About

Serving Higher Education Institutions of California 

The CSU+UC Event Professionals Network is a community of practice for event specialists working at higher education institutions across California. Led by a steering group of professionals from the two public university systems in California, the network is dedicated to helping the state’s professionals with the tenets below. 

CONNECT event professionals with their counterparts to foster a rich exchange of ideas and successful practices. 

EDUCATE event professionals with the skills to excel in their work. 

GROW event specialists professionally by bolstering their career development. 

SUPPORT event professionals with empathy and community as they navigate the stressful nature of their work. 

MISSION

The network is working towards a reality where higher education event professionals in California have influence and are recognized and respected as professionals at their universities. 

PARTICIPANTS 

The network's programming and committees welcome all event professionals working at a higher education institution in California. There is no fee to be part of the network; some programming has registration fees.

STRUCTURE 

The network operates as several committees led by the Leadership Council and the CSU Advancement Academy at the CSU Chancellor’s Office. Leadership Council members chair the working committees that are composed of any interested network member. 

The difference between event professional and Party planner

The difference between a party planner and an event professional who works in higher education lies in their scope of work, purpose, and approach to event management. While party planners focus on creating individual celebrations, event professionals in higher education manage events as strategic tools that advance institutional priorities. Their work requires collaboration with multiple stakeholders, understanding complex organizational structures, and ensuring alignment with the university's mission and values.

Leadership Council

Committees of the CSU+UC Event Professionals Network 

The CSU+UC Event Professionals Network is a volunteer-run venture, and its success is based on the work of our committees. Committee membership is open to all. Many committee members find their work rewarding because of its impact on elevating the profession and the new skills and professional connections they develop in service of the network. The charges of the current committees are below. If you are interested in joining a committee, please reach out to the respective contact. 

On Call/Hot Topics Committee

Charged with researching current and trending topics of keen interest to the network's membership to explore in ad hoc On Call webinars, discussions at the monthly Network Hot Topic meetings, and in conference programming.

Contact: Phyllis Grillo, pgrillo@csumb.edu 

Digital Communications Committee

Charged with engaging the larger network through our social media channels and email in order to foster a rich exchange of ideas between event professionals, increase a sense of belonging, and relay important information. 

Contact: Leah Walukones,  walukones@csus.edu 

Merry Coder, mcoder@csub.edu 

Network Recruitment and Retention Committee 

Charged with recruiting, onboarding, and supporting the network's volunteers, who serve on Committees and as Network Ambassadors, they create awareness of the network among higher education institutions across California.

Contacts: Merry Coder, mcoder@csub.edu

Melissa Henss, mhenss@sdsu.edu 

Adrianne McCraw, amccraw@ucsd.edu 

Conference Committee

Charged with collaborating with the programming committee and the host institution of the annual conference to plan and execute the network's signature event. 

Contacts: Adrianne McCraw, amccraw@ucsd.edu 

Jessica Rowland, jerowland@fullerton.edu 

Sam Camarena, scamarena@calstate.edu 

Finance Committee

Charged with developing revenue-generating programs for the network. Including developing sponsorship opportunities for the annual conference and beyond, as well as making sure that funds are spent in a way that adds the most value to the network.   

Contact: Sam Camarena, scamarena@calstate.edu 

Network Advisory Board

The CSU+UC Event Professionals Network organizes a group of Network Ambassadors that promote the Network's resources at their institution and help connect new ideas, successful practices, and professionals back to the Network. Each institution has two ambassadors, a primary and an alternate. Ambassadors advise the network's leadership on the current issues and needs of the network and the larger profession of higher education event planning.

Current List of Network Advisory Board Members 

Interested in Serving on the Network Advisory Board?

A Network Ambassador serves as the vital link between their institution and the CSU+UCEPN, promoting resources and programming while recruiting colleagues to contribute to the network's growth and excellence. They actively participate in committee work, monthly meetings about hot topics, and the annual conference, sharing innovative ideas and best practices from their institution to enhance network programming. Each institution in the CSU+UC Event Professionals Network is represented by two ambassadors.

Responsibilities

• Have a pulse on events at your institution.

• Represent the network at your institution by promoting CSU+UCEPN resources and programming and recruiting the time and talent of colleagues who want to help foster the growth and excellence of the network. 

• Serving on a network committee is encouraged.

• You are encouraged to participate in monthly Network Hot Topic meetings (one hour per month) and the annual conference (three days per year). We promise you will get plenty out of these gatherings. 

• Be prepared to share trending ideas, speakers, and best practices from your institution for network programming. 

If this sounds exciting, contact our membership committee to learn more about how you can serve as a Network Ambassador.