Lou Russell is president and CEO of Russell Martin & Associates, a consulting and training company focused on improving business results. Lou and her staff deliver learning experiences that are fun, flexible, fast and measurable. She focuses on project management, leadership and organizational learning problems.

She is the author of The Accelerated Learning Fieldbook, Project Management for Trainers, IT Leadership Alchemy, Leadership Training, Training Triage, and the newly released 10 Steps to Successful Project Management. She is a frequent contributor to Computer World, Cutter Executive Reports, and Inside Indiana Business, among others, and publishes the monthly Learning Flash electronic newsletter. Lou is also the author of The People Side of Project Management, part of the Villanova Advanced Project Management certificate program. A popular speaker, Lou addresses national and international conferences such as the Project Management Institute, Project World, LotuSphere, ASTD and the Society of Information Management (SIM). She has been the chair of the Shared Insight’s Project Management Reality conference. She holds an (expired) computer science degree from Purdue University, where she taught database and programming classes, and a Masters in Instructional Technology from Indiana University. Her career has included positions as a programmer, database administrator, Help Desk implementer/manager, technical trainer and manager of technical training. She has experience consulting in IT, sales, operations and human resources process improvement.

Igniting, affirming and sustaining learning is a personal mission, evidenced by Lou’s activities outside the company. In addition to work with children’s charities and the Indianapolis SIM organization, she coaches and plays soccer, and teaches religious education. Lou is also a senior consultant with the Cutter Consortium and has served on the High Tech Task Force in Indiana, as well as the boards of ITT Technical Institute and Butler University. She was elected to “Who’s Who in Indiana Technology” in 1995 and named “Women of the Year” in 2000 by Women & Hi Tech.