We are pleased to announce that Nirmayee (Nemo) Dighe, Director of Professional Development Days,  has been selected as the Volunteer of the Quarter (VOQ) for Q1 2026.

2025 Volunteer of the Year

CONGRATULATIONS Vishal Singh for the well deserved win!

Nominees

Daniel Culross

Daniel is a valued member of the Professional Development team who serves as the primary point of contact for event venues and plays a critical role in coordinating logistics. He has built strong, trusted relationships with businesses throughout the Buffalo area, ensuring consistent, smooth collaboration. Daniel expertly manages key details—including scheduling event dates, coordinating menus, and overseeing payment processes—with accuracy and professionalism, while also readily supporting the team with event setup and teardown. His reliability, initiative, and commitment to excellence make him highly deserving of this recognition.

Katie Dieter Vice President of Professional Development

Katie Dieter has played a pivotal role in strengthening PMI Buffalo’s professional development programming through her leadership as Vice President of Professional Development. She consistently delivers high‑quality, engaging learning experiences by effectively coordinating speakers, logistics, and volunteers, resulting in events that are both impactful for attendees and financially successful for the chapter. Katie’s initiative, reliability, and commitment to excellence continue to raise the bar for volunteer leadership. Her efforts have strengthened the chapter’s programming, energized the professional community, and made a lasting and meaningful impact on PMI Buffalo.

Annmarie Nowak and Swati Sonkawade Director of Volunteers and Director of Recruitment

Annmarie and Swati have worked collaboratively to strengthen membership engagement, enhance onboarding experiences, and build meaningful connections across the chapter. Annmarie has demonstrated exceptional commitment through proactive outreach and hands‑on engagement. Swati has been instrumental in advancing recruitment and retention through thoughtful, member‑focused initiatives. Together, their shared vision, innovation, and dedication have fostered a culture of inclusion, engagement, and long‑term sustainability, making them truly deserving of recognition for their outstanding contributions and lasting impact on the chapter.

Vishal Singh Director of Certification Study

Vishal is recognized for stepping into the role of Director of Certification Study and excelling from the outset. He has led the certification study efforts with clarity and purpose, ensuring continuity, quality, and responsiveness throughout the transition. Through his dedication and thoughtful, member‑focused approach, Vishal has played a key role in supporting PMI members as they pursue their certifications—reinforcing confidence in the program and positively enhancing the overall member experience.

Jay VanMarter VP, Membership & Volunteerism

Jay is nominated for his exceptional leadership and initiative in strengthening both processes and relationships across the organization. He has introduced new technologies, including ThoughtSpot and VEP, that have enhanced efficiency and insight. By bringing a more organized and strategic approach, Jay has significantly improved team effectiveness and clarity. Through his forward‑thinking mindset and inclusive leadership style, he consistently inspires others and fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

Please join me in congratulating our VOQ Q4 winners from the Membership Team :

• Annmarie Nowak, Director of Volunteers
• Swati Sonakawade, Director of Recruitment

Annmarie and Swati are being recognized for their strong partnership and outstanding results in individual membership outreach. Together, they led a meaningful push to connect directly with our members - strengthening relationships, increasing engagement, and ensuring more of our community felt seen, valued, and supported.

Special recognition goes to Annmarie for truly going above and beyond. She personally reached out to over 25% of our membership base, took on significant additional outreach, and consistently stepped in wherever help was needed to expand our reach and impact.

We would also like to acknowledge our VOQ nominee:

• Vishal Singh, Director, Certification Training

Thank you, Vishal, for all you do for PMI Buffalo—your leadership has been instrumental in launching and sustaining our study groups and supporting our members’ professional growth.

It is with great excitement that we announce Jasmine Dillon, our outstanding Director of Communications, as PMI Buffalo’s Volunteer of the Quarter for Q3!

Jasmine has significantly elevated our chapter’s visibility through her creative leadership in communications. Her engaging graphics, consistent messaging, and strategic focus on expanding our LinkedIn presence have strengthened both our brand and our community reach. Her work has brought a fresh, professional energy to our communications and set a new standard for member engagement across all channels.

Beyond her impressive contributions, Jasmine’s dedication and collaborative spirit have made a lasting impact on our chapter. We are proud to recognize her and deeply grateful for all she brings to the team.

Please join us in congratulating Jasmine on this well-deserved recognition!

A heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers, and congratulations to all our Volunteer of the Quarter nominees:

• The Membership Team – Emily, Annmarie, and Swati have been instrumental in launching our new Membership Welcome Call series. Their support has elevated how we welcome and engage new members, and they’ve received positive feedback directly from those who’ve joined. The series is now scheduled through 2026, and the team is excited to continue refining the format and exploring new ways to engage our membership.

Congratulations to our Volunteer of the Quarter for Q2 2025 - Pauline McKeown! 

It’s with great excitement that we announce Pauline McKeown, Vice President of Training & Certification, as our Volunteer of the Quarter for Q2!

Pauline has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and a profound commitment to the growth and success of our organization and its members. From advancing education and training initiatives to promoting membership growth and community outreach, her contributions have had a lasting impact.

Two standout moments from this quarter include:

• Key Speaker at the Women in Tech Event: Pauline captivated the audience with her authenticity and expertise, using her platform to elevate women in technology. Her message was both empowering and actionable, leaving a lasting impression on attendees and reinforcing our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• Featured Guest on a Professional Podcast: In a compelling episode focused on PMI Buffalo and her personal journey, Pauline shared her path with honesty and encouragement. Her story resonated deeply with listeners, offering both inspiration and practical guidance for those looking to carve out their own professional journeys.

Beyond these events, Pauline has been instrumental in mentoring emerging professionals, connecting individuals with board members and resources, and enhancing our social media presence with thoughtful, strategic content. Her ability to engage meaningfully with others and foster growth at every level is truly remarkable. And we can’t forget—her sensational fashion sense and kind, genuine nature make her a truly lovely person to work with.

Please join us in congratulating Pauline on this well-deserved recognition. We are truly grateful for all she brings to the team and the community we serve!

As we wind down from our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event, it’s time to recognize those who’ve gone above and beyond for PMI Buffalo. We’re thrilled to announce the winner for Volunteer of the Year — individuals who exemplify dedication, leadership, and service to our chapter.

Nominees:

Kelli Wilson

Kelli is excellent at her role. She has worked extremely hard to increase the numbers of volunteers for PMI Buffalo. She has provided leadership to her own team to be sure that new volunteers are welcomed and introduced to what is needed. Kelli lives up to the professionalism that is expected from PMI Buffalo.

Dan Augustynek

Over the past year, Dan has shown exceptional dedication, compassion, and leadership in his role as Interim President. By taking ont his important position during a crucial time for the chapter in2 023 and throughout 2024, Dan's commitment has been essential in ensuring the chapter's continuity. During his tenure, he served as a reliable source of support for other volunteer leaders. His communications kept chapter leaders engaged and informed. He prepared and facilitated productive board and annual planning meetings that led to actionable outcomes, fostering open dialogue during strategic discussions. He guided volunteer leaders in discussions that enabled effective decision-making. His strong communication skills, kind characters, and collaborative spirit have made an incredible contribution to our chapter's volunteer efforts.

JoAnn Boehm

JoAnn worked very hard to rebuilt our Marketing team. She revived the Ambassador program, beautified and streamlined the newsletter, and brought on a Director of Marketing who now handles product orders and gains sponsorships. In addition to all of that, JoAnn acted as guide to our board through sucessful transition planning since a majority of our board turned over as terms were completed in 2024. JoAnn is an endless resource and has a great passion for the chapter.

2024 Volunteer of the Year: Kelli Wilson!

We’re thrilled to announce Kelli Wilson as our 2024 Volunteer of the Year! As Vice President of Membership & Volunteers, Kelli has made a remarkable impact through her dedication and unwavering focus on what matters most—our members. In 2024, she led a strategic membership drive and introduced a fully automated engagement lifecycle, ensuring that new members felt welcomed, renewals were appreciated, certifications like PMPs were celebrated, and timely renewal reminders were sent. Kelli also spearheaded a refresh of our volunteer hub website, launched our Voice of the Customer survey, and crafted a revised volunteer roadmap that clarified expectations and accelerated onboarding. Her leadership has significantly strengthened both our membership and volunteer experience, and we’re proud to recognize all she has accomplished.

Please join us in congratulating Kelli on this well-deserved honor!

Volunteer of the Quarter (Q1 2025): Jay VanMarter!

We're thrilled to recognize Jay VanMarter, our incredible VP of Membership, as our Volunteer of the Quarter! From day one, Jay brought remarkable energy, organization, and collaboration to every aspect of his work. He delivered insightful analytics to the MarCom team, which greatly improved our data-driven outreach efforts. He also streamlined the membership process, making onboarding smoother and more engaging—something our new volunteers experienced firsthand. One of his most notable achievements was leading the planning of our Annual Volunteer Gala, turning it into a truly memorable event through his thoughtful leadership and attention to detail.

Jay’s dedication, leadership, and team-first spirit have strengthened our chapter in so many ways. Please join us in congratulating him on this well-deserved honor!

Congrats to our Q4 2024 Volunteer of the Quarter Winners Katie Dieter and Tom Wojcik

The duo work together on the Professional Development team and made significant contributions to the success of the Fall Professional Development Days (PDD). Katie took on responsibility for the PDD even before her official term began, with our first joint virtual PDD and achieved a successful, unique, and profitable event. Tom played a crucial role as the point of contact with David Barrett, effectively managing communication and coordination with the Professional Development and Marketing & Communications teams.

A huge hurrah for our Volunteer of the Quarter for Q3 2024: JoAnn Boehm!

Steady, generous, and relentlessly helpful. JoAnn provided ongoing support to the chapter and board, guided incoming VPs through their transitions, and served as a go-to source for clear processes and procedures. The kind of consistency that keeps everything running.

Honorable Mention — Q3: Art Dawn

Art launched our Career Navigator and Certification Roadmap, giving members a practical path to grow skills and confidence. Clear tools, real momentum.

Congratulations to the Spring PDD committee for Q2 2024!

Congratulations to Sue Czyrny, Katie Dieter, JoAnn Boehm, Daniel Culross, Melissa Wallace, and Lou Mott, our Volunteer of the Quarter team for Q2 2024!

Their Spring Professional Development Day (PDD) drew strong turnout, earned high marks for the venue, speaker, and topic, and delivered solid financial results. Thank you for the planning, coordination, day-of execution, and thorough follow-through that made it a win for our community.