Webinars
We host short, practical and practitioner-led webinars for emergency managers who need project management that actually fits the work — grants, plans, exercises, and improvement actions. Real tools you can use Monday morning.
Find out more below and register today!
May 29 at 12PM ET
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Summary
The time required to learn and keep updating complex scheduling software is often a luxury you don’t have. This webinar strips away the "digital overhead" to focus on the core logic of rapid schedule development. We will explore:
Rolling Wave Planning to manage projects in an environment of unfolding uncertainty;
Critical Chain logic to manage risks and protect your most vital deadlines from resource-driven delays;
Milestone Scheduling to maintain clear executive alignment.
This webinar is designed specifically for the Emergency Management professional who needs results faster than a regular software update, this session provides practical, low-tech frameworks that ensure your plan remains resilient when the stakes are highest.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Apply Rolling Wave Planning techniques to decompose complex, long-term EM initiatives into immediate, actionable work packages while maintaining high-level visibility for future phases.
Analyze resource-constrained environments using Critical Chain principles to identify where to place "schedule buffers" that protect high-priority project outcomes from common bottlenecks.
Construct a non-software-dependent Milestone Schedule that identifies critical decision gates, inter-agency dependencies, non-working time and buffers to ensure stakeholder alignment in project planning.
Webinar takeaways
A Rolling Wave planning template for breaking long-horizon EM initiatives into near-term work packages without losing the big picture
A non-software-dependent Milestone Schedule template with decision gates, interagency dependencies, non-working time, and buffers built in
Worked examples drawn from real EM scenarios (TTX, FE, Training, recovery initiatives)Description text goes here
Upcoming PM4EM Cohorts (just click below)
Register for this webinar at the link below: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hcntLt-4RxCmed-MNFM8dQ
June 26 at 12PM ET
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Summary
This webinar gives a practical look inside our workshop at PM4EM —how we build and manage projects (scope, WBS, schedule, stakeholder comms, risk, and tracking). We’ll demonstrate where current AI tools can speed up the mechanics (drafting, organizing, checking, summarizing) while PM4EM provides the method (decisions, ownership, governance, and control). You’ll leave with a repeatable workflow and templates you can use immediately—without turning your planning process into an un-auditable black box.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Map common PM4EM deliverables (scope, WBS, schedule, comms, risk, tracking) to specific AI-assisted drafting tasks.
Use a repeatable workflow to go from “messy problem” to a basic executable plan in under an hour.
Apply simple AI governance guardrails to keep planning defensible, auditable, and human-owned.
Stand up a lightweight tracking cadence (backlog/Kanban + weekly status) that keeps improvements moving.
Webinar takeaways
A project planning templates for EM initiatives
An AI governance guardrails one-pager (what to use AI for, what not to, what to document)
A lightweight tracking cadence template (backlog/Kanban plus weekly status rhythm)
Register for this webinar at the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BcaxfqmUTSaztNX7IEIp1w
July 31 at 12PM ET
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Summary
After-Action Reviews and Improvement Plans too often end as “lessons observed” than “lessons learned” because the actions aren’t prioritized, capacity driven and owned, and managed to completion. This webinar shows a simple, defensible way to turn AAR/IP outputs into an agile-style improvement backlog: group observations into themes, use one structured prioritization pass (80/20 rule [Pareto] + impact/effort), then manage the resulting work like a small portfolio with clear owners, due dates, and “evidence of done.” The goal is to close capability gaps—not just publish another report.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Convert AAR observations into a small set of actionable themes using affinity mapping and apply a Pareto check to identify the few themes driving most impact.
Prioritize corrective actions using an Impact–Effort (or Impact–Complexity) matrix, including a quick dependency/authority check to separate “we control this” from “we must coordinate/procure.”
Rank-order “high priority” items using a lightweight weighted scoring rubric to break ties and document a defensible rationale for leadership and auditors.
Operationalize the plan by standing up a minimal backlog tracker (spreadsheet or Kanban) with owners, due dates, status, and evidence of completion, and run a short weekly cadence until quick wins are closed.
Webinar takeaways
An affinity mapping worksheet for grouping AAR observations into actionable themes
A Pareto-check method for identifying the few themes driving most of the impact
An Impact–Effort prioritization matrix with a built-in dependency/authority check
A lightweight weighted scoring rubric for tie-breaking and documenting defensible rationale
A minimal backlog tracker template (spreadsheet or Kanban) with owners, due dates, status, and evidence-of-done fields
Register for this webinar at the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/kUFN2kO9R3qdV0VA2_ekBg
Our Media Sites
Riding the Wave- Project Management for Emergency Managers Podcast
This podcast series is a part of EOC Voices (part of the Emergency Management Network) and focuses on project management topics for emergency managers and features thought leaders and practitioners who bring their real world experiences and knowledge to our listening audience.
You can find our podcast app links here: https://pod.link/1253457879
Riding the Wave- Project Management for Emergency Managers Substack
PM4emergencymanagers Substack by Andrew Boyarsky is part of the Emergency Management Network. These substack articles elaborate on the podcast discussions and explore additional topics in at the confluence of both emergency and project management.
The substack can be found at: Andrew Boyarsky | Substack
Andrew Boyarsky on PM4EM
This YouTube channel features video of the podcasts, promotional content for the PM4EM workshop, book, and other media.
You can find our YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@PM4EM911
The following is a list of our media engagements
EM Network podcast: Robots, Responsibility, and the Emergency Manager
Along with my cohost, Todd DeVoe, we discuss artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and the responsibility of emergency managers in an increasingly automated world. We explore how these technologies are currently shaping professional landscapes, drawing parallels from literature and popular media.
Book Talk on Riding the Wave: Applying Project Management Science to Emergency Management
Online Book Talk on Riding the Wave: Applying Project Management Science to Emergency Management, hosted by the Christian Regenhard Center for Emergency Response Studies (RaCERS) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY), held on April 9th, 2024. Andrew Boyarsky spoke about his career origins in project and emergency management, why project management is a good fit for emergency management, and some of the solutions to common pitfalls on projects in the emergency management field.
The Leader’s Cafe Podcast
Podcast with Todd De Voe, on the Leader’s Cafe produced by the Emergency Management Network: “The Power of Project Management Strategies” on July 6, 2023. We discussed effective project management and leadership strategies, what competencies are needed for effective project managers, and some of my overseas experience to perform a rapid situation assessment and begin resource deployment for critical needs.
Interview with RTVI 8-9-2023
Interview on Aug. 9, 2023 with news program New York Journal on Russian language channel RTVI (not to be confused with RT or Russia Today). The interview covered the extreme storms and tornados on Aug. 7, whether this type of weather is unusual and will persist in the future, how people should prepare for these severe weather events and building codes for high winds, and on recovery.
Interview with RTVI 7-28-2023
Interview on June 28, 2023 with news program New York Journal on Russian language channel RTVI (not to be confused with RT or Russia Today). The interview concerned the extreme heat throughout parts of the US and its longer term implications, the effectiveness of the Biden IRA, and what the emergency response would involve, as well as what the future picture for transitioning to renewables might look like.
Interview with RTVI 7-12-2023
Interview on June 12, 2023 with news program New York Journal on Russian language channel RTVI (not to be confused with RT or Russia Today). The interview concerned the heavy rains in upstate New York, the effectiveness of emergency response, and an assessment of the damage and time to recover.
Interview with RTVI 6-12-2023
Interview on June 12, 2023 with news program New York Journal on Russian language channel RTVI (not to be confused with RT or Russia Today). The interview concerned the bridge collapse on I-95 in Philadelphia, the state of our aging road transportation infrastructure, what the response looks like for this type of emergency incident, and the current wave of investment in restoring the infrastructure.
Interview with RTVI 6-7-2023
Interview on June 7, 2023 with news program New York Journal on Russian language channel RTVI (based in New York; not to be confused with RT or Russia Today). The interview concerned wildfires in Canada, their causes, risks, impacts and some of the economic consequences.
EM Weekly Podcast
Podcast with Todd De Voe: “Why Emergency Managers Need to Embrace Project Management” on March 18th, 2021
Hult Alumni Annual 2021
Interview with Hult International Business School for their alumni periodical.
reBoot
Interview with Dave Summers, Independent digital media producer and founder at the Global Institute of Thought Leadership. Aired May 1, 2020.
CBC Interview
Interview with Wendy Mesley, host of The Weekly on the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. New York's COVID-19 outbreak: How big cities are coping. Aired March 8. 2020.
Fox 5 New York
Andrew was interviewed on the local NYC Fox Five news station, speaking about the responses to Hurricanes Irma and Harvey in 2017.
Interview with Reuters
Andrew was interviewed by Reuters on the impacts and long term recovery in Florida from Hurricane Irma.
Interview with CNBC Squawk Box
Andrew was interviewed on CNBC Squawk Box by hosts Joe Kiernan, Andrew Ross Sorkin, and Rebecca Quick. He discussed the response to Hurricane Irma and the response by Florida’s emergency responders and critical needs among the different segments of the most vulnerable population. This show aired Mon. Sept. 11, 2017
Some words from our clients
“Andrew is a true professional who has brought his classroom to the real world. Students in his programs were involved in framing our Business Continuity and Disaster Planning efforts. He's taken his students out of the classroom into the real world and helped our organization at the same time.”
— James E. Vasquez, PMP® ITIL®, Chief Information Officer, Technology Executive, Yeshiva University
“I am pleased to recommend Andrew and have worked directly with him for some 6 years now. His strengths lie in his ability to navigate the complex environments of city government to produce successful outcomes on various levels. He is an accomplished leader, project manager, and is also a mentor on many levels to many of the people he works with.”
— Fernando Miranda, Deputy Director Emergency Preparedness and Operations at the NYC Department of Homeless Services
““Emergency managers regularly manage and lead a multitude of projects, but we do not always use a consistent structure to organize that work. The PM4EM bootcamp demonstrated how traditional and agile project management practices can help us to organize that work more effectively and efficiently while still remaining flexible. I especially valued the emphasis on clearly defining scope, breaking complex work into smaller, more manageable components, and developing programs collaboratively with stakeholders rather than in a vacuum. I left the bootcamp with practical tools that I could immediately apply to my day-to-day work and to future projects.”
— Brett Berntsen, Training & Exercise Program Administrator, Office of Emergency Management, City of Bellevue, WA