1.0 PDU  Power Skills: 0.5    Ways of Working: 0.5  

Presentation

Visible Leadership in the Age of AI: Why Sponsor Presence Still Drives Adoption

As AI becomes part of everyday work, many organizations are discovering that technology can move quickly while people do not. New tools can generate excitement, anxiety, confusion, and resistance all at once. In that environment, sponsor visibility matters more than ever. People need leaders who do more than approve the change. They need leaders who show up, communicate clearly, and build confidence in what comes next.

In this keynote, April Callis-Birchmeier explores why sponsor presence remains one of the most powerful and underused drivers of adoption, especially during AI-related transformation. Attendees will gain a fresh perspective on what employees need from leaders when work is changing rapidly, roles may be shifting, and the future feels both promising and uncertain. This session will help project professionals think differently about executive sponsorship, leadership trust, and the very human side of leading change in a technology-heavy era.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this keynote, participants will be able to:

In an era of AI-driven transformation, sponsor visibility is not a soft skill. It is a project success factor. This keynote gives PMI audiences a fresh, practical perspective on how leadership presence, trust, and communication directly influence adoption when organizations are moving faster than ever.

About the Presenter

April Callis Birchmeier CSP, MCMP, CCMP™, PMP®

Recognized with the 2024 Change Awards – Lifetime award and as one of the Top 30 Global Guru’s in Organizational Culture, April is a Keynote speaker and internationally known organizational change management expert who has implemented change for government, health care, higher education and corporate clients. She served the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP) to develop the global professional standard for all change management practitioner’s worldwide and is CEO of Springboard Consulting, a change management consulting firm which provides change implementation support, and education. April is also an ACMP Qualified Education Provider and provides training and exam preparation for the Certified Change Management Professional examination. As a PMP she provides training for PMI Training and her expertise and experience are evident in certifications such as, PMP® (Project Management Professional), CSP™ (Certified Speaking Professional) and CCMP™’s (Certified Change Management Professional). April is the author of four books including the bestsellers “READY, Set, Change! Simplify and Accelerate Organizational Change” and “READY, Set, CCMP™ Exam Prep Guide and frequently speaks for ACMP, SHRM and PMI events.

Join the Event

Live Streaming Zoom Event

The event starts at 10:00 AM. The virtual room will open 15 minutes prior to event start time. Please register to receive the Zoom link. Note, you may experience technical difficulties joining the meeting if using the Firefox browser; Google Chrome works best.

Registration

Registration closes at 11:55 PM, Oct 02.

IMPORTANT: Due to technical difficulties in the past, we recommend you register early to avoid disappointment. Technical issues are usually resolved by PMI® global within 24 hours. Should you encounter an issue, please contact [email protected] so they can alert PMI®. We thank you in advance for your support.

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