Organizations continue to invest millions in change initiatives with failure rates estimated at 70%. The main reason for this dismal record is that most popular change management frameworks make the same mistake: turning emergence into prescription and optimizing plans for getting management approval rather than for maximizing learning.

In this session you will:

1. Learn about the foundational misunderstanding that has distorted modern change management, including Kotter’s 8 steps and the ADKAR framework: a failure to understand the “action research” approach of Kurt Lewin (the “grandfather of change management”).
2. See concrete examples contrasting top-down implementation vs. emergent, learning-based approaches to change management
3. Find out how to redirect your change management activities toward learning instead of control
4. Identify what you can stop doing and how to redirect that energy toward a change management process that actually works

About the Speaker

Cristin Hernandez is an operations leader specializing in human-centric organizational change. She has over 15 years of experience in tech, including work in customer support, implementation, product management, and operations. That broad experience, together with her study of agile and change management frameworks, have given her a clear-eyed view of why ambitious transformations so often fail. Cristin is currently at Penn State, researching the gap between what the science of change management says and what the industry buys and sells.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

Agile thrives on collaboration, creativity, and adaptability. But too often we assume that everyone thinks, communicates, and processes information in the same way. This unspoken “one-size-fits-all” approach can unintentionally leave neurodiverse team members—those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, sensory sensitivities, and other cognitive differences—struggling to fully participate, or worse, excluded.

But you can flip the script. In this session, we’ll explore how to bring neurodiversity-aware practices into Agile environments without adding complexity or slowing down delivery. Drawing from real-world coaching experiences, we’ll share a practical toolkit that includes sensory-aware meeting checklists, inclusive backlog refinement methods, visual collaboration artifacts, and communication preference templates. You’ll leave with immediately applicable strategies to make Agile events more inclusive and your teams more effective.

About the Speaker

Lisa Maxwell is Director of the ITS Agile Coaching Office at Fresenius Medical Care, supporting IT and business stakeholders, leaders, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and team members. She is a results-driven Agile Coach with deep experience as a Certified Scrum Master, Technical Project Manager, and SAFe Agilist. She brings a proven track record in problem-solving, servant leadership, and end-to-end delivery across both Agile and traditional waterfall environments.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

We apologize for any inconvenience. Please consider registering for our March 5 meeting “Every Brain Belongs: Leveraging Neurodiversity for Better Agile Outcomes,” presented by Lisa Maxwell.

The Digital Supply Chain (DSC) Framework offers organizations a strategic roadmap to modernize supply chains by integrating advanced technologies and data-driven processes. This session will explore how companies can balance strategy, technology, processes, and organizational needs to achieve sustainable transformation. Attendees will gain insights into the framework’s three pillars:

• Technology as the digital backbone
• Processes as the operational engine
• People as the transformation catalysts

You will also learn common pitfalls to avoid and walk away with a practical, holistic approach to supply chain digitalization.

About the Speaker

Chandra Reddy is a digital transformation leader with more than 20 years experience helping Fortune 500 enterprises in manufacturing, healthcare, and life sciences modernize operations. As part of SAP’s Center of Excellence, she has guided global clients in leveraging next-generation ERP, AI, and intelligent technologies to build resilient, future-ready supply chains. A recognized thought leader, Chandra bridges strategy, technology, and execution to deliver measurable business impact.

In this session, career development expert Kolby Goodman will help you create a roadmap to move from “job doer” to recognized problem solver. Drawing on his work with professionals in agile environments, Kolby will show you how to:

• Reframe your day around impact rather than activity
• Shift from reactive work to proactive problem prevention
• Make your wins visible
• Speak about outcomes in language that resonates with leaders

You will leave with practical techniques, conversation scripts, and weekly habits you can bring back to your agile teams to improve how they communicate value to stakeholders and sponsors.

About the Speaker

Kolby Goodman is the founder of the personal consulting and training firm The Job Huntr. He has delivered programs in career advancement and job satisfaction since 2013. His clients have landed amazing jobs at the nation’s top companies: Apple, Google, Amazon, Tesla, Workday, Salesforce, Qualcomm, Intuit, and ResMed, among others. He’s provided tailored workshops in partnership with Panasonic, Starwood Hospitality Group, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, universities and schools, national professional organizations, and nonprofits. Attendees of Kolby’s sessions have described them as “transformative,” with comments such as “Enabled (me) to assert myself in my work and career” and “(helped me) fall in love with those problems I’ve been great at solving.” You can find out more about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kolbygoodman/.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

But no one has to work that way. In this session you will learn how to use project and product risks to harness true agility in a way that works with your corporate culture.

About the Speaker
Johanna Rothman, the “Pragmatic Manager,” offers frank, practical advice that you can immediately apply to your product development challenges. She helps leaders and teams see their current reality and explore options for what and how to change. The results? Leaders and teams learn to collaborate and focus on outcomes that matter. Her clients and readers appreciate her trademark practicality and humor.

Johanna presents at major Agile conferences and has been a frequent (highly rated) speaker at Agile New England meetings. You can explore her books (20 and counting!) and writing at jrothman.com and createadaptablelife.com.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

In this session, we’ll explore how inclusive thinking and design choices that prioritize “accessibility for all” can work with Agile practices to do the right thing and deliver powerful market advantages. Drawing inspiration from the AT&T Empathy Lab and other real-world examples, we will see how agility, empathy, and inclusion often produce customer delight and loyalty that create a competitive edge.

You’ll learn how to embed inclusion into Agile delivery using personas, edge-case scenarios, and hands-on empathy exercises. The session will blend interactive demos, short videos, and mobile accessibility walkthroughs that turn abstract principles into tangible experiences. Whether you’re a designer, developer, executive, or consultant, you’ll leave with practical strategies to build inclusive products that resonate with everyone.

About the Speaker

Sunil Kumar Suvvari is a strategic technology leader, accessibility advocate, and Agile consultant. He has over 15 years experience working in the enterprise, academic, and nonprofit sectors. He has led large-scale Agile transformations, designed inclusive delivery frameworks, and championed universal design in digital and physical products. Sunil was honored with the 2025 Global Leader in Tech for Good Award for his contributions to accessibility, inclusion, and universal design. He has delivered keynote speeches and expert talks at IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), PMI (Project Management Institute), and ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) international conferences, served as a judge and evaluator for major innovation and leadership awards worldwide, and mentored hundreds of Agile practitioners across 18 countries.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our August 2025, keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

In this session, we will explore what is changing, what is at risk, and what product managers, engineers, and designers need to do next. You will leave with clear, concrete steps to rethink your role, realign with what matters, and continue delivering in a rapidly changing environment.

About the Speaker

Jessica S. Hall, Chief Growth Officer at OpsCanvas, is an AI strategist and leadership coach. A TEDx speaker and co-author of The Product Mindset, Jess is known for her creativity, storytelling, and warm candor. She has deep experience building product portfolios, transforming organizations, and scaling globally. She coaches leaders on how to create alignment and momentum, especially as AI reshapes how we build and work. Jess writes about AI, product strategy, and storytelling at hallwaystudio.com and speaks regularly to teams navigating growth, complexity, and change.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our August 2025, keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

Enter General William Tunner. Through revolutionary systems thinking and operational innovation, he created a supply chain so efficient that planes landed in Berlin every 30 seconds. This “impossible” mission became unstoppable.

In today’s world of supply chain disruptions, climate disasters, geopolitical tensions, and logistical nightmares, what can leaders learn from history’s most audacious supply chain triumph? The Berlin Airlift offers timeless lessons in:

• Crisis leadership, collaboration, and communication
• Breaking down silos during organizational crises
• Rapid, innovative responses to continually developing conditions
• Supply chain resilience under extreme constraints
• Innovation when conventional solutions fail

Join Jim Benvie as he reveals actionable leadership lessons from a 75-year old crisis that remains startlingly relevant to today’s challenges.

About the Speaker

Jim Benvie, “The History PM,” transforms historical insights and critical thinking into powerful leadership tools. With more than 40 years experience managing global, multi-million dollar projects, he’s known for thought-provoking presentations on history and leadership. A PMP for over 20 years, former PMI Houston board member, and Distinguished Toastmaster, It has been said that Jim “should be on the History Channel.” His talks challenge assumptions and offer practical lessons from history’s pivotal moments.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our August 2025, keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

We will explore how waterfall (fixed scope), Agile (iterative scope), and hybrid models apply different approaches to scope management and how these affect delivery success and stakeholder satisfaction. We will go through various real world scenarios and case studies on these models. Explore how AI tools can enhance scope definition, control, and change management to reduce risks and increase success rates. You will learn about practical tools and techniques and common challenges associated with each approach, and leave with the confidence and tools to tame scope in any project environment.

About the Speaker

Archana Choudhary, a seasoned IT banking professional with 19 years experience, serves as Vice President in Deutsche Bank’s IT Infrastructure Team. She has spearheaded the adoption of robust Agile methodologies and continuous integration, designed and implemented Agile processes tailored to meet the demands of unique business environments, and championed innovative productivity and quality enhancements across multiple products. Archana was honored with the 2025 Titan Women in Business Gold Award and is a judge at PMO Global Awards at the Product Management Institute (PMI) and Globee Technology Awards.

Agile New England’s Monthly Keynote Speaker is Virtual!

Please note our August 2025, keynote will be fully virtual with no in-person meeting. The new timeline follows:

5:30 – 6:30 pm ET – Agile 101 breakout with Garry Miller (or network in main Zoom session)

6:30 – 8:00 pm ET – Keynote Speaker, followed by announcements and free-form networking

About the Speaker

Rama Nandiwada Chivakula is a visionary product leader and former tech entrepreneur. She has launched over 20 scalable SaaS web and mobile products from concept across diverse industries. Rama brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective based on hands-on experience in every phase of the product life cycle, degrees in accounting, statistics, and computer science, and an MBA in Entrepreneurship and HR from Babson. A conscious and values-driven leader, she blends data-driven strategy, cross-functional leadership, people-first culture, and deep technical insight to drive innovation and deliver meaningful impact. An early AI adopter, she has coached global Scrum teams and helped organizations boost productivity and accelerate digital transformation.