Why chose one when you can have it all? Join us for an evening of pupus, drinks, and PDUs brought to you by IIBA Hawaii, TEKsystems, Champagne Collaborations, PMI HI and Berry Dunn. Get ready for a dynamic networking experience where industry leaders and professionals will pose powerful questions at the intersection of business analysis (BA) and project management (PM), and attendees will collaborate to rank the most insightful responses.
This is more than a conversation – it's an exercise designed to spark discussion and foster meaningful connections for our local BA and PM communities in a casual, fun atmosphere.
AGENDA
5:30 PM - Registration, pupus, drinks, networking
6:00 PM - Welcome
6:15 PM - "Stakeholder Rank & Reveal" activity
7:15 PM - Prizes, Dessert, and more networking
8:25 PM - Closing
Prizes
Meet the Speakers:
Felica Thomas, Director, Continuous Improvement - SAT Division
Which metrics best reflect IT's value to the business?
Felicia is a senior operations and transformation leader with a proven record of driving strategic change, operational excellence, and organizational capability across diverse industries, including aviation, consumer goods, defense, and medical devices. Beginning her career as a U.S. Army Military Intelligence Officer, she developed the strategic acumen, operational discipline, and leadership resilience that continue to define her approach.
In the private sector, Felicia has led large-scale transformations, overseen complex manufacturing operations, and directed enterprise functions in Continuous Improvement, Project Management, and Change Management. Passionate about the evolving role of CI in today’s rapidly changing environment, Felicia is particularly excited about integrating AI and digital technologies into process optimization, as well as creating Project Management Centers of Excellence that deliver sustained business value.
With a decade of airlines experience to draw upon, Felicia will support Alaska Airlines as the Director Continuous Improvement, where she focuses on enhancing operational performance, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and enabling sustained competitive advantage.
She currently resides on the island of Oʻahu with her husband, her son (a freshman at Howard University) and two energetic dogs.
Patrick Brown, Technical Recruiter, TEKsystems
What are the top challenges in attracting and retaining IT talent?
Patrick joined TEKsystems this year and specializes in functional applications roles with a focus on Business Analysts and Project Managers. He strives to understand the skills, goals, and interested of his consultants to help them achieve their career objectives. In his free time, Patrick likes to spend as much time outside as he can whether that’s hiking, swimming, running, or going to spending time with his partner, family, and friends.
Robert Hanna, Strategic Planner, Educator, and Technology Executive
$250 billion is expected to be invested in AI in 2025. 70% - 80% of those projects will fail. What are the top reasons these projects will fail?
Robert A. Hanna is an accomplished strategic planner, educator, and technology executive with nearly three decades of experience at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). He currently serves as a lecturer for the Information Technology Management Department at the University of Hawaii's Shidler Graduate Business School, where he has taught MBA and Global Executive MBA courses since 2010.
With an MBA from the University of Southern California (Summa Cum Laude, Beta Gamma Sigma) and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics from Caltech, Robert possesses a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen. His career at JPL spanned from 1996 to 2025, during which he led critical initiatives in project management, strategic planning, and organizational transformation.
Robert's expertise encompasses artificial intelligence applications in project risk management, data analytics for strategic decision-making, and supply chain resilience. He has successfully managed multi-million dollar projects, including the $28 million MONTE navigation software project that became the global standard for spacecraft navigation. His work has earned him numerous prestigious awards, including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and numerous JPL awards.
As an educator, Robert has created innovative courses in project management and strategic decision-making with data analytics, working with students from corporations, governments, and non-profits across multiple continents. He has also lectured at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering and served as a guest editor for IEEE Software.
Ruthie Griffin, Director of Enterprise Architecture & Planning Division, Hawaiian Electric
Which factors most influence IT project success?
Ruthie’s navigated her career from software development and network and infrastructure support into various management and senior leadership positions. She now oversees a portfolio of large critical projects to achieve strategic corporate objectives, ensuring alignment between the business and technology. She also supports corporate investment governance processes and provides consolidated oversight of the overall enterprise performance management including business process analysis, business continuity, data analysis and project and portfolio management.
Why Attend?
- Engage with industry leaders and your peers in a dynamic format
- Explore real-world challenges through curated questions
- Discover which insights rise to the top and why
- This qualifies for 1 Professional Development Unit (PDU) / Continuing Development Unit (CDU)
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