Dean Brandt, a native Pittsburgher currently residing in the East End, is not only a passionate lifelong learner and adventurer but also a seasoned project management professional. Throughout his career, Dean has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering projects that drive real business value. With certifications like PMP and PSM under his belt, he’s proven his ability to navigate complex, fast-paced environments—whether he was leading cutting-edge initiatives at major tech companies or mentoring emerging talent in his leadership role at PMI Pittsburgh.Dean Brandt, a native Pittsburgher currently residing in the East End, is not only a passionate lifelong learner and adventurer but also a seasoned project management professional. Throughout his career, Dean has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering projects that drive real business value. With certifications like PMP and PSM under his belt, he’s proven his ability to navigate complex, fast-paced environments—whether he was leading cutting-edge initiatives at major tech companies or mentoring emerging talent in his leadership role at PMI Pittsburgh.   Dean’s career is a blend of strategic vision and hands-on execution. He’s known for his adaptability and for turning challenges into opportunities. While working on Google Shopping, he excelled in dynamic teams, consistently adapting to rapid changes and harnessing new technologies to streamline processes and deliver results on time and within budget. Outside the boardroom, Dean’s enthusiasm spills into his pursuits. His unexpected foray into board gaming in 2013 led him to organize his annual convention—Splotter Con—and embark on a quest to collect every Splotter Spellen game he can find. When he’s not strategizing over game nights, Dean’s passion for cycling has taken him from cyclocross and road racing to triathlons, including a century-long bike ride in 2023. His first marathon and 50k ultra trail race in 2024 further highlights his dedication to endurance and personal growth.   Balancing his energetic lifestyle, Dean finds calm in meditation after having discovered Sam Harris’s Waking Up app in 2021. A devoted coffee enthusiast—further inspired by a 10-day professional tour in Costa Rica—he turns every cup into a mindful ritual. At home, he cherishes the company of his two rescue Chihuahuas, Luna, and Costello, and treasures the deep family bonds that have grown even stronger following personal challenges in 2023.   Whether he’s steering a high-stakes project, organizing a board game convention, or conquering a century-long ride, Dean Brandt brings curiosity, commitment, and a genuine love for life to everything he does—a quality that shines through both in his professional achievements and his passions.Julianne has been volunteering for over 10 years with PMI Pittsburgh and has done everything from door greeter to being on the Board of Directors. There's no volunteer opportunity too small! Julianne Wolfe is a certified PMP and a seasoned project management professional with roots in analytical chemistry, laboratory management, and criminal forensics. After graduating with a Chemistry degree from The Pennsylvania State University, Julianne focused her early career on analytical chemistry working from bench chemist to various laboratory management positions.  She discovered the tenets of project management while exploring better ways to lead large research projects.  Since then, Julianne has focused on project, program, and portfolio management in scientific research, manufacturing, information technology, and healthcare industries. She has applied her project management skills from small process improvement projects to large-scale, global transformations.  Julianne has become a power skills expert through these experiences and is a passionate leader who helps others hone these skills.  She has been a member and active volunteer of PMI Pittsburgh since 2014.  In her free time, Julianne enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies hiking and boating in the summer. Croque Monsieurs and Avocado Toast.  Psychology Research and Tech.  Cappucino and Drip.     Croque Monsieurs and Avocado Toast.  Psychology Research and Tech.  Cappucino and Drip.     Several members of the PMI Pittsburgh chapter met with chapter leaders for breakfast at Margaux in East Liberty on Friday February 7 for Breakfast with the Board. The nine of us discussed PMP study approaches and topics for future chapter meetings. We also talked about what we can do to help the chapter thrive in our 45th year.     Register for our next events at PittsburghPMI.org  Thursday, Feb 13, 2025 | The Smart Lazy: Achieving More by Doing Less  Wednesday, Feb 19, 2025 | Measuring Project Management Maturity for Performance Excellence  Thursday, Feb 20, 2025 | Failing to Enlist Allies (WiPM)  PMI Pittsburgh kicked off our Breakfast Club today at Panera at Waterworks! Nine members gathered for coffee, good food, and conversations.   Through introductions, we learned about each other's favorite projects and found commonalities in how the most challenging projects along with passion lead to fulfilling project work. Angelique Kim, MA, PMP shared general pitfalls and best practices along the facilitation roadmap from the starting point to preparation leading to outcomes at our destination. The group then engaged in a discussion on the most challenging and best facilitation scenarios and shared tips. It was a wonderful opportunity to gather together in a casual atmosphere and find opportunities for future collaboration. The Breakfast Club will be hosted once a quarter with the next one being held at the McCandless Crossing Panera on Friday, April 25th at 7:30 am ET. We will be alternating between two locations in the North Hills. Be on the lookout for an announcement on our next topic. We look forward to having you join us! Angelique Kim & Celeste Isacco are excited to head this program for 2025 and can't wait for more. Please reach out if you have any feedback, questions or speakers to be featured!  Stephanie has always been a planner/ project manager and her friends can attest to it. Only makes sense she decided to make a career out of it with her passion for marketing.      Stephanie lives in Canonsburg, PA with her Boston Terrier, Vito. She enjoys traveling, going to Broadway musicals, seeing comedies, and cheering on the black & gold (regardless of the team).  Stephanie has been a PMI Pittsburgh member since 2018 after realizing that project management isn't just for engineers. She quickly decided based on her experience as an international conference manager, she could take the CAPM.  In 2018, she passed her CAPM and worked for GNC as a Customer Experience Marketing Program Manager. She did everything from building emails to implementing a multi-million dollar in-store initiative. She decided she was ready to take the PMP and passed it in April 2021.  She moved on to Ansys in July 2022 and created workflows, automation, and project plans using Monday.com for the 200+ member marketing organization. She is currently searching for her next opportunity but is excited to help PMI Pittsburgh's engagement grow through marketing.    On January 8, PMI Pittsburgh gathered project management professionals to kick off the new year with an exciting focus on mentorship. National Mentoring Month set the stage for a dynamic session led by Pete Schramm, author of Pathfinders: Navigating Your Career Map with a Personal Board of Advisors and founder of Lattitude (software for mentorship and career mapping). This wasn’t just another presentation—it was an interactive deep dive into modern mentorship, career mapping, and creating meaningful professional connections (quite fun too). For those who couldn’t join the ~30 of us, here’s a recap of key takeaways, some of the questions and answers that enriched the discussion, and a sneak peek at what’s coming next.Reimagining Mentorship: From One Mentor to Many Traditionally, mentorship programs pair individuals with a single mentor. While this approach works, it doesn’t always address the varied needs of today’s professionals. Pete introduced us to the concept of a Personal Board of Advisors (PBA), which encourages individuals to build a team of mentors, each serving a unique role.   Some key roles outlined included: Buddy: A peer-level guide for tactical support. Champion: A senior advocate who champions your career growth. Functional Mentor: A mentor with deep expertise in your specific field. Cross-Functional Mentor: A mentor from outside your discipline, offering fresh perspectives. Accountability Partner: Someone to keep you focused and on track. Coach: Typically external and paid, offering project-based guidance. Successor: A reverse mentor who learns from and partners with you. By diversifying mentorship through a PBA, professionals gain a well-rounded support system, access to broader insights, and ongoing accountability.   Career Mapping: A Roadmap for Growth Pete also shared a valuable tool to guide mentoring conversations: the 5-dimensional career map. This framework helps professionals outline: Roles & Jobs: Past and current positions and future aspirations. Skills & Tools: The competencies you’ve developed and those you want to grow. Education & Certifications: Training that supports your goals. Accomplishments: Milestones that define your career journey. Fun & Personal Goals: Non-work ambitions that contribute to balance. We worked through the first steps of our own career maps during the session, creating a foundation for more productive mentoring relationships.   Our Questions, Answered During the session, participants asked thoughtful and practical questions about implementing mentorship programs and career mapping. Here are some highlights: Q: How do I start building my personal board of advisors? A: Start small. Identify two to three roles you need most right now, such as a buddy or a functional mentor. Reach out to people in your network who fit those roles and ask for an exploratory conversation. Q: What if I feel unqualified to be a mentor? A: Mentorship doesn’t require a badge or certification. Start by sharing your experiences and lessons learned. Ask questions, and let the relationship grow organically. Q: How do I introduce career mapping into my mentoring conversations? A: Begin with a draft career map that includes your past roles and future aspirations. Share it with your mentor, ask for feedback, and adjust as you go. Remember, career maps evolve over time. Q: What if I don’t have a formal mentorship program at work? A: Use informal conversations to build your board of advisors. Many successful mentorship relationships start with a simple coffee chat or LinkedIn message.   What’s Next for PMI Pittsburgh Mentorship? This session was just the beginning. PMI Pittsburgh is planning exciting new mentorship initiatives for 2025, including updates to our existing mentoring program. Get excited for a more dynamic and tailored approach that incorporates tools like career mapping and personal boards of advisors. Stay tuned for updates in your inbox, as we’ll be rolling out these initiatives in February. Our goal is to help you connect, grow, and thrive in your project management journey.   More Resources to Explore Looking to dive deeper into mentorship? Check out Pete Schramm’s book, Pathfinders, for actionable insights and tools to map your career and build your personal board of advisors: Pathfinders Book. Connect with Pete on LinkedIn for more ideas and updates: Pete Schramm on LinkedIn. Let’s make 2025 a year of growth, connection, and success—for PMI Pittsburgh and all of our members.