ESPA Member Spotlights

David Taylor (he/him/his), Director of Destination & Facilities Experience, at the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:29:38 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on David Taylor (he/him/his), Director of Destination & Facilities Experience, at the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau.
• Years of meeting industry experience: 29 years
• Years of event services experience: 26 years
• Personal Community Engagement: Feed the City, make bag lunch style meals for people in need. Typically, a sandwich, chips and fruit assembled to be distributed.

Describe something fun, different or outside the box that you have done in your services role: Grapevine is known at the Christmas Capital of Texas (an actual state resolution and not a marketing slogan). For Christmas 2024 I was asked to lead the commissary car operations where we poured 58,000 cups of chocolate milk as well as trayed up 58,000 Mrs. Claus Chocolate Chip Cookies to be distrusted on Santa’s North Pole Express train excursions. A daunting task to keep fresh, chilled milk ready to be poured as well as fresh, soft cookies ready to be served. However, the joy in watching families, from grandparents down to toddlers and all dressed in their matching pajamas, exit the train with big smiles and happy memories makes the hard work and long hours worthwhile.

What is a unique or unusual client request you found a resource for or a solution to? Grapevine is home to the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. Each holiday season Gaylord hotels produce ICE!, a festive ice sculpture display for families and friends to enjoy. When I was a large group convention manager for Gaylord I was hosting Altria for a national sales meeting. Altria is a tobacco company that sells various types of tobacco products. In the days prior to the conference beginning the meeting planner informs me that because they are a tobacco company, and their advertising cannot be viewed by anyone under 18 years of age due to federal law, no one outside of Altria’s group can gain access to the convention center. The ICE! Display was located in the exhibit hall level of the convention center and thousands of families would attend the exhibit the same days of the Altria conference. Working with the Altria planners, and the amazing Gaylord security team, a plan to badge check every Altria attendee for access to the upper levels of the convention center was developed and the conference was a success with no minors seeing the advertising.

Describe a challenge that you overcame in your role or for your client: Grapevine is an internationally awarded festival city and hosts Main Street Fest and Grapefest each year. Kubota is a tractor and farming corporation that locates their North American headquarters in Grapevine. Last year the North American President wanted to host a Kubota Festival, similar to other city festivals, on historic Main Street Grapevine. Typically, this was not an event that city council would approve due to closing the street to residents. Coordinating with CVB leadership, historic downtown Grapevine merchants association, and City Council we were able to obtain approval for the Kubota Festival and visitors from around the U.S. were able to enjoy their own Kubota Street Festival.

What is a productivity tip, tool or resource you’d like to share with your services peers and why? The Pomodoro Technique. Break work down into 30 minute segments of 25 minutes working and 5 minute break. In the services industry we often handle multiple projects at once. Each week I rank my top projects that need to be completed. I decide what projects no longer need to be done, what projects I can delegate to a member of my team and what projects I need to devote time to complete. I then estimate how much time each of these projects will take to complete and schedule 30 minute time blocks. Some projects require 1 block of time, some projects may require multiple blocks of time, but scheduling when the work will be done helps me stay on track. I keep a timer at my desk and set the timer for 25 minutes, turn off my email, set my phone to forward and focus on the project at hand. When the timer rings I take a walk around the office area, refill my water bottle and return to my desk ready to work on the next item on the to do list.

Rhonda Whyte (she/her), Vice President of Convention Management, at Events DC

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:27:54 GMT

In this series, we have an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Rhonda Whyte (she/her), Vice President of Convention Management, at Events DC, this year’s ESPA Leadership In Services Award recipient.
• Years of meeting industry experience: 30 years
• Years of event services experience: 21 years
• Personal Community Engagement – Member of Zeta Phi Beta, Sorority Inc.

How do you share client or event successes with your management? I absolutely love bragging about my team. Event management serves as the key resource for all other departments, ensuring our clients feel seen and heard. Whenever I receive letters or customer feedback praising a team member, I immediately recognize them through our KUDOS platform, as well as by sending a personal email to both the individual and my leadership team. At times, I’ll also write a handwritten note of thanks or encouragement to make the recognition even more personal.

What is a productivity tip, tool or resource you’d like to share with your services peers and why? Shh... I use AI to help me craft emails when I’m struggling to find the right words. I also use it as a training tool for the younger generation, who often prefer listening to policies and standard operating procedures rather than reading them.

What professional advice do you wish you could tell your younger self when you first came into this profession? Girl, breathe. Always stay true to yourself. You are capable, qualified, motivated, and highly favored.

What tips do you have for developing good working relationships with others in your hotel, center or destination? Be a master communicator. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to engage everyone—those above you, your peers, and the front-line team. Every individual adds value to the organization, and no one can succeed alone. True leadership is about connection. Lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose.

Now for the fun stuff!

One of my favorite weekend past times is: I shop on QVC, religiously 😊

What’s your pump-up song – that song you turn on when you need a boost of positive energy? House Party, Sam Hunt

I binge-watched this and loved it!: Elisbeth and Keeping Up with Appearances

Christy Ball, CMP, Director of Catering & Convention Services, at the Crowne Plaza Resort Asheville

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:25:16 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Christy Ball, CMP, Director of Catering & Convention Services, at the Crowne Plaza Resort Asheville.
• Years of meeting industry experience: 32 years
• Years of event services experience: 25 years

Describe something fun, different or outside the box that you have done in your services role. One of the most exciting events that I have been involved with was a group that was on a motorcycle ride across the country to raise money for a disabled children’s camp. The 150+ motorcycles arrived with a police escort to the property that was located in a residential area of the city. They ended their event with a huge party at the hotel that included lots of celebrities, professional athletes and political dignitaries.

What is a productivity tip, tool or resource you’d like to share with your services peers and why? Being in the event services field, you never know what you are going to walk into each morning, so I end each day with straightening my desk and writing my to-do list for the following day. That way when I get into the office, I know what I need to accomplish that day and can hit the ground running. It also helps me to re-focus when my well-planned day gets off-track.

What tips do you have for developing good working relationships with others in your hotel, center or destination? I believe that having open and honest communication is the best way to develop good working relationships within my hotel. Sometimes we have to have tough conversations with our co-workers and I believe if we have that foundation of trust, it makes those tough conversations easier to have.

Now for the fun stuff!

That’s your pump-up song – that song you turn on when you need a boost of positive energy? Growing up in the 80’s, I have always been a huge fan of Bon Jovi and “It’s My Life” has such a great message about living each day to the fullest. I think we can all appreciate that kind of message and learn a little something from it.

I can’t live without: My Kindle E-reader and my Kindle Unlimited membership. I am an avid reader of all things romance, from the light-hearted rom com to the dark and twisty mafia series.

My favorite place to travel is, and why: My favorite place to travel is to any beach/costal area. It could be as simple as beaches that are just a couple of hours away or the beaches of Mexico. I love the sounds of the waves and the salt air. Give me a beach chair and my kindle and I am a happy girl!!

Sean Keeney, ESPC, Destination Experience Senior Manager with, Visit Orlando

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 20:35:27 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Sean Keeney, ESPC, Destination Experience Senior Manager with, Visit Orlando.

Years of event services experience:38 years

Q: What tips do you have for developing a good working relationship with peers? It has been very interesting for me to have seen the changes in what a “good working relationship” has meant and how it has changed over the years. In the past, a lot of relationships were more personally based, and more time was spent in person and on the phone as opposed to just an email. The time spent getting to know your co-workers on a more personal level goes a long way in team camaraderie. As we all know, emails don’t always get interpreted as intended, so don’t be afraid to pick up a phone or walk into someone’s office and have a conversation.

Also, as most employees are working later in life, it has created a far more diverse and multi-generational workforce. These different generations all have their own individual styles of working and have markedly different needs as employees. Recognizing and embracing these differences is integral to a productive and happy team.

Q: What is a productivity tip, tool or resource you’d like to share with your services peers and why? One area I believe people can miss the mark with productivity is recognizing when they need assistance and actually asking for it.I have seen many examples of people who have allowed themselves to get behind on projects and deadlines because they would not ask for help or saw that as a sign of “weakness” or not being able to “handle” their job. Nothing could be further from the truth. The sign of a strong leader or employee is knowing what resources are available to them and using everything at their disposal to meet their goals.

Q: What professional advice do you wish you could give your younger self when you first came into this profession? As most young managers starting off, I was of the mindset that “managers had all the answers” so when problems or situations arose, I immediately jumped into problem solving mode without necessarily looking at the situation as a whole. I would advise my younger self to listen first, ask others for their opinions and develop consensus before “problem solving”.

What is a funny, unique or unusual client request you found a resource for or a solution to?
A few years ago, I was working with a group and their CEO wanted to ride up to the headquarter hotel on a camel and film it as his entrance into the general session. Since there is not a “Camels-R-US” in Orlando I had to come up with a solution. We were fortunate enough to have
a member organization that hosted live Nativity scenes during the holidays. I reached out to our contact there and they were able to put me in touch with the farm that they rent their camels from, and we were able to make it happen for the group!!!

Now for the fun stuff!

Show I am currently Binge Watching: Yellowstone. I know I am behind, but I wanted to get caught up before this final season.

Favorite Weekend Past Time: My family and I spend most of our weekends on the water and enjoy tubing and waterskiing. My wife owns her own jewelry, gem and crystal import business so we also spend a lot of time participating in local farmers and flea markets.

Christine Blackmon, MPA, Chief Experience Officer, with Visit Jackson

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 20:29:31 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Christine Blackmon, MPA, Chief Experience Officer, with Visit Jackson.

Years of meeting industry experience: 30 plus years
Years of event services experience: 27 years
Personal Community Engagement: I am actively involved in community outreach with my church family.

Q: Describe something fun, different or outside the box that you have done in your services role. We host a quarterly Spotlight of local talents in the Welcome Center downtown, andblock off the street for food truck vendors! This allows us to showcase the Welcome Center as the "Gateway to the City," which helps us as a destination to engage with the local community stakeholders.

Q: Describe a challenge that you overcame in your role or for your client. Each year, Jackson hosts a large marathon race. Last year, the day before the race, we had a water main break. The route could not be changed because it had been certified. I was able to contact the city, and they worked tirelessly into the night to be sure the repairs were made so the race could go on. The race was a great success!

Q: What professional advice do you wish you could tell your younger self when you first came into this profession? Focus on your dreams, and don't be afraid to reach for the SKY!

Q: What's a recent thing that a planner thanked you for? We had planners come into the city for a three-day site visit. The planner's assistant had made arrangements for evening dinners and transportation to tour the city. When we let them know that these are services that we would provide for them, they were happily surprised. The planners thanked us for an impeccable and thorough site visit and said, "They had not received such a thorough site visit in a very long time." Offering these services was the key to them choosing Jackson as the meeting destination!

Q: What tips do you have for developing good working relationships with others in your hotel, center or destination? Keep the stakeholders involved with conventions and local community activities, and partner with them on as many events as possible. The more involved with the local hotels and attractions, the stronger the relationship becomes.

Now for the fun stuff!

One of my favorite weekend past times is: Riding my bike, taking a long walk and cleaning my home.

What's your pump-up song – that song you turn on when you need a boost of positive energy? We want to add it to the ESPA playlist. "Rock Steady" By Aretha Franklin

What is one thing on your bucket list: Take my three grandchildren to Disney World.

My favorite place to travel is, and why: London, England. It's such a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

Member Spotlight - Lindsay Clapp, CMP, CGSP, Events & Studio Production Manager with MDI

Wed, 4 Sep 2024 19:16:34 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Lindsay Clapp, CMP, CGSP, Events & Studio Production Manager with MDI.

Years of meeting planning experience: 2 years
Years of event services experience: 15 years
ESPA committee/task force or other contributions: ESPA Board member, served as one of ESPA’s trainers along with serving on the annual conference committees and sub committees.
Personal Community Engagement (Nonprofits / volunteer organizations, etc.): Lindsay and her family have organized a Golf4ALS tournament for the past 22 years in memory of her father’s cousin who passed away with ALS. Their everyday goal was to raise attention and a little money. They quickly surpassed their initial goal and have raised over $937K over the years for ALSTDI.

Q: What professional advice do you wish you could tell your younger self when you first came into this profession? Always seek opportunities to learn new skills and gain knowledge. Cultivate relationships with colleagues and industry professionals. Be resilient and learn from setbacks and keep pushing forward. Ensure that no detail is too small to overlook, as the little things can make a big difference and will leave a lasting impression on your client or co-worker.

Q: What tips do you have for developing good working relationships with others in your hotel, center or destination? Outside of the normal job tasks, it is to communicate effectively - be clear and concise to ensure your messages are easily understood. Be reliable, dependable and trustworthy. Consistently complete tasks on time and follow through with your commitments. Maintain confidentiality while respecting privacy and sensitive information. Show appreciation and respect by expressing gratitude, recognizing diverse backgrounds, and be humble. Collaborate and be a team player and assist colleagues with help when they need it and acknowledge team achievements together. Lastly, get to know your colleagues, have a positive attitude and be approachable.

Q: What do you love about being an event service professional? As an event service professional, I love the dynamic nature of the job, where every event brings a new challenge and opportunity to create memorable experiences. The satisfaction of seeing an event come together seamlessly and the joy it brings to attendees is incredibly rewarding. Additionally, the chance to collaborate with diverse teams helps me continuously learn and grow in my career.

One of my favorite weekend pastimes is: Water skiing. I started water skiing at the age of 7 and any opportunity I have to water ski, I will!

What’s your pump-up song – that song you turn on when you need a boost of positive energy? I love music, that is a hard one – currently, Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake.

What is one thing on your bucket list: To go sky diving.

Member Spotlight - Natalie Young, CMP (she/her), Associate Director of Client Services with Visit Houston (a brand of Houston First Corporation)

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:41:40 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Natalie Young, CMP (she/her), Associate Director of Client Services with Visit Houston (a brand of Houston First Corporation)

Years of meetings industry experience: 12 years

Years of event services experience: 18 years

ESPA committee/task force or other contributions:

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
2024 & 2025 Annual Conference Planning Committees

Personal Community Engagement (Nonprofits / volunteer organizations, etc.)

Big Brothers Big Sisters
MPI Houston Area Chapter

What is a funny, unique or unusual client request you found a resource for or a solution to?

Reflecting on many memorable moments in my services role, one that stands out is the unique request I received during my first year as CSM. A major industry partner approached me to recreate a garage look for their team-building workshops in the hotel’s foyer. It was a thrilling challenge given the scale and importance of the client. Without hesitation, I sprang into action, collaborating with a local car rental partner who generously supplied a truckload of tires, tools, equipment, and more. The result exceeded expectations – the client was thrilled, and witnessing their sense of accomplishment and fulfillment upon achieving their vision was truly gratifying. It was at that moment I realized how much fun and rewarding this job could be! Of course, there were many more to follow 😊

What is a productivity tip, tool or resource you’d like to share with your services peers and why?

One productivity tool that has been a game changer for me is ChatGPT. In our daily lives, we juggle in-person and virtual meetings, planning visits, emails, and travel, often leaving little time to address needs requiring deep thought processing. ChatGPT has been a lifesaver, helping me compile my thoughts into meaningful responses quickly and efficiently. It streamlines brainstorming, drafts communications, and refines ideas, allowing me to focus more on strategic tasks and less on time-consuming writing.

What professional advice do you wish you could tell your younger self when you first came into this profession?

If I could give my younger self professional advice, I would say: Don’t beat yourself up when you make mistakes. Instead, view them as valuable opportunities to reflect and learn. Mistakes are part of the growth process, and each one is a stepping stone towards becoming more experienced and skilled in your profession. Embrace them with curiosity and a willingness to improve.

How do you unwind after a stressful event or a hectic day?

Besides unwinding with a glass of wine or a refreshing rum beverage, I find solace in escaping to a cozy, quiet space and being mindfully present in nature. Listening to the soothing sounds of nature or water serves as my reset button.

I can’t live without…

My social circle of family & friends, books, music and art.

My favorite place to travel is, and why:

BARBADOS because it’s HOME.

ESPA Member Spotlight - Eric Logan, CMP, Destination & Sports Tourism Event Services Manager, Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau

Fri, 24 May 2024 15:38:08 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Eric Logan, CMP, Destination & Sports Tourism Event Services Manager, Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Q: What is a productivity tip, tool or resource you’d like to share with your services peers and why?
“Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” —Benjamin Franklin.

Knock out your most challenging projects first before you work on the easier ones. Do not procrastinate and always work ahead! Use the Simpleview trace system for communication between sales and services for requests.

Q: What professional advice do you wish you could tell your younger self when you first came into this profession?

“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…it’s all small stuff”

Q: What tips do you have for developing good working relationships with others in your hotel, center or destination?

Consistently reach out to your stakeholders on a regular basis in person. See how they are doing and ask them if they have any questions or challenges. Stay engaged with them!

Q: What’s your pump-up song—that song you turn on when you need a boost of positive energy? We want to add it to the ESPA playlist.

BOOM BOOM POW (Black Eyed Peas)

Q: How do you unwind after a stressful event or a hectic day?

Take my Yorkipoo buddy, Blackjack, for a walk around the neighborhood.

Q: During COVID, I binge-watched this and loved it!:

Ozark

Q: What is one thing on your bucket list:

European Viking Cruise

ESPA Member Spotlight - Joyel Oliphant, Conference Services Manager, Biltmore

Fri, 24 May 2024 15:21:19 GMT

In this series, we get an opportunity to get to know fellow event service professionals and learn some helpful tips too. This month’s spotlight is on Joyel Oliphant, Conference Services Manager, Biltmore.

Q: Describe something fun, different or outside the box that you have done in your services role:

Last May I had the opportunity to plan and execute an 800-person corporate reception and dinner on the South Terrace, one of Biltmore’s signature locations. This event incorporated digital mapping technology projection onto Biltmore House, adjacent to the event venue and also the crown jewel of the Estate and former home of George W. Vanderbilt. It was the first time this technology had been used on the Estate and was one of the most challenging events I’ve ever worked on, but also one of the most rewarding and what I consider to be a highlight of my career thus far. Biltmore’s culinary team executed a custom stations menu along with wine pairings. It was truly a magical evening for the client and for the teams at Biltmore that played a role in making it a success.

Q: What professional advice do you wish you could tell your younger self when you first came into this profession?

Don’t take everything so seriously and HAVE FUN doing it!

Q: What tips do you have for developing good working relationships with others in your hotel, center or destination?

Biltmore is an 8,000 acre property and there are many departments across the Estate that I must rely on in order to make an event successful for our group guests. It truly takes a team to make this happen so getting to know folks throughout the company is vital. Knowing who to call is key! Also, leaning on fellow team members for support is essential.

Attending local industry events is so rewarding in the sense that it provides an opportunity to get to know vendors and partners that I may need to call on when the ask is outside the scope of what internal teams at Biltmore can provide.