JA Alumni Clubhouse x PMIEF Learning Hour: Project Management in Focus, and Regional Alumni Leadership Opportunities on the Rise

August 6, 2026

The July edition of the JA Alumni Clubhouse brought together alumni from around the world for an engaging and productive virtual session focused on project-management skills and regional alumni-leadership opportunities, especially in JA Africa and JA Asia Pacific.

The session was part of our quarterly PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) Learning Hour, hosted within the broader PMIEF Learning Minute series on Gather, the JA global alumni community (check out previous editions on gatheralumni.org). These blogs and sessions are designed to provide alumni with practical tools and frameworks they can apply to their professional lives and community work.

This edition featured a hands-on training led by a certified PMP trainer, who provided alumni with accessible, real-world applications of project-management principles.

PMIEF Learning Hour: Project Management Basics and Tools

The PMIEF Learning Hour, led by PMP-certified trainer Romy Massaad, began with a structured overview of the basics of project management. Romy delivered a comprehensive walkthrough of core concepts, including:

  • What defines a project versus a program

  • The importance of clearly defining deliverables from the outset

  • Creating agreements and contracts to align expectations

  • Effective scheduling and task breakdown

  • Managing the project lifecycle with clarity and accountability

Alumni learned how these principles can be applied to personal initiatives, professional roles, and alumni-led community projects. Romy also emphasized how adopting a project-management mindset can improve collaboration and sustainability in grassroots work.

This session is part of a broader commitment to integrating PMIEF resources and tools into the JA alumni ecosystem. Alumni interested in deepening their project-management skills are encouraged to explore monthly PMIEF Learning Minutes on Gather and participate actively to be recognized in upcoming sessions.

Celebrating PMIEF Top Performers

During the session, three alumni were recognized for their outstanding engagement with the PMIEF Learning Minute content on Gather:

These alumni were spotlighted for their initiative in posting reflections, sharing insights, and encouraging peers to join the learning journey. All three were officially welcomed into the PMIEF Top Performer family, and will receive dedicated recognition and prizes. If you’re a JA alum who want to be considered for future recognition, we encourage you to join the monthly Learning Minutes and take part in discussions and challenges posted on Gather.

JA Africa: Regional Alumni Board Recruitment Wrap-Up

A portion of the JA Alumni Clubhouse was dedicated to updates from JA Africa. Senanu Adiku, the current regional alumni focal point, announced the opening of the first-ever JA Africa Regional Alumni Board (RAB) during the session. The RAB was designed to bring alumni leaders across the continent into formal advisory and strategic roles.

Following the Clubhouse, recruitment launched and closed successfully, with over 140 qualified applications received from across the region. This overwhelming response reflects the momentum and interest in deepening alumni engagement at the regional level. Thank you to all applicants who took the time to submit. All applicants will be contacted by email in the coming weeks regarding next steps and outcomes. Follow us on social media to meet the incoming regional alumni leaders as they’re announced.

JA Asia Pacific: Regional Recruitment Now Live

The session also featured a special video message from Sheila Ganesan, Regional Director of Communications & Marketing at JA Asia Pacific. Sheila previewed the region’s upcoming alumni board launch and encouraged alumni to stay connected for updates. Since then, the JA Asia Pacific Regional Alumni Board recruitment officially launched on July 27, with five open leadership roles available to alumni across the region. The recruitment process mirrors that of JA Africa and marks another important step in institutionalizing alumni leadership at the regional level. Interested alumni can now apply directly via the application portal, and are encouraged to share the opportunity within your networks.

Rewatch and Stay Connected

📌 Watch the full recording of the session.

📌 PMIEF Learning Minutes: explore and participate.

📌 Learn more about the JA Asia Pacific Regional Alumni Board application and apply.

Stay tuned on Gather and JA social channels for upcoming announcements, training opportunities, and more ways to get involved in shaping the future of our alumni network.

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