Search Our Instructor Directory

Stacy Adams, CPPB, NIGP-CPP is the Director of Statewide Sourcing for the State of South Carolina, Division of Procurement Services managing the State Term Contracting Teams. With nearly 20 years of experience her skills represent governmental purchasing at the county, state agency and state-wide levels. Stacy is a leader who is actively involved in content builds for the new NIGP Pathways program. She instructs courses as a NIGP Certified Instructor. Stacy is also an instructor for courses on behalf of the South Carolina State Fiscal Accountability Authority helping procurement professionals throughout the state learn various aspects of the profession. Stacy’s desire to “give back” to the profession she so dearly loves continues in her service to NIGP and its local Chapter, SCAGPO. As an active member of both, she serves on many committees and has been awarded Buyer of the Year for 2014 and was the recipient of the B.D. Bland Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Stacy currently serves on NIGP’s Talent Council Chair-Elect and serves SCAGPO on the Past President’s Council. Stacy is married to the amazingly charming and wonderful Charlie Adams. The two share 4 children and 3 wonderful grandchildren. Stacy is a graduate of Southern Wesleyan University with a degree in Business Administration.

Stephanie Akerley is a Principal Procurement Specialist for The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. She partners with CEOs, executives and end users to assist them in gaining the right product or service at the right price at the right time. After spending nearly three decades working in procurement, Stephanie knows what truly drives the procurement process —and it’s not just about knowing all “the rules.” It’s how well you connect with the people you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them. This is true not only for internal clients, but external clients.

Stephanie earned her first CPPB in 1997. After taking a career break to raise her family, she once again earned a CPPB in 2015.

In 2017, she earned her Certified Technology Procurement Specialist (CTPS) certification from the Certified Technology Professionals Executives Society.

On the Faculty of :
Introduction to Public Procurement

Lynda Allair, CPPO has forty years of experience as a Public Sector Procurement Leader, involving policy development, post-merger amalgamation of functional groups, complex acquisitions, project implementation and change management, as well as business transformation within the provincial, municipal and health care sectors. Lynda retired from the BPS Supply Chain Secretariat, now a division of Supply Chain Ontario, for which she was a Project Lead providing project management advice and support to the broader public sector to modernize supply chain processes. Lynda is a Content Developer and Instructor for NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement. She also instructs courses in public procurement at the University of Guelph and others upon request, as well as providing consulting services through NIGP's Consulting program. She is a frequent speaker at NIGP Forum and other public sector events. She is a Past President of the Ontario Public Buyers Association chapter of NIGP and served nearly ten years as a Canadian Public Procurement Council (CPPC) Board member from its inception. She is a Lions Club member, a Library Board member, Chair of her local Church Board and volunteers within the community. On the Faculty of: Pathways Program; Alternative Dispute Resolution; CPPB Prep; CPPO Prep; Legal Aspects of Public Purchasing; and Risk Management in Public Contracting.

Denise has 24 years of procurement experience, 20 of those years have been in the public sector and with the City of North Charleston, where she currently serves as the Director of Procurement. She became certified as a CPPB in 2002 and earned her CPPO in 2014.

Denise has been an active member of NIGP and her local chapter, South Carolina Association of Purchasing Officials, since 1998. She is currently serving on the executive board of the local chapter.

Denise enjoys serving her community, reading, hiking, volunteering and spending time with family. She is married to Ricky Badillo; together they have five children and five grandchildren.

Theresa is the Purchasing Manager for the City of Everett in Everett Washington. She has 20+ years of procurement experience of which, over 16 years have been spent in public purchasing. She enjoys conducting Requests for Proposals for service contracts and administering construction projects from cradle to grave. Theresa has participated on both the Specifications and Protests Global Best Practice Task Force teams. In her spare time, she frequently teaches Adding Value to Procurement, World Class Procurement Practices, and Managing your End Users and Suppliers: “It’s all about Relationships!. She is a past Membership Secretary for the Washington State Chapter of NIGP and is currently the chapter’s Education and Research Chair.

Theresa is a graduate of Seattle University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a dual concentration in both Operations Management and Marketing.

On the Faculty of:

Contract Administration in the Public Sector

Contracting for Construction Services

Developing and Managing Requests for Proposals in the Public Sector

Michael Bevis is an internationally recognized thought leader in the public procurement profession. He is currently Chief Procurement Officer for the City of Norfolk, Virginia, where he is charged with integrating business, technology, operations and budgeting goals to further the City’s commitment to grow Norfolk’s economy and adopt programs that build a solid foundation for partnering with the business community. His prior purchasing experiences have included Purchasing Agent for Arlington County, Virginia; Chief Procurement Officer for the City of Naperville, Illinois; Deputy Director of the Federal Acquisition Institute in Washington DC; Deputy Purchasing Agent for the City of Chicago and Purchasing Manager for the Chicago Park District. He also practiced law in Ohio, Illinois and before several US Federal courts before focusing on Procurement Management. Michael is passionate in his support of fellow professionals. He currently serves the Chair of the Center for Job Order Contracting Excellence and in the immediate past Chair of the Governing Board of NIGP the Institute for Public Procurement; he also represents the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management on the Global Standards Board. Michael’s professionalism has been recognized by NIGP (Distinguished Service Award, Pareto Award of Excellence, Manager of the Year, Outstanding Agency Accreditation and Innovation awards), IFPSM (the Lewis Spangler Award), National Purchasing Institute (Achievement of Excellence in Procurement – awarded to his jurisdictions 16 times). Michael’s teaching experiences include 23 years as an Instructor for NIGP, independent curriculum and training development for various agencies. He has presented academic papers and taught professional development classes throughout North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. He served as an Adjunct Professor at Old Dominion University, the University of Maryland and he has taught at DePaul University in Chicago, IL (both Procurement and Project Management Curriculums). Michael is a graduate of Georgetown University Law School (JD), Lincoln Memorial University (BA magna cum laude) and has completed post graduate studies at North Central College (Leadership Studies) and Northern Illinois University (Public Administration). He holds the NIGP-CPP, a CPPO from the UPPCC and the CPSM and lifetime CPM from the Institute for Supply Management.

With over 25 years' experience as a tech translator and problem solver, Dawn Bjork is The Software Pro®. Dawn shares smart and easy ways to save you time and increase your productivity through her work as a nationally recognized technology speaker, software trainer, and computer consultant. The author of 9 books, Dawn is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and has also earned more than 30 other professional certifications including Microsoft Office Specialist Master (MOSM). Dawn is also the Past President of the Colorado chapter of the National Speakers Association.

Professional Certification(s) obtained: CPPO, C.P.M. Experience: Kirk Buffington, C.P.M. is the Director of Finance for the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida – a position he has held since 2014. He brings 19 years of procurement experience to the profession – including 17 years in public procurement for Florida municipal and county governments. Kirk holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business from Florida State University and a Master's Degree in Business Administration with a major in Logistics and Materials Management from Webster University. In service to NIGP Chapters, Kirk has held membership in the Central Florida Chapter of NIGP since 1993 and in the Southeast Florida Chapter since 1995. He has served as the Southeast Florida Chapter Vice President and was the President for two years. Kirk is a Certified NIGP Instructor and served as the President of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. in 2008-2009. In service to the profession, Kirk has also held numerous leadership positions within the Florida Association of Public Procurement Officials (FAPPO) and as its President in 2001. He was also a member of the Local Planning Committee for the 1997 NIGP Forum in Fort Lauderdale.

With more than 39 years in public procurement, Don is currently the Associate Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer at Mississippi State University. He previously served as the Director of the Office of Purchasing and Travel for the State of Mississippi. Don is a Past President of the National Association of State Purchasing Officials and was a charter member of the Mississippi Association of Governmental Purchasing Agents. Don is a Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO), and is currently the chair of the NIGP Certification Commission. Don is a Past President of NIGP. Don is also a Master Instructor for NIGP. He has participated in several NASPO States helping States projects as well as NIGP Procurement Management Assistance Program (PMAP) projects. On the Faculty of: Fundamentals of Management and Leadership in Public Procurement Introduction to Public Procurement.