Project Management: Don't Let the Project Manage You!

Project Management: Don't Let the Project Manage You!
Speaker: Heather Smith, M.A., Regions Financial Corp.

As a training professional, you are often called upon to manage projects that may be a part of a large effort or may be a significant rollout for your company/client.  In this presentation, we will share lessons learned and add to your “toolbox” of skills. This presentation is based on the core principles for project management with real-life application and straightforward talk regarding challenges, best practices, etc. We will:

• Discuss the practical application of the project management discipline for training projects
  
• Share a common “language” and discuss how to use it when meeting with project team
  
• Enhance our understanding of the process, steps, and tools specifically applied to training projects
  

Heather Smith is currently the Credit Training Manager for Regions Financial Corporation. She is celebrating her 10^th year at the bank and has had the opportunity to serve as the Manager of Management Development, Training Delivery Manager, and Consumer Services Training Manager prior to credit training. Her first role in the banking field was over 20 years ago as a Teller in Chattanooga, TN where she grew up.

Heather completed her Masters degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Southern Mississippi. There she was first introduced to “project management” when given the opportunity to lead an assessment center project partnering with a local vocational college and a small appliance manufacturing company.

As a training manager at Regions she has managed and participated in many training projects varying in size and has had the great fortune of completing formal training in project management which certainly provided great tools that she will be sharing with you.

Personally, Heather is a wife and mother of two amazing boys, 9 and 16 years old. Each weekend you can find her in some sort of gym or on some field serving as the best cheerleader they have!