The Key to Improving Tech Outcomes: Project Management E33
From managing budgets to meeting deliverables in a timely manner, project managers play a critical role in helping organizations improve outcomes and maintain successful partnerships. So, how can tech companies leverage project management to reimagine how they produce deliverables for their clients?
The December 2022 episode of the Arizona Technology Council’s AZTechCast podcast featured experts including Mary Kirk, principal consultant and lead DEI at Allata; J.T. Moomau, vice president, solutions delivery at Per Scholas; and Joe Pusz, president, The PMO Squad. These leaders joined Karen Nowicki, president and owner of Phoenix Business RadioX, and Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, in discussing how technology companies can utilize project management to better deliver strategic initiatives.
Throughout this hour-long episode, the panel of three experts discussed how they would define project management, how it works at their individual organizations, and the tips they have for technology companies that are hoping to revamp how they manage their projects. Time and time again, each speaker hit on the critical importance of great communication, clear goal setting, keeping the company’s “why” in mind and executing deliverables with excellence.
Per Scholas has been advancing economic mobility and increasing opportunity for more than 25 years. Through rigorous training, professional development, and robust employer connections, the national nonprofit prepares individuals traditionally underrepresented in technology for high-growth careers in the industry. Per Scholas partners with leading employers to build more diverse talent pools, directly connecting graduates to new career opportunities with more than 850 employer partners, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. With campuses in 20 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 17,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology.
Per Scholas Phoenix launched in 2021, with its first cohort of Java Developers graduating in August. In 2022, Per Scholas Phoenix is on track to train 180 diverse technologists in the skills they need to succeed in a variety of tech roles including IT Support, AWS re/Start, Full Stack Java Development, and End User Desktop Support. Per Scholas Phoenix learners have a 100 percent certification rate in industry recognized credentials, and to date, 95 percent of graduates have gone on to full-time employment.
To learn more, visit PerScholas.org and follow them on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
J.T. Moomau joined Per Scholas as Vice President of Solutions Delivery in August 2022. He is a highly Certified Project Management and Business Operations Leader, with more than a decade of experience in the technology industry.
J.T. is proactive, solutions-oriented, and skilled in leading complex initiatives in process improvement and change management to completion in a highly technical environment. He is diligent and data-driven with a demonstrated ability to optimize efficiency and improve service delivery through transformational operations leadership in alignment with organizational objectives. Collaborative and consultative with a growth mindset, J.T. is adept at inspiring confidence and building consensus among high-impact teams.
An active and engaged member of the community, J.T. is passionate about advancing the principles of effective project management and leadership as a University Professor, Project Management Trainer, and sought-after speaker. He is a professor at Fresno Pacific University, teaching courses in Business, Change Management, and Project Management.
J.T. holds his PMP certification and earned a Masters of Science in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University.
Connect with J.T. on LinkedIn.
Allata (pronounced a-ley-ta) is a strategy, architecture and enterprise-level application development company focused on helping clients enhance or scale business opportunities, create efficiencies and automate processes through custom technologies.
We are building a different kind of firm – focused on doing exciting, transformational work for great clients and bringing caring and dedicated people to make our clients goals a reality. Our vision is to build an energized group of talented professionals that can stand strong on their own but work better as a networked team.
We enable business agility at the intersection of people, process, and technology. We provide solutions and expert services to assist businesses to become more nimble, transformative, and disruptive in their respective industries. We define vision, strategy, and value creation models for shaping strategic product designs, managing, and transforming enterprise delivery.
Just as strongly as we care about our clients, we feel that it is important to give back to the community and non-profits that we are passionate about. Every month, Allata donates 2% of our net income to a charitable cause our team believes in.
We live by our mantra:
Family comes first, clients are king, we take great care of our people.
Mary Kirk, a Principal based in Dallas/Fort Worth, contributes to Allata’s strategy practice and co-leads Diversity and Belonging.
As a resourceful and energetic Program Manager, she has a long track record of ensuring projects are delivered at the highest quality, within budget parameters, and effectively managing resources to quickly adapt to fluctuating environments. She is a strong communicator and influencer that strives to provide top-class services by focusing on business process efficiencies while leading projects, teams, and customers with the highest ethical standards.
Mary has expertly led medium to large-scale marketing, commercial, industrial, and technology projects across a wide array of industries including semiconductor, supply chain, automotive, banking, airlines, home warranty, non-profit, and waste management.
In her free time, Mary enjoys listening to music/podcasts, traveling, volunteering, Pickleball, and spending time with her family and friends. Mary has successfully raised two young men; who are now forging their own paths. Mary is a graduate of St. Edwards University with a degree in Business Administration.
Connect with Mary on LinkedIn and follow Allata on Facebook.
The PMO Squad is a full-service Project Management Consulting firm located in Phoenix, AZ. They have been serving clients for a decade deploying the best team in the industry to deliver Agile, Hybrid and Traditional Project Management solutions and resources to clients across the United States.
They serve multiple industries and support clients of all sizes from the local start-up to global Fortune 200 conglomerates. All companies have projects but few companies deliver projects successfully. Their Services include both PMO Consulting and Project Management Consulting, providing Direct Placement and Contract Project Management and Agile Resources, as well as Project Management, PMO and Agile training. Inherit within each of these services is our belief in People over Process and Outcomes over Audits. For us, everything starts with Purpose.
The PMO Squad believes in supporting our Project Management profession, Local Communities, Veterans and those in need. They were winners of the 2022 Small Business Awards, micro category, from the Phoenix Business Journal. They also earned the Platinum Medallion from the US Department of Labor HIRE Vets Program for their work hiring and retaining veterans. They are only 1 of 7 companies to earn this designation in the state of Arizona.
Joe Pusz, PMO Joe is an internationally recognized leader in the Project Management and PMO community. He is a frequent Keynote Speaker, Author, Project Management Innovator and was named the 2022 PMO Influencer of the Year, Americas by the PMO Global Alliance. Joe speaks on topics of Leadership, PMOs, Purpose Driven Mindset, the Project Management Journey, and a variety of other trending Project Management topics.
He is the Founder and President of THE PMO SQUAD, a Phoenix-based PMO and Project Management Consulting firm serving clients across the United States. The PMO Squad was named Winner 2022 Small Business Awards by the Phoenix Business Journal.
Joe is the host of the Project Management Office Hours Radio Show and Podcast providing Project Management Leaders a voice within our community. Now in the 5th season, the show has over 40 million plays and downloads featuring guests from around the world.
Joe is also Co-Founder of VPMMA, the Veteran Project Manager Mentor Alliance which is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization assisting Veterans seeking to transition into civilian Project Management careers. He is the Founder of The PMO Leader global community. The community is the only global e-commerce community for PMO Leaders and teams to share content, gain knowledge, and exchange experiences.
Joe supports our industry having served as a Judge for the Global PMO Awards, participates with the PMI Executive Roundtable on PMOs, and is a long-time member of the Project Management Institute. He has been a PMI Volunteer, Sponsor, and Mentor.
Follow The PMO Squad on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About AZ TechCast
AZ TechCast is dedicated to covering innovation and technology in Arizona and beyond.
Through the art of connected conversation, AZ TechCast’s guests will share their expertise, success stories, news and analysis about the region’s leading startups, companies and emerging technologies, as well as the latest industry trends and critical issues propelling the state’s growing technology ecosystem.
About Your Hosts
Steve Zylstra serves as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, a role he assumed in 2007. He is responsible for strategy, operations, finance and policy development. Zylstra is a vocal spokesman for the value technology can provide in raising social and economic standards in Arizona.
Zylstra serves on numerous councils, committees and boards, was named “Leader of the Year, Technology,” by the Arizona Capitol Times, and “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal. In addition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science in technology from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz.
Zylstra earned a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology from Western Michigan University.
Karen Nowicki is a successful author, speaker and the creator of Deep Impact Leadership™ and SoulMarks Coaching™. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious national Choice Award® for her book and personal development retreat. Karen was crowned the first-ever “Mompreneur of the Year” Award in 2010 for the southwestern states. She was recognized for her leadership, business acumen, and work-life balance.
Karen has been an expert guest on regional TV and radio shows, including Fox Phoenix Morning Show, Sonoran Living, Good Morning Arizona, The Chat Room, and Mid-Day Arizona. She has been a regular contributor to many print and online magazines – publishing articles and blogs for business and education.
In addition to working with private coaching clients, Karen is also the Owner & President of Phoenix Business RadioX. The Business RadioX Network amplifies the voice of business – serving the Fortune 500,000, not just the Fortune 500. Phoenix Business RadioX helps local businesses and professional associations get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, profession, and community.
Of all the experiences Karen has had the privilege of participating in over her vast career, she shares that Phoenix Business RadioX is a pinnacle adventure!
Connect with Karen on LinkedIn and follow Phoenix Business RadioX on Facebook and Instagram.
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bianca Buliga is a trilingual first-generation American of Romanian ethnicity. A marketing professional with experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Bianca currently works as Director, Marketing & Communications for the Arizona Technology Council.
Previously, Bianca worked as Marketing Communications Lead at Proctorio, a learning integrity platform that offers remote proctoring software ensuring exam integrity for learners around the world.
Bianca also worked as Senior Marketing Manager at SEED SPOT, a social impact incubator that educates, accelerates, and invests in impact-driven entrepreneurs creating market-based solutions to social problems. In January of 2020, Bianca was selected as an awardee of the Mandela Washington Reciprocal Exchange Program and traveled to the African island of Mauritius to run entrepreneurship programming for 15 impact-driven ecopreneurs on behalf of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Bianca has also completed comprehensive consulting projects for IBM, ESAN Business School, and the Peruvian government, and interned at the Arizona House of Representatives and U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania.
Bianca earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Northern Arizona University in 2014 and her Master’s degree in Global Affairs and Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in 2017. She is an avid reader, yogi, and world traveler always planning her next trip.
Connect with Bianca on LinkedIn.
About Our Sponsor
The Arizona Technology Council, Arizona’s only statewide organization serving the technology sector, fosters a climate of innovation to enhance technology in Arizona.
A trusted resource in strengthening Arizona’s technology industry, the Council proactively eliminates impediments that companies face, accelerates the entrepreneurial mindset in the state’s expanding innovation ecosystem, and works to create a destination for companies to be, thrive and stay.
Follow Arizona Technology Council on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Kelly Lorenzen, CEO of KLM, is an award-winning entrepreneur with over 15 years of business-ownership experience. She is also a certified project management professional.
