Beyond the Plan: The Project Manager’s Role in Change
Cristina Martinez de Andino
The Employee Activator
Founder & Principal Consultant CMdA Consulting
Cristina Martinez de Andino is the Founder of CMdA Consulting and a former Fortune 500 consultant with 15+ years of experience helping organizations improve performance through people strategy.She works with growing companies to turn employee engagement efforts into real business results, especially in environments where leaders are expected to manage change without dedicated support.
Cristina specializes in employee activation, change management, and leadership alignment, with a focus on professional services, nonprofit, and mission-driven organizations. project leaders and executives move from well-meaning morale efforts to clear, momentum-driving strategies
Based in Richmond, Virginia, Cristina is known for delivering engaging sessions that combine clarity, empathy, and practical tools leaders can use right away.
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-martinez-de-andino/
- Website: cmdaconsulting.com
- Blog: https://cmdaconsulting.com/blog/
Project plans don’t succeed on timelines and task lists alone. People make change happen. But too often, the people's side of change gets overlooked, leaving project managers chasing buy-in, managing resistance, and picking up the pieces.
In this interactive session, Cristina Martinez de Andino will unpack what change management really is, why it matters to project outcomes, and how project managers can confidently lead change (even without a formal change management team). You’ll leave with a clear understanding of the PM’s role in change and practical ways to build support, reduce resistance, and deliver better results.
What You’ll Learn:
- The difference between project management and change management—and why both are critical to success
- What happens when no one owns the people side of change (and how to navigate it)
- Practical ways to integrate change activities into your project plan—even if your client isn’t prioritizing them
This session includes a hands-on exercise and open discussion to apply what you’ve learned. You’ll leave with tools to advocate for change, communicate with stakeholders, and confidently lead the people side of your next project.
