Philadelphia, United States:
Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading association for the project management profession, is shining a light on the talents and ideas of the project community during TED@PMI: Action + Impact, a virtual event on 25-26 September 2020. Open to the public, this free event will celebrate a community of doers and the vision, inspiration and mesmerizing awe of turning big ideas into action.
The TED@PMI Talks were sourced directly from the PMI community. More than 600,000 members and 500 employees, as well as more than 330,000 certification holders in China had the chance to submit their ideas. Through a multi-round process, a team of TED coaches, including TED@PMI Curator Sally Kohn, vetted the entries to find the most compelling stories. From the applicant pool, 12 individuals were selected to go through the TED Talk speaker process, where coaches provide one-on-one storytelling guidance, talk development and public speaking training to sharpen and hone ideas and talks.
During the event, the speakers will take the TED@PMI mainstage across two days, but the event is not just about the Talks. Pre-, during and post-event activities make it possible to build community through experience. Start the event with a total body workout or guided meditation with fellow attendees. Before the TED@PMI mainstage session, learn how to brew the perfect cappuccino and craft the best cocktail to enjoy during the event. Unwind after the mainstage session during the virtual DJ dance parties or by diving deeper into the speakers’ stories during speaker panel discussions. Stay connected with other attendees by creating and exchanging virtual business cards.
“These individuals are not just dedicated to telling their story, they’re dedicated to taking action and making an impact,” said Sunil Prashara, President and CEO of PMI. “It’s people like this – those not afraid to turn an idea into reality – who solve our world’s biggest problems.”
The 12 TED@PMI speakers hail from around the world, representing PMI’s global footprint. From trauma and healing, to communication and community, to project management and social change, these speakers tell their boldest and most inspiring stories.
- Chiwuike Amaechi (Lagos, Nigeria): Storytelling as tradition and transformation that connects us all
- Khulan Batkhuyag (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia): Permanent life-lessons from the nomadic life of Mongolians
- Wale Elegbede (Rochester, N.Y., U.S.): Stop seeing discrimination as “their” problem and see it as “our problem” — all of us
- Kristin Jones (Springfield, Pa., U.S.): How to talk with your kids about sexual assault, without spreading shame
- Betsy Kauffman (Charlotte, N.C., U.S.): My son with autism is really blunt — and we should all be more like him
- Dinae Knox (Chicago, Ill., U.S.): How to turn life’s depleted soil into rich compost
- YeYoon Kim (Singapore): What kindergarteners taught me about the gift of asking for help
- Kathy Mendias (Bonita, Calif., U.S.): The case for crying — a lot
- Billy SamuelMwape (Lusaka, Zambia): What if we saw kids with special needs not as problems, but projects
- Danielle Torley (Destin, Fla., U.S.): One woman’s journey from losing a family member in a fire to… becoming a fire dancer?!?
- Mounina Tounkara (Nice, France): The immigrant experience of racism and confronting outsider/insider bias
- Jess Woods (Tucson, Ariz., U.S.): Avoiding the prickly cactuses of life — literally and figuratively
The TED@PMI partnership is all about identifying thought-leaders and unearthing the best ideas from the project management community. Every year, the TED Institute works with a group of carefully selected organizations like PMI to identify their best inventors, connectors, and creators.
To register for free today or to learn more about the speakers, visit: TED.PMI.org.
