2024 Professional Development Day

Opening Keynote Presentation

"Designing Perception for Sustainable Action"

 

Every successful sustainability initiative starts with a clear vision—and a shared belief in its value. Yet even the best project plans falter if stakeholders can’t see the relevance, feel the urgency, or trust the process. In this energizing opening keynote, Shira Abel gives project leaders a powerful lens for guiding how sustainability efforts are perceived from the very first conversation. She shows how to connect sustainability objectives to organizational priorities, earn buy-in in minutes, and create alignment that lasts through every project phase. Attendees will leave primed to approach each session of the day with strategies they can immediately apply to their own projects, programs, and portfolios.

 

Closing Keynote Presentation

"The Future We Build Together"

 

In one day, you’ve explored strategies, tools, and ideas to drive sustainable change. Now it’s time to move from planning to execution. In this inspiring wrap-up, Shira Abel ties the conference’s themes to the core principles of project management: stakeholder alignment, risk mitigation, and measurable outcomes. She shows how to carry the energy of the day back to your teams, engage even the toughest stakeholders, and turn sustainability from a stated goal into a managed, trackable initiative. Attendees leave not just inspired but equipped with the mindset and methods to integrate sustainability into every phase of the project lifecycle, from initiation through closing, so progress becomes inevitable.

 

 

 

 

Speaker: Shira Abel, CEO, Hunter & Bard

Shira Abel is a keynote speaker and strategist who helps organizations lead change by guiding how they are perceived. She is the creator of the Perception Formula, a framework that makes the hidden drivers of decision-making visible and actionable. For over 25 years, she has advised companies ranging from high-growth startups to global enterprises, helping them accelerate trust, influence, and growth.

Shira has led marketing for deep tech sustainability products for more than a decade and supported initiatives at Siemens, UL, AXA, and Allianz, where aligning stakeholder perception was critical to success. Her expertise bridges behavioral insights with project management principles such as stakeholder alignment, risk management, and measurable outcomes, making her work directly relevant to leaders driving sustainability projects today.

As the founder of Hunter & Bard, Shira has doubled sales for technology companies, helped brands land enterprise deals once thought out of reach, and driven over a billion dollars in economic impact. She has scaled her own agency to seven-figure revenue, an achievement earned by fewer than two percent of female founders.

In addition to her corporate work, Shira has taught at UC Berkeley’s Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, shaping the next generation of innovators. She holds an MBA from Kellogg and is recognized globally as a keynote speaker and business mentor.

Known for blending data, storytelling, and humor, Shira leaves audiences with practical tools they can apply immediately. Her sessions energize attendees to see challenges differently, strengthen trust, and turn sustainability from aspiration into action.

 

PMIGL Cancellation Policy

ALL CANCELLATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO A 10% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE WITH A $5 MINIMUM FEE. Cancellations MUST be received no later than 12:00 pm on October 13, 2025. Refunds are not available after the cancellation date and time; however, attendee substitutions will be gladly accepted. Please contact Neil Goldman at 248-429-7700 or events@pmiglc.net for additional information or to submit a cancellation/substitution. 

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