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About APMP Fellows Colleen Jolly
ColleenJolly

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Colleen Jolly, CPP APMP Fellow (Class of 2010)

Freelance


Bio

Colleen spent 18 years supporting the proposal management profession full-time and the past six years supporting it in a part-time/freelance capacity. She previously served as the CEO, COO, and Secretary of the APMP board as well as on the NCA APMP board as Secretary. She was on the staff of the APMP Journal for ten years serving as Layout Editor. Colleen has spoken at most APMP chapters around the world on visual communications and general business topics and was a regular speaker at Bid and Proposal Con for many years. She was honored with the APMP Fellow Award in 2010; she won the APMP Insight Award in 2012 for her article on international business; was featured in Northern Virginia magazine's "Top 10 Entrepreneurs Under 30" in 2010; and was a finalist for the Stevie Awards Creative Professional of the Year, 2009. She also was honored with the inaugural "40 Under 40" honor from APMP in 2017. She has been published seven times in a women’s entrepreneurial calendar. Colleen has also been recognized for her leadership as a woman in business by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Recently, she started her own trade association outside of the proposal industry and published her first book after performing twice with Snoop Dogg (2019 and 2020). Connect with Colleen via her website: www.colleenjolly.com

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

Being a fellow was my proudest achievement. It made me feel recognized for my contributions to our industry.

What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?

All of them! I loved attending BPC every year and catching up with old friends.

What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?

Proposal work can be very rewarding and very challenging. Figure out what "self-care" means for you so that you can keep providing a high level of service to your company/clients/staff without burning out.

Being an active APMP certified practitioner allowed me to recognize my hidden potential multifold (40u40, BPC Awards, BPC Speaker) and give back to the profession through the APMP community.
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Karthik Koutharapu, CP APMP
This was my first APMP event, and I was wholly impressed. The energy in the room reignited my passion for this industry, and I can't wait to get back to my team to implement what I have learned.
Brittany Guzman
Brittany Guzman, CF APMP
APMP has changed my professional life, elevating it to a standard that I didn’t know existed. Aside from the professional advantages of being certified as an APMP Professional, it’s the community of members who make it so special.
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Rita Mascia, CPP APMP
You can expand your network by attending the local Chapter webinar and events. They provide an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals locally to create and share consumable content, ideas, tools, and resources.
Sonal
Sonal Bhatnagar, CP APMP, PMP
Acquiring the executive summary micro certification has helped to build my confidence in producing best practice Executive Summaries. I also benefit from the social media badge for my LinkedIn profile and certification to add to my resume. Both of these allow me to verify my Executive Summary capabilities.
LauraRispin
Laura Rispin, CP ES-M APMP
Receiving Practitioner-level certification boosted my confidence and validated my experiences and professional growth in the bid and proposal industry. The badge is something that I see each day, and it motivates and encourages me to keep networking, learning, and elevating others in our combined professional development goals.
Kim Ruff
Kim Ruff, CP APMP
With this micro-certification and digital badge, I signal to my bid team and stakeholders that I am familiar with this topic. They can use me as their contact and "sparring partner," independent of RFPs.
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Norbert Thiemermann, CPP ES-M APMP
APMP's techniques on proposal writing are meticulously engineered with real-life examples, and the extensive information available in their Body of Knowledge is a goldmine for bid & proposal professionals.
AnantShukla
Anant Shukla, CF APMP
APMP is an organization full of hardworking, enthusiastic professionals who are dedicated to promoting their industry and practicing their craft.
HeatherFinch
Heather Finch, CF APMP
I would advise new professionals to take advantage of the resources that APMP offers. Not only do you have access to conferences and seminars through your chapter, but the free webinars and the robust network of professionals are great benefits that can help advance one’s career.
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Valerie Kessie, CP APMP