#2023MPSummit #MeetingProfessionals #MeetingPlanners 

Education

Six Steps to a Zero Waste Event 

Julia Spangler, Ecosystems Events
(Presenting virtually)

As an event professional, you’ve seen the problem of event waste first-hand. You’ve seen disposable products, leftover food, outdated swag and more get thrown away after events. And you’ve felt bad about it, but something was always standing in your way of rescuing those resources, whether it was lack of time, lack of staff, or lack of the right system in place. Become a zero-waste leader, achieve zero-waste, attract & retain clients, and make your clients look like sustainability rock stars!

Learn how to deliver dramatic sustainability results that attract and add value for clients. In this session, learn the six steps of the zero-waste event planning process. This process can be used by any planner—at any level of experience with sustainability—to dramatically reduce the amount of waste generated by their events, plus produce meaningful measurements they can use to track and share their results. Participants will engage in interactive discussion to deepen their understanding waste reduction, diversion and measurement techniques. This session features a hands-on activity that allow participants to immediately apply zero waste planning strategies. 

Trade Shows: New Ideas for an Old Favorite

    
Jennifer Haire, CMP, and Valerie Gardner, CMP, CGMP, National Center for State Courts

Is the trade show dying? What do our partners and vendors want to see in return? In this interactive session, we want to hear from YOU, the real thought provokers, what you see and hear with regards to today’s trade shows. Come ready with ideas, challenges and questions and we will shed some light on industry trends and forecast for the future. 

Scavenger Hunt and Property Tour

 
Tiffany Brown, Virginia Master Naturalist Program

Discover the hidden gems of the Hotel 24 South and the City of Staunton during this Structured Networking Activity.  Once again, Tiffany Brown brings the fun to a sometime stressful activity that can easily translate to your next event no matter the industry. Bring your walking shoes and clue sleuthing techniques. 

How to Redesign Events for Pandemic-Changed Attendees

  
Pamela Flynn, Eisenman & Associates, Inc.

The pandemic and its impact have changed the way we meet. Everything from format, food & beverage, registration pricing, and who attends our meetings are different. How do we know what is right for our organization? What should we expect our future conferences to look and feel like? Do we throw out our meeting framework and start constructing something new? During this session, we will assess the initial predictions for post-pandemic meetings, discuss which areas of meeting planning need to be revamped, and explore new concepts and ideas for designing our future conferences. 

Accessibility: Designing Events for All 

  
Dr. Jingrong Pearl Xie, Virginia Tech

Accessibility is the practice of making information, activities, and/or environments sensible, meaningful, and usable for as many people as possible. During this session, we will discuss the many aspects of accessibility and how you can incorporate small but purposeful improvements to your meetings and events so that all can benefit. Additionally, you'll have more inclusive and more productive meetings if you increase people's comfort level and ability to participate, even if they don't have a disability. For example, there are simple ways to make meetings more comfortable for introverts, people who don't speak English as a first language, and others.

Technology Roundtable

  
Jordan Vallerga, CMP, Eisenman & Associates, Inc.

With a new app being released almost every week since the pandemic hit, it can be overwhelming deciding on which application will work best for your event. How do you compare similar applications? In this session, we'll review website builders, mobile apps, project management tools, and other technologies that can increase productivity, improve team communication, and make your life easier. 

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