The Digital Project Manager

Navigating government grants and funding opportunities can feel like deciphering ancient runes, but for project leaders working in innovation and R&D, cracking that code could be a game-changer. In this episode, Galen chats with Rachel Huang, founder of ClaimKit, about how public and private funding mechanisms can be more accessible—and faster—for startups and innovation projects. Drawing on h...

In a world where AI hype is everywhere, what does meaningful, grounded transformation actually look like? In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Michael Domanic, VP and Head of AI at UserTesting, to unpack how AI is being strategically integrated into core business functions—not just to ride the hype wave, but to unlock measurable value. From demystifying the ROI of AI to cultivating a culture...

Amid the buzz around AI in project management, what’s actually changing on the ground? In this special episode of The Digital Project Manager podcast, producer Becca Banyard steps in as host alongside Tim Fisher, VP of AI at Black & White Zebra, for a live conversation from our "Future of AI in Project Management" event series. They’re joined by Harv Nagra from Scoro to dig into how...

Building AI teammates isn’t a future-state fantasy—it’s already happening. Megan Ratcliff shares how she tackled resource constraints in SaaS marketing by creating a custom AI ecosystem that filled key gaps across content, strategy, and cross-functional alignment. The result? Less time on execution, more space for strategic leadership. This conversation brings grounded insight into how AI can be u...

Project managers are often tasked with delivering “on time and on budget”—but what if that’s not enough? In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Stephen Devaux, a longtime project management theorist and the mind behind techniques like critical path drag and value breakdown structures. Together, they unpack why project leaders need to start managing their work like investors—not just builders—an...

Feeling behind on your agency's data game? Marcel Petitpas, CEO of Parakeeto, joins Galen Low to reframe what it really takes to build profitable, data-driven operations. Hint: it’s not about buying software or pushing for time tracking compliance. Marcel breaks down why starting with metrics, models, and meaning—not tools—is the real shortcut to operational clarity. With real-talk on utiliza...

What if regulation wasn’t a blocker to AI transformation—but a strategic advantage? Galen sits down with Lauren Wallace—former Chief Legal Officer at RadarFirst and a veteran in legal, product, and AI governance—to explore how regulated industries can harness their existing compliance muscle to lead responsibly in the AI era. They get into the practicalities of building privacy-first AI strategies...

Work sometimes triggers our fight‑or‑flight responses—especially in agency life. In this episode, Galen sits down with leadership coach and operations strategist Abigail Jones and project manager/coach Matthew Fox to explore what happens when we ignore the signals our bodies are giving us, and how tapping into our “body intelligence” can help us lead more consciously in a technology‑driven world....

Healthcare is hiring — and not just for clinicians. As digital health systems expand and AI transformation efforts ramp up, there’s a growing demand for technical project professionals who can bring experience from tech, product, and government IT into healthcare environments. But if the opportunities are there, why aren’t more people making the pivot? Galen chats with Rachel M. Keyser — healthcar...

AI is fundamentally reshaping how digital products are conceived, built, and delivered—and the shift isn’t just technical, it’s cultural. Jyothi Nookula, a seasoned AI product leader with experience at companies like Netflix, Meta, Amazon AWS, and Etsy, joins Galen to unpack what makes AI-native products so different from conventional ones, why building them demands new evaluation frameworks, and...

Empathy isn't just a feel-good buzzword; it's infrastructure. In this episode, Galen Low chats with Andrea Goulet, communication systems architect and long-time software entrepreneur, about how empathy can act as a technical tool for collaboration, innovation, and high-performance in the age of AI. Drawing from her experience building a $4M consultancy and translating complex human dynam...

Project delivery leads at agencies and consultancies are being called to do more than just manage timelines and budgets—they’re being tapped to think like business leaders. But how do you actually make that leap from tactical execution to strategic influence? Galen sits down with Mark Orttung (CEO of Projectworks) and Pam Butkowski (SVP of Delivery at Horizontal Digital) to unpack the real shifts...

When AI enters the enterprise, the work isn’t just about the tech—it’s about culture, collaboration, and courage. In this episode, Galen chats with Deborah Ketai, a program and change management leader who helped a Fortune 5 healthcare organization align its people, systems, and culture around AI. Together, they unpack how she built a community of practice that broke down silos, reduced knowledge...

AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare—but it’s not just about smart algorithms or automated diagnoses. It’s about earning trust in high-stakes environments where lives are on the line. Galen sits down with David Doan, Director at Kyndryl and former registered nurse, to explore how delivery leaders can navigate the clinical, technological, and ethical challenges of implementing AI in hea...

The AI hype in project management software is real—but is everyone ready for it? In this episode, Galen sits down with returning guest Olivia Montgomery, Associate Principal Analyst at Capterra, to explore the findings from her 2025 Project Management Software Trends Survey. They unpack the real reasons behind the surge in demand for AI-enhanced PM tools and the foundational work teams need to do...

The entry-level project management job isn’t what it used to be. With AI automating many of the classic coordinator tasks, the ground floor seems to have disappeared—leaving aspiring PMs wondering how to even get started. In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Benjamin Chan, Founder of CLYMB Consulting, to unpack what this shift really means for junior PMs, hiring managers, and the next generat...

Experimenting with AI is exciting—but how do you make the leap from tinkering to transforming agency operations at scale? In this conversation, Galen Low brings together Melissa Morris (Agency Authority), Kelly Vega (VML), and Harv Nagra (Scoro) to talk about how agencies can carve out space for experimentation, align AI use to business goals, and actually implement the good ideas that emerge. The...

When is the right time to hire an AI leader, and what do they actually do once they’re in the door? In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Tim Fisher, VP of AI at Black & White Zebra, to unpack the real-world impact of AI leadership roles. Together they explore the tension between hype and practicality, the mix of skills needed to bridge tech, business, and people, and why AI leadership is...

AI is not eating all the jobs—but the story is more nuanced than the headlines suggest. In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Jim Iyoob (President of ETS Labs, CCO at Etech Global Services) and Manu Dwievedi (AVP at ETS Labs) to cut through the noise around large-scale AI transformation in customer experience. Together, they unpack what’s really happening in call centers worldwide, why AI is m...

How do you know if you’re tracking the right project metrics—or if you’ve been chasing the wrong numbers all along? In this episode, Galen sits down with Lior Gerson, Co-founder & CEO of TargetBoard.ai, to unpack how AI is reshaping KPI management and why aligning metrics with business strategy is the real game-changer. Together, they explore how project leaders can move beyond legacy metrics...

In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Brian Kessman of Lodestar Agency Consulting to tackle a big question: is AI finally the deathblow to billable hours? Brian argues yes—and not because AI “broke” the model, but because it’s exposed just how misaligned hourly billing has always been with the real value agencies deliver. Instead of rewarding efficiency and innovation, time-based pricing incen...

AI is transforming the creative workflow—but not in the ways we first expected. In this conversation with Galen Low, creative and PM leaders Sara Fisher, Sara Doubleday, and Greg Storey talk through the practical and philosophical implications of AI’s growing role in creative work. This isn’t about flashy tools or end-to-end automation. It’s about realigning how teams work, communicate value, and...

Navigating a career in project management today means wrestling with more than just Gantt charts and stakeholder standups—it means making high-stakes decisions about your salary, your specialization, and what brings you meaning at work. In this panel episode, Kelsey Alpaio brings together PM thought leaders Ben Chan, Mackenzie Dysart, and Elizabeth Harrin for a candid conversation on how to design...

When it comes to getting paid what you’re worth, project managers in 2025 are facing a unique challenge: job switching no longer guarantees a big raise, and most PMs are staying put—even if they feel underpaid. So what now? In this episode, Kelsey Alpaio sits down with Mukhtar Kadiri, Pam Butkowski, and Elaina Martinez to talk real strategies for negotiating a raise where you are—with confidence,...

Navigating job interviews as a project manager can feel like walking through a minefield of unpredictable questions. In this episode of The Retro, Kelsey sits down with Kayla Quijas—a senior PM and certified career coach—to unpack how to tackle curveball questions with poise and purpose. From candy bar hypotheticals to high-stakes stakeholder slip-ups, Kayla shares actionable frameworks that help...