Alamo PMI Monthly Meeting - In-Person - February 24, 2026

Strategic Portfolio Management: Bringing Strategy Down to Earth—and Getting It Done

Many organizations struggle to translate lofty strategic goals into actionable,
measurable initiatives. In this session, veteran portfolio consultant Christopher Gentry
breaks down what Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) really means—and why many
businesses get it wrong. Drawing from over a decade of consulting with Fortune 500
companies and candid case studies from consulting engagements, this session
uncovers how to turn executive ambition into structured execution.

Attendees will walk through real-world lessons in portfolio prioritization, business case
development, resource planning, and strategic governance. With firsthand insights from
both mature enterprises and high-growth startups, Christopher explores the root causes
of portfolio failure—such as lack of business cases, poor metrics, and nonexistent
governance—and offers a practical, no-nonsense roadmap for PMO leaders,
strategists, and executives to align vision with value.

This session is perfect for those looking to evolve from project-driven operations into
outcome-driven portfolio leadership. Expect straight talk, real metrics, and proven
frameworks that help organizations drive the right work—and get it done.

Learning Objectives / Takeaways
1. Understand the foundational elements of Strategic Portfolio Management and
how it differs from project or product management.
2. Learn how to design and implement an intake funnel to evaluate, prioritize, and
execute strategic initiatives effectively.
3. Identify critical portfolio metrics (e.g., ROI, feasibility, strategic alignment) and
how to tie them to long-term outcomes.
4. Discover how to diagnose organizational misalignment through visibility,
governance, and resource allocation.
5. Gain practical techniques to engage executives and align strategic decisions with
actual organizational capacity.

Topic Areas
 Strategic Portfolio Management
 Project & Program Governance
 PMO Leadership
 Business Case Development
 Enterprise Change & Transformation

Speaker Bio
Christopher D. Gentry is a seasoned portfolio and transformation consultant with over
15 years of experience leading strategic initiatives for Fortune 500 companies including
Dell Technologies, American Express, Deloitte, PwC, and Apple. As the founder of
StrategyPMO, he specializes in helping organizations align execution with vision
through practical portfolio management, PMO leadership, and governance strategies.
His straightforward, outcomes-first approach has helped companies across tech,
healthcare, government, and retail bring their strategies to life. A frequent speaker,
published author, and adjunct professor of IT and Project Management, Christopher is
known for his candid, energizing delivery and deep real-world insight.

Previous Speaking Experience
 Project Management Institute (PMI) Chapter Events – Presenter on Strategic
Alignment and Portfolio Maturity
 Grand Canyon University – Faculty Instructor, IT Project Management Capstone
and Business Strategy Courses
 Private Consulting Workshops – Portfolio Prioritization and Intake Design for
Fortune 500 Clients
 (2024) – Best Practices for Program Managers in a Product-Driven World &
Virtual Event
 (2025) – Strategic Portfolio Management: Bringing Strategy Down to
Earth—and Getting It Done” Virtual Event