As part of our board transition series, we spoke with Arjun Petapermal to reflect on his journey with the PMI San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, his contributions, and the lessons learned through leadership, governance, and collaboration.

A Journey Grounded in Intent and Action

Arjun joined the chapter in 2022 while pursuing his MBA at Hult, initially as part of the NextGen Leaders (NGL) program. His objective was clear: connect with peers and contribute meaningfully to the project management community.

That intent quickly translated into execution. He played a key role in launching the first Let's Jam event, an initiative designed to drive engagement and introduce new formats of interaction within the chapter.

This early involvement set the tone for his broader approach. Contribution is not participation alone, but an opportunity to build on existing foundations and drive continuous improvement.

Scaling Impact Through Structure

Following his work within NGL, Arjun joined the Board of Directors as the first NGL Board Member in 2023. In 2025, he was elected Chief Administrative Officer.

His efforts centered on areas that often remain invisible but are critical to long-term effectiveness:

• Strengthening governance discipline and decision-making clarity
• Advancing documentation and process standardization
• Supporting IT and data management foundations
• Driving alignment across teams to reduce fragmentation

These initiatives were not isolated improvements. They formed part of a broader shift toward a more structured and scalable operating model.

Arjun’s contributions have been recognized both globally and at the chapter level. In 2024, he received the PMI Chapter Leadership Impact Award, a Global Recognition highlighting his role in advancing structural and governance improvements. In 2026, he was also honored with the PMISFBAC Board Leadership Legacy Award, acknowledging his sustained impact on the chapter’s operating model and long-term direction.

Leadership as Ownership, Not Abstraction

A consistent theme throughout Arjun’s tenure has been a pragmatic view of leadership.

“Leadership is not about directing others. It is about doing the work and taking ownership.”

This perspective translated into a hands-on approach, where leaders remain engaged with execution while maintaining strategic awareness. Communication, accountability, and follow-through were treated as non-negotiable elements of leadership.

The result was a model where leadership is not symbolic, but operationally grounded.

Bridging Strategy and Execution

One of the key challenges in volunteer-led organizations is maintaining alignment between strategic intent and operational reality.

Arjun emphasized the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between board responsibilities and execution, while ensuring both remain connected.

“The board defines direction, but it must remain close enough to understand how that direction translates into execution.”

Establishing this connection required more than intent. It required a shared language across teams, clarity in roles and ownership, and consistent communication.

Navigating Engagement and Alignment Challenges

Like many complex organizations, the chapter operates with varying levels of engagement across teams and roles.

Arjun identified this as a central challenge. Misalignment is rarely the result of disagreement on vision, but rather a lack of clarity in execution.

“Alignment cannot be assumed. It must be built deliberately.”

Addressing this required reinforcing expectations, improving communication channels, and introducing greater structure in how work is planned and tracked.

Unsiloing the Organization

Looking forward, Arjun identifies one priority that underpins all others: reducing silos across the organization.

This requires continued investment in:

• Governance frameworks and accountability mechanisms
• Standardized processes and documentation practices
• Structured onboarding and offboarding
• Clear succession planning

These elements are foundational. Without them, scalability remains limited and organizational knowledge is fragmented.

Recognizing the Volunteer Model

Arjun also highlights the unique context in which the chapter operates.

A relatively small group of volunteers supports a large and diverse membership base, delivering programs, events, and initiatives across multiple domains.

This makes structure even more critical. Effective systems reduce dependency on individuals and enable volunteers to focus on delivering value.

Advice to Future Leaders

Arjun’s message to incoming board members is direct:

• Commit fully to the role
• Communicate with clarity and intent
• Take initiative to improve existing systems
• Recognize and respect the work of others

“Leadership requires commitment. It is not a symbolic role.”

He also reinforces the collective nature of the organization:

“Successes and challenges are shared. Progress depends on how effectively we work together.”

Leading Through Transition and Instability

Beyond structural initiatives, Arjun’s tenure also included navigating a period of organizational instability. Following the departure of the CEO and the marketing leadership team in late 2025, he stepped in to stabilize operations and provide continuity and direction during a critical transition phase.

In addition to his responsibilities as Chief Administrative Officer, he led efforts to stabilize marketing operations, maintain delivery continuity, and re-establish structure across a fragmented function.

This period required balancing immediate execution with long-term rebuilding, where priorities included:

• Re-establishing governance and intake processes for marketing activities
• Restoring alignment across programs and stakeholders
• Ensuring continuity of key communications and member-facing deliverables

This experience reinforced a core leadership principle:

"Leadership is tested most when structure is missing. That is when ownership matters most."

Looking Ahead

As he transitions from his board role, Arjun remains engaged in supporting ongoing initiatives, particularly in chapter Governance, IT, Marketing and Foundational Improvements.

His focus remains consistent: building systems that enable sustainable growth and effective collaboration.

Thank You, Arjun

We thank Arjun for his contributions to the PMI San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.

His work in strengthening governance, improving structure, and driving alignment has laid important groundwork for the chapter’s continued evolution.

We look forward to his continued involvement and impact in the broader PMI community.