Ready to Thrive: The Stories Told, The Futures Built
As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Project Management Institute – Ottawa Valley Chapter (PMI OVOC), we are proud to host the inaugural Project Management Symposium in Kingston, Ontario in partnership with the Kingston Branch. This milestone event recognizes four decades of leadership, innovation, and resilience – while embracing the vibrant and uniquely collaborative project management ecosystem that defines Kingston today.
“The Stories Told, The Futures Built” invites project professionals, thought leaders, industry partners, and public sector changemakers to reflect on the journeys that have shaped us, and the strategic foresight required to navigate what lies ahead.
This symposium explores how storytelling, lived experience, and data converge to inform agile leadership, inclusive planning, and bold execution. From addressing uncertainty to advancing industry collaboration, this gathering challenges us to turn insight into action and projects into policy, partnerships, and progress.
Together, we’ll honour the past with clarity, tackle today’s complex problems with confidence, and build futures that are resilient, connected, and impactful.
Join us this October in Kingston as we celebrate 40 years of delivering value through projects, honouring the legacy of leadership, and building a roadmap for the next generation of project managers.
Join and hear from our Keynote Speaker
Every great event has a defining moment, and ours begins with the keynote. To celebrate our inaugural event and Project Management OVOC’s 40th anniversary, this year’s keynote will set the tone for a day of insight, connection, and inspiration, offering a personal perspective on the challenges we face and the opportunities ahead in project management. With stories that resonate and ideas that spark action, our keynote speaker will challenge us to see our projects, and our roles – in a new light.
Every project has a story, and every story shapes the future. Our four session streams bring together diverse voices and experiences, giving you the tools, insights, and inspiration to lead projects with confidence and vision.
Kathryn Wood, President and CEO of Pivotal Momentum Inc.
Kathryn Wood is an accomplished strategist, project leader, and communicator with over four decades of experience guiding organizations through transformational change. As President and CEO of Pivotal Momentum Inc., she helps businesses, institutions, and governments adapt to seismic shifts in markets, business model, customer expectations and technology.
Join Kathy present Lessons from the Field: Stories that Shape How We Lead Projects!
In project management, many of the best practices we rely on today were not born in a classroom, they were forged through lived experience. In this keynote, Kathryn Wood draws on a career leading high-profile projects across sectors to share powerful stories of navigating complex challenges, seizing opportunities, and learning what works (and what doesn’t) when the stakes are high.
Whether you are a seasoned project manager or new to the field, this session dives into how project managers are essential to drive project success – by adapting the way we work to fit the moment, leading with empathy, influence and accountability, all the while moving steadily toward the strategic destination. These lived experiences will provide thought-provoking ideas about what project management will be like in the next five years.
Designed for project professionals at all career stages, this session will resonate with newer PMPs seeking practical insight and with senior leaders looking to reconnect with the principles that drive successful outcomes. Attendees will leave inspired, with fresh perspectives on how to navigate challenges, leverage opportunities, and ensure that, in every project, the stories we create today become the lessons learned for tomorrow.
Session Categories
Technology & Innovation
Sessions in this category will explore the tools, trends, and disruptions shaping tomorrow’s projects. This stream highlights emerging technologies, AI integration, data-driven decision-making, and digital transformation – equipping PMs to lead confidently in an evolving tech landscape.
Sector-Focused
Sessions in this category are grounded in practice and tailored by industry, specifically in Kingston’s key priority sectors. These sessions will dive into unique challenges and insights from key sectors such as construction, healthcare, and manufacturing, offering real-world lessons from the front lines of project delivery.
Lessons Learned & Leadership
Sessions in this category are focused on stories of challenge, growth, and resilience. These sessions will put leadership in action – what happens when projects go right, wrong, or somewhere in between. It’s about reflecting on lived experience, learning from failure, and building stronger PM practices.
PMI & Professional Growth
Sessions in this category will help to chart your path forward, and support growing the profession of project management. Focused on individual and organizational development, sessions in this category will help build the future of project management through certification, inclusive practices, evolving roles, and building cultures of project thinking.
Call for Speakers
Thinking about sharing your story at the Kingston Symposium? We’d love to hear your project management stories!
We're inviting project managers and people running projects of significance in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington area to share lessons learned or insights that will help usher the next generation of project managers to truly thrive.
The stories you tell will build the future, whether that’s a lesson learned, a leadership journey, a sector-focused challenge, or a story of growth.
If you’ve got an experience that fellow project managers can learn from, be it serious, inspiring, or even a bit funny, let’s hear it! Just fill out our form and join us in building the future together.
Be a Part of Something Special – Sponsor the Inaugural Kingston Symposium!
Don't miss your chance to be at the heart of Kingston’s first-ever PMI OVOC Symposium! This is your unique opportunity to showcase your brand to a vibrant community of project professionals, innovators, and business leaders.
Join us as a sponsor and help shape an unforgettable event that’s all about the future of project management in our community.
Benefits of Sponsorship
By sponsoring, you're not just investing in an event or initiative; you're becoming a pivotal part of a community that values innovation, collaboration, and growth. We believe in creating lasting partnerships, and we're committed to ensuring that our sponsors receive unparalleled value and opportunities. Join us in making a difference!
Check out our full Sponsorship Prospectus
- Help Champion Project Leadership in Kingston - Be part of a movement that elevates Kingston’s project management community. Your sponsorship not only supports a high-impact professional event, it also helps put a spotlight on the people, businesses, and ideas driving Kingston’s growth and innovation. Together, we’re creating a platform that empowers the next generation of project leaders and showcases our region as a hub for talent and excellence.
- Enhance Brand Visibility - Showcase your brand in the elite project management market, highlight your company's trusted position with the Project Management Institute (PMI), and connect with key decisionmakers in the community.
- Drive Business Growth - Boost your sales and engage directly with Project Management Professionals (PMP’s) to position yourself as a top employer and business partner.
- Talent Acquisition, Retention and Networking - Position yourself as an employer of choice, with direct access with our members to recruit and retain the best project managers. Plus, foster relationships with influencers in the project management community.
Special Hotel Discount Rate
Planning to arrive early and explore Kingston? Take advantage of our special group rate at the Delta Kingston Waterfront Hotel and start your Symposium experience in comfort.
Specials Room Rate: $279/night, plus applicable state and local taxes (currently 18.65%) in effect at the time of check-out.
Parking Rate: $38/night
Method of Reservation
Reservations for the Event will be made by the individual directly on ResLink, the customized event booking platform provided by the Hotel. Additionally, reservations can also be made at (613) 549-8100.
Marriott Bonvoy Events provides Points or Miles to eligible Marriott Bonvoy Members who book and hold qualifying meetings and events at Participating Properties.
Cut-off Date
Reservations for hotel accommodations for attendees must be received on or before September 3rd, 2025, (the “Cut-Off Date”). At the Cut-Off Date, Hotel will review the reservation pick up for the Event, release the unreserved rooms for general sale, and determine whether or not it can accept reservations based on a space- and rate-available basis at the PMIOVOC group rate after this date.
