Experience

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  The MeetingConnection

  • Sacramento, California Area

  • Chief Career Strategist

    • Mar 2017 - Present
    • Sacramento, California Area

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  Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)

  • Member, Northern California Chapter

    • 2008 - Present

    Member of Responsible Business Practice Task Force, 2017Member of Corporate Task Force, 2016

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  Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

  • Oakland, CA

  • Senior Event Strategist

    • Jun 2011 - Mar 2017
    • Oakland, CA

    • Provide strategic input to key stakeholders and business partners about desired goals and objectives for meetings, symposiums, summits, training programs, and customer focused events. • Consult with stakeholders and meeting sponsors about designing and implementing results-driven approaches that achieve heightened attendee engagement. • Lead planning meetings with business partners and event team about successful execution of program objectives and deliverables. • Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, internal business partners, and suppliers.• Work with cross functional teams aligning outcomes of meetings for 300 – 6,000 participants.• Prepare request for proposal for all meeting services. Ensure that green meeting and healthy food guidelines are emphasized.• Procure hotels and other suppliers based on services levels matching with meeting objectives.• Present recommendations for keynote speakers who align with meeting objectives. • Negotiate contracts and addendums with all suppliers.• Partner with designers to create registration websites, email communications, and event collateral. • Recommend use of mobile applications that help increase attendee engagement and interaction.• Responsible for budget forecasting identifying negotiated supplier cost savings.• Prepare and maintain program budgets up to $1.3 million. Responsible for final vendor reconciliation and department recharges.• Manage project planning timeline in Google docs to track deliverables.• Hire and supervise support staff needed for on site operations.• Manage all aspects of on site event logistics, working closely with venue staff and suppliers to ensure successful implementation of the program.• Maintain consistent use of procedures and templates such as program specifications, process agendas, addendums, supplier request for proposal, and budget protocols.• Ensure that all deliverable target dates are met on time and within budget.

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  Meeting Professionals International

  • Member, Northern California Chapter

    • Sep 1991 - Mar 2013

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  Author and Speaker - Career related topics

  • Who's In Charge of Your Career? Creating a Strategy for Success

    • Feb 2009 - Jun 2011

    This is a great resource book for individuals seeking an effective way to create a career strategy. The book also provides a wealth of information about designing a resume that markets an individual's best skills and abilities.

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  The MeetingConnection

  • Principal

    • Sep 1994 - Jun 2011

    The MeetingConnection is an executive placement company that works with corporations, associations, and third-party meeting management companies nationwide to fill full-time positions, short-term and on-site staffing assignments for meeting planners. We also offer resume design services and career coaching.

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  Sookman and Associates

  • President

    • Sep 1991 - Jun 2011

    Sookman and Associates is a meeting and event management company that offers services to corporations, associations, and non-profit organizations. We work with clients on a wide range of programs including sales meetings, user conferences, distributor conferences, trade show management, annual meetings, conferences, and incentive programs.We work closely with our clients to insure that they achieve their strategic goals and objectives for their meetings and events. We focus on providing clients with the highest quality programs utilizing new technologies that will help streamline their meetings and events. We determine the most cost-effective means for producing each program.

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  Meeting Professionals International, Northern California Chapter

  • Editor, MPINCC Perspective

    • Jul 1998 - May 2005

    I was the Editor of the newsletter for the Northern California chapter of Meeting Professionals International for eight years. I was responsible for putting together eight issues each year, gathering articles and other chapter information from the different working committees. Each year, I also had to interface with a different chapter president and their board of directors.

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  Siemer & Hand Travel

  • Account Executive

    • Sep 1990 - Oct 1991

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  American International Education & Training

  • Program Manager

    • 1981 - 1983

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  American Society on Aging

  • Conference Manager

    • 1979 - 1980