We’re excited to introduce our new Advisory Board, a group of accomplished meeting and incentive professionals whose experience and insight will help shape the future of our magazine, events and social platforms.
These industry leaders bring a practical, informed perspective to the conversations that matter most to our readers. With their guidance, we’ll continue to deliver relevant, timely content that supports planners in an ever-evolving landscape.
We’re thrilled to welcome them and share their travel and planning expertise with you.
Alexa Kailing | Director of Meetings & Operations | A2 Events
A graduate of UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management with two B.Ss in Event Management & Hospitality Management, Alexa earned her CMP in 2019 and began working for A2 Events in 2022.
Amy D. Quigley | Regional VP | Unbridled Solutions
Based in Boston, Amy is a hospitality leader specializing in creative solutions for client care and relationship building.
Carla Cobos Hull, CMP, CMM, CCP, MBA | CEO | Phoenix Unleashed
Carla empowers event professionals to boost productivity, reduce burnout, and deliver results. Passionate about transforming industry norms and collaborating to create impactful, profitable, and unforgettable events.
Carley Crose, CMP, CIS | Program Manager | Bishop-McCann
Carley Crose has spent over 18 years planning and executing impactful, value-driven event and incentive travel experiences for a variety of clients and industries. Her passion for people and delivering service, combined with a natural ability to develop relationships, drives her success in client relationships and employee engagement.
Catherine Jones, MBA CMP CITE | Principal | The Edventives Group
As a custom travel consultancy, The Edventives Group provides a flexible array of solutions so that clients choose the services most appropriate for their organization and current needs.
Cheryl Paine | CMP, CMM Strategic Partner | INNOV8 Meetings + Events
Since 2021, Cheryl has been Meeting Professional International’s (MPI) Contract & Negotiations Strategist Certification Professor/Expert.
Dahlton Bennington, CMP, CMM | Managing Director | PROfound Planning
As a tenured meeting and incentive professional, Dahlton founded PROfound Planning in 2012 and manages several clients’ meeting and incentive programs. She advocates for business growth with knowledge, experience and respect to motivate, educate and inspire teams. Before starting PROfound Planning, Dahlton was the Director of Meeting Services for Randstad, a $2.2 billion global provider of HR and staffing services, where she successfully executed all meetings and events, consistently exceeding company goals.
Edward Perotti | Principal | Events & Experiences
Leading EP Events & Experiences with 30+ years of award-winning event design expertise, Edward’s theater and design background enables him to create memorable experiences across sectors—from tech to Hollywood, intimate gatherings to grand spectacles. A respected speaker featured in major publications and TV, Edward inspires the next generation of event professionals while leaving a lasting industry impact.
Emily Parsons-Walker, MS, CIS | Event Specialist | SITE
An Event Specialist with SITE Global, Emily has been in the meetings and events industry for six years. She is an alum of James Madison University’s Hart School of Hospitality and San Diego States Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism. Her favorite part about event planning is making a community impact on those attending while creating lasting change where they are visiting.
Heather Pilcher, CSEP, CMP | Executive Producer | Blue Spark Event Design
As the CEO and Executive Producer of Blue Spark Event Design, Heather Pilcher, CMP, CSEP, is widely recognized for her innovative, brand-forward approach to corporate event planning. With more than 24 years of experience producing events for audiences ranging from 50 to 200,000 attendees, Heather has built a business model that elevates customer service while designing immersive, emotional events around the world—from promotional activations to corporate conferences and incentive celebrations.
James Bacon | Founder & CEO | We Are MEaT
With over 20 years’ experience across sales, marketing, media and events, James has built a career combining creativity, strategy and people, starting his own boutique marketing consultancy in 2008, and—after discovering his love for bespoke event creation—We Are MEaT in 2016.
Jen Totten | CEO, President | Meet Us
Experienced event planning professional with a comprehensive skill set including global meeting and event production, site search and selection, group travel coordination, contract negotiations and management, destination expertise, and event registration management. Demonstrated leadership as President/CEO of Meet Us and as Marketing and Housing Director for The Express Conferences. Proven ability to deliver exceptional and seamless event experiences.
Jennifer Hansen | President | Gracious Events
Based in Newburyport, MA, Jennifer brings experience from previous roles at THL Partners and Boston Harbor Hotel. With a Bachelors in Marketing from Plymouth State University, her robust skill set includes event planning, event management, marketing, corporate events and more.
Jeanette Alston-Watkins | Regional Meeting & Event Manager | Soprema
A 30-year construction veteran, she began at USG International before transitioning to roofing over a decade ago. Since 2017, she’s served as SOPREMA’s Regional Events & Meeting Manager, handling customer relations, business development, BES project management and tradeshows. A 16-year Lupus survivor, she serves as Ambassador, Florida Advocate, and Miami-Dade County Lupus Support Group facilitator for the Lupus Foundation of America.
Megan Warzeniak | Sales & Strategy Director | Streamline Events
Megan has an extensive background in business development and also has held leadership roles at Key Events, IfOnly, KSL Resorts and various KSL Resort properties. Megan holds a bachelor’s degree in business/hospitality management from Golden Gate University.
Mina Habashi | Director of Sales U.S. & Canada | Abercrombie & Kent DMCs
With solid knowledge of the travel business, Mina held several positions within the industry in Egypt before moving to the U.S. and pursuing his career here.
Natalie Norris, CMP Fellow, CMM, CIS | Meetings and More, Inc.
A strategic Meetings and Events professional with marketing skills to design and promote unique experiences for clients in global locations
Patricia Valerio | Meeting Supervisor | Eversana
Holding an MBA from Caldwell University (2022) and an HMCC designation (2024), Tricia excels in organizing nationwide medical training events for healthcare practitioners on behalf of some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. An active MPI member, she was recently awarded the Jula Ramos, CMP Education Scholarship to further her pursuit of earning the CMP designation.
Rob Cohen | President | AllianceBenefits, LLC
Rob is an experienced health care and employee benefits professional with a proven record of over 35 years of accomplishments in the areas of problem solving, decision analysis, client development, maintaining legal & legislative compliance, radio, television and live presentations, information technologies, data analysis, and expertise in other benefit plans.
Samantha Marie, CMP, CITP, CPT | Chief Experience Officer | OmniEra
Samantha T. Marie founded OmniEra Events & Travel, bringing 20 years of expertise in global sourcing and wellness integration to event transformation. She’s held board and chair positions with MPI, PCMA, SITE and ILEA since 2017, and carries CMP, CITP, HMCC and Corporate Wellness certifications. A respected thought leader and speaker, Samantha proves wellness integration’s ROI while building partnerships with clients like Live Nation, Lyft, and Google.
Stacy Fallon | Exhibits & Events Manager | GE HealthCare
Stacy says, “I love planning end to end events that excite people and make them feel good. I love bringing teams together to create great experiences for companies. Making people smile is what I love about my career. I create trade shows and events that wow audiences. I have a strong work ethic, am passionate about the events industry and love what I do.”
Stephen Stull | Meetings Coordinator | American Physical Society
Steve is an experienced event planner with end-to-end expertise in event logistics, programming, and on-site execution. Proven ability to manage budgets and troubleshoot challenges in real time to deliver seamless experiences. Passionate about creating engaging, well-organized events that leave a lasting impact.
Toronda Webb, CMP, CGMP | Event Lead | Alore Meetings & Events
Toronda Webb is a highly accomplished Event Strategist and Certified Meeting Professional with over 20 years of experience delivering seamless in‑person and virtual conferences, meetings, and special events. As CEO of Alore Meeting and Event Management, she leads a full-service agency known for its exceptional expertise across multiple industries and its strong foundation in operations and project management.
Tracy Wallach | Event Lead | JM Family Enterprises
In her 27 years at JM Family Enterprises, Tracy built a successful event planning career through proactivity, meticulousness, and program management expertise. Since joining South Florida MPI in 2006, she’s held multiple board roles, including President (2021-2022), Immediate Past President (2022-2024), and current Director of Leadership and Development (through 2026). Her recognitions include MPI’s “Meeting Planner of the Year,” President’s Award, and Smart Meetings Magazine’s 2024 ‘Industry Leader’ award.
Veronica Villar | Principal, CEO | Meeting Resources
As an experienced and certified meeting professional, Veronica helps clients, industry leaders and community partners by offering innovative, results-driven and sustainable meeting solutions that promote successful and engaging results for their attendees, teams and leadership.
