June 15 2026 at 05:00PM
Takeaways from the 2026 PMI Chapter Leaders Region Meeting in Regina South Saskatchewan
In late May, all five members of your PMI Central Indiana Chapter (PMICIC) Board of Directors packed their bags and headed north to Regina, Saskatchewan. Their mission? To represent Central Indiana at the PMI Region 2 & 3 Leadership Conference (R2R3) and bring back the tools, trends, and strategies needed to supercharge our own chapter’s operations.
Alongside project leaders from across North America, board members Kelly Sandstrom, Carol Baker, Adrienne Roman, Rosann Bateman, and Jason "JD" Duigou spent three days immersed in high-level leadership development, interactive workshops, and collaborative networking.
They returned with pages of notes, renewed energy, and a shared vision for the remainder of 2026. Here is a look at their key takeaways and what they mean for you, our valued members and volunteers.
Shifting from "Single Events" to a Value Ecosystem
Rather than looking at chapter events as one-off activities, the board is focusing on building a sustainable value ecosystem.
"By focusing on a connected ecosystem, we can deliver consistent, high-value experiences for our members while making things smoother and more supportive for our amazing volunteers." — Carol Baker
For our members, this means professional development, networking, and mentoring opportunities will feel more connected and intentional. For our volunteers, it means better infrastructure, less friction, and a stronger focus on "collective care" so that leading our chapter remains rewarding and manageable.
Leading with "CARES" & Managing the Future of AI
The conference featured heavy-hitting insights on where the project management profession is going. Adrienne Roman and Rosann Bateman highlighted key sessions that perfectly balanced the human side of leadership with emerging technology:
- From "SCARE" to "CARES" Leadership: Saby Waraich’s opening keynote challenged leaders to pivot toward communication, adaptation, relationships, empowerment, and staying calm under pressure.
- Leading Without Leverage: A powerful session with Sarah Wilson explored how to effectively influence and guide teams when you don't have direct organizational authority--- a crucial skill for every project manager.
- AI Governance: Panel discussions tackled the massive wave of Artificial Intelligence hitting the industry, providing the board with frameworks on how to guide our chapter and members through the future of AI usage and governance within our own chapter.
PMI Central Indiana Leading the Conversation
Our chapter wasn’t just there to learn—we were there to lead. Chapter President Kelly Sandstrom stepped up to the microphone as an official conference speaker, sharing PMICIC’s own experiences and lessons learned with fellow chapter leaders from across the continent.
Kelly noted that whether the topic was volunteer engagement, AI, or chapter operations, there was a genuine spirit of community. She returned with a wealth of fresh ideas to share with our broader leadership team to actively strengthen the local volunteer experience.
Validating the Great Work Already Happening
While the board brought back plenty of new ideas, the conference also served as a proud confirmation of our chapter's current strength.
Jason "JD" Duigou reported back to our chapter directors that the trip put things into perspective: PMI Central Indiana Chapter already has a tremendous number of fantastic initiatives in motion. Seeing how other chapters operate was a brilliant reminder of just how dedicated, talented, and impactful our Central Indiana volunteers truly are.
What’s Next for PMICIC?
We owe a massive thank you to the PMI Regina/South Saskatchewan Chapter for their incredible hospitality as they celebrated their 30th anniversary. They hosted a flawlessly organized event! We were privileged to have attended, learned from our peers, and support PMI-RSSC as they celebrated a significant milestone, their 30th anniversary as a chapter!! Congratulations, PMI Regina/South Saskatchewan!!
Your board members promised to leave this chapter even stronger than they found it. With a highly successful Q1 and Q2 already in the rearview mirror, the momentum is entirely on our side.
Over the coming weeks, the board will continue to break down regional insights with the wider leadership team to roll out refined strategies for Q3 and Q4. Stay tuned, Central Indiana—the best of 2026 is yet to come!
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