Cathy Luby, PMP
Director 4, Director-At-Large

The Volunteer Committee is pleased to announce Cathy Luby as the PMI Atlanta December Volunteer the Month. Over the past six years, Cathy has held several roles with PMI Atlanta and currently serves as At-Large Director with the organization. Those who work with her describe her service to PMI as a dedicated and generous. Cathy was kind enough to share thoughts about her recent volunteer successes and officially becoming a PMP.

Q. What has been your favorite or most rewarding volunteer experience with PMI Atlanta?

A. There have been so many rewarding experiences since I have been volunteering for PMI Atlanta over the past 6 years. In my Director role, I have had the pleasure of being a mentor to the Marketing, Communications, and Forums teams. Each of these teams are led by amazing volunteer professionals who made my job very easy. They know what they need to do and get it done.

I’d like to thank Karen Jackson, VP of Marketing, Steven Shapiro, VP of Communications and Marcia Trajano, VP of Forums for their service to our Chapter. It’s hard to zero in on one most rewarding experience because there have been so many but one that comes to mind is the relationship building with our academic partners. I was given the opportunity to assist Professor Dick Teters from Kennesaw State University accomplish his vision of introducing his students to real life project management practices. Professor Teters is a proponent of a blended teaching model – a combination of text book learning augmented by real life project management experiences. This was achieved by facilitating a partnership between SITA, a multinational information technology company providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry and Kennesaw State University, Cole Business School. Business professionals, Bruce Weaver and Melvin Clark from SITA volunteered their time by mentoring students though real life project management case studies. Both students and professionals stated that their experience was extremely valuable and the knowledge gained by the students has provided a strong project management foundation to build upon for years to come. This is one example that gives me pleasure of how the PMI Chapter adds value to the project management profession and the local community. Thank you again to Dick, Bruce and Melvin.

Q. How did you become interested in the project management profession?

A. I am convinced that project management has been part of my entire career before it was a household word, and a recognized discipline. In 2006, I finally bit the bullet after managing project managers and a PMO in the telecom industry, and decided to take the PMP exam and passed. To fellow PMPs, that wait time that seemed like an eternity from the time you completed the exam until you were given the results on the spot seemed like a lifetime. The field keeps growing and to me has no boundaries. Project Managers have made their mark in so many industries and are becoming more critical to the success of organizations. In my current position at The Home Depot corporate headquarters, project management is practiced every day across the entire organization.

Q. What leisurely activities do you enjoy? Any little known fact that you’d like to share?

A. For those who know me well, they know that I am a tennis enthusiast. I’ve been playing for a long time and enjoy the sport for its physical activity and social aspects. I am still able to compete in a number of amateur tennis leagues in Atlanta. Besides tennis my 2014 New Years resolution was to become more physically fit and I have kept my resolution by working out in the gym an average of 5 days per week. I am married to the same man, Jim, for 39 ½ years and have two grown children.

In closing, I’d like to share one of my favorite quotes, “Seeking the best in others, we find the best in ourselves”, Author: Unknown