Instructor

Simone Hamlett is a Senior Program Manager at SAS with more than 15 years of experience leading complex, enterprise-scale programs and projects across technology organizations. She specializes in program governance, acquisition integration, compliance initiatives, and agile delivery, with a strong focus on aligning execution to strategic business objectives.

In her role at SAS, Simone partners closely with legal, compliance, and business leaders to drive high-visibility initiatives, including Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) assurance efforts. She is recognized for building collaborative engagement models, reducing organizational silos, and delivering clear, executive-ready presentations that support informed decision-making.

A natural teacher and coach, Simone brings educator qualities into everything she does—translating complex concepts into clear, actionable guidance, mentoring teams through ambiguity, and fostering learning-centered environments that enable sustainable change. Her leadership style emphasizes empowerment, clarity, and continuous improvement.

Simone has a long-standing commitment to the project management profession through her extensive volunteer leadership with the North Carolina Project Management Institute (NCPMI), where she has served as a former Board of Directors member, conference director, vice president of programs, authorized training partner instructor, and ongoing community leader.

Beyond her professional work, she is a passionate advocate for cycling safety, cycling skills development, and equitable access to cycling, reflecting her broader commitment to education, inclusion, and community impact. Simone has 2 young adult children and lives in Durham, NC with her husband.