Project Management Institute Western Idaho Chapter

Breakout Session Speakers

Ann Smith

Founder, Guide & Grow Consulting

Ann Smith leads Guide & Grow Consulting and brings decades of experience in talent development across technology, manufacturing, services, and non-profit, including work with Micron, Microsoft, and J.R. Simplot.

She helps organizations attract, develop, and retain skilled people through practical leadership development and team training.

Presentation details

Yes We Can: Confidently navigate challenging conversations

Challenging conversations are part of every workplace, yet many of us avoid them—whether it’s delivering tough feedback, addressing conflict, or navigating sensitive topics. This interactive workshop builds the skills and confidence to approach difficult dialogues constructively using a six-step process, practice, and real-world scenarios.

Learning objectives

Recognize common types of challenging conversations and understand why they are often avoided.
Build self-awareness and confidence to initiate and engage in difficult dialogues.
Use a six-step process to navigate challenging conversations with clarity and empathy.
Approach conflicts in ways that strengthen relationships and promote positive outcomes.
Practice key communication skills to foster understanding and collaboration.

Participants leave with a practical guide, actionable strategies, and resources to approach challenging conversations with a “Yes We Can” mindset.

Leanne Downs

Project and change management professional

Leanne Downs blends process improvement, project management, and change management to lead change with clarity and care. She spent 16 years in Medical Imaging before moving into healthcare operations, where she earned her Six Sigma Green Belt.

After completing her MA in Organizational Leadership, Leanne moved into business consulting and middle management—where she discovered her strong organizational skills were a natural fit for project management. She earned her PMP in 2017 and her CCMP (Certified Change Management Professional) through ACMP in 2022.

Prior to joining Boise State University in December, Leanne spent 13 years at Healthwise, Incorporated before its acquisition.

Presentation overview

Leading with clarity in complex systems

This session explores what it means to lead with clarity, humanity, and resilience in complex, volatile systems. Drawing on over four decades of experience across healthcare, operations, project and change management, and consulting, the presentation reframes leadership away from control and guaranteed outcomes toward self-awareness, shared responsibility, and foundation-building behaviors.

Participants will leave with a grounded, practical understanding of how teams can work together to advance institutional and project goals while also supporting personal growth—even when plans change and outcomes are uncertain.

Rebekah Smith

Founder, Unshakable Direction™ • Crisis leadership strategist

Rebekah Smith is the Founder of Unshakable Direction™ and a crisis leadership strategist who equips leaders, teams, and project organizations to think clearly and lead decisively under pressure. She builds crisis communication and decision-making frameworks and facilitates training programs that help project teams restore clarity, strengthen alignment, and reduce friction when conditions rapidly change.

Her background spans crisis response, organizational communication, and high-stakes project environments, giving her a practical understanding of how disruption affects performance and collaboration. Rebekah developed the FOCUS → REFRAME™ System, a repeatable method project leaders use to regain clarity within minutes and guide their teams through uncertainty with confidence.

Known as The Crisis Commander™, she’s recognized for her calm, structured teaching style and her ability to translate pressure dynamics into simple, actionable tools. Rebekah speaks nationally for professional associations and leadership programs and is committed to helping project leaders create stability and maintain momentum under pressure.

Presentation overview

Clarity under pressure: using the FOCUS → REFRAME™ System

When disruption hits a project, clarity—not control—defines success. In this session, Rebekah Smith, The Crisis Commander™, shares the FOCUS → REFRAME™ System to help leaders make clear decisions under pressure, stabilize communication, and turn chaos into progress. Learn how to refocus attention, reframe stress, and realign teams when everything around you is shifting.

Learning objectives

Apply the FOCUS → REFRAME™ System to make clear, confident decisions in high-pressure environments.
Use communication resets to stabilize teams and rebuild alignment during disruption.
Transform reactive behavior into proactive leadership by shifting from control to clarity.

Jeff Jensen

Founder, I Train IT Leaders LLC

Jeff Jensen is the Founder of I Train IT Leaders LLC. An experienced and recognized thought leader across multiple best practice frameworks, Jeff consults and collaborates with organizations to drive strategic alignment, continual improvement, and increased value realization.

Jeff is certified as an ITIL 4 Master, as well as a Certified Process Design Engineer, Business Relationship Management Professional, Project Management Professional, and a Distinguished Toastmaster.

Jeff has worked in the semiconductor manufacturing, retail, engineering, and managed services industries as a Technical Team Leader, PMO Coach and Mentor, Application Support Manager, Process Improvement Architect, Service Management Office Lead, and Customer Success Manager.

Since starting I Train IT Leaders LLC in 2017, Jeff has architected and led digital transformation programs, chaired significant Service Management practice implementations, trained organizations to conduct Value Stream Mapping sessions, and presented at multiple local and international industry conferences.

Presentation overview

Experience Management (XM): how project leaders help increase value realization

Experience Management (XM) has become a primary focus for many organizations looking to differentiate themselves as they work to increase delivery and realization of customer value. New XM guidance and frameworks are emerging to help leaders move beyond transactional, short-term satisfaction toward gathering insights that improve end-to-end employee, stakeholder, and customer experience.

In this presentation, Jeff Jensen provides an overview of key concepts in Experience Management frameworks—along with why and how Project Managers should play a key role in incorporating these principles into successful project execution.

Mike DeLong

President & CEO, Projex Consultants

Mike DeLong is the President & CEO of Projex Consultants, where he leads a team dedicated to helping potato processors like McCain Foods and Taste of Maine Potato Chip Co. grow and optimize their operations through project management, process design, and processing optimization expertise.

Mike’s career spans more than 20 years in the food processing industry, including 10 years at McCain Foods managing capital projects up to $350M USD, before founding Projex in 2022.

His expertise is in project leadership and implementing frameworks that manage the full lifecycle of capital projects while improving operational efficiency. He’s delivered substantial results for clients—including doubling revenue and achieving 20%+ operational cost savings—while keeping project schedules predictable.

Mike is a mechanical engineer, PMP certified since 2012, enjoys world travel with his family, and is an “aspiring” triathlete.

Presentation overview

Operational readiness: turning capital project “success” into business performance

This 30-minute presentation shows how capital project teams can move beyond traditional success metrics to achieve real business performance after startup. Drawing on food manufacturing examples, Mike DeLong shares how embedding operational readiness into design, execution, and commissioning cuts ramp-up time, lowers risk, and helps accelerate ROI.

Learning objectives

Recognize why startup isn’t the finish line and how project success is ultimately measured by business performance.
Understand how an operational readiness planning framework integrates operations early to drive faster, more reliable startups.
Identify key actions during design, execution, and commissioning that reduce ramp-up time and improve ROI.

Nate Amidon

USAF Reserves • Founder & CEO, Form100 Consulting

Nate Amidon is the founder and CEO of Form100 Consulting, a veteran-owned tech consulting firm that applies military leadership principles to modern software organizations. His team has improved technology practices for Fortune 500 companies across manufacturing, aviation, CPG, and defense sectors.

Nate has served over 20 years in the Air Force as a C-17 pilot, with 4,000 flight hours, 800 combat hours, and five Air Medals. His experience leading aircrews and planning large-scale missions shapes Form100’s approach to alignment, clarity, and execution in technology programs.

He holds a management degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an MBA from the University of Nebraska, and multiple industry certifications. Nate lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife and three children, and spends his free time fly fishing or skiing.

Presentation overview

Military alignment principles for stronger technology delivery

Learn how military alignment principles—clear intent, defined roles, disciplined communication, and tight feedback loops—can transform technology delivery. This talk provides a practical, repeatable model for aligning product, engineering, and leadership teams to reduce friction, improve predictability, and execute with confidence.

Learning objectives

Understand military alignment principles.
Learn a practical, repeatable operating model for improving alignment in technology.
Gain actionable tools to strengthen alignment across product, engineering, and leadership teams.

Dr. Pitchiah “Dr. Pitch” Balasubramanian

Assistant Teaching Professor, Arizona State University • PMI member since 1999

Dr. Pitchiah “Dr. Pitch” Balasubramanian is a forward-thinking business technology leader with more than 34 years of cross-industry experience spanning manufacturing, transportation, hospitality, banking, financial services, insurance, and consulting. A proud PMI member since 1999, he serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Arizona State University, Treasurer/CFO (second term) for the PMI Phoenix Chapter, and Board Chair-Elect for the newly formed PMI Arizona Chapter.

He holds multiple professional certifications—including PMP, PgMP, PMO-CP, and ITIL—reflecting deep expertise in project, program, and portfolio management. His volunteer leadership across PMI chapters in Great Lakes, Pittsburgh, Chicagoland, and Phoenix underscores his commitment to advancing the profession and developing strong project leaders.

A dedicated advocate for lifelong learning, Dr. Pitch mentors students in STEM-based robotics programs and supports community growth through education and leadership. A frequent conference speaker, he shares insights on AI and the future of work, sustainable project management, servant leadership, and design thinking—helping professionals lead with purpose and drive meaningful impact.

Presentation overview

Stress to strength: practical tools to lead under pressure without burnout

Pressure is inevitable in project management—but burnout doesn’t have to be. This session explores practical ways to transform stress into strength through emotional agility, boundary setting, and micro-habits for recovery. Attendees will discover how to adapt leadership styles under pressure, prevent compassion fatigue, and sustain team motivation even during turbulent times. Expect tools, real-world application, and a few “aha” moments that reframe how you handle stress.

Learning objectives

Understand the neuroscience of stress and its effects on performance and decision-making.
Learn emotional agility techniques to stay adaptive and grounded under pressure.
Apply practical recovery and workload management strategies to prevent burnout.
Explore methods to foster psychological safety and balance in teams.

Melodie Wilson, EdD, PMP

Senior U.S. Expansion Onboarding Specialist, Micron Technology

Melodie Wilson, EdD, PMP, is a Senior U.S. Expansion Onboarding Specialist at Micron Technology, supporting the company’s extensive U.S. expansion to build memory in America. She volunteers weekly to lead two PMP Certification study groups for more than 100 Micron project managers across North America, Europe, and Asia.

A former PMP boot camp instructor and national Top 10 corporate instructor for New Horizons Training Company, she now designs and facilitates high-impact learning experiences for Micron’s new team members and aspiring PMP candidates.

Dr. Wilson’s unconventional path—from education to large corporate projects—helps her connect rigorous methods with human-centric leadership, enabling Project Managers to extend their influence.

Presentation overview

Influence without authority: human skills AI can’t replace

In functional organizations, Project Managers often lead without formal authority. This session teaches vital human skills AI can’t replace: tactical empathy, labeling, calibrated questions, no-oriented questions, and the “accusation audit” to move stakeholders from resistance to “that’s right.” You’ll gain tools and templates to build trust, influence, and deliver outcomes—together.

Learning objectives

Apply tactical empathy and labeling to de-escalate tension and surface real constraints.
Use no-oriented and calibrated questions to invite safe disagreement and collaborative problem-solving.
Summarize to earn a “that’s right”—and convert it into small, trackable commitments across functions.

Salome Mwangi, PMP

Founder & President, Mwangi’z Inc

Salome Mwangi is the Founder and President of Mwangi’z Inc, where she serves as a speaker, trainer, and cultural broker. Born and raised in Kenya, Salome grew up communicating across three languages and brings that lived experience to her work bridging language and cultural divides for refugee, immigrant, and professional communities.

Salome advocates for intentional cross-cultural living through language interpretation, translation, and training that addresses the beauty and challenges of diverse cultures. Her work helps individuals and teams communicate more effectively—and lead more inclusively—across difference.

A TEDx Boise 2020 speaker, Salome captured the essence of cross-cultural connection in her talk “Being a Cultural Broker,” drawing on decades of multilingual practice and community-centered work.

Presentation overview

Cultural compass: uncovering the heart of belonging

Every person engages the world through a dominant cultural lens—but most of us have never stopped to identify it. This session gives Project Professionals a practical framework to uncover their own cultural lens, gain insight into the lenses others use, and learn how to bring multiple perspectives together in ways that work for everyone. The result: stronger collaboration, reduced friction, and teams where belonging is built intentionally—not left to chance.

Learning objectives

Identify your dominant cultural lens and understand how it shapes the way you engage with your team and stakeholders.
Gain insight into other cultural lenses and recognize how colleagues and community members experience the same environments differently.
Apply practical strategies to bring multiple cultural lenses together in ways that create belonging and strengthen team performance.

PDD 2026 resources

Session slides from PDD 2026

Revisit the thinking, frameworks, and tools our speakers shared on April 10. Click any session below to download the slides shared by that speaker.

Keynote

April Callis-Birchmeier

Bridge the gap: resistance to resilience

From "no" to "that's right"

Download Slides (PDF)

Slides are shared with the permission of each speaker. Thank you to our PDD 2026 speakers for making this day possible.

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