FAQ | Strategic Meetings / Corporate Events / Meeting Management

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Long Have You Been Planning Meetings & Special Events?

I have been planning Meeting and Special Events for over 30 years. I began planning special events in college at the University of Kansas as I was involved in the Student Union Activities Board as the Fine Arts Committee Chair. I planned all kinds of activities around campus and I found that I enjoyed planning special events, After graduating from college, I did an Internship at Sheild King Public Relations, in Chicago, IL and then I landed a full-time position as Director of Special Events for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CF) Greater Illinois Chapter. After two years at CF, I decided it was time to move on with my career and focus on Meeting Planning. Therefore, I landed a position as Meetings Assistant at the American Bar Association. From there, I worked for an entertaining company, Record-A-Hit. I then started my own company, Eventful Occasions, Inc. where I planned all kinds of events around Chicago. After seven years of running my own business, I then worked for a couple of incentive management companies. I then spent two years at Sears, Roebuck and Company as Assistant Manager, Off-Site Events. I moved to Denver, CO in 2006, and I then landed a position at an Association Management company. Since then I have I have focused on Meeting Planning as a Meeting Manager/Consultant which I have enjoyed tremendously.

2. What Industry Accreditations Do You Have?

Certified Meeting Professionals (CMP) Accreditation, Chicago, IL, June 1995.
Certified Meeting Manager (CMM) Accreditation, September 2012.
Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate (HMCC), June 2017.
Digital Event Strategist (DES), August 2020.

3. What Involvement Do You Have In the Industry?

I am actively involved in the following Associations:

Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
Toastmasters International