SNEC-PMI Chapter Newsletter

January 2026 | Volume 26 Issue 1

In this Issue

A New Way to Read the SNEC-PMI Chapter Newsletter
Milestones & Momentum
The Latest News from the SNEC-PMO Agilist Outreach Committee
Unlock Project Intelligence with PMI Infinity
Volunteer Spotlight
Relationships: The Secret Super Power of Membership
Mastering the PMI‑CPMAI: Understanding the Iterative AI Project Lifecycle
New Year, New Goals: Become a Chapter Mentor!
Too Good to Go!
Upcoming Events for 2026
Celebrating Our SNEC-PMI Community

A New Way to Read the SNEC-PMI Chapter Newsletter

You may notice that this issue looks a little different. Beginning this month, the SNEC-PMI chapter newsletter is moving from a PDF-only format to an email-first format.

Why the change? Email newsletters are easier to read on all devices, and they allow us to link directly to events, resources, and articles, many of which will now be available to read in full on our website. A PDF version of each issue will also be available in the on our website.

We hope this update makes it easier to stay connected with what’s happening across the chapter. Thank you for being part of the SNEC-PMI community.

Milestones & Momentum

Since our October newsletter, chapter leadership and volunteers have been working hard to align SNEC-PMI with the current needs of members. Here are highlights of recent achievements:

Programs Portfolio Sets 2026 Goals: The six committees in our Programs Portfolio are heading into 2026 with BHAGs—Big Hairy Audacious Goals—developed during October’s strategic planning meeting. Additional volunteer support will help move these initiatives forward. To learn how you can help, contact deborah.ketai@snec-pmi.org.

We’ve Got the Zoomies! In the final three months of 2025, our four online-program committees hosted 13 webinars covering topics such as AI, Agile, project scheduling, and communication skills. If you missed the January events, don’t let February go to waste—check the online calendar and your inbox for upcoming programs.

Agilist Event: The Agilist Outreach Committee is holding a free, in-person event in partnership with Agile Hartford. Registration details will be posted on the Upcoming Events page.

In-Person Networking Events: The In-Person Networking Events Committee is planning an early March event in Meriden, Connecticut. Watch the calendar or your inbox for details.

Stay Connected After Retirement! We’ve launched a new Retiree Committee to help you stay engaged with SNEC-PMI. Share your expertise, mentor emerging professionals, and connect with peers. Interested? Email volunteers@snec-pmi.org to join today!

Higher Ed Outreach Workshops: The Higher Education Outreach Committee returns to Southern Connecticut State University in March with two workshops: Essential Project Management Skills for Non-Project Managers and The Role of Organizational Change Management in Strategic Business Change.

Innovation Spotlight: Kudos to Chris Zack, a longtime SNEC volunteer and Visiting Instructor of Operations and Project Management at the University of Hartford, for innovatively bringing SNEC webinars into the classroom.

Chapter President Attends PMI NA Global Leadership Meeting: Darwyn Azzinaro spent three days in Phoenix, AZ, with PMI chapter leaders from across North America, where he gained insight into upcoming PMI initiatives and best practices.

Marketing Committee Launches Email Newsletter: Welcome to the first edition of our digital newsletter! We’ll continue refining it based on your feedback. Share your thoughts at marketing@snec-pmi.org. Prefer the PDF version? Find it in the newsletter archive on our website.

The Latest News from the SNEC-PMO Agilist Outreach Committee

The SNEC-PMI Agilist Outreach Committee is off and running, and we are here to expand the ways SNEC-PMI supports members who are interested in Agile or hybrid environments.

In recent months we have placed a focus on planning our first in-person event, targeting Spring 2026. Keep an eye out for more details to come!

Unlock Project Intelligence with PMI Infinity

PMI Infinity is AI that speaks project management—and it’s free with your PMI membership.

Powered by leading AI models and grounded in PMI’s global standards, Infinity delivers secure, project-specific guidance you can trust to help you work smarter and faster.

Join our March 6 session to learn more about PMI Infinity, or try it at PMI.org/infinity or through the PMI mobile app to explore this exclusive member benefit today.

Volunteer Spotlight

In this issue, we spotlight two of our AVPs: Antonia Jascowski and Joe Carfagno.

Antonia heads up one of the four satellite committees that produce webinars. And Joe just celebrated 15 years of producing SNEC programs.

Relationships: The Secret Super Power of Membership

Psssst!!! Want to know a secret? The most valuable benefit of your SNEC-PMI membership may be the opportunity to build relationships with other project professionals, especially outside your own organization.

How CPMAI Helps Project Managers Lead AI Projects with Confidence

AI is changing the way organizations work, and project managers are being asked to lead initiatives that move faster and evolve more often than traditional projects. If you want to stay ahead of that curve, you won’t want to miss Leading AI Projects With Confidence on January 27, a practical and engaging session led by Michael Krahn.

Learn More

Become a Chapter Mentor

As we relaunch our Chapter Mentoring Program, we’re inviting members at all career stages to get involved. Serving as a mentor is a flexible, low-pressure way to share experience, offer guidance, and help newer members find their footing while also expanding your own connections across the chapter.

Whether you’re interested in mentoring, learning more about the program, or simply exploring new ways to engage with the community, we’d love to have you be part of it.

Learn More

Too Good to Go!

You know an event is really good when people just don’t want to leave. That’s been the case lately for several SNEC programs.

A perfect example was AI for Project Managers, our panel discussion in Enfield, CT, back in November. Panelists Mike Krahn, Paul Clapis, and Dan Montagna, facilitated by moderator Pratik Dahule, answered questions about everything from AI prototyping to PMI’s CPMAI certification. Several of the attendees contributed their own expertise. The conversation was so engrossing that we had to order a second round of pizza and, finally, to kick ourselves out of the room!

Even Zoom meetings sometimes go into overtime. Joe Carfagno kicked off 2026 with a resume-critique roundtable that continued well past its scheduled cutoff. If you missed it, no worries. It was so popular that we’ll probably schedule another one soon.

Upcoming Events

The Sustainable PM: Managing Work, Energy, and Expectations
Thursday, January 22, 2026
7:45AM to 9:00AM via Zoom
1.0 PDU - Ways of Working

Leading AI Projects With Confidence: What CPMAI Gives Project Managers in Practice
Tuesday, January 27, 2026

6:30PM to 8:00PM via Zoom
1.0 PDU - Ways of Working

Managing Sideways
Friday, February 6, 2026
7:35AM to 8:50AM via Zoom
1.0 PDU - Power Skills

Risk & Risk Management; It is not Scary, It is Strategy

Thursday, February 19, 2026
7:45AM to 9:00AM via Zoom
1.0 PDU - Ways of Working

Exploring PMI Infinity: AI-Powered Project Management in Action

Friday, March 6, 2026

7:35AM to 8:50AM via Zoom
1.0 PDU - Ways of Working

See all Upcoming Events

Welcoming new chapter members and celebrating anniversaries and certifications from October through December 2025.

View Membership Highlights

Do you have an interest in marketing or eye for graphic design? The marketing team is looking for volunteers! Email kate.frank@snec-pmi.org for more information.

SNEC-PMI 2026 Board of Directors

Darwyn Azzinaro • President

Jaidaa Tahoun • Corporate Secretary

Greg Gregonis • Vice President

Rohit Sarde • Treasurer & CFO

Raphael Deh-Atheba • Education

Debora Ketai • Programs

Mona Heredia • Membership & Volunteers

Allan Ram • Marketing & Operations

SNEC-PMI Newsletter Team

Jennifer Katus • Kate Geruntho Frank

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Southern New England Chapter of PMI | 1245 Farmington Avenue #218 | West Hartford, CT 06107