Betsy Blakney

BetsyBlakney

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Betsy Blakney, CPP APMP Fellow, CKM (Class of 2009)

Director, Proposal Operations (Retired)
CACI, Inc.-Federal

Bio

A member since 2009, Betsy has served as APMP CEO, COO, Secretary, and the Eastern Regional Representative of APMP International, the Chair for the NCA chapter, an APMP Certification Mentor, a member of the Blue Ribbon Panel of Experts for the APMP Body of Knowledge, as an Assistant Editor of the former APMP Journal, and co-authored the APMP Industry Glossary of Terms. A Certified Proposal Professional (CPP), Betsy spent many years serving as the lead facilitator for the APMP Quick Start Practitioner course at regional and international conferences.

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

Being an APMP Fellow means I have demonstrated significant leadership and dedication to APMP's organizational growth and development from a programmatic and membership orientation.

What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?

Delivering my IGNITE Talk at the 2016 Bid and Proposal Con in Boston. My topic was "Making a Difference - One Book at a Time," - a story of my role as a steward of a Little Free Library in my community and becoming a literacy warrior in my 60s.

What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?

Align yourself with an experienced mentor, listen carefully, and never stop learning.

APMP has been instrumental in my success and has given me a framework in which to coach and mentor the bid and proposal stars of the future.

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Ceri Mescall, CPP APMP

Acquiring this micro-certification allows me to expand my aperture regarding the collaboration between capture and proposal management to develop more robust, customer-centric Executive Summaries for future pursuits. It allows me to advance my skill set, evolve my knowledge, and reflect my commitment to continuous learning.

Stephen Yuter, ES-M APMP

APMP has changed my professional life, elevating it to a standard that I didn’t know existed. Aside from the professional advantages of being certified as an APMP Professional, it’s the community of members who make it so special.

Rita Mascia, CPP APMP

I never want to be complacent in my career, so it has been beneficial to have this group of peers who are going through similar trials and tribulations in the proposal world on a day-to-day basis.

Jill Zander, CF APMP

Being a part of APMP, I get access to the knowledge and experience of great leaders and mentors from the community. I have learned a great deal from the webinars and conferences I attended on diverse topics from career progression in Proposal Management, trends (such as automation) in PreSales to achieving work-life balance, and handling burn-outs – all real-life experiences.

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Shubhada Kulkarni, CP APMP

Receiving Practitioner-level certification boosted my confidence and validated my experiences and professional growth in the bid and proposal industry. The badge is something that I see each day, and it motivates and encourages me to keep networking, learning, and elevating others in our combined professional development goals.

Kim Ruff, CP APMP

For the first time since I started my career, I felt like I was not alone in my struggles to meet deadlines, wrangle SMEs, and answer impossible questions. I’m grateful to have this community to share our wisdom and experiences.

Anthony Rossi, CF APMP

As a sales coach, the executive summary is vital for capturing and proposing management activities. This is an excellent addition to our members' professional standing, and I look forward to many more micro certifications.

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Suzanne Shields, CPP ES-M APMP

APMP's techniques on proposal writing are meticulously engineered with real-life examples, and the extensive information available in their Body of Knowledge is a goldmine for bid & proposal professionals.

Anant Shukla, CF APMP

Without APMP, I would not have the tools or knowledge of the industry to have the career I have today and the success I have experienced.

Liz Megli, CF APMP