'I am an idea monkey and a Virgo...'

Tell us about you

As the head of program for IMEX for three years, I work with an incredible team to deliver around 175 sessions at each show, providing personal and professional education to the event industry.

I also have a new company Strategy Table, where we focus on change management and leadership alignment and I instruct Event Strategy and Design for BCIT and guest lecture at SDSU.

I have written two books for the industry, Intentional Event Design: Our Professional Opportunity, and Our KPI is Joy: How live events catalyse happiness, productivity and trust.
I have a third bubbling inside.

Are you an early riser or a night owl?

When at home, I start work with the UK at 6am. When I am travelling, I (annoyingly) still wake up at 530am.

Describe your perfect day at work

6am to 9am - meetings with the team 9:15am - hit the gym or go for a walk with friends.
11am to 4pm - work on one of many projects.
4pm - gardening, writing, reading, prepping a nice dinner.

How do you stay motivated?

I am motivated by the inspiring people I work with every day and the projects that provide places for transformation and growth. Plus, I have an ongoing list of things to do and I love checking things off!

Are you a meticulous planner or a spontaneous creative?

I am an idea monkey and a Virgo. I have a lot of ideas, work with teams to edit, and then plan the details. I am fortunate to have incredible team members around me that now take on many of the details, and I appreciate all of them.

What's your favourite inspirational quote?

Be a voice, not an echo. Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson

What are you grabbing for lunch?

Anything green.

You’re off to a desert island to work and can only take three things – what are they?

Work for me equates travel, about 150 days a year, so I will be taking my versatile Surface – I can work, watch a show, read a book and connect with family and friends.

A desert island sounds lovely, but being a planner I need more information. How long will I be there for? If it is really deserted, do I need to bring food and water? You can see this location is not going to be my first choice.

How do you unwind?

Some people would say I don’t. I am happiest with my toes in sand. Clearly not on a desert island.

What event are you most proud of working on?

IMEX is an incredible event every single time, truly the heartbeat of our community and I am immensely proud of the education that is delivered.

I have been fortunate to work on two Olympic Games, both amazing. I was the lead producer for three years of building the #BCTECH Summit and it brought so many intersections to this sector it was joyful to be part of. Opening the Fairview Container Terminal for the Port of Prince Rupert – a remote town of 12,000 where everything had to be built from scratch and every day brought new surprises was a career highlight.

From glacier picnics for 120 to many medical conferences including the 15,000 person XI International Conference on AIDS to immersive incentive events as the head of events for SITE – it has all been amazing. None of them were easy, and that is part of what we are proud of – working with teams to create memories for tens of thousands of people

What would be your dream event ?

I designed and executed dream events for three decades, and I feel sated. Now, I would take the people I love and don’t get to spend enough time with away for two weeks. We would have chefs make the meals, cleaning would magically happen, everyone would get to try a ‘dream’ activity, there would be fabulous music, some dancing, and endless conversations, and enough quiet time to soak it all in.