the rest of year is open for registrations. Please sign up early so our teams can plan well. Don’t forgot to also checkout PMI’s event page and sign up for some great events, such as the PMI Global Summit 2026, which runs October 21 through 24 in Detroit, and the PMI Awards, including Chapter of the Year, will be presented there on October 22.
Lastly, we still have volunteer openings, and I’m always happy to talk through what the work entails before you commit. Also, with just three months left in the year, if there is something you want the board to take up before 2026 closes, please reach out.
Warm regards,
Ingrid Holliday, PMP, PMI-SP, AH-MC
President, PMI Central IL Chapter
Upcoming Events
Whether you're looking to strengthen your skills, expand your network, or give back locally, there’s something here for you on our calendar of events.
Why Attend?
- Stay current on topics, trends & tools
- Earn Professional Development Units (PDUs)
- Grow your local professional network
- Engage with a vibrant PMI community in Central Illinois, no matter where you are located
Strong customer relationships don't happen by chance—they're built with intention. On Oct 13th, join Nicholas "The New York Cowboy" Errico as he introduces his engaging DRS (Deliver, Relate, Sell) framework and shares practical strategies to strengthen stakeholder relationships, enhance project outcomes, and create lasting customer value.
Successful projects require more than a well-built plan—they require people to embrace change. On Oct 22nd, join Wani Iris Manly, Esq., as she explores the human side of project success, sharing practical strategies to reduce resistance, strengthen stakeholder alignment, and lead organizational change with greater confidence and lasting impact. Click here to get to know Wani a bit and hear what to expect on the 22nd.
AI isn't just changing how we work—it's changing what we can build. On Nov 10th, join Chris Leonard to learn how non-technical professionals can confidently lead AI product initiatives, establish ethical guardrails, and collaborate with technical teams to create innovative solutions with lasting organizational impact.
The future of the PMO is about delivering business value—not just managing projects. On Nov 12th, join Alex Marques, Head of PMO at XIUS Corp, to learn how leading organizations are reimagining the PMO through customer-centric practices, strategic alignment, and measurable impact. You'll also gain insight into the growing role of the PMI-PMOCP™ certification and how it can support your professional development. Click here to get to know Alex a bit and hear from him what to expect.
A new year. A fresh start. And a whole new chapter ahead.
Join us for our 2027 Annual Kickoff as we bring our PMI-CIC community together to connect, look ahead, and set the stage for an exciting year.
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Chapter Business + Networking
Reconnect with fellow project professionals, hear what’s ahead for PMI-CIC, and kick off the new year together.
6:00–7:00 PM | Keynote + Q&A
And then… 👀
We’re keeping the keynote details TOP SECRET for now.
But trust us, you’re going to want to be there.
📅 Mark your calendar: January 12, 2027. More details are coming soon.
Countdown to 2027 starts now. Don’t miss it.
Welcome New Members
Welcome to our newest members (Sep 2026)! We are thrilled to have you as part of our local project management community!
Abigail Huff
Dustin Morrison
James Powell
James Webb
Larissa Garman
Marty Posada
Parvaty Parmeswar Suresh
Rebecca Nafula
Yann Taupier Letage
Member Renewal Spotlight
To our members who have renewed with us (Sep 2026):
We truly appreciate your continued membership with the PMI Central Illinois Chapter. It is a privilege to support your professional journey year after year!
Amy Adams
Bobbie Wasson-Woodard
Cassandra Donleavy
Charles McLaughlin
Charlotte Payne
Chloe Moreno
Courtney Thompson
Darcie Rosenthal
David Gaule
Dylan Warrens
Elisha Hood
Guy Hanna
Jamie Chandler
Joe Diemer
John Runge
Julia Kindred
Leslie Froeschl
Patricia Luber
Prathima Sagiraju
Riki Lee
Robert Laurent
Robert Pacey
Ron Battle
Stacey Clark
Steve Sexton
Tara Pettit
Taylor Frechmann
Thomas Barnes
New Credential Holders
Congratulations to our PMI Central Illinois Chapter members who earned new certifications in August & September! Your commitment to professional growth, continuous learning, and advancing your skills is worth celebrating.
CAPM
David Cumberbatch
Do Yoon Lee
Drake Roach
Mariah Street
PMP
Mariah Street
PMI-CSPP-cp
Marshall Brown
PfMP
Narendra Patel
News and Happenings
2026 Strategic Planning x Happy Hour Recap
Last month, the PMI Central Illinois Chapter Board came together at the McLean County Chamber of Commerce’s BN ShareSpace for a full day of strategic planning for 2027.
Each leader had been taking a deep dive into their office, documenting strengths, opportunities, and areas for growth to help ensure PMI-CIC continues moving in the right direction. Saturday was our opportunity to bring those perspectives together and start shaping what’s next.
Without spilling too many beans, we pressure-tested our current mission and vision statements for refinement, reviewed the chapter’s financial position (no worries, we’re strong!), explored how we’re currently leveraging AI within the chapter, and brainstormed new ways to create connection and value for our members, from new in-person touchpoints to fresh programming ideas for 2027.
And, of course, no full day of strategic planning is complete without a little celebration. We wrapped up with happy hour, margaritas, and plenty more conversation at Ancho & Agave.
Planning isn’t finished. The Board will carry this momentum through Q4 to refine the strategy and turning ideas into an actionable plan for 2027.
We’re excited about what’s ahead. Stay tuned, and as always, we want to hear from you!
What do you want to see from your PMI-CIC chapter in 2027? Email us at [email protected] and let us know.
PMI M.O.R.E. Playbook. Get Your Copy!
Volunteer Spotlight
Our latest volunteer of the month is here! Thank you Scott for all you do to strengthen PMI-CIC. To read Scott's full spotlight, go to the chapter's volunteer spotlight page: https://pmi-cic.org/Volunteer_Spotlight.
Guest Blog
Check our latest blog! Go read "Innovation Fatigue: When Too Much Change Breaks Teams" and previous blogs here: https://pmicic.starchapter.com/blog/c/1
Get to know our blogger: Sumanth Kumar Gadde is a technology leader with over 15 years of experience driving enterprise transformation, data modernization, and operational optimization across both private and public sectors. He holds dual Master's degrees in Computer Technology and Management of Information Technology. Sumanth is a recognized speaker at the PMI Global Summit, CIO Florida, the Georgia Digital Government Summit, and the Florida Digital Government Summit, where he presents on AI governance, fraud detection, data lifecycle management, and the evolving intersection of emerging technologies and project management practices.
Career Development
PMI-CIC is committed to helping our members grow knowledge and skills! Here are exam prep resources offered by our training partners. If you have any questions, please visit the Career Development page and/or contact [email protected].
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PMI-CIC, in collaboration with PMTraining, are thrilled to announce the expanded suite of online course offerings that will support & prepare you as you develop your career with one of PMI’s globally recognized certifications! PMTraining offers Live Virtual classes, On-Demand courses and Real Practice Exams to support you on your certification journey! PMTraining supports PMP® , PMI-ACP, PgMP (Program Management Professional), PfMP (Portfolio Management Professional), and Disciplined Agile prep courses in all course formats. |
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PMI-CIC is excited to be partnered with Peak Business Management to provide PMP® Exam Prep and other certification training! With this partnership, our members receive a significant discount on PMP® and PMI-ACP exam preparation classes of up to $200 in savings! Peak offers several live virtual classes per month that will be sure to fit ANY schedule with instructors & students from around the country. For upcoming PMP® Exam Prep classes and to obtain the discount, go to Peak Business Management and use code pmp200. For upcoming PMI-ACP Exam Prep classes and to obtain the discount, go to Peak Business Management and use code acp125. |
Volunteer Opportunities
Create Your Volunteer Profile and Become a Volunteer!
Want to broaden your reach, deepen your impact, and nurture lasting relationships? Give volunteering a chance. Take the first step by visiting the volunteer platform (https://volunteer.pmi.org/) to create/update your profile and find volunteering opportunities that speak to you. There are openings across all the offices, especially the Professional Development and Publicity & Sponsorship offices.
Sponsorship
We have several ways to sponsor and partner with our chapter. Here are the four (4) sponsorship packages currently available (https://pmi-cic.org/catalog.php?cat=8):
- Diamond
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze
Why PMI-CIC?
- Over 25 year-old chapter in good standing with the Project Management Institute (PMI)
- Run by volunteers & 6 Board members
- Gain exposure to ~600 members
- Gain exposure to over 2,500 Central/Southern Illinois professionals who subscribe to chapter communication
- Gain visibility as a leader and supporter of project professionals within your organization and in the larger business community
- Top cities: Our members are found in Bloomington/Normal, Springfield, Peoria, Champaign/Urbana, Morton, Decatur, and Pekin
- Top industries: Our members work in Insurance, Banking, Healthcare, Higher Education, Manufacturing, and Government
- Type of chapter activities: Lunch & Learn meetings, Evening meetings, Networking events, Outreach, and Social TV (Livestreams)
- Committed to a wide range of topics of interest to project professionals and changemakers
- Past speaker profile: Industry experts, Seasoned professionals, and Professional speakers affiliated with John C. Maxwell, National Speakers Association, and Tony Robbins
- Various social media platforms with a growing presence
- Monthly e-newsletter and a blog
Have questions? Want to receive a custom proposal tailored to your business strategy? Please get in touch with [email protected].
Thank you to our Sponsor!
Find Us On Social Media
Find us on our social media platforms to stay engaged in between meetings.
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- Join our Facebook Group
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- Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter)
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- Follow our Threads
