Intent to Run Statement
From my perspective, NACE’s two key emerging challenges that face our association are a strong strategic marketing and integrated technology. To remain a strong, vibrant community, NACE must invest in a dedicated staff member to oversee NACE National’s internal marketing efforts for members, but also externally to the association industry to strengthen our brand and to corporate companies, so they begin to look for members with the CPCE certification when hiring.
In addition to strong strategic marketing, NACE needs to improve our integrated technology to allow organizational growth. Group rates need to be negotiated with platforms like StarChapter, Eventbrite, Canva, and Hootsuite to allow continuity across chapters and standard operating procedures to be established.
To assist in advancing the association’s mission of being the premier resource and community for catering and event professionals, I can contribute a variety of talents and unique perspectives to support our strong, vibrant community. Passion for NACE – I, personally and professionally have benefited from my involvement with NACE New Orleans and NACE National. I want to share my passion for the industry and NACE with others and help improve our community while developing future leaders.
Understanding of our Future – As a long-time chapter leader, I have experienced how things used to be done, participated in progressing our organization, and understand where we want to go! In 2017, I was chosen by the executive director search committee to be interviewed by the outside agency. The agency asked me what my thoughts on the old regime, thoughts on the organization’s future and what traits were needed in an executive director. In just a few years, I could not have imagined our organization to be where it is today. Our national staff, board, and foundation are thriving and with the Strategic Plan in place, it finally feels like we are the strategic, aligned and transparent organization that I knew we always could be.
Background in Marketing and Communications – At my former company, I led the marketing and communications for a non-profit, three international festivals, and an international awards show. Through these experiences, I have learned the importance of brand consistency, to think big, but strategically, as non-profits notoriously have limited budgets. I would like to bring my experiences and relationships with international liquor companies to NACE, so they too understand the power of NACE.
Knowledge of Chapter Operations – As a long-time NACE member, I have had the pleasure to serve the New Orleans chapter as director of marketing, director of programs and education, 1st vice president, president, and now as immediate past president. As immediate past president, I had to step up and become interim treasurer when our board member had to step down for health reasons. As an active board member, I led the transformation of our chapter, including establishing best practices and standard operating procedures, as well as restructuring the board to include a director of strategic partnerships, and dividing the director of membership position into two positions concentrating on recruitment and retention respectively. With extensive knowledge of chapter operations, I know the importance of cross-communication among chapters, which allows me to relate to other chapter leaders and assist with troubleshooting.
Non-Traditional Chapter Leader – I am a non-traditional NACE member and chapter leader with a unique perspective of NACE. As a non-profit planner, I benefit from NACE in different ways than a caterer or hotelier. Members are my trusted vendors and partners that support my organization’s mission, but also support me. I track the return on investment (ROI) of my NACE membership through discounts or in-kind donations, so my employer understands the value and impact NACE makes on our organization and community. In turn, our organization contributes to the hospitality industry in non-traditional ways as well. When I joined the United Way of Southeast Louisiana team, we relaunched our Hospitality Cares program in partnership with the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation. When a company, for example, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans runs a payroll deduction campaign, we designate 50 cents of each dollar to the Hospitality Cares program, which gives emergency grants to those in the hospitality industry. More recently, in these uncertain times, we’ve launched the Hospitality Cares Pandemic Response Fund that will grant over $450,000 to hospitality workers that are A.L.I.C.E. (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed) in our seven parish or county service area.
I am also a non- traditional leader as I am approaching the national board as a non-CLC member. For the past few years, incoming national officers have been involved in the Chapters Leaders Council (CLC) Committee and I am approaching it from the National Certification Chair position. As NACE continues to grow, it is important to have contested elections and have leaders from various backgrounds. CLCs are important for chapters, and I know this from personal experience. Gil Hall, CPCE was my CLC as chapter president and pivotal in our growth and success. I want to bring attention to the various pathways to committee chair positions, as well as national officers. I have been involved with the Certification Committee since I earned my CPCE in 2014, and am honored to serve as chair and to have authored the Sales and Marketing chapter in the new edition of the CPCE study guide. I am looking forward to the launch and I hope you enjoy the expanded material.
NACE can best support the catering and events industry and its professionals by continuing to expand and elevate the in-person and online education and programs, as well as services for professional development. As certification chair, I know the potential NACE has to expand our online business academies and the CPCE program to other communities. In addition to business academies, NACE could support catering and events professionals who may not have the time or means to travel to Evolve or Experience by hosting a multi-day, high-impact, low-cost online learning conference for members. If elected treasurer, I’d have to pleasure of working with the certification and education committees to continue the work we began to expand and elevate the CPCE certification and revamp and expand online education. I would work with the board and national staff to brainstorm potential partnerships that would relief chapter expenses but also, make our in-person conferences and certification program profitable or at the least break even.
If NACE received a grant for $1 million and depending on the grant guidelines, I would recommend we propose the following to ensure we are good stewards of that money.
Invest in Education – With the goal to expand online education and CPCE certification, I would work with the board to create an education endowment, which would allow chapter leaders to attend Evolve for free. This would dismantle many barriers to creating strong future leaders. The only expenses chapter leaders would have to incur would be their flight, hotel, and meals. In addition to the endowment, we could lower the registration prices of Experience that can be prohibitive to chapters and companies, and potentially expand the overall conference program to include other educational opportunities.
Invest in Our Members – I would work with the board to establish an emergency response fund for NACE members. Our industry always bands together in a time of crisis, whether it be pandemics like COVID-19, the devastating fires, hurricanes or tornadoes. It would btornados if NACE National could offer assistance during these difficult times.
Invest in Our Chapters – I would work with the board to negotiate with partners like StarChapter, Eventbrite, Canva, and Hootsuite to offer free services and/or reasonable prices to our chapters. This might entail an initial investment from NACE National but ultimately, NACE chapters would be using the same platforms, while paying reasonable subscriptions.
Invest in Our Brand – I would work with the board to poll the members for potential topics for our first white paper to be released during our Annual State of the Industry address, which would further establish NACE as the professional standard-bearer of the industry. This would reinforce that NACE is an essential resource to the catering and events industry.
Invest in Our Future – To further our strong, vibrant community, I would work with the board to research and invest in marketing and PR initiatives from outside agencies with fresh perspectives and approaches to recruit new members with a focus on expanding members’ diversity (racial, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc,), as well as a focus on elevating our national brand through the CPCE certification. A part of this market research would be a demographic survey, so we are properly representing and marketing ourselves. In addition to the increased marketing, I would invest in technology that would track education hours to streamline the certification process for the CPCE candidate but also to make it more efficient for the NACE staff.