2023 Chapter Leadership Impact Award Recipients

JoAnn Boehm | Trustee, PMI Buffalo, NY Chapter 

JoAnn is an outstanding volunteer who not only has made significant contributions to PMI Buffalo Chapter, but is also very involved in Buffalo SPCA, and Buffalo’s PMBasics outreach. She has held numerous positions within the chapter and beyond, including Region Mentor and PMI Buffalo ChapterTrustee, and has played a vital role in mentoring and guiding new board members. Her involvement with PMBasics has helped spread awareness of project management to over 180 people from nearly 70 local non-profits, demonstrating her dedication to continuing the awareness and importance of project management as a career.

JoAnn's leadership skills were also instrumental in guiding the chapter through a crisis in 2022, helping the board to articulate tough issues and take the necessary actions to move in the right direction. Her engagement with the board and development of personal relationships with almost all the volunteers has been invaluable to the success of the Buffalo Chapter over the last several years.

Cindy Vandersleen | Past Chapter President, PMI Fort Worth Chapter 

Cindy Vandersleen has been an active member of the Fort Worth Chapter of PMI since 2005, serving as a Chapter Leader since 2009. She has held various roles, including Assistant VP of Marketing, Assistant VP of Communication, VP of External Relations, Chapter President, and Chapter Past President. Cindy has been influential in growing the Fort Worth Chapter's membership as well as outreach programs to non-profit organizations, community organizations, and academic entities. In addition to her dedication to the chapter, she has volunteered for the North Texas Future City Competition for at least 10 years as a judge, helping to develop project plan training, templates, and recognition for teams. For several years she participated in chapter academic outreach activities presenting to students from the TCU College of Business and teaching project management concepts to non-profit staff members such as Girl's Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas and The Center for Transforming Life (formerly YWCA). Cindy also volunteered as a Volunteer Project Coach for Girl's Inc. out of her personal commitment to helping community's youth mature and grow. One particularly noteworthy activity Cindy was especially influential in is the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) of North Texas.  Cindy participated in this program by teaching project management to inmates, volunteering monthly as an executive volunteer for business plan competition events, and, in 2020, joining the PEP North Texas Advisory Council. The Fort Worth Chapter of PMI earned the PMIEF Community Advancement Award in 2018 due to Cindy's activities. Her strong communication skills allowed her to be influential in her actions and direction to others while encouraging others to grow in their communication and leadership skills while setting an example of continuous service to chapter leaders, chapter members, and our local community. She proactively identifies, recruits, and mentors chapter members to ensure the legacy of volunteerism. 

Shane Cretacci | Past President, PMI Phoenix Chapter 

PMI Phoenix Chapter was striving under Shane's leadership as Board Chair. At the beginning of his Board Chair term, Shane was covering multiple roles himself due to vacant board member seats, however, he soon effectively identified potential board members who could be appointed and mentored during the year. This led to them running and being elected in the formal elections process, collectively leading to a successful transition into their roles. He helped build a collaborative Board and volunteer group without silos while engaging in the community and with PMI Global. Under Shane's leadership, the chapter successfully launched a robust social good program and partnered to participate in the PMI Xchange events, as well as implemented a virtual platform that enabled the chapter to provide member value during Covid. Shane is committed and dedicated, available to represent PMI and the chapter either informally, in his Board role, or as a speaker. 

Andreas Madjari | PMI Austria Chapter 

For the PMI Austria Chapter, Andreas Madjari is an exemplary volunteer and board member who consistently strives to improve the chapter's ways of working, challenging the status quo while always maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards. He is a motivated and supportive leader, who consistently goes above and beyond his chapter leadership role, guides and motivates chapter volunteers and board members, and influences members and potential members. On numerous occasions Andreas has taken on additional roles beyond his position as Governance VP, concentrating on being people-focused rather than just completing administrative tasks. His expertise in IT project management has been highly beneficial to the chapter's technology advancement, and he has provided guidance in the right direction, thanks to his analytical and structured approach. He has been instrumental in starting the automation of data-driven communications using the Citizen Development method, as well as initiating a new format for monthly online gatherings of project managers during the pandemic called "Online Stammtisch." He has facilitated this format 20 times and motivated new members and volunteers, keeping members engaged and connected to the chapter. Andreas is committed to sharing best practices and experiences within the-community, presenting to different Chapters, at the LIM in Prague and several times during the monthly chapter leaders call.

Takeshi Hayama | President, PMI Japan Chapter 

Dr. Hayama has made significant contributions to PMI Japan Chapter's growth and success. He has implemented various strategies to improve the quality and quantity of services aligned with stakeholders' needs, resulting in membership growth and increased collaboration with PMI HQ and PMI Asia-Pacific team. He has organized several committees or working groups for each strategy and provided effective communication of policies and strategies to directors and volunteer leaders within the chapter.

PMI Japan Chapter has been enhancing its services over the past few years, even during the Corona disaster. These include the PMI Japan Project Management Awards, several communities open to non-members, the Project Management Research Reports, Seminars and workshops for young generations, and several joint events with other organizations, including industry associations, professional associations, and academic societies. PMI Japan Chapter was able to implement these various new services in parallel largely due to the reform of the Chapter's administrative structure and the close collaborative relationship with PMI-AP, which was made possible by Dr. Hayama. The directors belonging to each committee exercised leadership and led the secretariat and member volunteers to take action autonomously. His vast network of contacts has been helpful in realizing the Coalition of Associations for PMI 4.0 in the chapter. Dr. Hayama's leadership skills are based on his experience and knowledge in his business, and he uses servant-style leadership, collaborating with others and providing practical support.

Himadri Sekhar Chowdhury | Marketing Director, PMI Sydney, Australia Chapter

Himadri Sekhar Chowdhury assumed the role of Director of Marketing and Communication when the Chapter required assistance, as it emerged from a challenging period. He undertook the responsibility by actively engaging members and reinstating the Chapter's most valuable communication tool, its monthly newsletter, which had been discontinued during the Chapter's challenging period. Himadri continuously strives to improve himself and fearlessly experiments with new ideas, actively seeks input from PMI Asia Pacific and other Chapters' marketing teams and is receptive to novel concepts. Through his marketing and communication efforts, Himadri has effectively bridged the gap between members and the community, strengthening the Chapter's bond with the Sydney community. 

Tamal Banerjee | Public Relations Director, PMI West Bengal Chapter

Tamal Banerjee has been instrumental in driving strategic initiatives for the PMI West Bengal Chapter, with a focus on outreach programs for the social sector and aligning the chapter's initiatives with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He has conceptualized and curated various programs, including project management learning sessions for youth in remote areas, a mangrove plantation drive, setting up a rural library, and customized project management training for the Jal Jeevan Mission program in Assam. Tamal has also increased the visibility of the PMI and the Chapter by connecting with start-up organizations, facilitating project management awareness sessions for workers, and presenting project management awareness sessions at academic institutions. He has a democratic leadership style and believes in building trusting relationships and empowering team members to help voluntary organizations grow and develop professional skills. 

Maher Aljohani | Senior Vice President for Central Region, PMI Kingdom Saudi Arabia Chapter

Maher Aljohani is recognized for his exceptional leadership style and commitment to building positive relationships with his team members, promoting diversity and inclusivity, and fostering a culture of growth and development. He has helped the PMI Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chapter achieve great success through effective communication, strategic planning, and a commitment to continuous improvement. He has also collaborated with significant corporations and governmental organizations to promote business collaboration, L&D empowerment, and public knowledge of project management. His contributions have led to increased productivity, creativity, and innovation, and strengthened relationships with partners and sponsors of the chapter from the government and corporations. Under his leadership and in close collaboration with other members of the chapter board, several chapter initiatives were organized such as Global Project Management Forum, PMO Summit, Dialogue with Leaders Podcast, and Project Excellence Awards, all these initiatives aim to share best practices and recognize and celebrate excellence in project management. This achievement would not be possible without their dedication, hard work, and support. Together we can! Together we excel!” This message of gratitude highlights the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving success. The success of the chapter in the centra region under his leadership is evident by its increased popularity in the KSA region.

José Sergio Torres | PMI Nuevo Cuyo, Argentina Chapter 

Jose Sergio Torres is a young leader in the project management community and has been a volunteer at the PMI Nuevo Cuyo Argentina Chapter since 2013. He has contributed significantly to the chapter's growth and sustainability, identifying and mentoring new leaders, and leading programs of inclusion and diversity. Jose has held various positions within the chapter, including VP Branch La Rioja (2018) and VP Governance. He also served as Chapter President, during which time the chapter won several awards for outstanding performance and involving a great number of enablements and changemakers in the whole region. 

In addition to his work within the chapter, Jose has been a speaker and staff member at various international and regional congresses and conferences. He founded the Community of Latin American Women Leaders PMI LATAM in 2018 and co-founded the Women's Leadership Mentoring Program PMI Buenos Aires in 2019. Jose's initiatives and projects, such as "Community Women Leaders LATAM," "Young Project Leaders Club," and "MiiCharter, app for project management," have served as great examples for other chapters in the LATAM region. His contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2019 Trainer of the Year Award from Academia Argentina Emprende, and he was a finalist for several PMI LATAM Excellence Awards. Jose's book, "Latin American Women Leaders," is set to launch in 2023. 

Dr. Khalid Ahmad Khan | President, PMI Lahore, Pakistan Chapter 

Dr. Khalid Ahmad Khan is a founding member  of the PMI Lahore, Pakistan chapter, whose personal contribution has been instrumental in its growth and success. He has served as chapter president multiple times and played a key role in establishing it as the largest chapter in Pakistan which has implemented several successful initiatives that have made a positive impact on the community. Dr. Khan's hands-on leadership style, goal-oriented approach, and proactive efforts to seek out partnerships have been key factors in the chapter's success. He has created a culture of collaboration and inclusivity within the chapter, empowering others to take ownership of their roles and pursue new programs with the support of the chapter board. 

Dr. Khan's commitment to promoting project management education and awareness is exceptional. He has conducted lectures at five universities, introducing PMI and its programs to students and encouraging them to become student members and pursue PMI certifications. His efforts have helped to increase the visibility of PMI and its programs within the community and have led to the recruitment of the largest student group to join PMI and the Lahore Chapter as members.  His passion for project management is inspiring, and as an educator he has been  helping students and practitioners alike to develop their project management skills and competencies. 

Ayanda More | Former Vice President, Marketing, PMI South Africa Chapter 

Ayanda More has been a passionate youthquake advocate for changing lives through project management over the past decade. She has been volunteering with PMI South Africa Chapter since 2018, working closely with the President of the chapter in her role. Ayanda demonstrated her tenacity by learning digital marketing skills that were needed by the chapter. With years of experience, she became an expert in the field and was appointed as Vice President of Marketing and team member for the chapter’s premier annual event, the Project Management Summit from 2019 to 2023. Ayanda's job entails supporting the President of PMI South Africa and the chapter leaders by ensuring marketing acts as a guide and leading other portfolios in developing, producing, and fulfilling products or services. Ayanda's achievements include being a speaker at the PMI Africa Conference 2022, attending many conferences and seminars related to her role, and being awarded Advocate and Catalyst for Change 2022, Millennial Leader Award 2022, South Africa's Top 20 Small Business & Entrepreneur, and PMI’s Future 50 honoree in 2021. Ayanda's dedication, accountability, and loyalty to the team have been recognized,  and she has been a significant driving force behind the chapter's success in the past five years.