May 12 2022 at 03:12PM
May 2022 | Volunteer Spotlight - Jelena Durovic
For a quick introduction, what is your elevator pitch of yourself?
I'm a cost planner and estimator with more than 25 years of experience. Developing reliable construction budgets helps deliver projects on time and with high quality. My focus is on anything infrastructure related - bridges, rail, freeways, tunnels, roads, pipes. I have worked for general contractor, consultants and developers. Understanding design and site implications to cost is a key in developing acurate project cost. I'm happy to help bring inovation to construction industry and built environment.
Who is Jelena at home and/or outside of professional space? What do you do for fun?
I'm a mother of two young adults, grown and flown :-). Now all my energy is focused on two furry babies - 12 year old chocholate lab and 9 month old puppy. When not spending time with them, you can find me in Soda Aquatic Center in Moraga diligently doing my laps, or at nearby hills hiking with friends and family.
When did you start volunteering with the chapter, and most importantly, why did you join PMI-SFBAC?
I got involved with PMI SFBAC 10 years ago, when I moved to San Francisco area. I thiught it was a great way to meet other people and build my network. I started with small tasks, such as being part of Nomination Committee for Chapter Board of Directors, and gradualy built to activly volunteering in June 2019. I am CFO since March 2020. Chapter has always impressed me with number of members, people activly involved in volunteering and good energy and commitment.
What were your first impressions of the chapter and its volunteers?
I was impressed with the commitment, great energy and number of people activly participating in the chapter. It's mind blowing!
What was the biggest challenge you faced as a volunteer for PMI-SFBAC? How did you conquer it?
Bigest challange I faced was supporting chapter at the beginging of COVID, March 2020. I was new in my CFO role, we had to compleately change our operations process and model. Together, as a team we managed to move everything in the virtual word and keep serving our members. In November same year we deliverd IPM Day event with nuber of international speakers including Sunil Prashara, PMI President and CEO at the time.
What is your secret or super Project Management power? Why?
My secret is that I understand budgets and commercial terms. I'm not a typical PM, my background is in Cost Management.
What are you excited about for 2022 and moving forward?
There are numbers of great initiatives within PMI SFBAC, I'm exited to see where they lead us.
