Free Monthly Virtual Webinars
Join Lourdes Coss and the Minnesota Chapter of NIGP for 2025's monthly webinar series. For topics, dates, and connection information, see the webinar list below.
To receive credit for attending the webinar, attendees should type in their name and chapter into the chat as evidence of attendance. Certificates will be sent to chapter contacts and forwarded to the attendee.
MN Chapter Members do not need to register individually for this webinar. Simply click the Zoom link to access.
Click HERE for a full 2025 free webinar schedule.
december webinar
Strategic Leadership: Driving Organizational Success
Topic: Leadership | NIGP Competency: Leadership | UPPCC Competency: Leadership
Explore advanced leadership strategies, vision-setting, and strategic alignment. Learn how procurement leaders can inspire high-performing teams, align goals with organizational vision, and lead their teams toward lasting impact.
| DATE: | December 4, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/3ALU09w | ||||
November WEBINAR
Teamwork and Collaboration: Building High- Performing Teams
Topic: Teamwork & Collaboration | NIGP Competency: Leadership | UPPCC Competency: Leadership
Delve into methods for fostering teamwork, collaboration, and mutual respect. Discover how creating a culture of cooperation can drive innovation, increase performance, and contribute to organizational success.
| DATE: | November 6, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/4fV1iH7 | ||||
October WEBINAR
Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraging Analytics for Better Outcomes
Topic: Data-Driven Decisions | NIGP Competency: Planning & Analysis | UPPCC Competency: Procurement Planning & Analysis
Use data as a strategic asset. This session explores analytics, performance metrics, and spend analysis as tools for making informed procurement decisions that enhance value and efficiency across projects.
| DATE: | October 2, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/40Ti5pK | ||||
September webinar
Sustainable Procurement: Procurement: Aligning Procurement with Environmental and Social Responsibility Goals
Topic: Sustainable Procurement | NIGP Competency: Strategy | UPPCC Competency: Strategy
Lead the way in sustainable procurement by integrating environmental and social responsibility into purchasing decisions. Learn best practices for aligning procurement activities with sustainability goals that benefit communities and ecosystems.
| DATE: | September 4, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/3AHlBZz | ||||
AUGUST WEBINAR
Mindfulness and resilience: Managing Stress in High-Pressure Environments
Topic: Mindfulness & Resilience | NIGP Competency: Leadership | UPPCC Competency: Leadership
Develop resilience and mindfulness techniques that can be applied to high-stress procurement environments. This session focuses on mental and emotional well-being, ensuring professionals remain effective and focused under pressure.
| DATE: | August 7, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/3YSm3MC | ||||
JULY WEBINAR
Risk Management: Identifying, Assessing, and Mitigating Risks
Topic: Risk Management | NIGP Competency: Planning & Analysis | UPPCC Competency: Procurement Planning & Analysis
Equip yourself with tools for risk identification, assessment, and mitigation. Learn practical approaches to manage procurement risks, ensuring projects remain secure, compliant, and beneficial to public interests.
| DATE: | July 3, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/48TvIXK | ||||
JUNE WEBINAR
Self-Leadership: Unlocking Personal Potential to Drive Team Success
Topic: Self-Leadership| NIGP Competency: Leadership | UPPCC Competency: Leadership
Harness the power of self-leadership to drive personal and team achievement. Develop habits of accountability and disciplined decision-making, understanding how these qualities contribute to effective leadership and organizational impact.
May WEBINAR
Team Dynamics: Building High-Performing, Collaborative Teams
Topic: Teamwork| NIGP Competency: Leadership | UPPCC Competency: Leadership
Explore strategies for creating cohesive, high performing teams within procurement. Discover leadership practices that encourage collaboration, embrace change, and establish a culture of continuous improvement for sustainable team success.
APRIL WEBINAR
Negotiation Skills: Achieving optimal outcomes
Topic: Negotiations | NIGP Competency: Sourcing & Solicitation | UPPCC Competency: Sourcing & Solicitation
Sharpen your negotiation abilities to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes with suppliers. Learn techniques to balance quality and cost, manage supplier dynamics, and foster partnerships that contribute to long-term procurement success.
| DATE: | April 3, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/4eCM6wW | ||||
March WEBINAR
Ethics: Ensuring Integrity and Compliance in Procurement
Topic: Ethics | NIGP Competency: Policy & Legislation | UPPCC Competency: Legal Framework
Navigate the nuances of ethical decision-making in procurement. This session offers a framework for maintaining integrity, ensuring transparency, and safeguarding public trust, focusing on compliance and ethical standards that protect both the profession and public resources.
| DATE: | March 6, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/3ZaBrFh | ||||
February WEBINAR
Effective Communication: Building Influence and Trust
Topic: Communication | NIGP Competency: Leadership | UPPCC Competency: Leadership
Master the art of communication to build trust, influence stakeholders, and foster collaboration. Gain tools to communicate effectively across teams, bridging gaps and creating cohesion that enhances overall project success.
| DATE: | February 6, 2025 | ||||
| START TIME: | 12 PM CT, with a repeat webinar at 2 PM CT | ||||
| DURATION: | 60 minutes (approx) | ||||
| ZOOM LINK: | https://bit.ly/3ZlJEqB | ||||
Lourdes Coss
MPA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO
Transforming your life and organization as a procurement professional isn't easy. I know. I've been there before. I started my career working with small businesses helping them understand how working capital propelled and restricted their vision for transforming their business. That experience led me to public procurement, where I found my niche leading transformations.
Today I take my 25+ years of experience working with government procurement teams to help leaders understand what transformation looks like and the plan they need to get them where they want to be next. Working with procurement teams, you learn about the intricacies of what they need to be successful. Sometimes it boils down to simple problems, and other times it's much bigger than that -- apathy, inadequate resources, or no strategy at all.
I incorporate these lessons and ideas into my coaching every day. My talented clients never lack tactical skills. They're struggling to see problems as opportunities to transform their organization, and that's when they call me.
Every day, I help these leaders take on their next big challenge through 1-1 coaching, virtual or in-person team training sessions, and strategic project support.
