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Welcome to the New SIMCAC Weekly Newsletter....
....Where each week, we'll share SIMCAC announcements, member spotlights, local/national industry news, upcoming events, and recaps of past ones!
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SIMCAC Member Spotlight Article: Nanci Schimizzi - Owner and Senior Management Consultant of Fair Oaks Strategies, LLC
Briefly describe your current company and role
Nanci is the owner of Fair Oaks Strategies and has extensive experience in Technology Management, most recently working in the Non-profit and Financial Services industries. Her focus is providing value added strategy and program management consulting services to Senior IT executives.
What current professional project, challenge, or opportunity are you most excited about and why?
Up until recently, my career was in financial services. I have started to focus on technology solutions for non-profits who have distinct challenges around procuring IT that supports their mission at a reasonable cost structure. I have been challenged to learn about non-profit operations and the unique challenges that they face. It’s much different than being in a corporate environment from a funding, sourcing and human capital management perspective.
You've been a member of SIM for over 10 years. During that time, you've been a SIMCAC chair, on the SIMCAC golf committee, and the (currently) national STEM outreach co-chair. Can you talk about how SIM/SIMCAC has progressed over the last ten years and how you're excited about the future?
SIM is now very focused on diversity and giving back to the community. When I first joined SIM, it was a “good old boys” network but over the years has evolved in much the same way that our own organizations have evolved. We now have a very diverse membership which is evident both the SIM Women’s Special Interest group, the Regional Learning Forum and Advanced Practices Council. We also have a number other special interest groups and programs for a diverse membership.
I am very excited about the efforts of our chapters throughout the country and their commitment to give back to the community through outreach. All of SIM’s 42 chapters are very involved in grass roots efforts to increase STEM education and ensure that we have a workforce that can meet the challenges of the rapidly changing technology industry.
You've also been involved in the initial scoping and vendor selection at the SIM-national level, can you provide color on why we did it, the benefits of the change, and what to expect in the future?
I was very involved in the start-up phases of the Technology Initiative which has a goal to replace SIM’s aging technology platform. If you had looked at the National SIM website and at many of the chapter’s sites in the recent past, the technology that was in place didn’t effectively represent the executive presence that was needed for SIM. Additionally, many of the chapters had one-off solutions and manual tracking to manage their chapter operations. So, the goal of the project is to deploy a much more flexible system that enables the chapters to easily support their chapter operations and branding while establishing a community and collaboration portal for both the local chapter members and enable collaboration across chapters. I think the current team had done an excellent job in beginning the deployment and I expect to see a big improvement in the chapter operations and websites in the coming year.
Outside of work, what endeavors are you most excited about today?
I work with numerous STEM related initiatives in the DC Metro area including Girls Scouts of the Nation’s capital, SheRockstheWorld, Year Up, Techbridge Girls and others. Many of the non-profits are very appreciative of involvement by IT leaders to help guide them as they build out and change their programs to meet the needs of local companies. I’m looking forward to the first SIM CAC Golf Outing on October 15th at Westfield Golf Club. I think this tournament demonstrates the desire to create a networking opportunity for potential members while raising money for SIM CAC’s STEM funded initiatives. What better way to network than 4 plus hours in a golf cart with another IT leader?
What is your favorite part about being a SIMCAC member? Or, what is the most beneficial part about being a SIM/SIMCAC member?
I am a connector and SIM/SIM CAC has enable me to widen my professional and personal network. Many of the people that I have met and worked with over the years are now good friends.
Anything we missed?
For our members who would like to meet SIM members from other parts of the country, hear about future trends from technology strategists and network with Senior IT leaders - mark your calendars for SIM Connect Live 2019! It will be on May 15-17 at Marriott Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld and registration is now open at SIMCONNECTLIVE. |
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The New SIMCAC Website Is Now Live!
If you have any questions or if you experience any issues in setting up your new profile on the new SIMCAC website, please contact sim@simnet.org. We will continue to implement changes throughout the year and into the future to bring you new ways to interact, attend events, and manage your information.
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The 5th Annual SIMCAC Member Appreciation Food and Wine Pairing Few Seats Remaining! The SIMCAC Food and Wine Pairing night will take place on Saturday, August 11th! One of our member's most favorite events year after year. You are invited to bring a guest and join us for our 5th annual membership appreciation event, where you'll enjoy an evening of good company, exquisite food, and outstanding wines, all carefully crafted to dazzle your tastebuds. You'll want to bring your spouse or significant other to share the evening as Fusion Cuisine prepares food that are works of art and pairs them with wines that lift you into another world. Saturday, August 11, from 5:30 – 8:00 PM at the Overlee Community Clubhouse: 6030 Lee Highway in Arlington, VA 22205 Register Here!
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The Inaugural SIMCAC Charity Golf Outing
One of our core principles in SIMCAC is to give back to our community. As part of that commitment, a portion of the proceeds from this golf outing will fund our various Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) partners. Our donations fund programs for young students, high school graduates, and programs to train teachers on educating students in the STEM areas. We have worked diligently to put together a stimulating and focused agenda, bringing together experts, visionaries and professionals from the IT industry. Visit the official event website for more information and registration. About the Venue: Westfields Golf Club
At Westfields, Fred Couples has built one of the top destinations for golf in Virginia. This stunning Northern Virginia golf course is fun and accessible for the novice, yet challenging and thought-provoking for the experienced golfer. Fred's professional play on hundreds of courses around the world, coupled with his experience in countless tournaments and team competitions, has given him exceptional insight into optimal golf course design. The perfect embodiment of that vision is yours to experience at Westfields Golf Club located close by to Centreville, VA.
Register Here!
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Check out the new SIMCAC LinkedIn Page We'll periodically be posting updates here at the new SIMCAC LinkedIn Company Page. Please follow and share via your personal page so we can spread the word about SIMCAC updates and events!
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| Attention SIMCAC members! Since our members are the lifeblood of this great chapter, the success of this newsletter depends on our ability to share the happenings within it! So we're going to ask for your help in making this newsletter the best it can be. If you or fellow SIMCAC members have announcements, articles, pictures, videos, or any other content you'd like to share (and please do!), email to jamesparks@simcac.org |
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