In this issue

PMI-Central Illinois Chapter February 2026 Newsletter Print

Straight Talk with Ingrid

Dear PMI CIC Members,
February is known for love, heart health awareness, and fresh beginnings as we settle into the new year. For project professionals, February is a time of recalibration and relationship-building. Just as Valentine's Day reminds us of the importance of meaningful connections, successful projects thrive on strong stakeholder relationships, clear communication, and teams that genuinely care about their collective purpose. February also marks Black History Month, celebrating innovation, resilience, and transformative leadership: qualities that directly align with project success and our chapter's theme this year.
Don't Miss Our Upcoming Events!
We have an exceptional lineup of learning opportunities this month and beyond. Mark your calendars and register today!
February Evening Meeting: RAID Log Practitioner Certification Training
w/ Kim Essendrup (2 Virtual Sessions: February 5th and 19th)
Don't let project risks catch you off-guard. Equip yourself with the framework used by top project leaders worldwide and become a RAID Log Practitioner with PMI Central Illinois!
Register Here
February 10, 2026 Lunch and Learn: "The Real Reasons PMOs Fail and How to Avoid Them"
Featuring Sabrina Poteat
Discover the pitfalls that derail PMOs and learn practical strategies to build a sustainable, value-driven project management office.
Register Here
Q1 2026 Member Orientation Meeting (February 17th)
Ready to engage, grow, and connect? Join our Quarterly Orientation Meeting and discover all the ways to maximize your PMI CIC membership.
Register Here
March 2026 Lunch & Learn: "Pro-juct: Debunking the False Debate Between Project Management and Product Management"
Featuring Jesse Fewell
Project vs. Product: The Great Debate. What's Hype, What's Real? Sign up to join the discussion and uncover where the real value lies.
Register Here
These opportunities for learning and networking are invaluable to your professional growth, and we'd love to see you there!
Reflecting on Our January 13th Kickoff Meeting
If you missed our kickoff meeting on January 13, 2026, you truly missed something special: the setting of the tone for our theme of Igniting Change through Innovation and Resilience.
And for those keeping a close watch on the newsletters, yes, I did accidentally highlight last year's theme as this year's in my previous message. Consider it a gentle reminder that even chapter presidents are human and that resilience includes recovering gracefully from our mistakes!
Our keynote speaker, Amber McMillan (aka the Feisty PM), shared profound insights on cultivating resilience in leadership that continue to resonate with me weeks later. I find myself still thinking about her message and how it applies to both my professional and personal leadership journey.
The Resilience Compass
McMillan introduced her "Resilience Compass," which consists of three essential elements:
Clarity of Purpose helps us understand our true motivations and the "why" behind our work. When we're clear on purpose, our decisions become easier and more aligned with our values.
Emotional Agility allows for healthy expression and regulation of feelings in professional settings. It's about acknowledging emotions without letting them control us or pretending they don't exist.
Psychological Safety creates an environment where individuals can express fears, admit uncertainties, and align authentically with others without fear of judgment or retribution.
Powerful Moments from Amber's Presentation
One statement that particularly struck me was what Amber does when a meeting is going off the rails. She asks: "What decision best serves what we are actually here to do?" I love this question because it should make everyone pause, think, and refocus on clarity of purpose. It cuts through the noise and redirects energy toward meaningful outcomes.
Another key insight she emphasized was to feel the resilience, not act it. We've all been there: feeling like we have to act a certain way, putting on a performance that becomes mere theater. There is nothing more refreshing than being your authentic self in a professional environment, having the comfort to be honest and truthful, and engaging in meaningful ways rather than speaking just for the sake of speaking.
Amber left us with one final, powerful reflection: "What is testing your resilience right now?" I found this question to be incredibly powerful and encourage each of you to sit with it. Your answer may reveal where you need to focus your energy, seek support, or perhaps where you're being called to lead differently.
Looking Ahead
As we move through February, I challenge each of us to apply Amber's Resilience Compass to our work. Let's practice clarity of purpose in our projects, develop our emotional agility as we navigate challenges, and create psychological safety within our teams. These aren't just nice-to-have qualities: they're essential ingredients for project success and sustainable leadership.
Wishing you all a wonderful February filled with meaningful connections, authentic engagement, and the courage to lead with resilience.
With gratitude,
Ingrid Holliday, PMP, PMI-SP, AH-MC
President, PMI Central IL Chapter

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Upcoming Events

PMI-CIC 2026 Calendar

Now is the perfect time to register for our chapter meetings—designed to deliver practical, relevant, and future-ready skills for today’s project professionals.

🎯 Why register now?

  • Lock in your seat before calendars fill up
  • Start 2026 with intention and momentum
  • Invest in skills that matter now and in the future
  • Support your local PMI chapter and its mission

🔗 Register today: https://pmicic.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php

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Welcome New Members

Welcome to PMI-Central IL Chapter! We're glad to be your local chapter.

Aleya Smith
Anthony Morrison
Baranikumar Chandrasekaran
Brock Gale
Carl Carman
Devin Huckstep
Jacob Beauman
Jacqueline Eldridge
Jamiel Shelton
Kay Powell
Margaret Kokum
Narayana Rao Tangudu
Shauna Pompey

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Member Renewal Spotlight

Thank you for continuing your membership. We're glad to be your local chapter.

Amber Hooste
Andrew Black
Anne Rena
Anthony Slocum
Beth Craig
Bradley Brown
Brandon Wood
Cali Welch
Carol Slaw
Chad Craycraft
Christina Neely
Colene German
Cynthia McGee
David Larson
Dustin Swanson
Elizabeth McElhiney
Faith Wallis
Herat Joshi
Jeffrey Mileham
Jennifer Schaller
Jim Sikes
Jordan Krusa 
Julianne Henson
Kerri Stoeger
Kristine Peacock
Larry Speaks
Leslie Smiley
Mallorie Teubner
Megan Gilmore
Michelle Johnson
Nicholas Goldbeck
Nisha Gupta
Rita Khurana
Ryan Cunningham
Scott Lamkin
Shelia Burchess
Stephen Heinz
Steven Popovich
Timothy Tomasovich
Timothy Delaney
Trina Isaacs
Trudy Ingalls
Wendy Mann

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News and Happenings

PMXPO 2026

Registration is now open for PMXPO 2026! This is a free virtual event on March 26th for Project Professionals and those exploring the field. Join the global project community for a day of collective learning, live engagement, and on-demand access. Through this event you can earn PDUs to maintain your PMI Certification and gain invaluable insights from keynote speakers and expert panels.    

PMBOK® Guide – Eighth Edition Released

Be sure to download your free electronic copy of the new PMBOK® Guide – Eighth Edition, shaped directly by the PMI community, by  visiting:https://www.pmi.org/standards/pmbok. This edition continues evolving the global standard and reflects the realities of modern project delivery.

PMP® Exam Refresh - July 2026

A new PMP® exam will launch in July 2026, focusing on the evolving future of project management. Key changes include:

  • Increased emphasis on AI, sustainability, and value
  • Greater weight on agile and hybrid approaches
  • Focus on value delivery rather than traditional triple constraint
  • More inclusive eligibility recognizing apprenticeships and vocational programs

Project Professional Advanced Certification (Pilot)

PMI is piloting an advanced certification for project professionals who lead high-stakes, high-complexity initiatives. The certification path includes:

  • Maintaining an active PMP®
  • Peer review by a PMI-accredited organization
  • A PMI standardized proctored exam


This certification will be in limited access during 2026 as part of the pilot phase.

Meet the New PMI Infinity™

The latest generation of PMI Infinity™ is now live on PMI.org and inside the official PMI mobile app. The upgrade includes:

  • Built-in project management expertise grounded in PMI standards
  • Smarter, more context-aware intelligence
  • Secure-by-design handling of data
  • Full mobile availability for members


PMI Infinity is now a member-exclusive benefit with a 30-day trial by visiting https://www.pmi.org/infinity.

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Featured Article

Diving Deep into PMI's M.O.R.E Initiative...

Let's take a closer look at PMI's M.O.R.E initiative. More consists of the four practices of: Manage Perceptions, Own Success, Relentlessly reassess and Expand Perspective. PMI launched this initiative to raise standards and increase the number of successful projects. This initiative expands the definition of project success beyond just scope, budget and schedule. PMI considers a project to be successful when key stakeholders believe that the value of a project's output is worth the invested value and expense. Let's take a closer look at how PMI defines each of the 4 elements. 

  • Manage Perceptions - "Manage stakeholder perceptions through influence, active listening and communication."
  • Own Success - "Connect project success to organizational success that elevates your impact and move beyond a checklist of tasks." 
  • Relentlessly Reassess - "Reassess project parameters to stay ahead, sense shifts early and adjust with your stakeholders so value keeps pace with reality." 
  • Expand Perspective - "See beyond deliverables and consider broader business and societal impact."

According to PMI, when Project Professionals use all four elements of M.O.R.E Net Project Success Scores significantly increase. 

If you are further interested in exploring how these concepts might help your projects, you can find courses and other additional resources at Delivering M.O.R.E. | PMI. 

 

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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].

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.

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.

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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.

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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].

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Find Us On Social Media

Find us on our social media platforms to stay engaged in between meetings.

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