PMICAC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY 2026
Community in Action: Leading Systems That Shape Our Future
Across Central Alabama, leaders are advancing initiatives that strengthen communities, expand infrastructure, modernize systems, and create opportunities for future growth.
PMICAC Professional Development Day 2026 brings together project professionals, executives, civic and community leaders, and industry experts for a full day of learning, leadership, and connection. This year’s program will examine the people, projects, systems, and decisions shaping Central Alabama and the lessons project professionals can apply within their own organizations, careers, and communities.
WHAT TO EXPECT
● Leadership perspectives from regional changemakers
● Real-world examples of moving initiatives from vision to execution
● Insights on economic development, infrastructure, transportation, land use, and community-centered development
● Practical lessons in leadership, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement
● Networking with project professionals, executives, and community leaders
● Up to 7 Professional Development Units (PDUs)
EARN UP TO 7 PDUs
● 3 Power Skills PDUs
● 3 Business Acumen PDUs
● 1 Ways of Working PDU
Attendees may earn 6 PDUs through the main program and an additional 1 PDU through the optional lunchtime breakout session.
OPTIONAL LUNCHTIME BREAKOUT SESSION
Attendees may participate in an interactive Ways of Working session led by Trevor Newberry of Harmony Venture Labs. Participation provides an additional 1.0 Ways of Working PDU.
NEED TO UPDATE YOUR HEADSHOT?
Professional headshots by Uninvited Studios, included with registration
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Project professionals, program and portfolio leaders, executives, government professionals, community leaders, emerging professionals, and students preparing to lead the projects of tomorrow.
Registration provides access to the full-day program, professional development sessions, networking opportunities, and the opportunity to earn up to 7 PDUs.
Space is limited. Register early to secure your seat and take advantage of early-bird pricing.
Have a question or need assistance before the event? Please contact vpprojects@pmicac.org
Speakers
Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Community Development and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Renasant Bank
Dr. Tracey Morant Adams is Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Community Development and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer at Renasant Bank, where she leads the bank’s social impact vision and $10.3 billion Community Benefits Plan. A nationally respected strategist and civic leader, she has advanced economic opportunity for more than three decades across banking, government, education, community service, and civic leadership.
Before joining Renasant, Dr. Morant Adams served as Executive Director of Economic Development for the City of Birmingham, helping secure more than $1.15 billion in capital investment and supporting the creation and retention of thousands of jobs. She previously held leadership roles with BellSouth Telecommunications and AT&T.
Dr. Morant Adams earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, Law and Research. She has served on the boards of Samford University, Talladega College, and Children’s of Alabama and as the 27th South Eastern Regional Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Executive Director, Birmingham Jefferson County Port Authority
David A. Russell Jr. is a Birmingham native.
Russell gained extensive experience in operations and people management during his tenure at Walmart Logistics and Dollar Tree Logistics. Since 2018, Russell has served as Managing Director of Synergy Consulting Group (SCG), helping clients achieve their goals through strategic planning, economic development, logistics, project management, and the design of effective systems. Through SCG, he served as the Executive Director of the Birmingham Jefferson County Port Authority; he was recruited to the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) as Director of Business Retention and Expansion, while also serving in that role. During his tenure at the BBA, he oversaw more than $1.5 billion in capital investment and facilitated the creation of over 700 jobs across the Greater Birmingham region.
Managing Director, Slade Land Use, Environmental, and Transportation Planning, LLC
L'Tryce Slade founded Slade LLC in Birmingham, Alabama, after being laid off from a law firm. Starting as a solopreneur, she built an 8-employee construction material testing and environmental firm—one of few African American Woman-owned firms with a testing lab and full environmental certifications. Slade now works on major projects like HJAIA's Concourse D Expansion and MARTA's Infrastructure Improvement Project, while focusing on team growth, community impact, and expanding into new markets.
President and CEO, SARCOR
Selena Rodgers Dickerson is President and CEO of SARCOR, LLC, a
Birmingham-based civil and transportation infrastructure
engineering firm. A nationally recognized entrepreneur and
advocate, she serves on several national advisory boards and is a
2026 Enterprising Women of the Year Award winner. A graduate of
Tennessee State University and Capella University, Selena leads
with a commitment to technical excellence, infrastructure equity,
economic development, mentorship, and strengthening the
communities SARCOR serves
VP, Partnerships and Product, Harmony Venture Labs
Trevor Newberry is Vice President of Partnerships and Product at Harmony Venture Labs, a Birmingham-based venture studio that partners with organizations to validate, build, and launch new products and businesses. He leads partnerships, product strategy, and development across corporate innovation initiatives and AI-native software ventures, helping teams translate emerging technology into both new ventures and repeatable business processes. Before joining Harmony Venture Labs, Trevor founded AppThink and Newberry Consulting Services, where he helped first-time and nontechnical founders turn early-stage ideas into software products. He brings an operator’s perspective to innovation, focused on making new technology useful, approachable, and actionable.
Vice President Economic Development | Alabama Power Company
Patrick T. Murphy Jr. serves as vice president of Economic Development for Alabama Power Company, where he leads initiatives that support business growth, investment and stronger
communities across Alabama. With leadership experience in economic development, marketing and
regional operations, he brings a broad perspective on building partnerships and creating opportunities. A graduate of Auburn University, Murphy is actively engaged in civic and industry leadership and is committed to developing people, organizations and communities.
Mayor of Homewood
Mayor Jennifer Andress Biography
Jennifer Andress is honored to serve as Mayor of Homewood after two terms on the Homewood City Council. She is the External Affairs and Special Projects Director for Freshwater Land Trust. She also serves on the Jefferson County Greenways Commission, the Board of Directors of the Woolley Institute for Spoken Language Education (WISE), and is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Homewood and Mountain Brook.
Previously, Jennifer served as President of the Birmingham Track Club, President of the Shades Cahaba Elementary PTO, and on the Board of Directors of the Mountain Brook YMCA and of Girls on the Run Birmingham. Jennifer has a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Birmingham. Jennifer and her husband Keith have two sons who attend Auburn University.
Mayor of City of Irondale (The Dale)
James D. Stewart Jr. made history in 2020 as the first African American elected Mayor of Irondale, bringing 19 years of municipal experience across three seats: City Councilor, City Clerk, and now Mayor. His leadership philosophy is rooted in a faith-based approach that aims to build trust and shared values: vision must be written plainly enough that people can run with it (Habakkuk 2:2), and execution is a daily discipline he calls "DiE — Do It Every Day" (Galatians 6:9).
That philosophy delivers. Mayor Stewart leads The 1B Doctrine — "One City. One Billion. By 2033." Irondale's $1 billion investment vision is anchored in Isaiah 60:22. In fiscal year 2026 alone, the city recorded $294.4 million in investment activity, nearly 30% of the ten-year goal in a single year. His portfolio of delivered and active projects spans a $28 million Civic Center renovation, a new fire station, a $90 million residential development, the city's first public transit service in nearly 20 years, and the landmark Costco agreement closed after a 2,000-day pursuit — proof of his conviction that pragmatic leadership focuses on achievable wins today rather than waiting for perfect conditions that never arrive.
Mayor Stewart served as President of the Jefferson County Mayors Association and Treasurer of the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors. He holds fellowships with The Hunt Institute and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. He is the host of the Mayor's Desk podcast and is completing his Executive Doctorate Business Administration at the University of North Alabama.
