Program 

Conference Welcome 

Kick off the conference with a warm welcome to SFSU by Jeff Jackanicz, Vice President of University Advancement. 

Opening Keynote: Finding Your Own Worth with Matthew Emerzian

Prepare for an engaging session that will inspire you to embrace your own worth by Matthew Emerzian. Emerzian is the CEO of Every Monday Matters (EMM), a not-for-profit organization that aims to help individuals and organizations recognize their significance. EMM's programs have reached over 3 million students across the United States and other countries, while their Employee Engagement Program is making a positive impact on corporate cultures nationwide. Emerzian's work has received recognition from various media outlets, and his message emphasizes the importance of personal and social change through selflessness and finding purpose. 

A Conversation about Collaborating on Campaign Events for Higher Education

Let's talk about how to produce and collaborate on campaign events for higher education! There are a lot of factors that go into producing memorable donor events at any scale. Join Show Imaging Inc. in discussion with UC Merced and UC San Diego as they break down the ins and outs of Campaign magic from open to close.

The session will feature a case study analysis of UC San Diego’s recent Campaign, which closed after reaching a 3 billion + goal, as well as the launch of UC Merced’s recent inaugural campaign with a 200 million dollar goal. We will also have a panel conversation and Q&A with the team that made it happen. 

Have questions for ShowImaging? Share them here.

Presenters: 

• Luke Gulley, Director of Sales, Show Imaging Inc.

• Adrianne McCraw, Sr. Events Specialist, UC San Diego Special Events and Protocol

• Emma Malacaria, Account Manager, Show Imaging Inc.

• Christine Wallace, Director, Protocol and Signature Events, UC Merced

The State of A.I. and ChatGPT for Events

In recent months ChatGPT/Open A.I. has exploded onto the scene with amazing feats of poetry, essay writing, and even passing the bar! While billions of dollars are being invested to catch this latest technology wave, what does it really mean for the events industry?

This session will provide an overview of A.I., discuss how it is currently being used for events, and share the four essential criteria to consider when evaluating an A.I. solution for your event or your organization.

Presenter: 

• Chuck Elias,CEO and Co-founder, 42Chat

Session Slide Deck

What's in a name? The Power of Pronunciation: Celebrating Identity through Accurate Name Pronunciation at Commencement

This session will explore the significance of pronouncing names correctly during commencement ceremonies. By embracing and honoring the diversity of names within our academic community, we not only demonstrate respect for individuals' identities but also foster an inclusive and supportive environment for all. Join us as we delve into the importance of accurate name pronunciation, its profound impact on our shared celebration, and how it contributes to establishing connections, empowering individual voices, and cultivating a culture of respect and inclusivity.

Presenters: 

• Carmela Arstill, Assistant Director, University Events, Cal State Long Beach

• Rebecca Alptekin, Vice President of Client Relations, MarchingOrder

• Angela Collins, Manager, Strategic Accounts, MarchingOrder 

• Emily Koop, Client Success Manager, MarchingOrder

Session Slide Deck

Tips for Tight Budgets

Are you finding an ever increasing desire for phenomenal, magical events, but yet with less and less funding to get it done? If not, let us know so we can all come work on your campus! Event planners are constantly making magic happen and it looks like the future will be about creating those wow moments with ever tightening budgets. 

We will discuss industry trends for the next couple years and how to make them work and wow your attendees, but within the limitations and restraints of a university budget world. We will dive into the resources that you have on campus to make things have that special moment and memory that leads to more engagement, but within your financial limitations. 

Presenter: 

• Maya Goehring-Harris, Director, External Relations, UC Berkeley

Session Slide Deck

Tailgates Red Wave Style

Ah college football…join us as we share the triumphs, successes, and pitfalls that happen during a busy tailgate season. From alumni engagement tactics to building and leveraging athletics partnerships, we will share tips, best practices, and maybe even a few disaster stories. 

This session will review two case studies featuring the Red Wave Tailgate engaging over 1,200 alumni and friends, and the 2022 Jimmy Kimmel Bowl Game at NFL’s SoFi Stadium.

• Presenters: 

• Amanda Banks, Smittcamp Alumni House Coordinator, Fresno State

• Nicole Traverso, Events Manager and Volunteer Specialist, Fresno State

Session Slide Deck

Campus Catering: Delivering on the Wow

Delivering Wow experience through Catering involves knowing current consumers’ yearning thoughts and desires around food and delivery. These thoughts and desires change over time.

Being keen to these needs helps us to deliver the Wow experience. Furthermore, this knowledge can help us anticipate future needs and support setting the trend.

The Sodexo team will talk through those trendy food choices and present ideas to incorporate them into tasty and memorable menu choices.

• Presenters: 

• Tiffany Cruz, Director of Catering Services, Sodexo at SFSU

• Rensford Abrigo, CEC, Executive Chef, Sodexo at SFSU

Session Slide Deck

Growing Together: Harnessing the Power of a Campus Wide Network for Event Planners

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a more cohesive, informed, and united network of event professionals across all departments of your university? In this session, we will explore the who, what, why, and how of creating and nurturing a robust professionals network for event planners on your campus.

By introducing real-world example networks from UC San Diego, Sacramento State, and Stanislaus State, we hope to provide practical examples, strategies, and resources for building such a network on your own campuses and helping you cultivate a collaborative group to share event planning resources, campus policies and protocols, and learn from each others’ successes and challenges.

Presenters: 

• Monica Doll, Director of University Events, Stanislaus State, University Advancement

• Adrianne McCraw, Sr. Events Specialist, UC San Diego Special Events and Protocol

• Leah Walukones, Special Events Coordinator, Sacramento State Office of the President

Session Slide Deck

The Evolution of an Event: from stuffy banquet to donor-focused celebration  

Event professionals can’t be the only ones who are tired of the played-out, stale country club dinner and awards presentation. And there’s no way we’re the only ones tired of the “This is the way we’ve always done it!” mentality. Join this session for a case study on how CSU Bakersfield took a signature event, Alumni Hall of Fame induction, from a standard banquet to a donor-focused, crowd-pleasing celebration. The session will focus on this event’s evolution over the past five years in response to myriad external factors, including but not limited to changing policies, COVID restrictions, guest feedback, volunteer advisory board challenges, and evolving institutional priorities. If you’re bored, they’re bored! Join this session to get tips on how to freshen up a stuffy program!  

Presenters: 

• Elizabeth "Ellie" Fergon, Director of Events, California State University, Bakersfield

• Merry Coder, CMP, CSEP, Senior Events Specialist, California State University, Bakersfield

Session Slide Deck

Bringing Interns into Your Summer Conference Business

As many campuses are returning to their first full Summer Conference season in several years, many are trying to reestablish old relationships with previous groups while recruiting guests for their open summer spaces.  Internship Housing offers a great opportunity to fill summer spaces while also supporting students temporarily relocating to an area for the summer. 

This session will focus on the value of offering internship housing. We’ll include tips on getting started, considerations for building an internship program, and marketing ideas to promote growth. Additionally, a housing application for interns will be demoed.

• Presenters: 

• Matthew Jauregui, Solutions Analyst, StarRez

• Roberto Valentin, Account Manager, StarRez

Join us for a keynote conversation with Angela Joens, Consultant and Strategist with The Donor Relations Guru Group and Assistant Vice Chancellor of Development Outreach for the University of California, Davis. Ms. Joens has gained extensive experience in management, development, and stewardship throughout her professional career, and she is a renowned expert in planning purpose-driven events. Her keynote speech will focus on strategies to plan meaningful events that maximize resources and impact.

Keynote Slide Deck

Join fellow conference-goers for informal conversations on the following topics:

Building Community Through Peer-Led Workshops Amongst Staff, Faculty & Administrators

Tabletop leads:

• Darleen Franklin, Biology Instructional Services Facility Manager/Microbiology Research Associate, College of Science and Engineering, San Francisco State University

• Nancy Ganner, Assistant Director of Operations, Human Resources, San Francisco State University 

This conversation focuses on the ingredients and steps needed to create simple and fun campus events that aim to bring staff together and build admin-faculty-staff peer relationships. It will share best practices for networking across campus to create inclusive events such as women’s leadership workshops/conferences that give employees and student leaders a platform to build leadership, mentoring, diversity and networking skills.

UC Article 5 and Regents Policy 5402

Tabletop Lead:

•  Maya Goehring-Harris, Director, External Relations, University of California, Berkeley

UC Peeps - Does talk of Article 5 and Regents Policy 5402 make your heart race?  Join in community for a group therapy conversation to see how we can help each other to thrive in our logistics with support and ways we are all making it work. 

Commencement 

Tabletop Leads:

• Melissa Henss, Director of Special Events and Ceremonies, San Diego State University

• Carmela Arstill, Assistant Director, University Events, Cal State Long Beach

Join us for a lively tabletop conversation as we delve into the exciting (and sometimes stressful) world of planning university commencement ceremonies! We'll explore every detail, from scheduling coordination with campus colleagues to wrapping your 50th, 75th, or 100th anniversary into your commencement celebration, among other topics. Expect a friendly and professional atmosphere as we explore how to create memorable graduation experiences for our deserving students.

Presidential Investitures 

Tabletop Leads:

• Marilyn McPoland, Director, Office of University Ceremonies and Events, California State University, Dominguez Hills

• Leah Walukones, Special Events Coordinator, University Events, Sacramento State University

This conversation will focus on planning presidential investitures. We'll discuss the important aspects, such as protocol, guest invitations, and and other elements that go into welcoming and celebrating a new university president.

Planning Fundraising and Donor Engagement Events

Tabletop Lead:

• Lynn Bautista, Director, Advancement Events, UC San Diego

Join us for an engaging tabletop conversation as we explore the ins and outs of planning fundraising and donor engagement events. Together, we'll discuss strategies, logistics, and creative ideas to maximize donor participation and support. In a collaborative and professional setting, let's work towards creating successful and impactful events that leave a lasting impression on our valued donors.

Alumni Events

Tabletop Lead:

• Jessica Rowland, Programs Specialist, Cal State Fullerton Alumni Relations

Join us for an insightful tabletop conversation focused on planning alumni and free events. We'll discuss innovative ideas, logistics, and effective strategies to engage our alumni community and create memorable experiences for attendees. In a collaborative and friendly setting, let's explore ways to connect with our alumni and offer exceptional free events that foster a sense of community and celebration.

Leadership Receptions

Tabletop Lead:

• Adrianne McCraw, Senior Events Specialist, Special Events and Protocol at UC San Diego

Come join us for a productive tabletop conversation centered around planning leadership receptions, be they for welcoming new campus leadership or celebrating the retirement of esteemed executives. We'll explore various aspects, including logistics, guest invitations, and venue arrangements. In a friendly and collaborative environment, let's work together to create memorable and meaningful receptions that honor our campus leaders and their invaluable contributions.

Events and Expectations

Tabletop Lead:

• Nicole Lange, AVP of Alumni Relations and University Engagement, San Francisco State University 

Join us for an engaging tabletop conversation as we delve into the fascinating topic of events and expectations in the era of social media. We'll explore how the rising influence of social platforms has heightened the stakes for event planning and execution. From managing online presence and attendee expectations to leveraging social media for event promotion, we'll discuss strategies and best practices. In a collaborative and insightful atmosphere, let's navigate the evolving landscape and uncover ways to create impactful events that meet the heightened expectations in the digital age.

Customization & Personalization

Tabletop Lead:

• Stuart Event Rentals Team

Join us for a deep dive into Customization and Personalization. Share how you have tailored events to meet individual client preferences. Let’s discuss customizing themes, décor, and rentals to suit various events and create a personalized touch. In a safe space with like-minded people, let's workshop our challenges and share our successes.