APRIL 2026
AI tools are transforming how proposal teams work – but the gap between what vendors promise and what delivers is wide. In this session, Daniel Kinney-Spears draws on over five years leading innovation and AI strategy for AWS’s Strategic Pursuits team, where he built an internal AI platform and ran over 100 proof-of-concepts across proposal workflows. He’ll cover what’s working right now, what fails, and how to figure out where to start — whether your team is five people or a hundred. Expect specific tools, honest assessments, and a practical framework for picking your first AI workflow without boiling the ocean.
You’ll hear directly from:
✨ Daniel Kinney-Spears – Daniel spent nearly 6 years at AWS Strategic Pursuits and most recently as AI Acceleration Lead. He holds dual Master’s degrees from GWU’s Elliott School and the London School of Economics. He is an APMP 40 Under 40 recipient.
FEBRUARY 2026
Join the APMP PNW Chapter for a February Happy Hour in Bellevue!
Connect with fellow professionals over drinks and casual bites at a local Mexican grill in Bellevue. This informal happy hour is a great opportunity to expand your network, share ideas, and build community in a relaxed setting. All are welcome—come mingle, unwind, and kick off the year with the PNW Chapter.
Mentorship doesn’t have to be awkward, formal, or time-consuming to be transformative. Lunch & Learn where two proposal professionals share how a simple mentor-mentee connection evolved into real career growth—for both sides.
🎯 From Proposal Pals to Proposal Pros: A Mentoring Story
This session goes beyond theory and dives into what actually worked:
• How informal mentoring can still be structured and purposeful
• Why clear goals matter more than rigid programs
• How mentorship benefits both mentor and mentee
• How to make it realistic with small, meaningful time commitments
You’ll hear directly from:
✨ Stef Plebanek CF APMP, Manager of the Proposal Team at KinderCare
✨ Tommy Tran, Proposal Manager in the telecommunications industry
Whether you’re early in your proposal career, leading a team, or thinking about becoming a mentor—this conversation will leave you inspired and equipped to build mentoring relationships that stick.
