Attending industry events can help women new to the business to build cruical relationships. Pictured: Dremio’s Subsurface event in New York for data architects and engineers. Courtesy of Kelly Carlsted

Career paths. For some women, they resemble an arrow – straight and smooth, with a few bumps along the way. For others, they are maze-like, a field of divergent avenues filled with twists and turns. Career paths in the meetings and events arena, like people, are often an amalgamation of different elements, woven together until they unfold into one chosen direction. The women featured have a wealth of experience within the meeting and events industry. And while their career paths are unique, they share a common belief that hard work and creativity have helped formed the planners they are today.

Determination to Succeed

Kelly Carlsted, CMP, senior manager, event and field marketing, at Dremio, has more than 15 years of experience, owning events ranging from 15 to 4,500 attendees and working on events up to 60,000 attendees. Currently, she leads the global event team at Dremio and their premier community event, Subsurface.

During Carlsted’s college years, she cultivated a passion for event planning, which eventually sparked her desire to pursue it as a career. However, upon graduating in 2008 amidst the recession, she recognized the need for resilience when securing a job.

“My perseverance paid off when I secured a full-time position at an event agency, where I honed my skills and established a solid foundation in the meeting industry,” Carlsted says. “Throughout my career journey, I have navigated various roles within both the venue and agency sectors. However, my affinity for the dynamic environment of high-tech companies led me to integrate my expertise into the marketing division, where I currently thrive.”

Networking, maintaining a high level of professionalism and consistently delivering one’s best efforts are foundational principles that Carlsted upholds. She actively seeks out opportunities that arise and explores diverse facets of marketing to enhance her strategic perspective.

As a perpetual learner, she also prioritizes staying ahead of event industry trends and advancements, recognizing the importance of continuous improvement in her skill set. This mindset allows her to remain adaptable and proactive in embracing new challenges and evolving responsibilities.

“Maintaining a consistently professional demeanor is paramount, and recognizing that delegation is key to managing responsibilities effectively,” Carlsted says. “Entrusting tasks to individuals fosters an environment where talents can flourish, proving more rewarding for me than direct execution. Furthermore, in event planning, meticulous preparation is crucial, yet unforeseen challenges may arise. Hence, having multiple contingency plans ready is indispensable for mitigating potential disruptions.”

Additionally, Carlsted allocates a buffer of 5% in the yearly budget, which enables the exploration of new technologies or strategies, ensuring adaptability and innovation within the evolving landscape of meeting and event management.

For women who are new to the meetings and events industry, Carlsted recommends building a strong professional network by attending industry events, joining relevant associations, and connecting with peers and mentors.

“Networking can open doors to opportunities and provide valuable insights,” she adds. “Also, stay updated with industry trends, technologies and best practices. Consider pursuing certifications or additional education to enhance your skills and marketability.”

Carlsted notes that the events industry can be demanding and unpredictable. So, women need to develop resilience to handle pressure, adapt to changes and overcome obstacles effectively. And also embrace emerging technologies that will make their role easier.

“We stand at the cusp of a transformative era with the advent of AI, poised to streamline tasks and reduce overhead costs in event management significantly. Presently, I leverage AI for a myriad of event-related functions, such as email composition and voice of god announcements, among others,” Carlsted says. “Anticipating rapid advancements in AI, I eagerly await its capabilities to automate graphics creation and address branding needs for events. While virtual and hybrid events have gained prominence, a return to pre-COVID levels in the industry hinges on companies reinvesting in education and travel. This renewed investment will be pivotal in revitalizing the event sector and restoring its vibrancy.”

Nelia Nunes, pictured on left with Kristen Margulis and Erin LeMoine at this year’s RSA Conference in San Francisco, says being a fair and reasonable collaborative problem solver helps her to build relationships on trust. Courtesy of Nelia Nunes

Thinking Strategically

Nelia Nunes, CMP, CEM, event strategist & consultant at Blue Plaza Events, got involved in the event industry by complete accident. She had graduated from college and was unsure of what she wanted to do.

“I was working as an human resources assistant for a media company, and my first job that I was hiring for was in one of the event brand departments. I sat down with the hiring manager to learn more about the job and she said, “It’s really a fun job. Are you interested?” And that was the beginning of a career that I absolutely love.”

After about 13 years, Nunes left her full-time position to freelance. She was looking for a new challenge and she needed more flexibility due to the birth of her children, one of whom was born with a serious form of epilepsy.  After freelancing for eight years, Nunes moved into a more strategic consulting role, helping companies stay ahead of the competition by increasing revenue and attendee engagement — essentially, making sure their event is an experience.

“I find that building relationships is key in this industry. Being fair, reasonable and a collaborative problem-solver has helped me build relationships on trust,” Nunes says. “It has allowed me to work effectively with all stakeholders, including vendors, etc.  In addition, I am always striving to learn. I love to read, talk to people about what’s happening in the industry, notice what’s around me and how it can be applied to our industry.”

While many people in the industry are very logistics-focused, which is important, Nunes says meeting professionals also need to be strategy-focused.

“Learning how to think strategically in order to create a true immersive experience has been one of the biggest and most exciting things I have learned, and continue to learn,” Nunes says. “Also, this industry can be very stressful.  What we do is bring people together, provide experiences, educate and inspire, while bringing in revenue. While that is all extremely important, remember to keep things in perspective.  Don’t take yourself too seriously, and have fun.”

Nunes is so excited about the future of this industry and her place in it. Bringing people together for “aha” moments is what inspires her.

“I’m excited about continuing to grow my ability to help companies innovate their events. I also envision myself teaching junior industry professionals on how to think strategically so that they can apply that to their own event,” Nunes says.

Longstanding Success

Over the last 30 years, Michele Dobnikar, president of Global Meet, has built a reputable career in the business technology industry. She started her career during a time when virtual collaboration was a novel concept and has witnessed the industry grow into what it is today and its expansion into meetings and events. Since 1990, she has served in various leadership positions, spanning all levels of event conferencing, production, sales and management. She has worked in various roles, from being an event manager to chief integration officer for acquisitions, and now her current role as president of GlobalMeet.

“I’m grateful for all the memorable experiences I’ve had over the last 30 years, including my time spent abroad helping to spearhead GlobalMeet’s European presence, where we grew the startup to a $36 million operation in just four years,” says Dobnikar, who surrounds herself with strong and independent thinkers, which has allowed her to expand her horizons and prioritize out-of-the-box thinking.

“As a woman in this industry, I’ve also learned the importance of building meaningful relationships with other exceptional women and the power of community,” Dobnikar says. “I’ve always felt passionate about empowering other women in this industry and throughout my career, it is this very passion that remains a driving factor of my success and continues to push me to strive for more.”

Over the last three decades, Dobnikar has learned that listening to customers is the strongest tool. Hearing clients explain their needs in their own words is extremely beneficial when simplifying the nuances of what they’re trying to achieve.

“Things often get lost in translation when the message is passed around internally. Sometimes, customers will have specific goals in mind which vary by event and audience,” Dobnikar says.  “Once you understand your customer’s wants and needs, you can apply your experience to make their event unique. Everyone craves a stand-out moment, and if you can deliver that, you will exceed your customers’ expectations.”

The event industry is vast and Dobnikar’s advice to other women in the industry is to become a true expert in their chosen space and find their voice and niche. “Let your confidence and input shine. Bring great energy and creativity to everything you do and always be willing to expand your horizons and listen,” she says.

“The meeting and events industry is transforming year after year as we continue to incorporate trending technological innovation into virtual spaces,” Dobnikar adds. “A key trend for the future is the growing presence of AI in event technology and its ability to bring data to life pre and post-event. For businesses that maintain the necessity for in-person experiences, event hosts are leaning towards venues designed for the digital age that can complement immersive experiences. In my opinion, another pivotal trend will be the intertwining of event and marketing professionals. Events have become an essential strategy for achieving marketing goals and we’ll continue seeing this expand in an effort to increase ROI.”

Finding Inspiration in Others

Jill Garcia, chief inspiration officer, president/owner at The Hutton Group, is inspired by seeing joy in people when they experience something new and exciting. “I love to see smiling faces when a creative endeavor becomes reality,” Garcia says.

Having worked in the meetings and events industry for more than 30 years, Garcia’s experience has included a broad range of services. From large-scale events to focused retreats, she has planned meetings for groups ranging from 10 to 10,000 attendees. Her meeting planning expertise includes all major markets globally, including corporate, SMERF and association clientele.

After graduating from college in Central Connecticut in 1988, Garcia and a friend moved to Orlando, FL. That was the beginning of her career, which has spanned more than 35 years. Living in Orlando, she had the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful resorts, including Disney. The first time she walked around Magic Kingdom as a 22-year-old, she was hooked and knew she wanted to plan its onsite events.

Garcia started working in the hotel industry as a convention services coordinator at The Stouffer Orlando Resort in 1988 and was continuously promoted internally. After three years, she left to pursue an event planning opportunity at Universal Studios. She then worked at a nationally recognized destination management company in Orlando, moved on to independent meeting planning and then hotel site selection. In February 2020, one month before the pandemic, Jill purchased The Hutton Group, a full-service meeting planning company in Pittsburgh, PA. She circled back to her first love – the meetings industry – where she combined her past experiences into one product.

Today, The Hutton Group – Inspired Meetings & Events consists of several contractors located across the United States who deliver site selection services. The team also includes 10 skilled meeting planners, each bringing their unique talents and experiences to the organization.

“My success is due to diligence, commitment and years of hard work. I understand our clients’ needs before they recognize it themselves,” Garcia says. “Being attentive and accessible and staying in touch with industry colleagues throughout the years is critically important.”

Garcia recognizes that the hospitality industry moves extremely fast, and planners must anticipate and be ready for constant change.

“There is a lot of competition in this business and you have to provide excellent, consistent service to stay in the game,” Garcia says. “The past 35 years have brought me much success. I have embraced every decision and path I have chosen without any regrets. I want to continue to grow my company and when I retire – in 10 to 15 years – I can seamlessly transition my clients to the capable hands of the next leader.

Making Connections

Sheila Fox, chief events officer at Event in Site, got her start planning events while a student at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, eventually launched her business Event In Site at age 27. That was 17 years ago.

“I learned a long time ago that you should never burn bridges and you should use your network to ask for help when you need it,” Fox says. “ People I met in my early years in the industry are now my clients and our worlds collide and intersect every day.”

When Fox was launching her business, she had coffee with everyone she knew who had their own business and asked them a lot of questions. She met with many colleagues in the industry and asked for advice as well.

“I attend hospitality industry events (PCMA, MPI and the Ohio Society of Association Professionals), and build relationships with vendor partners and fellow independent planners,” Fox says. “We created a Meeting Planner Collective, where we meet once a quarter to discuss the ups and downs of our businesses, and share work and resources. This work can sometimes feel like you’re in a silo, and it has made all the difference knowing there are professional friends I can rely on to help or share projects with.”

Fox advises other women in the industry that there is a wide range of types of planners and ways to enter the industry. Figure out what you’re interested in and where you want to work and take any job they’ll give you. You can always move up or around if you’re in a culture or doing work that matters to you.

“I am in the throes of raising my two daughters (ages 12 and 9), along with running my business, and volunteer and have church commitments. Having my own business allows me the flexibility I need to be able to be available for my girls, husband and extended family when I need to, which is a tremendous blessing,” Fox says. “I hope to do more speaking and writing. Eventually, I’d like to bring a few people to my team so I can step back from the day-to-day logistics of event planning.”  C&IT