Okta

Leading the Developer Velocity project (#1 engineering initiative) to break down our monolith to improve speed for all developers. I also formed and now lead an architecture committee comprised of chief and principal architects, allowing us to promote long term technical excellence and decision making for the organization.

Engineering Principal Technical Program Manager

Edgio

Completed the merger of Yahoo + Limelight to form Edgio which now serves nearly 20% of the world's internet traffic.

Manager, Technical Program Management, CTO Org

Yahoo

Managed, mentored, and led a team of 10 Technical Project Managers. Orchestrated company wide planning events for 22 teams and 142+ engineering/product people across multiple locations and time zones.

Manager, Strategic Programs, Technical Program Management

Built out the global platform at scale and reduced business exposure to disaster scenarios within Yahoo Edgecast. I additionally built and led the innovation labs arm within the company from the ground up, producing unique forward looking projects that have earned patents.

Senior Technical Program Manager, Strategic Programs

Verizon Media

TechOps agile focused role where I led a team of 4 Technical Project Managers within the PMO. My team and I successfully completed agile transformations in operations.

Manager, Technical Project Management Office

Managed the strategic partner and infrastructure program around the world, building infrastructure at the edge of the internet in new and emerging markets.

Sr. Technical Project Manager

Planed and built datacenter infrastructure at the edge of the internet in major cities and markets across the globe to increase performance for end users “eyeballs” of the internet—from streaming video, images, applications, credit card transactions, and more.

Technical Project Manager

Southern California Edison (SCE)

A mix of engineering and project management: I was responsible for executing high voltage multi-million dollar substation projects that provide power for northern LA, eastern LA, and southern Orange counties. Worked with teams of 15-50 stakeholders regularly to complete engineering on 90+ substation projects to date. Work impacted millions of customers within the region. Fun fact: I had a big part in the effort to restore nationwide grid stability after San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station was shut down.

Project Engineer

I write about program management in an effort to challenge what we know about it. My goal is for you to make a bigger impact as a program and project leader. I write a newsletter that breaks down program tactics that you can use (link in bio).

Note: My direct message response time is slow on LinkedIn. Please email me for a faster response.

My work experience (the regular LinkedIn stuff):
12 years of leading infrastructure and software projects at scale. 3 years leading direct reports with the last team being 10 people. I lead organizational process creation, strategic programs, and implementation of right-sized agile frameworks appropriate for the organization's use case (agile as a tool, not a dogma).

Matt McDannel

Andy Kaufman

𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥-𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘒𝘦𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 & 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢, & 𝘈𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼! Most people know me as a keynote speaker, podcast host, and author focused on project management and leadership practices that actually work in the real world.

As President of the Institute for Leadership Excellence & Development Inc., I lead a team that equips professionals at every level with the practical tools to lead people and deliver projects with confidence. From new managers to seasoned executives, we work with organizations around the world to help their people grow, not just in knowledge, but in influence and impact.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of delivering keynotes and workshops to hundreds of thousands of people across six continents. Whether it's a corporate training initiative, an association meeting, or a leadership retreat, our focus is consistent: helping people develop the skills to successfully manage projects and lead teams with confidence.

Along the way, I’ve written three books:
📘 Navigating the Winds of Change: Staying on Course in Business & in Life
📘 Shining the Light on The Secret
📘 How to Organize Your Inbox & Get Rid of E-Mail Clutter

All published by Zurich Press, these resources reflect our belief that practical insights, grounded in values, can lead to lasting change.

I have PMP® and PMI-ACP® certifications, and am a long-time member of the Project Management Institute. I’ve helped thousands earn their certifications, and many more learn how to lead projects, regardless of their title.

One of the great joys of my work is hosting the People and Projects Podcast (🎙️ PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com), a Top 50 All-Time Management Podcast. In each episode, I interview leading voices in business and leadership to bring fresh insights to our global audience. 

👉 Meeting planners, if you're looking for an engaging speaker who brings both insight and energy, visit i-leadonline.com/meeting-planners to start a conversation.

Specialties: KEYWORDS: Project management, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership keynotes, project management training in Chicago and around the world, international keynote speaker, conflict management, risk management, team-building, meeting facilitation, Christian, retrospectives (Post-Mortems, Lessons Learned, Key Learnings)

Host

Succeeding in business often comes down to your ability to lead people and deliver results. Anyone can talk a good game. But at the end of the day you have to deliver. Rarely can you do that on your own, which is why we must excel at leading people.

Welcome to the People and Projects Podcast where we provide interviews and insights to help you lead people and deliver projects. This podcast focuses on the intersection of People and Projects--where work gets done in the real world. 

I have the privilege of helping organizations around the world who want to improve their ability to deliver projects and lead teams. I have worked with people from organizations across industries and cultures, helping them deliver their projects, become more confident leaders, take focused action, and achieve results. 

Join me as I interview leading thinkers and practitioners from around the world on subjects related to project management and leadership. You'll hear from experts such as Adam Grant, Robert Cialdini, Dan Pink, Roger L. Martin, Amy Cuddy, Daniel Shapiro, John Kotter, Jim Kouzes, Michael Bungay Stanier, Jeffrey Pfeffer, Morten T. Hansen, and more.

Podcasts are a great resource to pour into your personal development (and earning PDUs if you hold a project management certification from PMI). And you can't beat the price (free!). You are invited to listen to each episode on your favorite app or on the web (https://PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com). 

Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments!

What if project management is not just a career skill, but a life skill?

Tony Weaver me this in episode 480:

“Project management absolutely changed my life.”

And he meant it literally.

Tony used principles from the PM world to lose more than 100 pounds.
Breaking big goals into smaller steps. Tracking progress. Managing risks. Building routines. Creating accountability.

The same thinking we use for schedules and risk management at work can transform habits, health, and personal growth.

Project management is not only about leading teams and projects at work.
It can help you deliver in any domain with clarity, structure, and intention.

👉👉 How have PM principles helped you outside of work?

Project Management & Leadership Keynote Speaker | Host of the People and Projects Podcast 🎙️ | Helping you lead & deliver projects with confidence | #ProjectManagement #Leadership #PMP

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At some point, another resume tweak is not what will get you hired.

Kayla Quijas joined me in episode 482. Here is what she shared:

“You don’t need a perfect resume to get hired. You need to tell a better story about your experience.”

It is tempting to spend hours adjusting bullet points or rearranging sections.

But opportunities are rarely lost because a resume is imperfect.
They are more often lost because the real strengths behind the experience never come through.

Your story is not just what you have done.
It is how you think, how you solve, how you adapt, and how you help others succeed.

If you are job searching, try this:

Identify a few of the top challenges you have faced over the years. How did you respond, and what did you learn?

That is your story. Build from there.

👉👉 What lessons have you learned about improving your chances of getting an interview and thriving during it?

Our joy at work is rarely only about the task.
It is usually about the people.

In episode 478, Bree Groff shared this:

“Even shoveling tough work can be joyful if you like your co-shovelers.”

My favorite teams over the years got serious work done. We delivered great value despite significant obstacles.

But what I remember most is the people. Teams that laugh together, check in with each other, and genuinely care for each other tend to carry the load with more energy.

Good teams are not just efficient.
They are connected.

👉👉 What is one practice that has helped your team feel more connected during intense work?

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Matt McDannel

Andy Kaufman

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The Battle

Matt McDannel

Andy Kaufman

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Andy Kaufman's LinkedIn Performance

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