Priscilla Bumbaca

Presentation: Certification for Federal Program/Project Managers Panel

Abstract: Join us for a lively discussion of the issues surrounding federal program and project management certification. The position of PMIAA is that certifications alone have not shown a positive impact in the improvement of federal programs. This panel will explore many of the questions revolving around certifications, including types of certifications, experience vs. certifications, and recruitment and retention of program/project managers.
What certifications should be required for federal program and project managers: FAC-P/PM? PMP? DAWIA? Other? How will existing certifications tie into the Program Management Accountability and Improvement Act (PMIAA) implementation? How to influence agencies to provide opportunities for certification? How best to account for differences between program and project management? Also, how do we balance the importance of certifications vs. experience? How to attract program and project managers from outside the federal government to enter federal careers? How do we provide a credential that is transportable between agencies? Should PM certifications be a requirement in federal hiring? What type of learning and development should be considered to expand the skills of PMs beyond certification training? How is the FAC-P/PM-IT certification utilized in federal agencies?

PMI Talent Triangle: Leadership

Biography: Priscilla Bumbaca has been a project management enthusiast and practitioner throughout her nearly 40-year career in the federal government. She began her career in nuclear submarine overhauls, then moved on to construction projects, among others, and is currently at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she is a leader in a project management office for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. She is also a coordinator for the Federal Program and Project Management Community of Practice (FedPM CoP), a multi-agency collaborative group working to improve federal project delivery and efficiency.  She is a certified PMP, and holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Clemson University and a Juris Doctor from George Mason University.