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.
