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.

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

Being an active APMP certified practitioner allowed me to recognize my hidden potential multifold (40u40, BPC Awards, BPC Speaker) and give back to the profession through the APMP community.

Karthik Koutharapu, CP APMP

The certifications, starting from the foundation to the professional level, help individuals from diverse timeframes in their careers.

Mayura Ravishankar, Proposal Associate

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.

Mescall Ceri Photo

Ceri Mescall, CPP APMP

APMP has provided an incredible platform for seasoned individuals from the Proposal and Bid Management profession and young professionals who want to start their careers in this field.

Mayura Ravishankar, Proposal Associate

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.

Kulkarni Shubhada photo

Shubhada Kulkarni, 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

With this micro-certification and digital badge, I signal to my bid team and stakeholders that I am familiar with this topic. They can use me as their contact and "sparring partner," independent of RFPs.

Norbert Thiemermann, CPP ES-M APMP

APMP is an organization full of hardworking, enthusiastic professionals who are dedicated to promoting their industry and practicing their craft.

Heather Finch, CF APMP

You can expand your network by attending the local Chapter webinar and events. They provide an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals locally to create and share consumable content, ideas, tools, and resources.

Sonal Bhatnagar, CP APMP, PMP