Volunteering During and After COVID-19

By Paul Mai and Kelley Duron with Chapter Portfolios collaboration

Jun2020 Article Volunteering in COVID19

Let us be honest. 2020 has been a tough year with unexpected challenges. Over the last few months, PMI Portland Chapter volunteers have learned to be resilient. To survive, adapt, and thrive in our current climate.

The Chapter infrastructure consists of an elected Board of Directors and seven portfolios: Finance, Marketing, Membership, Operations, Outreach, Professional Development, and Programs. Following is a brief overview of each portfolio, how their services have adapted to the current COVID-19 environment, and what comes post-pandemic.Volunteers are needed for most portfolios; reach out to the contact listed for the area that interests you.

The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee consists of the President Elect, President, Past President, Chapter Secretary, VP of Governance, and VP of Finance and acts as a Leadership Council to the Board. The Executive Committee (EC) sets the monthly Board agendas, and generally oversees Chapter operations and services to members in collaboration with input from each portfolio's VP’s and the Board as a whole.

Finance Portfolio

The name implies money, but the Finance portfolio and its VP of Finance, Kyle Townsend, Asst. VP, and Bookkeeper are much more than that. The portfolio is an integral part of the Executive Committee. As traditional communication channels are shut down, the EC is focused on how to continue providing membership services and benefits to Project Management professionals while supporting the efforts of our volunteers. This means trying new ways of doing Chapter business such as taking a 'wait and see' attitude about in-person meetings in the fall and looking to limit expenses due to a drop in membership dues and event revenues.

"We also looked at the feasibility of holding our annual conference in 2020 and determined it needed to be cancelled," said Penelope Luedtke, Chapter President and soon to be Past President.

The incoming board will hold strategic planning sessions over the summer and envision more events virtually as they have proven to be a big success so far. Those having and seeking leadership experience should consider serving as a Board member.

Membership Portfolio

The Membership portfolio is the “front door” of PMI Portland. VP of Membership, Sandra Koelle, is working with her team to build processes that make engagement with the Chapter easier, have volunteer onboarding informative and fun, and provide resources for volunteers year-round. The team includes Salena Clayton, Asst. VP of Membership, Lisa Wood, Director of Membership, and Julie Chu, Asst. VP of Volunteer Management. Although the COVID situation keeps them from meeting in person, Sandra reports the team is growing and meets weekly via Google Hangouts. Here are the portfolio’s plans.

  • Strengthen the Chapter volunteer pool. Engage members proactively at different times of the year and find ways to get more members to volunteer.
  • Focus on the diversity of individuals in project and program management.
  • Establish a new Volunteer Recognition Program to acknowledge them as the lifeblood of the Chapter.
  • Use technology to collect feedback across all programs. Utilize data and market trends to remain relevant to the needs of members and grow the organization.

If you have a few hours to spare with specialized skill sets or are looking for incremental leadership growth opportunities consider these open Membership Portfolio positions: Director of Volunteers, Director of Quality, and general Membership team member to keep the flywheel turning. Reach out to Sandra, VP of Membership, to get started.

Marketing Communications and Sponsorships Portfolio

PMI Portland Chapter has a lot to offer for project management professionals, and engaging words and visuals are key to getting out that message. The Marketing Communications and Sponsorship (MC&S) portfolio finds creative ways to tell our story to the broadest audiences possible. Team members write and edit relevant, compelling PM content, craft articles that spotlight local PM leaders, and ensure plenty of exposure for Chapter events.

A lesser known arm of this portfolio focuses on developing and maintaining relationships with sponsors who provide priceless financial and in-kind support for the Chapter. In 2019-20, we had 11 active sponsor partners. Months of distancing have impacted sponsorships as our colleagues focus on keeping their own operations going in a tough business climate.

Prior to the Coronavirus, the MC&S portfolio worked to create a strategic plan that focused on how to best reach the Chapter’s various audience segments and incorporate new PMI HQ branding standards. Now the team, comprising Kelley Duron, VP of MC&S, Paul Mai, Asst. VP of Marketing Communications, Rachel Crane, Director of Social Media, Krystal Salmon, Director of Content Strategy, Tim Booher, Director of Marketing Analytics, and Julie Easterly, Writer/Editor, are working to execute those plans. Though the pandemic has created some roadblocks, the team perseveres to meet deadlines for publishing the monthly newsletter and frequent social media posts, building metrics to measure engagement, and transforming the website.

“The Chapter needs to communicate with its members even in our upside-down world,” Kelley said. “Our team continues to work with folks from all other portfolios to promote the great work that is still happening here, ensuring the information is accurate, concise--and, of course, grammatically correct!”.

Moving forward, MC&S is:

  • Finding new ways to build sponsorships, focusing on collaborating to bring services to members.
  • Implementing Smartsheets to better track work and process flow.
  • Building analytics capacity and improving visibility based on data.
  • Rolling out the next phases of rebranding to all PMI Portland platforms.

The MC&S portfolio can always use volunteers for roles in both marketing communications and sponsorship. Writer slots are continuously open and we need an Asst. VP of Sponsorship and Director of Newsletter. Contact Kelley Duron, VP of Marketing, or Paul Mai, Asst. VP, for more information.

Operations Portfolio

Need technology but not sure who to call? Well, definitely, not GhostBusters. You bring in the Operations team. This portfolio provides the processes and technical infrastructure to support ongoing chapter activities and strategic initiatives. And provides oversight for web content, database administration, data storage, and relevant technology programs and assets. This includes audio/visual equipment, hardware, software, mobile apps, email accounts, website, and technology upgrades and updates.

Under the leadership of Hakan Kutgun, VP of Operations, and Gary Marx, Asst. VP of Operations, the team has been busy during the pandemic. Webmaster Stephen Wilks, with vendor partner Dark Rhino Security, have implemented the new PMI Portland web page scheme. Web Administrators Scott White and Jason Pompel continue to provide website-related support, while Asst. Director of Technology Support, Lily Fritzpatrick, is busy with technology support. Since everyone is on lockdown, Ticole Waller, Director of Audio/Visual (AV), is standing by for when in-person events begin again. Here are the portfolio’s future plans.

  • Develop training for “GoToWebinar” virtual meetings and events.
  • Continue support for the PMI Portland website and technology needs.
  • Prepare AV and hardware needs and support for in-person meetings.

If you are an information technology expert or technophile, consider a few open roles available. Contact Hakan, VP of Operations and Gary, Asst VP, for information about the Director of Technology and Asst. Director of Technology Support. Website designers and experts are encouraged to apply for Web Administrator. Contact the Webmaster for this role.

Outreach Portfolio

PMI Portland’s Outreach Portfolio acts as liaison between PMI and organizations or communities representing academics, associations and affinity groups, jobseekers, the military, and nonprofits in our geographic area. They also work to build and maintain relationships with corporations and government entities. Their primary goal is to create engaging, collaborative activities such as networking and career exploration events to promote awareness of the project management profession and highlight the professional and social benefits of obtaining a PMI certification and joining the PMI Portland Chapter.
The Outreach Portfolio team is well represented. Led by VP of Outreach, Jennifer Whybra-Ucar, Outreach volunteers are welcomed to contribute to the specific segment of the community which calls to them. Here is their current line-up:

Asst. VP of Outreach, Dominique Bradley
Director of Academic Outreach, Liz Lockhart
Director of Association Outreach, Joe Tobias
Asst Director of Association Outreach, Meei Lum
Director of Corporate Outreach, David Reynolds
Director of Jobs Program, Jerry Young
Assistant Military Liaison - Strategic Marketing, Angela (Angie) Eastman-Aytes
Director of Military Liaison, Marshal Oller
Director of Government Outreach, Vighnesh Umapathy
Director of Toastmasters Club, Rakesh Semenchalam

Moving forward to 2020-21, the Outreach Portfolio plans will be focused on creating opportunities for people to connect, find jobs and network within Portland's vibrant project management community. Right now, more than ever, we need your help to support PMI Portland's outreach vision of bringing fun / interactive events to all communities and people interested in project management as a profession. For information about volunteer opportunities, please contact Dominique Bradley, Asst. VP of Outreach.

Professional Development Portfolio

True to its name, the Professional Development Portfolio focuses on professional growth for members via certification prep, workshops, and its mentoring program. Led by Sireesha Akula, VP of Professional Development, this team includes Asst. VP of Prof. Development, Trisha Bennett, Director of PMP Certification, Melody Fisher, Dir. of ACP Certification, Rohit Garg, Director of Workshops, Jahzeel Ormeno, Director of Mentoring, Sheldon Philips, and Disciplined Agile Liaison, Titu Hariharan.

A global pandemic could not slow this crew down! Pivoting from the traditional in-person format, the team has been able to offer “sold out” virtual workshops in April and May – with another set for this month. They also strategized about whether the complex PMP/CAPM boot camp course could be delivered online, they determined it would be most impactful in person, and the team rescheduled the course for July 27-30 at (PMI Silver sponsor) University of Portland’s Westside campus. They also are looking to reschedule the ACP course for later this Summer/Fall and will continue to explore how to reach broader audiences as more people return to more normal routines.

The Professional Development Portfolio welcomes new volunteers to bring fresh ideas for engaging members in self-development. Positions available include Asst. Director of ACP Certification, and Asst. Directors of PMP Certification, Asst. Director of Workshops and Mentoring. Contact Siri Akula, VP of Professional Development for more information.

Programs Portfolio

The Programs Portfolio takes pride in bringing quality learning opportunities to PMI Portland Chapter meetings. We also offer roundtables around the Portland-metro area as well as virtual roundtables.

The portfolio, headed by Shannon Heizenrader, VP of Programs, includes Lorraine Gleeson, Director of Events, Stephen Fellin, Director of Registration, Bruce Rosenblatt, Director of Roundtables, Arlene Coleman, Director of Speaker Acquisition, Kate Goss, Asst. Director of Events, Ken Fontenot, Asst. Director of Registration, and Debbie Flinders, Asst. Director of Speaker Acquisition.

Before COVID-19, the Programs Portfolio worked together to analyze data collected from the member survey that was conducted last fall. Based on that feedback, the enterprising group has been exploring new ideas to involve more members.

“We are imagining a future with a mix of traditional chapter meetings, online, and geographic based gatherings,” Shannon explains. Meanwhile, portfolio volunteers have been busy identifying topics and recruiting speakers to feature via the Chapter’s new webinar technology platform when it is ready for rollout.

The Programs Portfolio welcomes new volunteers to assist on an on-going basis or for one-tie events. Contact Shannon, VP of Programs, for opportunity details.

PMI Portland Need You!

As an all-volunteer-run organization, PMI Portland Chapter is always seeking out those interested in contributing to our events and services. No experience is needed for many positions - simply a passion for giving back! Volunteers earn valuable PDUs toward their continuing PMP certification requirements, and benefit from many exclusive offers including discounts for events and workshops. Contact any of our Portfolio leaders today.

To borrow (and modify) a phrase from John F. Kennedy that is still meaningful today, “Ask not what your Chapter can do for you – ask what you can do for your Chapter”. Join us. Together, we make a difference in people’s lives and to the project management profession.

NOTE: Volunteers are managed through the PMI Volunteer Relationship Management System (VRMS) portal. To search and find an opportunity of interest, you must log in to your PMI account. Once logged on, go to the URL below;

https://vrms.pmi.org/OpportunitySearch/OpportunitySearch

On the VRMS webpage, find the ‘Where would you like to volunteer?’ drop-down menu and select ‘United States. Under the “Chapters/Global Headquarters/GHQ” drop-down menu, select “Portland Chapter” and click on the “Search” button. See image below for details.