Bulgarian Project Management Awards 2021 by Lora Hristova
Today we are happy to share the success story of the Bulgarian Project Management Awards 2021 team and, more specifically, Lora Hristova. Lora holds a Masters’ Degrees in in European Studies from Geneva University and Business Administration from Varna University of Economics. Following her studies, she has accumulated extensive experience in various industries throughout her career, from Utilities to Shared services. She embarked on her professional path as an Internal Auditor, after which she held multiple finance roles and eventually started in project management. Independently of her role, she was always passionate about volunteering and community involvement. Lora actively participated in the organization of multiple public and sports events for the companies she worked for.
Her participation in the PMI Bulgaria Chapter started in 2020. While researching PMP certification training opportunities, Lora learned about the local organization and decided to join the Chapter. “From SME in Accounts Payable I was promoted to a Project Manager. I firmly believe that theory and practice should go hand in hand. I’ve already acquired the technical knowledge I needed for the project I was leading, but I did not have the theoretical framework on how to apply it more efficiently in my daily work”, says Lora. She considers that joining the Bulgarian PMI Chapter and participating in the PM Awards Event organization was a fantastic opportunity for her to learn, meet and work with established professionals, contribute to the PM community and participate in an exciting event’s management project.
In the spring of 2020, Lora led the Logistics Team as part of the organization of the first edition of the PM Awards 2021, and later on, she stepped in as Deputy Project manager. The start of the project was tough because the project team had to face the first lockdown due to COVID. The concept of the event entirely changed, and it was postponed multiple times due to the restrictions that everyone had to comply with. Therefore, project team developed multiple scenarios and selected the one that allowed a limited physical event at a glamorous venue, at a time when many restrictions were lifted, and people felt safe.
Working on a project relying entirely on volunteers was equally challenging for her because everyone in the team had to sacrifice their personal time to support that initiative. Some of the volunteers dropped over the course of the project, but others decided to continue their work until the very end.
“Many thanks to Anita Kavrakova, PM Awards Project Manager and the Board, who believed in my skills and competencies, and appointed me as a Deputy PM as well as to the entire Logistics Team – Melanie Tchergarska, Michaela Zheleva, and Nevena Taslakova for their support and dedication throughout the whole project.“
The PM Awards 2021 event was a great success, and this is what motivates Lora to continue her involvement with the PMI Bulgaria Chapter and her PMP certification studies. ”I am looking forward to attending the PMI Summit 2021 because I know that many renowned keynote speakers will take part, and it will be an exciting full-day online event. Additionally, I recommend to anyone interested in the project management field to participate in the PMI Bulgaria Chapter initiatives and attend their monthly webinars”, says Lora. This can be an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn new things and meet interesting professionals.
