Planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives while effectively trading off the triple constraint more often than not requires effective collaboration and teamwork. This month we recognize and applaud such a team for their selfless contributions to the chapter, Meet Your Volunteers – Wendi Kirkham and Chitra Dhayalan.

Wendi is currently serving PMIWDC as the Chair of the 2008 Project Manager of the Year (PMOTY) Award Committee, a part of the 2008 International Project Management Day events. Chitra serves PMIWDC as a key member of the PMOTY committee, responsible for administering data gathering and communications efforts.

Wendi began her career in Chicago, in the banking industry, as a management intern. After successfully completing that program she was promoted to operations manager, where she spent the next five years developing a love for project management via her participation in various projects. As a result she opted to pursue a career in project management and has never regretted her decision.

Chitra began her career in IT in a Telecommunications manufacturing company as a management trainee. In 2005, after almost 15 years of managing systems, teams and projects; Chitra recognized a need to access additional project management information and resources to further her capabilities in the application of project management discipline and thus became interested in PMI. She ultimately earned her PMP credential the same year and has since then emulated the focus and principles of PMI.

Wendi became interested in PMI shortly after becoming a project manager. She joined PMI in Chicago earning her PMP credential in 2004; eventually she became a member of the PMIWDC after relocating to the Washington metropolitan area.  Chitra became interested in PMIWDC three years ago while attending PM Tools presentations and in the end decided that chapter membership was an excellent opportunity to network and learn vicariously through meeting other PM’s.

When not volunteering for PMIWDC Wendi works in the financial services industry, she is currently working for Freddie Mac. Chitra works at the corporate offices of AES Corporation, a global power company.

After approaching a board member at one of the monthly dinner meetings late last year and asking how she could contribute Wendi decided to volunteer--the level of commitment within the membership and the programs that PMIWDC offers impressed her.  Because of her interest in working on projects with an international scope Wendi chose International Project Management Day for her volunteer service; she has been having a wonderful experience since.

In contrast Chitra became interested in volunteering after meeting a few of the PMIWDC Information System Specific Interest Group (ISSIG) members during PMI ISSIG workshops in Washington DC. She applied to volunteer through the PMIWDC website, and based on the time she could commit to volunteering, chose to work with the Project Manager of the Year Award facilitating communication and gathering nominee information using Survey Monkey.  Her experience using Survey Monkey in previous projects was a great fit giving her the opportunity to communicate with exceptional project managers and their key stakeholders; making the volunteer experience worthwhile and hard to beat.

Outside of work and volunteering for the chapter Wendi enjoys writing poetry and non-fiction. She has published two books of poetry and has written a romance novel that she hopes to one day publish (if she can ever stop editing it!). Wendi is also active her church’s singles ministry and a PhD student in Project Management.

In her spare time Chitra designs, makes and sells jewelry. Every year, she loves to experiment with new experiences that she has never dealt with before (e.g. She learned that she loves running and has participated in many races; notable is the Marine Corps marathon in 2006 which she ran for Charity).  Chitra also learns dance as art and is currently pursuing Latin American and Middle Eastern dance forms.  A natural volunteer at heart, Chitra also enjoys volunteering for the chance it gives her to meet and greet people she has never met before; such as volunteering at the Marine Corps marathon and other races as a coach and uses her project management skills coordinating many a parent programs at her children’s school.