2025 - Volunteer Recognition Awards

2025 Volunteer Recognition Awards

We had a great turnout for the Volunteer Appreciation Event held on March 11^th at the Tin Roof Bistro in Manhattan Beach. There was plenty of time for networking and making new friendships, as well as enjoying very fine food and drinks. We recognized and honored ALL our volunteers, and presented some special awards for 2025:

• 3 Individual Awards: Leo Rogers, Phoebe Johnson, John Joyce
• Charlie Lopinsky Award: Yang Ong
• Team Award: Chapter of the Year Planning Committee

Volunteer Recognition Awards 2025

At the end of each year, we hold a celebration to thank all our volunteers for their service to the LA Chapter (it was a little delayed this time). We also give out awards to honor individuals and teams that have made a significant positive impact on the Chapter. This year the awards go to: 

Individual Volunteer Award: Leo Rogers

Leo Rogers began volunteering in 2024 and quickly established himself as a committed and impactful leader.  He stepped up as Director of the Mentorship Program - stabilized and improved the program, and ensured the next incumbent was empowered to take over the role and continue the success of this sustainable program.
Leo took on greater responsibility serving as the AVP of Career Development, and later as VP when the role became vacant, which provided continuity and minimized disruption. Leo acted with ownership and accountability; he removed barriers and strengthened the team, keeping volunteers and participants engaged and informed. His leadership, stability and commitment to developing others have made a positive and lasting impact on the chapter’s career development portfolio.
Congratulations Leo and thank you for going above and beyond to support the Chapter!

Individual Volunteer Award: Phoebe Johnson

Phoebe Jane Johnson stepped into the VP of Programs role in 2024. She brought fresh ideas, explored new speakers, formats and topics. Her programs calendar includes high quality events that support professional growth for members and serve diverse needs.
In addition, Phoebe stepped up to lead PMI-LA Chapter’s Professional Development Day (PDD) at short notice in 2025, and ensured the event continued without disruption. This involved coordinating planning, logistics, cross-team collaboration and stakeholder management.  Her leadership brought volunteers together around a shared purpose and inspired others to approach challenges with creativity and confidence – and the chapter successfully delivered one of its largest annual programs.
Congratulations Phoebe and thank you for going above and beyond to support the Chapter!

Individual Volunteer Award: John Joyce

John Joyce took over as Director of the Book Club and elevated it into a regular event at the PMI-LA chapter. He has intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning and creates an accessible and welcoming environment. He regularly leverages breakout sessions and innovative facilitation methods to maximize participation. John actively listens to member feedback, gathers inputs and applies those recommendations. He has developed multiple ways to engage participants, which has increased attendance at the club. John not only embodies PMI’s Culture Values, but he also exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism through his leadership and passion for building a stronger PMI-LA community.
Congratulations John and thank you for going above and beyond to support the Chapter!

Charlie Lopinsky Volunteer of the Year: Yang Ong

Yang Ong developed from scratch the inaugural PMI-LA Project Management Case Challenge.  This was a massive 18-week summer initiative that bridged the gap between academic theory and professional practice. He came up with the idea, also the case study (leveraged AI, where necessary) and then promoted it across 4 college campuses with over 200 participants. There were 12 final teams that submitted presentations. Yang provided the criteria for judging, compiled the results, and winners were honored at the PDD day (because of this USC has started a student club). Yang did an incredible job of bringing a new idea to the chapter that is repeatable and will continue to build momentum in the Academic Outreach space (which is a key focus area for PMI).
In addition, he authored a comprehensive report, which documents the entire process, all  deliverables, and a roadmap for future improvements. The LA Chapter President shared this with PMI, and it is being incorporated into a global collection of success stories and best practices to inspire chapters worldwide. This Case Challenge now serves as the official template for this year's LA Climate Week Innovation Challenge.
Yang is innovative, a team player, and he is a leader who sets the standard for what it means to 'Aim Higher' - his contributions to the LA chapter exemplify the spirit of the Charlie Lopinsky Award.
Congratulations Yang and thank you for going above and beyond to support the Chapter!

 

Team Volunteer Award: Chapter of the Year Planning Committee 

Meeta Autrey, Svetlana Averbukh, Ajay Bengali, Barb Cooke, Deby Covey, Michelle Covey, David Doan, Steve Marlin, Beth Sassoon, Angelica Tolentino

PMI-LA was honored to win Chapter of the Year in 2024! And decided a chapter celebration was in order. The team decided to combine an elegant dinner with a murder mystery theme on board the Queen Mary in June 2025. The Planning Committee began in February – they managed scheduling, change management, milestones, execution, (lessons learned), and came in just under budget.  There were 2 sponsors and over 100 paid attendees. They invited local sister chapters, welcomed many new members, and honored our current members (member growth spiked at this time). It was a phenomenal event, and a great time was had by all.
Congratulations to the team and thanks to all of you for going above and beyond and making this another historic year for the LA Chapter!

 

Thanks to the Awards Committee: Svetlana Averbukh, AJ Jafari, and Kay Rathfelder.

Thanks also to the Membership Team for organizing the volunteer event - led by Barb Cooke, Trustee & Director of Volunteers, and Danielle Benson, VP of Membership.

And thanks to ALL our volunteers! We couldn’t do this without you, and we look forward to seeing you at more events in 2026.