Our Journey From Strategy to Action

Speakers

Mike Welch has over 20 years’ experience at APA, leading initiatives in leadership development, organizational strategy, and global collaboration. He specializes in aligning people, processes, and strategy to deliver impact for membership organizations.

Laura Barnard, PMP, CAL, Prosci, IES is the Founder and CEO of PMO Strategies and author of The IMPACT Engine: Accelerating Strategy Delivery for PMO and Transformation Leaders. Recognized as the 2021 World PMO Influencer of the Year, she has nearly three decades of experience helping organizations close the strategy-to-execution gap. Laura is also host of the PMO Strategies Podcast and Co-Founder of Project Management for Change, where she champions raising the profile of project management worldwide.

Stuart helps PMO and portfolio leaders build strategy-aligned portfolios and prove ROI. A guest lecturer on project prioritization at the University of Oxford, he speaks widely on killing pet projects, focusing investment on value, and using decision science (AHP) to make clear, defensible choices.
About this webinar
In this session, Mike, Laura, and Stuart take us inside a real transformation journey at the American Planning Association (APA). What began as an organization struggling with too many projects, limited visibility, and no clear system for prioritization has been reshaped into a strategy-driven, impact-focused enterprise.
Through open discussion and storytelling, they explore how aligning projects with strategic goals, introducing prioritization discipline, and building executive buy-in can change not only an organization, but an entire profession. Along the way, you’ll hear how adopting a “strategy delivery office” mindset has improved confidence, created measurable impact, and helped APA lead innovation in planning at a national scale.
If you’ve ever wondered how to move your PMO beyond process policing into true strategy execution, this webinar offers practical lessons, candid reflections, and proof that transformation is possible.