Anthony (Tony) Reed

Morning Keynote: Running to Leadership: Transformative Leadership and the New Type T Manager

Join Anthony Reed—corporate IT executive and global marathon legend—for a high-energy keynote that redefines leadership through the lens of endurance and calculated risk. From running marathons on every continent to directing a $12M project for just $2.6M, Reed shares gripping stories and practical strategies to help project managers lead with resilience, motivate teams, and thrive in high-stakes environments. If you're ready to expand your comfort zone and lead with purpose and precision, this session is a must.

Brian Alementi

Lunch Keynote: Elevating Leadership: Unlocking Excellence by Leading with Purpose

Ready to lead with purpose and unlock excellence? In this inspiring keynote, Brian Alementi shares real-world insights, heartfelt stories, and his powerful PG3 model—built on positivity, passion, perspective, gratitude, grace, and generosity. Whether you're guiding teams or elevating your own performance, you'll gain practical tools to spark innovation, build resilience, and foster a high-impact culture. This session is perfect for anyone ready to lead with heart and drive success—even in the most challenging times.

Max Brown

Afternoon Keynote: Leadership — Purpose, Principles, and Sustainable Results

In this energizing keynote, Max Brown draws from decades of global leadership experience to explore how purpose-driven leadership, grounded in core principles, leads to sustainable results. Through compelling storytelling and real-world insights, Max challenges attendees to reflect on their leadership impact by asking, “What is it like to work with me?” This session addresses the leadership “vertigo” that causes even the best leaders to drift off course—and offers practical strategies to realign with purpose and values.
Sinikka Waugh

Sinikka Waugh

Session 1: Resilience, generational awareness, and the ability to bring us together: three ways project managers can make the world a better place

The world, and certainly the United States, has never been the same since the events of September 11 th , 2001. And yet, the pace of change has increased so consistently that it’s hard to mark any one thing that has stayed the same since then. Clearly, our ability to respond to change, to bounce back from crisis and loss, from disruption and chaos, and to move forward in the face of uncertainty has been tested regularly since then. As project leaders, we are frequently tested on a micro level to respond to setbacks, to reach stakeholders of differing viewpoints and unite us towards a common goal and bring us together.

Sinikka Waugh

Lori Klinka

Lori Klinka

Session 2: TECHniques for Project Managers: Presenting Information to Influence

Project Managers spend up to 90% of their time communicating—but it's not just
about what you say, it’s about how you say it. In today’s world, technical skills alone
won’t drive success. True project excellence requires the ability to influence, earn
trust quickly, and make complex information clear and compelling. Whether you're
leading a virtual meeting, delivering a high-stakes presentation, or sharing data with
decision-makers, your ability to connect, engage, and persuade makes all the
difference.
In this highly interactive session, communication expert Lori Klinka will guide you
through strategies to present with purpose and influence. You'll explore how to craft
messages that stick, use storytelling to make data come alive, and practice delivery
techniques that boost clarity and confidence. Lori will also coach select participants
live—giving everyone a chance to learn through real-time feedback and practical
insights.

Lori Klinka

Brian Alementi

Brian Alementi

Session 3: Elevating Performance: Soar beyond the ordinary

Redefine what's possible and empower yourself and those around you to rise above the ordinary by unlocking full potential. Whether you're an aspiring leader, a seasoned professional, or part of a team seeking new energy and direction, this powerful experience will equip you with the tools, mindset, and inspiration to elevate performance and purpose. Through compelling stories, personal insights, and the introduction of his innovative MVP Model—Mindset, Vision, and Purpose—Brian guides participants to break through limiting beliefs, reignite their drive, and perform at their highest level. With lessons drawn from his own journey, he illustrates how mental fortitude and a sense of purpose can transform lives. Attendees will leave with clear, actionable strategies to activate their MVP model and cultivate a culture of growth, collaboration, and meaningful impact, no matter their role or industry.

Brian Alementi

Max Brown

Max Brown

Session 4: Emotional Intelligence — The Heart of Leadership and Teamwork

This interactive session dives into the essential role of emotional intelligence (EQ) in project leadership and team dynamics. Max Brown unpacks how self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation are not just soft skills—they’re strategic assets that elevate collaboration, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. Participants will explore how emotionally intelligent leaders create psychologically safe environments where innovation thrives and conflict becomes constructive. 

Max Brown

Lori Klinka

Lori Klinka

Session 5: People Don’t Come with Warning Labels: A Blueprint for Project Managers who Handle Challenging People

Project managers are expected to deliver results, stay on track, and lead
confidence—even when navigating the most unpredictable variable of all: people.
Conflict, personality clashes, and miscommunication can quietly erode trust, slow
progress, and drain morale. But with the right tools, these challenges can become
turning points for stronger collaboration and leadership.
In support of this year’s theme—Honoring Resilience, Building the Future—this
program equips project professionals with strategies to lead difficult conversations
with poise and build positive team dynamics under pressure.
In this engaging and interactive session, communication strategist Lori Klinka uses
insight, and humorous characterizations to illustrate common difficult behaviors and
2the tools to manage them with clarity and empathy. Participants will engage in
practical group discussions to explore what really works (and what doesn’t) when
dealing with high-stress interactions.

Lori Klinka

Aaron Matthews

Aaron Matthews

Session 6: The Resilient PM: Leading Projects with AI as Your Strategic Partner

As project complexity increases and resources tighten, resilience is no longer optional—it’s a leadership imperative. In this forward-thinking yet practical session, you’ll learn how to integrate AI into your day-to-day work as a strategic partner, not just a tech tool. From drafting communications and summarizing project updates with Copilot to using AI as a coach, we’ll explore real-world ways to lighten the workload and level up your leadership.

Attendees will walk away with proven frameworks, AI prompt examples, and actionable insights for building more adaptive, productive, and future-ready project teams. Whether you're just starting with AI or looking to refine your practice, this session will help you lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose.

Aaron Matthews

Aaron Matthews

Aaron Matthews

Session 7:

Anthony Reed

Anthony Reed

Session 8: Managing Difficult People and Projects

In an ideal world, projects would unfold seamlessly—unlimited resources, flexible deadlines, and perfectly aligned requirements. But reality often presents a different picture, with constraints in funding, materials, personnel, and time. Most professionals have navigated the "perfect storm"—budget cuts, delayed hardware deliveries, software installation issues, staffing shortages, and shifting project scopes. This presentation draws on over thirty years of firsthand experience managing high-profile IT projects across industries, including Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, as well as directing award-winning documentaries. Through real-world examples, it explores strategies for overcoming obstacles, recovering troubled projects, and even finding ways to optimize resources beyond expectations. Whether your project capsizes, survives the storm, or sails through smoothly, understanding how to manage uncertainty is key to success.

Anthony Reed

Brian Alementi

Brian Alementi

Session 9: Elevating impact: Unleash The Power of We with PG3

Unleash the Power of We through the PG3 Model—an empowering framework built on positivity, passion, perspective, gratitude, grace, and generosity. This interactive breakout session is designed for everyone, whether you're guiding a team of many or leading yourself on your own journey. You’ll dive deeper into the PG3 principles and explore how they can transform mindset, connection, and impact. Through individual reflection, small group collaboration, and large group discussion, you'll build your own personalized PG3 blueprint to take back and implement immediately. This engaging session is about real-world application, lasting growth, and purpose-driven leadership that brings people together and drives meaningful results.

Brian Alementi