Network Hub - About

Leadership Council

Committees

Network Advisory Board

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 event 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 welcomes 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 members.

leadership council

JESSICA ROWLAND
Cal State Fullerton

Chair

Co-lead, Conference Committee

PHYLLIS GRILLO
CSU Monterey Bay

Immediate Past Chair

Lead, On Call/ Hot Topics Committee

SAM CAMARENA
Cal State Chancellor's Office

CSU Chancellor's Office Advisor

Lead, Finance Committee

MERRY CODER
CSU Bakersfield

Co-Lead, Network Recruitment and Retention

CATHERINE E. COOK
UC Davis

Co-Lead, Conference Committee (Incoming Host)

MELISSA HENSS
San Diego State University

Lead, Network Recruitment and Retention

KHRISTINE LUGO
San Jose State University

Co-Lead, Conference Committee

ADRIANNE McCRAW
UC San Diego

Co-Lead, Conference Committee

Co-Lead, Network Recruitment and Retention

GABBY (McGRATH) O'HALLORAN
UC Berkeley

Co-Lead, Conference Committee (Past Host)

EDUARDO PONCE
UCLA

Lead, Digital Communications Committee

LEAH WALUKONES
Sacramento State

Co-Lead, Digital Communications Committee

HELEN YNIGUEZ
Cal Poly Pomona

Co-Lead, Conference Committee (Current Host)

committees

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.

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)

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.

Contacts:

Eduardo Ponce (eponce@support.ucla.edu)
Leah Walukones (walukones@csus.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 Recruitment and Retention Committee

Charged with recruiting and retaining a strong network of event professionals through ongoing outreach and communication, fostering connection, shared learning, and information sharing.

Contacts:

Melissa Henss (mhenss@sdsu.edu)
Merry Coder (mcoder@csub.edu)
Adrianne McCraw (amccraw@ucsd.edu)

get involved

with one of

our network committees

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)

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 is represented by two ambassadors who advise the network's leadership on current issues and the evolving needs of both the network and the broader field of higher-education event planning.

Learn more about the Network Advisory Board

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