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THE MENTOR SERIES
EM Mentoring & Event Grads are working together for this series of events to bring event management students and graduates the chance to learn more about specific sectors within the events industry.
Each week, we will be joined by an industry expert from a different sector of events to hear their story on how they got to where they are, the key skills they require, their day to day roles, and their advice on how to succeed in their role as well as give you the opportunity to ask your questions.
PREVIOUS SESSIONS
Thursday, 15 April 2021: CONFERENCES
Katie Pollitt, Senior Global Summit Creator, RE•WORK
Katie Pollitt is a Senior Global Summit Creator and also the Head of Learning & Development for RE•WORK, a small events company based in London creating conferences and events focusing on Artificial Intelligence and advanced technology around the world. Katie worked her way from an entry-level to a senior role in her 4 years in the company, following graduating with a BA (Hons) in Event Management.
Thursday, 22 April 2021: FESTIVALS
Renae Brown, Festival & Event Specialist at Arby Projects
Renae Brown is a Festival & Event Specialist with 12+ years of experience in the UK and Australia. She has gone from being the person who once got kicked out of a festival for making a fake backstage pass (which worked) to being the person in charge of all wristbands and passes across multiple festivals and events. If you can think of an event or festival role, she’s probably done it. Renae went freelance and launched Arby Projects at the start of 2021 after 3 years of being Festivals Manager at Vision Nine, which saw her work in event management on Boardmasters, NASS Festival, BBC Music Introducing LIVE, and Cloud Nine Glamping.
Thursday, 29 April 2021: SPORTING EVENTS
Elliot Cox, Event Overlay, EURO 2020
Elliott started in the events industry to earn some income while completing a PGCE in Leeds, since then he has caught the event bug. Starting off as the Sports Events Coordinator for Loughborough University delivering the NEC Wheelchair Masters, The School Games Finals & European u17s Championships to name but a few, before moving into other freelance and contracted roles for a number of Sports Governing bodies specialising in event overlay.
Thursday, 13 May 2021: CORPORATE EVENTS
Rachael Kenny, Event Specialist EMEA, GLG
Rachael started in the events industry in 2017 whilst completing an MSc in Event Management at Bournemouth University, since then she has worked both agencies and in-house on corporate events from award ceremonies to round tables. Rachael has thrown herself into the industry completing the FastForward15 mentoring program, acting as an ambassador for The Female Hospitality Network, speaking at events including Event Careers Live, judging the C&IT Awards, and being an active member of networking groups EventprofsLive & Event Goal Getters as well as a mentor for EM Mentoring. Her activity and passion for the events industry have seen her named CN30 under Thirty 2019, The Meetings Show Tomorrow's Talent 2020, and C&IT Corporate A-List 2021.
Thursday, 20 May 2021: EVENT MARKETING
Caitlin Kobrak, Digital Producer at George P Johnson & Co-Founder of Event First Steps
Caitlin is a Digital Producer at a Global Experience Marketing Agency - George P Johnson, where she has worked for the last 6 years producing and managing worldwide social campaigns for B2B clients. Outside of work she is the co-founder of Event First Steps, a not-for-profit initiative working with those taking their first steps into the events industry.
Resources discussed:
1) Geekout by Matt Navarra - https://www.getrevue.co/profile/geekout
2) The B2B Bite by Jason Bradwell - https://b2bbite.substack.com/people/8743442-jason-bradwell-
Thursday, 27 May 2021: OWNING AN EVENTS COMPANY
Miriam Sigler, Director of Ways & Means Events
With more than twenty years of experience working in events management, award-winning Miriam Sigler has seen it all. As Founding Director of Ways & Means Events, Miriam brings her vast breadth of industry knowledge to projects large and small. Miriam’s long list of attributes includes her uncompromising work ethic, attention to detail, and ‘work-hard, play-hard' attitude.
Coupled with her love of teamwork and head-on attitude to problem-solving, she has become a well-respected member of the industry, an active member of key association working groups contributing regularly, and writing articles for the exhibition press.
Her wealth of knowledge in all facets of events management has seen her direct countless successful projects including launches and re-brands as well as long-standing successful event portfolios. With her deep understanding of what stakeholders require from each show, she is truly an asset to every event. Any project Miriam undertakes is creative, well-planned, detailed, and colourful… very colourful!
Thursday, 3 June: BUSINESS EVENTS
Fiona MacKinnon, Business Events – Associations & Sectors at VisitScotland
Fiona fell into the events business when working for a London venue finding agency and is still here 30+ years later because she still loves this business. Her current role is working within the Business Events at VisitScotland, marketing and selling Scotland to International Association conference clients worldwide. She has worked for a variety of Scotland’s conference centres, hotels, convention bureau, and unique venues always in Sales positions. Her roles have involved organising events, speaking at events, filling venue diaries, bidding for events, and always inspiring clients to book their events in Scotland. Outside of the events business she works as a voiceover artist and is a current EM Mentor this year.
