Special Interest Forums Joint Open House: “Risk, Resilience, and Reward – Mastering the Unpredictable in the Age of Disruption"

The PMI Atlanta Special Interest Forums Team is excited to announce our 4th Annual JOINT OPEN HOUSE, “Risk, Resilience, and Reward – Mastering the Unpredictable in the Age of Disruption” – an engaging panel discussion and interactive networking event. Due to popular demand for another session, we will continue with this fascinating subject and take a deeper dive into the future of Project Management.

The Special Interest ForumsTeam is comprised of eight industry forums and Toastmasters (Agile, AEC, Governance, Healthcare, Technology, Transportation, Clinical Research and Entertainment). All 8 Forums will join forces to host an engaging panel discussion and interactive networking event, in partnership with our key players (i.e., Recruiters & HR Professionals, Artificial Intelligence experts, DEI & ESG experts and Industry Subject Matter Experts).

Risk is no longer a side conversation — it is the conversation. Across industries, disruption and rapid change are testing project managers like never before. From AEC megaprojects and agile transformations, to clinical research breakthroughs, healthcare innovations, technology advancements and governance regulation challenges — resilience and adaptability have become more essential.

Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are further accelerating this shift, transforming how risks are identified, assessed, and managed. At the same time, recruiters and HR professionals are redefining what it means to be a low-risk, high-value professional, offering insights into career resilience and skills that matter most in 2025 and beyond.

This cross-industry event unites PMI Atlanta’s eight industry forums and Toastmasters with recruiters, AI experts, and industry leaders to deliver a dynamic exchange of ideas and practical strategies regarding: “risk, resiliency and reward” — spanning industries and career stages. Panelists will explore:

• Industry-specific risks and resilience strategies across all forums
• The transformative role of AI and emerging technologies in risk management
• How recruiters view career risk, talent pipelines, and the skills that matter most in 2025 and beyond
• The opportunities hidden in disruption — and how to turn risk into reward

Attendees will leave risk-ready with actionable insights to future-proof their projects, harness technology and AI, and strengthen their careers.

Panelist Biographies

AI Experts:

Oliver Yarbrough, PMP®, is an author, speaker, trainer, and leading expert in project management and growth strategies to raise competitiveness. He combines “hands on”, real world experience with project management fundamentals. Oliver offers fresh insights and encourages his audiences to take action with a captivating, entertaining and down-to earth style. Mr. Yarbrough holds a master’s degree from Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business (MBA program ranked#1 in Entrepreneurship for 30 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report). His professional career includes positions with Fortune 500 companies such as Lucent Technologies, Staples, and Sprint, along with his own successful business ventures. Connect on LinkedIn.

Doug Ware is a distinguished AI community leader and a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP). As the CEO of Elumenotion, he specializes in advanced AI solutions, including AI assistants and chatbots. Doug's deep expertise in Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365, combined with his active contributions to the technical community, underscore his strong relationship with Microsoft. His work translates cutting-edge AI technologies into practical business solutions, continually pushing the boundaries of AI and machine learning. Connect on LinkedIn.

Recruiters:

Dana Neiger is an accomplished HR and talent leader with 20+ years of experience optimizing workforce strategies and fostering inclusive cultures. As Director of Talent Acquisition at Barge Design Solutions, she leverages her rich background, from agency recruitment to in-house HR and entrepreneurial consulting, to attract high-caliber talent across the firm’s national footprint. A co-founder and former CHRO of HIVE Talent Acquisition Firm, Dana is also deeply committed to mentoring and widening access for diverse candidates, as evidenced by her community engagement and ongoing support of her alma mater. Her strategic and people-first approach aligns strongly with Barge’s values of employee empowerment and inclusive growth. Connect on LinkedIn.

Brett Horsley is a Business Solutions Manager, at Ledgent Finance and Accounting, a leading staffing firm located in Atlanta, GA. With over a decade of experience in sales and marketing, Brett has built a reputation as a team-builder, coach/ trainer, mentor, and trusted advisor. Horsley works as a professional consultant. He specializes in identifying talent, and matching candidates with optimal career opportunities. Brett's mission is to make life better, for the people he serves. Connect on LinkedIn.

Subject Matter Experts:

Dr. Anjanette Elligan has been in the pharmaceutical research industry for over 25 years, holding various leadership roles. She is currently a Senior Manager, Site Partnership Lead with BeOne Medicines focusing on strategic site partnerships, relationships and engagements. Dr. Elligan is a proud HBCU graduate from Spelman College with a BA in Psychology. She received her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and her MBA from Beulah Heights University. Personally, Dr. Elligan and her husband Marcel have been married for 22 years as of this past June. She is the mother of a 27-year-old daughter Gabrielle and a 10-year-old son Axl. They reside in the Atlanta suburb of Decatur, Georgia. She enjoys good food, wine, outdoor smooth jazz concerts, traveling and luxury spas. 

Nelson Ingle is a high-performance coach and the founder of Simply Agile, a thriving community of communities where coaches, communities, and jobseekers come together to learn, grow, and lead with purpose. With two decades of experience guiding teams and mentoring emerging leaders, Coach Nelson equips people to navigate uncertainty with clarity and to turn disruption into opportunity.

At the intersection of change, purpose, and agility, Nelson is known for creating collaborative communities that inspire resilience and forward-thinking leadership. Through Simply Agile, he empowers members to move beyond the status quo, embrace change with confidence, and uncover the opportunities hidden within risk.

David Laribee is a change strategist, award-winning developer, and co-founder of Nerd/Noir. For over 25 years, he's transformed digital product and software development groups across banking, retail, technology, insurance, defense, and higher education. David pioneered the dojo approach to immersive learning and helped popularize lean, kanban, and product thinking in agile development. An early adopter of eXtreme Programming and Domain Driven Design, he's a former Microsoft MVP (Solutions Architecture, C#) and co-founded the ALT.NET movement, which spawned dozens of developer user groups around the world. Previously Head of Dojos at Cprime and internal coach to VersionOne's product development teams, David now collaborates with leaders on strategy and aligning product and engineering groups within Fortune 500 and scale-up firms. His upbringing on an Upstate NY farm instilled his lead-from-the-front approach, love of cross-disciplinary teams, and disdain for fake maple syrup.

Cheryl Leaphart is a skilled business professional with over 18 years of leadership experience in education and EdTech. She has extensive expertise in Strategic planning, cross-functional team leadership, and driving operational excellence. She has a proven record of success in launching new business ventures, spearheading a virtual school, and leading cross functional initiatives that span HR, Finance, Marketing, Sales, Operations and Instructional Design. Cheryl is a servant leader who thrives on working at the intersection of people, process, and strategy ensuring that stakeholders remain informed, engaged and aligned throughout execution. She is recognized for delivering consistent value, achieving results on time and within budget and guiding teams through transformation with clarity and purpose. Connect on LinkedIn.

Gray Terry is a retired Business Continuity Officer for North America and a former member of the Data Privacy Compliance Council at Philips Healthcare. His legacy includes pioneering the use of Lean and Agile methodologies to assess and enhance process resiliency in healthcare operations. Though retired from corporate life for about six months, Gray remains deeply engaged in the field as a State of Georgia Registered Arbitrator, specializing in legal disputes involving data breaches in both government and private sectors. He holds a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) credential and continues to advise on data privacy compliance and risk mitigation. Gray is also a Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds an IAPP Certification in privacy, along with a Paralegal Certification from Emory University. His multidisciplinary background and ongoing contributions make him a respected voice in risk management in the Business Continuity and Data Privacy areas. When not involved in arbitration work, Gray enjoys spending time on the golf course and playing pickleball—balancing his sharp professional acumen with an active and vibrant lifestyle. Connect on LinkedIn.

Jim Presmanes is Vice President of Risk Management and Insurance at Havertys, a publicly traded home furnishings retailer. With over 30 years of experience, he oversees the company’s property and casualty insurance programs and leads its enterprise risk management efforts. He holds an MBA in Risk Management and Insurance, an MS in Finance, and a Graduate Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management from Georgia State University, where he was inducted into the RMI (Risk Management & Insurance) Hall of Fame. He also completed a Certificate of Professional Development (CPD) program at The Wharton School. Jim has taught Enterprise Risk Management at Georgia State for 14 years and has lectured at several top universities. He’s a frequent speaker at industry conferences and an active member of RIMS (Risk and Insurance Management Society), and has served on multiple committees and advisory boards.

Date

Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Location

Georgia State University – Student Center East, 55 Gilmer St, Atlanta, GA 30303

Parking

Recommended parking in Deck M (directions and map) 

Please note: A $7 parking discount allowance has been applied to your registration fee.

Fees

Member Registration: $38.00, $30.00 early bird pricing expires October 7th
Non-Member Registration: $48.00, $40.00 early bird pricing expires October 7th

Boxed dinner will be provided.

If you would like to opt out of the boxed meal, please use discount code NOMEAL in registration for an $8 discount.

PDUs

Earn 2 PDUs
Talent Triangle: Power Skills