The Line Up

The Evolving Landscape of Project Management in Southwest Virginia

This foundational session will set the stage for our symposium by exploring the remarkable evolution of the project management profession within the Southwest Virginia region. Discover how project management has transformed from an often-overlooked function to a highly sought-after strategic capability, integral to driving innovation and achieving organizational success across diverse industries in our community. Join us to understand the journey of how project professionals have shaped the local landscape and positioned themselves as key enablers of progress and change.

Building Your Project Capital: An Interactive Networking Experience

Forge valuable connections early in the day with this dynamic and interactive networking session designed to expand your professional circle. Understanding that your network is a critical asset, this session will guide you through engaging activities to connect with peers, industry leaders, and potential collaborators. Whether you're an emerging professional or a seasoned expert, you'll have the opportunity to exchange insights, discover new perspectives, and build the social capital essential for navigating today's complex project environments. Continue these enriching conversations throughout the symposium!

From Vision to Value: Strategic Project Selection in a World of Priorities

In today's complex organizational landscape, making the right project choices is paramount to achieving exceptional outcomes. This main panel discussion will bring together leaders from relevant employers across the Roanoke region to share their insights on strategic decision-making. Explore how they navigate competing priorities, select the most impactful projects to advance their organization's mission and vision, and what tools, methodologies, or organizational structures (such as PMOs) they leverage to standardize operations and ensure strategic alignment across various business units. Gain practical wisdom on how to translate strategy into tangible results.

Lunch

Breakout Sessions: Deep Dive into Project Excellence

These focused, one-hour breakout sessions offer the opportunity to delve deeper into specialized topics and practical applications of project management principles. Choose from a range of engaging discussions designed to provide actionable insights, foster peer-to-peer learning, and explore innovative approaches to common project challenges. Engage with experts and colleagues in smaller settings to enhance your understanding and gather new strategies to apply directly to your strategic projects for exceptional outcomes.

Orchestrating Impact: The Art of Large-Scale Regional Projects

Discover the profound impact that expertly managed large-scale events can have on economic development and community growth within a region. This session will feature a compelling narrative of a significant event organized right here in the Roanoke region, showcasing its multi-faceted benefits, from attracting jobs to boosting population growth. The speaker will share an engaging story, drawing out key project management lessons learned that apply to any complex initiative. Learn how meticulous planning, stakeholder engagement, and strategic execution can transform ambitious visions into tangible successes for an entire community.

Closing Keynote: Project Success: High-Level Findings from PMI Project Success Research

What does it truly mean for a project to succeed? And who gets to decide?

Join Sarah Maxwell, PMI Chapter Engagement Supervisor, for an engaging, interactive session that explores groundbreaking new research from PMI—the most comprehensive study ever conducted on the topic of Project Success. With input from nearly 10,000 project stakeholders across 141 countries and 10 industry sectors, this research brings forward a modern, inclusive, and actionable definition of success that reflects today’s dynamic project landscape.

Sarah will also introduce the M.O.R.E. mindset—a new call to action for project professionals to Manage perceptions, Own success, Reassess continuously, and Expand their perspective. Whether you’re a PM, sponsor, executive, or team member, this session will challenge and inspire you to rethink how you define, deliver, and elevate project success.