Career Fair

24 Oct - 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Virtual using Zoom

P 2.0, B 1.5, W 0.75

Abstract

PMINJ followers who are in transition or considering a job or career change will have an excellent opportunity to:

• Hear a lively keynote speaker that will kick-start your career goals.
• Hear career coaches and a lively panel discussion.
• Interview with recruiters and company hiring managers

Features:

• 4.25 PDUs
• Personalized resume review free with registration. The first 20 to submit their resume will have a 1 on 1 virtual session with one of the coaches.  Instructions will be provided in the registration confirmation.

Resume Reviews will be scheduled after the event

Veterans should self identify when submitting their resume for individualized assistance.
Instructions to submit your resume will be included in the registration receipt.
A maximum of 20 resumes will be reviewed, first received - first reviewed.
Reviewers:
Tony Calabrese

Fees

PMINJ & Partner Chapter Members	$5
Non-members	$10

Cancellation Policy

No refund if canceled after 01 Oct

To cancel a registration send the PMINJ receipt to

Recruiters / Hiring Managers

Download the Recruiter Information    


Are you a recruiter or hiring manager?
Would you like to participate in this Virtual Career Fair?
Plan for your current and future needs for Project / Program managers and be a recruiter at this event!
For further details, contact Agnes Benneh at

Sam Velu

Sam Velu is a C-level leader, AI strategist, and talent transformation consultant with over 20 years of experience helping organizations and professionals navigate disruption in hiring, job search, and career growth. As the founder of Pura Vida Partners and a senior leader at Amzur Technologies(Staffing Firm) and eTeki(HR Tech), Sam advises executives, recruiters, and job seekers on how to leverage AI to accelerate careers and talent strategies.

He has coached hundreds of professionals on using AI to:

• Build better resumes and LinkedIn profiles
• Stand out in recruiter-driven markets
• Master AI-assisted job search strategies
• Prepare for interviews and salary negotiations
• Upskill into high-demand, AI-adjacent roles

Sam is also known for his engaging, story-driven keynote sessions that make AI practical, funny, and empowering.

Outsmart the Algorithm: Project Managing Your Job Search in the Age of AI

Looking for a job today feels less like a search and more like a project you never signed up to manage. Algorithms decide if you even get seen. AI filters out résumés before a human ever looks at them. Interviews feel endless. And LinkedIn? It’s a full-time job on its own.

In this funny, fast-paced, and eye-opening keynote, Sam Velu pulls back the curtain on how AI has quietly taken over the hiring process — and how you can use it to flip the script.

You’ll learn:

• How recruiters and companies are secretly using AI to filter candidates
• The exact AI tools and prompts smart job seekers are using to beat the system
• How to turn your job search into a well-managed project (without losing your sanity)
• Why human storytelling still wins — even when robots run the first round

Sam’s approach is practical, relatable, and fun. Expect real stories, live demos, and laugh-out-loud moments that’ll leave you confident and ready to take control of your job search.

Executive Leader, Board Member, Military Family Advocate, Army Veteran, Public Speaker, Mentor

Jim Beamesderfer is a seasoned executive with experience in various roles in a Fortune 100 company, including IT project and program management, and Military Community Initiatives. Mr. Beamesderfer mentors military spouses through the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring Our Heroes Amplify program and mentors transitioning service members through America’s Corporate Partnership (ACP). He has been on and led various national advisory councils, including having spent multiple years as the co-chair of the US Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Employment Advisory Council. Currently Mr. Beamesderfer is a member of the SHRM Foundation Military Community Advisory Committee and also advises companies on their military talent strategies and advises military community nonprofits on their strategic plans and programs.

Mr. Beamesderfer is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and holds an MBA from Phoenix University.

Mr. Beamesderfer was a 2021 George W. Bush Presidential Center Stand To Veteran Leadership Program Scholar.

Mr. Beamesderfer and his family reside in northern New Jersey.

Tony Calabrese is a certified Life and Career Coach.  A lifelong New Jersey resident, he has thrived through a series of life changing events.   Coaching, consulting, facilitating support groups, and writing blogs and newsletters provide the opportunity for him to share what he has learned with others.

After a long and successful career in Project Management and Systems assignments, a series of life events led Tony to shift directions and pursue a new career in coaching.  In 2009, Tony earned his certifications from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC) in both their intensive coach training program and their Energy Leadership assessment and debrief process.  In August of 2011, he became a Certified Career Coach.  Tony is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and was President of its New Jersey chapter in 2012.

Tony and his wife, Carolina, reside in Maplewood, NJ. 
Cell: (201) 306-9811

Paul Cecala, a Five O’Clock Club Certified Career Coach, has been coaching since 1999 and assisted over 3000 people in either changing careers or starting their professional lives.  He has worked for several post-secondary career schools as Director of Career Services specializing in Biotech/pharmaceutical careers, Green Economy jobs, aviation, allied health, IT and general administrative professions.  Currently, he the Director of Program Development for Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies where his responsibilities include identifying developing and managing many of the school's adult, non-credit programming.  Additionally, he helped develop the job search training process for several NJ Department of Labor sponsored job search groups.

Paul has a BS in Psychology from Florida Institute of Technology.  Prior to career coaching, he had a long career in corporate aviation sales.  His final position in this arena was Vice President of Aircraft Charter Sales for a nation-wide industry leader.

Known as “The Landing Expert,” Alex Freund helps his clients improve their interview performance by removing the fear so they can feel confident during the process. For the last 17 years, Alex has helped more than 1300 clients ranging from managers to CEOs in a variety of industries.

Alex is volunteering and active in several job-search networking groups where he is an occasional presenter. He teaches via his workshops on interviewing, resumes, LinkedIn, Value Proposition, Personal Branding and Personal Marketing.

Joanna is an ICF-certified Leadership Coach specializing in helping scientists develop critical skills in communication, influence, and high-functioning team leadership With 15 years in healthcare, biotech, and pharma, she has worked at top institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and Fortune 100 companies like Bristol Myers Squibb. Joanna uniquely brings a broad understanding and expertise in AI-informed research from target ideation/validation through Phase 1-3 Clinical Trials including patient, provider & payor perspectives. Joanna is the creator of an award-nominated Leadership Training program for scientists leading preclinical research, which continues annually to train the next generation of research leaders.

Ken currently works as a Branding Specialist at LHH (Lee Hecht Harrison), an outplacement group for job seekers. He facilitates sessions there and works with clients on their resumes.

In addition he runs several job search groups online and in-person.

His IT experience spans 30+ years, first as a developer, then as a Business Analyst and most recent as a Project Manager. His most recent project is the launch of a searchable database of networking events and speakers - My Networking Central.

Charles B. Rosen has over 4 decades of experience delivering technology-enabled business solutions that address strategic and operational issues facing Global organizations. With degrees in econometrics and organizational behavior, he specializes in assisting Clients mine the value of their technical and cultural infrastructure and design strategic and tactical plans that showcase their strengths.

Charles is also Vice Chair – Operations & Finance for the New Jersey (region 4) Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMINJ) Charles was Vice President of Delivery, P3M, at GalaxE Solutions (Somerset, NJ / Detroit, MI). In addition to the financial responsibility for a $14M+ portfolio, he managed the delivery of project management services to firms including Johnson & Johnson and TD Bank. Prior to being engaged with GalaxE, Charles served as VP–Technical Consulting at PMOLink, Inc. (New Orleans, LA) PMOLink delivers products and services to a diverse range of public and private sector Clients including Pfizer, MetLife, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics, USDA Forest Service, US Army, Cox Target Media, Entergy and Public Service Electric and Gas. He has developed and taught courses in Successful Project Management and Estimation and Cost Benefit Analysis at Louisiana State University, Rutgers and for private enterprises, and now splits his time among writing and work for the Somerset County Park Foundation, PMINJ and Ethical-PM, LLC.

Career Transition Consultant - 2019 As an Executive Career Transition Consultant with The Ayers Group since 2009, Terry helps professionals and executives as they make their way through the career transition process toward their career goals.

Terry’s approach is to focus on each person, tailoring the process to fit their needs and objectives. As he guides them through the challenges of job search and career change, Terry supports them with customized tools and strategies. His goal is to help them quickly galvanize into action and thereby accelerate their searches.

In addition to working with individuals, Terry also gives presentations on job search topics to professional networking groups in New Jersey.

An active writer, Terry writes articles on many aspects of the career transition process such as networking, interviewing, and personal branding. He publishes them frequently on LinkedIn where he is an active user of the networking platform.

Before joining The Ayers Group, Terry was a Training & Development professional for many years in the corporate world, specializing in leadership and management development, as well as organization change and development.

Terry holds a BA in Human Communication from Rutgers University, and a Masters degree in Education from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education.

He lives in Somerset, NJ with his wife Joan. His interests include family, music, theater, and film, as well as travel, food, and wine.

Dorisse Shakir-Ullah, affectionately known as Coach D, is devoted to the calling of service. Throughout her life and career, her work has been inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" With over four decades of service with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dorisse's journey has spanned from a typist to the highest-ranking leader and hiring manager for the New Jersey field office.

Certified as a Career Coach and Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation, Dorisse draws upon her life experiences and expertise to help individuals in evolving into their next chapter with increased awareness and actionable steps. Self-proclaimed as a "lifelong federal recruiter," Dorisse specializes in simplifying the government hiring system for job seekers and women in government roles.

Dorisse founded Career Forward Coaching to continue to be of service to others. The ICF certification, along with her Federal Career Coach and Federal Job Search Trainer®️ certifications, supports her work in personal branding and professional development. As an advocate for veterans in transition, displaced professionals, and underserved communities, Dorisse provides coaching and mentorship to help them overcome challenges and access development opportunities. She is a coach with Ama La Vida, instructor with the Academy of Government and Military Coaching, a board member of the ICF New Jersey Charter Chapter and editor of the Friends of Government Coaching Review.

In each area of her work, Dorisse moves from a place of grace, relationship-building, and strategic approaches. She helps individuals define their goals, discover their strengths, and enhance their brand with I.M.P.A.C.T. Additionally, Dorisse has extensive experience in tactical career essentials, including resume support, interview and networking tips.

Dorisse is a mother of four and resides in Essex County with her husband, Dennis, over 40 years. They enjoy watching campy movies, spending time outdoors, and completing jigsaw puzzles.

Erin Stonack SHRM-CP is a graduate of Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Art in Psychology and Communication.

Erin has spent the past 30 years working within the Human Resources field. For the past 8 years, she has been a Talent Acquisition Partner with Hackensack Meridian Health, supporting their corporate network functions including Marketing, Quality, Research, Strategy and Legal. Erin enjoys developing relationships with hiring leaders / candidates and recruiting top talent into Hackensack Meridian Health.

In her spare time, Erin keeps busy participating in baseball activities with her 17-year old son!