Calendar of Events

Have you ever wondered whether your project management skills could open doors in a completely different industry? Join us for a candid, inspiring panel discussion as three professionals - Dionna Steed, Celeste Freeland, and Cara Truitt - share how they successfully pivoted their careers by leveraging core PM competencies. Our panelists will walk through the real decisions, risks, and strategies behind their industry transitions, offering attendees a practical roadmap for evaluating their own transferable skills, building the confidence to pursue a pivot, and positioning themselves for greater career mobility in today's shifting job market.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to identify transferable project management skills that translate across industries and functions.
• Attendees will be able to apply strategies for repositioning their experience, network, and personal brand when pursuing a career pivot.
• Attendees will be able to evaluate real-world approaches to managing risk and uncertainty during an industry transition.

PDU Skills: Career Development, Stakeholder Engagement, Communication, and Business Acumen.

Top Skills that the meeting addresses: Adaptability & Resilience

Market-driven project skills or learning experience addressed: Career Mobility & Industry Pivoting

Panelists

Celeste Freeland

A certified Project Management Professional, Change Management Professional, SAFe Practice Consultant, Scrum Master, and Six Sigma Green Belt, Celeste has led both traditional and Agile transformations, coached project professionals and executives, and built bridges between technology, business, and people to successfully move organizations through change.

Today, Celeste has taken those same leadership, strategy, and transformation skills into entrepreneurship as the owner of CareBuilders at Home, a non-medical home care franchise serving the greater Charlotte area. As a business owner, she continues to apply the principles that shaped her project management career—turning vision into strategy, building sustainable processes, managing risk, leading people through change, and ultimately delivering value.

Dionna Steed

Dionna “Coach Dee” Steed is an early talent and career development leader passionate about creating pathways that connect people, potential, and opportunity.

As a Senior Manager of Early Talent Recruitment & Development Programs, she leads strategies and programs that attract, develop, and prepare emerging talent for successful careers. Her expertise spans early talent recruitment, program development, university partnerships, talent development, and career readiness.

Dionna is also the founder of Tri-Point Career Solutions, LLC, where she helps students, professionals, and career changers gain the clarity, confidence, and direction to navigate what’s next. Across both her corporate leadership and coaching work, her focus is simple: help people recognize their value, own their potential, and move forward with purpose.

Cara Truitt

Cara Truitt is a speaker, communication coach, and the creator of the Choose the One framework. She has two decades of experience leading teams across industries including corporate, nonprofit, logistics, wellness, and events. She now helps leaders, teams, and organizations communicate with greater clarity, confidence, and presence—whether they’re leading a meeting, facilitating a workshop, or navigating a high-stakes conversation.

On her podcast, Hold the Room, Cara brings together experts, thought leaders, and exceptional communicators to unpack the habits, mindsets, and practical skills that help people create trust, foster connection, and communicate in ways that leave a lasting impact.