Events Industry Job Trends
Stay up to date on new positions, promotions and other career changes for your partners and peers in the meetings and events industry. Have a job change announcement for consideration? Get in touch with Lizzie Wilcox.
Spotlight: Marty MacKay
Marty MacKay has been appointed vice president of education and conferences for the American Clean Power Association. In her new role, she will lead the association’s activities related to education, logistics, member experience, as well as on-site operations at various events, such as the Cleanpower Conference and Exhibition.
"Joining an organization that is focused on championing policies that enable the continued and aggressive growth in renewable energy in the United States allows me to dive even deeper into my passion of sustainability, and the strategic role that it plays in meetings and events," she said.
MacKay is an industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience. She previously served as president of alliance events and operations at Hosts Global, a collective of destination management companies worldwide.
"I hope to take the knowledge I have gained over the years as a client, supplier and from running a member organization to this new position in a growing industry that I am passionate about," MacKay said.
Andrea Milrad Heilweil
The Hutton Group named Andrea Milrad Heilweil as vice president of sales and marketing. She joins the woman-owned meeting planning, site-selection and destination management company after 20 years at HelmsBriscoe, where she recently held the position of senior director of global accounts.
Mark Vaughan
Mark Vaughan, executive vice president and chief sales officer at the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, announced that he will retire at the end of the year. He has been with the organization for nearly two decades, serving as executive vice president since 2005 and adding chief sales officer to his résumé in 2011.
Chris Lynn
Chris Lynn has been appointed vice president of marketing for the U.S. market at Tourism Ireland. Prior to joining the convention and visitors bureau, he had been director of global accounts for the Anchor Collection.
Chris Connelly and Jared Dionne
Visit Seattle hired Chris Connelly as director of sales and Jared Dionne as public relations manager for meetings and conventions. Most recently, Connelly was the area director of group and transient sales at the Hyatt Regency, the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Olive 8 in Seattle, and Dionne was senior director of publicity at Mute, a London-based record label.
Brandi Baldwin
Brandi Baldwin has been elected board chair of Tourism Diversity Matters. The CEO of Millennial Ventures Holdings, Baldwin will succeed outgoing chairperson Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination D.C.
Taylor Fry and Diego Vervloet
The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau has named Taylor Fry as director of national accounts and Diego Vervloet as meeting and convention services manager. Fry joins the GMCVB from the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he was national sales manager. Based in Los Angeles, Fry is the first West Coast sales representative for the organization and will grow relationships in the region. Vervloet joins from Orion Haus, where he served as director of events, partnerships and programming.
Robin McClain, Theresa Belpulsi, Melissa Riley and Rico Ashab
Destination D.C. announced four executive team promotions: Robin McClain, from senior vice president of marketing and communications to chief marketing officer; Theresa Belpulsi, from vice president of tourism, sports and visitor services, to senior vice president of tourism, sports and visitor services; Melissa Riley, from vice president of convention sales and services to senior vice president of convention sales and services; and Rico Ashab, from executive assistant for the president and CEO to chief of staff.
Heather Johnston
Visit Dana Point in California has named Heather Johnston as executive director. She most recently served as manager of hospitality marketing at Mammoth Mountain, where she oversaw the marketing and communications programs for six properties.
Zach Girgenti
Zach Girgenti has been promoted to director of outdoor experiences for the Indigo Road Hospitality Group. He was previously the organization’s taskforce manager, where he traveled to Indigo Road’s boutique hotels to provide training, support and guidance.
Melissa Woodley
The Hyatt Regency Lake Washington in Washington state welcomed Melissa Woodley as director of sales, marketing and events. She joins the 347-room property from the Resort at Squaw Creek in California and the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort Spa and Casino in Nevada, where she served as area director of events and event operations.
Steven Kalczynski
Steven Kalczynski has joined the 189-room Lotte Hotel Seattle as managing director. He has more than 20 years of leadership experience in hotel operations management and spent the last 10 years as managing director of the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Mich.
Stephane Vogel, Julia Quinn, Anne-Sophie Litzler, Frank Gray and Roberto Campos
The Hotel Washington in Washington, D.C., has appointed Stephane Vogel as general manager, Julia Quinn as director of sales and marketing, Anne-Sophie Litzler as director of food and beverage, Frank Gray as executive chef, and Roberto Campos as chef de cuisine. Prior to joining the 326-room hotel, Vogel was general manager of the Royal Sonesta Washington, D.C. Dupont Circle; Quinn was director of sales and marketing at the Yours Truly Hotel; Litzler was director of food and beverage at the InterContinental Washington, D.C., The Wharf; Frank Gray was chef de cuisine at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans; and Campos was executive chef at the Grand Beach Hotel Miami Beach.
Greg Champion, Nicole Fuertes and Maurice Copeland
The LineUp at Wai Kai has named Greg Champion as general manager, Nicole Fuertes as director of marketing, Maurice Copeland as director of food and beverage, and Marie Watanabe as sales manager. A waterfront recreation and entertainment destination, the LineUp at Wai Kai opened in March 2023 within the Hoakelei Resort on the Big Island in Hawaii.
Adreanne Lewis
Adreanne Lewis has joined the 175-room Driskill in Austin, Texas, as director of sales, events and marketing. She previously held the position of director of event sales at the Fairmont Austin.
Scott Cochran and Kitty Chau
The 270-room Le Méridien and Element Salt Lake City Downtown in Utah welcomed Scott Cochran as complex general manager and Kitty Chau as complex director of sales and marketing. Most recently, Cochran was director of operations at the W Aspen in Colorado and Chau was director of sales at the Aloft Denver Downtown.
Opal Gibson
Round Hill Hotel and Villas announced Opal Gibson as the director of sales and marketing. Prior to joining the resort, which has 36 rooms and 27 private villas, she served as director of sales and marketing for the SLS South Beach in Miami.
Sam Kim
Sam Kim was hired as hotel manager for the 566-room Beverly Hilton. Kim has more than 15 years of hospitality experience, including as director of the rooms division for the Hilton Toronto.
Tomas Diaz
Tomas Diaz was appointed executive chef of the Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown. He was previously executive chef at the Fortune House Hotel Suites in Miami. Diaz will oversee the culinary operations at the 506-room hotel’s two restaurants: Harmony and the Overlook rooftop bar.
Mark Scheller
Mark Scheller joined the Viceroy Snowmass in Colorado as director of sales and marketing. He most recently served as group sales director at Snowmass Tourism.
Adam Klein
Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York welcomed Adam Klein as vice president and Diana Chan as executive director of sales. Prior to joining the 97-room hotel, Klein was the president of Klein Hospitality, his own advisory firm that assisted in the development of luxury restaurants and hotels like Fouquet’s New York, and Chan was director of transient sales at Faena Group.
Konstantine Drosos
Konstantine Drosos was hired as general manager of the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel in Chicago. He joins the 1,641-room property from the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, where he also served as general manager.
Benjamin de la Rosa and Christina Mertz
The 545-room Fairmont Dallas appointed Benjamin de la Rosa as director of revenue management and promoted Christina Mertz to director of catering and conference services. De la Rosa was previously a revenue specialist at Hilton properties and Mertz was the Fairmont’s assistant director of catering and conference services.