PMI Houston SW / Sugar Land (Hybrid): "AI to Action: Transform Complexity into Competitive Edge"

Pre-Dinner Presentation "Hybrid Project Management with AI -Blending for Success"
Mahesh Karnik
As a Digital Business Transformation Leader with over 15 years of experience, Mahesh has a proven ability to drive impactful results through Digital Transformation, Program Delivery, and M&A initiatives. He possesses deep expertise in project, program, portfolio management, and governance, consistently delivering complex, multi-million dollar technology solutions. His experience includes leading Global deployments of Cloud Applications, ERP, Custom Development, Data Analytics platforms, AI/ML solutions, and real-time monitoring systems. Mahesh is passionate about building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Topic Synopsis:
Modern projects demand adaptable management approaches. Hybrid Project Management blends traditional (Waterfall) and Agile methodologies to address this need, tailoring methods to specific project contexts. This approach optimizes for factors like complexity, stakeholder involvement, and control by combining structured planning with iterative execution. Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) further enhances hybrid project effectiveness. AI-powered tools automate user story creation, predict risks, optimize resource allocation, and provide real-time progress tracking. This integration improves efficiency, enhances decision-making, and increases project success rates by leveraging AI within both Waterfall and Agile phases of the project lifecycle.
Learning Objectives:
Attendees will gain insight into how they can:
• Make informed decisions about when and how to use a hybrid approach.
• Effectively integrate AI tools and techniques into their project management practices.
• Improve project outcomes by leveraging the combined strengths of hybrid methodologies and AI.
PDU Triangle:
1 Ways of Working PDU
Dinner Presentation "AI to Action: Transform Complexity into Competitive Edge"
Avva Thach empowers forward-thinking executive leaders to navigate complex business challenges confidently. By leveraging AI and technology-driven strategies, she partners with leaders to achieve strategic clarity, optimize resources, and gain a competitive edge—even in fiercely competitive and resource-constrained environments.
With a background in management consulting at one of the Big Four consulting firms, Avva brings deep expertise in solving organizational challenges at scale. She is a TEDx keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author of Decisive Leadership: Transforming Complex Challenges into Competitive Edge. Passionate about driving innovation, Avva is committed to creating a sustainable future through cutting-edge solutions that deliver measurable impact.
Topic Synopsis:
This isn’t just another talk—it’s an interactive, roll-up-your-sleeves experience designed for leaders and decision-makers who want to harness AI’s potential to solve real problems. You’ll learn to cut through AI hype, identify meaningful opportunities, and build strategies that deliver measurable results. With a focus on collaboration, real-world insights, and actionable tools, this session equips you to lead AI initiatives that drive results and inspire trust and human connection.
Engaging Format
This is a highly interactive session. Expect to think critically, debate, and make real-time decisions in a collaborative environment.
Walk away with resources and tools you can immediately apply to your unique challenges.
Why This Session is Different:
AI implementation is more than technology—it’s about leadership, strategy, and solving meaningful challenges. This session provides a unique opportunity to engage with practical insights and explore actionable steps to navigate AI’s complexity. Using real-world examples, we’ll uncover how AI can be a strategic enabler of success—not just a technical tool.
This isn’t a sales pitch or a coding deep dive—it’s a guided experience designed to spark ideas, share knowledge, and equip you with actionable tools to align AI with your business goals. Let’s stop chasing trends and solve the problems that matter most. Together, we’ll transform complexity into clarity and strategy into measurable success
Learning Objectives:
PDU Triangle:
0.5 Business Acumen PDU & 0.5 Power Skills PDU
Event Information
Event Date | 07-09-2025 5:00 pm |
Event End Date | 07-09-2025 8:00 pm |
Cut Off Date | 07-09-2025 8:00 pm |
Capacity | Unlimited |
Registered | 0 |
Individual Price | $30 Members / $40 Guests / $15 Virtual ONLY |
Location | Hanwha Vision |
Agendas
5:00 pm to 5:30 pm |
Registration & Networking |
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm |
Pre-dinner Speaker Presentation |
6:30 pm to 7:00 pm |
Networking, Dinner Opens, Chapter Announcements |
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm |
Dinner Speaker Presentation |
Speakers

Avva Thach
Dinner Speaker
Avva Thach empowers forward-thinking executive leaders to navigate complex business challenges confidently. By leveraging AI and technology-driven strategies, she partners with leaders to achieve strategic clarity, optimize resources, and gain a competitive edge—even in fiercely competitive and resource-constrained environments. With a background in management consulting at one of the Big Four consulting firms, Avva brings deep expertise in solving organizational challenges at scale. She is a TEDx keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author of Decisive Leadership: Transforming Complex Challenges into Competitive Edge. Passionate about driving innovation, Avva is committed to creating a sustainable future through cutting-edge solutions that deliver measurable impact.

Mahesh Karnik
Pre-Dinner Speaker
As a Digital Business Transformation Leader with over 15 years of experience, Mahesh Karnik has a proven ability to drive impactful results through Digital Transformation, Program Delivery, and M&A initiatives. He possesses deep expertise in project, program, portfolio management, and governance, consistently delivering complex, multi-million dollar technology solutions. His experience includes leading Global deployments of Cloud Applications, ERP, Custom Development, Data Analytics platforms, AI/ML solutions, and real-time monitoring systems. Mahesh is passionate about building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.