Samantha Enslen

SamanthaEnslen

Back to Fellows Directory

Samantha Enslen, CP APMP Fellow (Class of 2020)

President
Dragonfly Editorial

Bio

Samantha runs Dragonfly Editorial, a creative agency based in Dayton, Ohio, with customers around the world. Dragonfly’s writers are known for explaining complex topics clearly, whether they’re writing proposals, marketing communications, or thought leadership pieces. Her team works with customers in finance, IT, healthcare, engineering, and beyond.

Sam is the former editorial manager at CSC and former contributing editor to The Editorial Eye. She spent eight years on the board of ACES: The Society for Editing and was managing editor of Tracking Changes, the society’s quarterly journal. Sam has received multiple awards for her writing and, in 2020, was named a Fellow of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals. She is also a writer for the Grammar Girl podcast.

At home, Sam has three children, a menagerie of dogs and cats, and a full bookshelf. Her husband, Greg, is a fiction writer who pens the Frank Harper mystery series, set in a fictional Ohio town much like the one they live in.

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

Being a Fellow means you care. You've given back. You've shared your knowledge because you want all your colleagues to know the good stuff that can help them succeed.

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

One of my best memories will always be the warm reception I got at the very first APMP conference. As a new member and new exhibitor, it meant a lot to me. And it made me want to come back.

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

There's so much to learn. Be curious. Ask questions. Rack up those webinars and conferences. Every single one offers you an opportunity to get better, become a stronger contributor, and move your career forward.

Certification has enhanced my worth as a bid professional. It has validated the skills and experience I have and is proof of my bid management qualities and capabilities. It has given me a springboard to develop my career and aim for Professional certification.

Aynsley Davidson v2

Aynsley Davidson, CP APMP

For the first time since I started my career, I felt like I was not alone in my struggles to meet deadlines, wrangle SMEs, and answer impossible questions. I’m grateful to have this community to share our wisdom and experiences.

Anthony Rossi, CF APMP

My experience, combined with the APMP Body of Knowledge, helped me obtain both the APMP Foundation exam and the Practitioners exam within a week.

Sonal Bhatnagar, CP APMP, PMP

This topic, Executive Summaries, is way underrated. The Executive Summary is the most eye-catching document, which almost everyone on the customer side reads. Yet, in most bid teams, we don’t dedicate the attention it deserves. I want to learn about something I can immediately put into practice at my workplace, which provides a “quick win” to the team and is a long-term benefit for the company.

Dénes Máthé, CF ES-M APMP

I never want to be complacent in my career, so it has been beneficial to have this group of peers who are going through similar trials and tribulations in the proposal world on a day-to-day basis.

Jill Zander, CF 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, CP 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.

Rita Mascia, CPP APMP

Being a part of APMP, I get access to the knowledge and experience of great leaders and mentors from the community. I have learned a great deal from the webinars and conferences I attended on diverse topics from career progression in Proposal Management, trends (such as automation) in PreSales to achieving work-life balance, and handling burn-outs – all real-life experiences.

Kulkarni Shubhada photo

Shubhada Kulkarni, CP 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.

Anant Shukla, CF APMP

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.

Laura Rispin, CP ES-M APMP