Upcoming Events

Join us as PMI UNY presents Sam Velu: “Beyond the Plan: 30 Years of Project Management — From PM to Value Architect in the PMI:Next Era.”

This session explores how the project management profession has transformed from the plan‑driven world of 1996 to the dynamic, AI‑accelerated landscape of 2026. Velu challenges attendees to confront an uncomfortable truth: AI won’t replace project managers—but it will expose them. The PMs who relied solely on process are feeling the pressure, while those who lead with judgment, influence, and business acumen are thriving.

Learning Objectives

Through data, hiring insights, and real-world examples, Velu breaks down:

1. How the Role Has Evolved

2. The New Hiring Realty

3. The AI Advantage

4. The Credential Roadmap in 2026

5. The Identify Shift for the Modern PM

This will close out chapter business for the year and set our community up for success in 2027!

Evening Agenda

5:15 Doors Open, Cocktail Hour begins

6:00 Begin Serving Dinner

6:30 Chapter Business, Announcements and Feature Presentation

7:30 Q&A, Evening Closeout

About Our Speaker:

Sam Velu is an organizational leader specializing in the design, scaling, and performance management of high‑growth, technology‑driven enterprises. His work sits at the intersection of People strategy, operating discipline, and applied AI, with a focus on strengthening organizational effectiveness, workforce quality, and executional rigor. Sam advises executive teams on the complex challenges that emerge between HR and the business, including organizational design, workforce planning, leadership capability, hiring quality, performance management, and productivity improvement. He is particularly experienced in environments where rapid scaling, technical talent scarcity, and operational risk require disciplined systems and clear decision frameworks. A practitioner of applied AI in the workforce domain, Sam integrates AI into core talent processes to improve hiring signal, reduce fraud and proxy risk, clarify skills and role expectations, build competency and leveling frameworks, enhance people analytics, and automate workflows across recruiting, HR operations, and manager enablement. His approach emphasizes practical adoption, measurable outcomes, and responsible use of emerging technologies. Sam’s background spans the IT staffing and consulting ecosystem as well as enterprise‑side delivery leadership. This combination gives him a grounded, operator‑level understanding of how organizations scale, where execution breaks down, and what it takes to build trust with technical, business, and executive stakeholders. He is engaged in advisory and executive opportunities across Chief People Officer, Head of People, People & Organizational Transformation, and AI Workforce Strategy roles.

About the Venue:

We will be meeting in person at the Marriott Albany at 189 Wolf Road, Albany NY, in the Empire Room. Free parking is available in a dedicated structure. The meeting announcements, presentation, and Q+A will also be broadcast live with ability for interaction for remote guests.