Debbie Mansfield

Events Project Manager

Hi! I’m Debbie Mansfield and I’m currently working at Tanium where I’ve been for 6.5 years now. Prior, I started my own business, Computers Made Easy. And before that, I was at Google in New York and Mountain View for 7.5 years. I’m currently working as an Events Project Manager out of my home in sunny San Francisco while patiently waiting out the pandemic with my husband and 2.5-year-old son. Some of the most fun events I’ve planned have been at Squaw Creek Resort, Supperclub SF (sadly, now closed) and Lucky Strike. I’ve traveled to more than 55 countries and can’t wait to begin traveling again. At one event I went to, I was the lucky winner of a BMW. Instead of taking the car, I cashed in and took a group of my friends out for a fancy spa day at the Nob Hill Spa. I look forward to connecting with everyone. Find me on LinkedIn!

Sincerely,
Debbie

First SWIRL Circle Coffee Chat Focus on Pandemic Learnings and The Path Back to Live Events

At our first Smart Women I Really Like (SWIRL) virtual coffee chat, participants shared perspectives and observations on the state of digital events and getting back to live events, along with personal reflections on the positives during the pandemic.

There was broad consensus that digital fatigue is affecting event registrations and no shows, but the group believes there is a light at the end of 2021, with Q4 looking much better. Several major convention halls are booked for the 4th quarter with higher attendee numbers and the outlook for 2022 is optimistic, with expectations for even greater attendance.

Of note: Philadelphia held a live event with 10,000 attendees and the scramble to pull it off safely was an all-hands-on deck effort, with hotel sales teams working with housekeeping to clean rooms.

Event execs are closely watching return-to-office, noting that that Microsoft employees are back on campus. Still, decisions about in-person meetings are being made day-to-day and travel restrictions are still a major challenge.

The group shared heartfelt personal learnings from the lockdown, including: “I learned a lot of patience.” “I was so defined by work and travel, slowing down allowed me to savor the moments.” “Giving myself and others grace;” “It’s OK to sit down.” “I’ve been kinder to myself.” “I appreciate what I have and am blessed that my extended family was in my bubble.” “I’m disconnecting from work more and giving myself, me time.” “People are now my bucket list.” “I’m appreciating my blessings and being more present.” “It’s OK to not be OK.” “I learned to cook!” “With less travel, I’m actually living in one place, a real home.”

We’ll be hosting more SWIRL circles throughout the year. Interested? Contact CEMArsvp@CEMAonline.com with your name, email, company, and regional location if you’d like to be invited to participate.

April 21st Conversation with Karen Chupka

Still time to register! Join us April 21st 12:30 PDT for an exclusive conversation between Karen Chupka, Executive Vice President, CES for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and Kim Gishler, Executive Director, CEMA (Corporate Event Marketing Association) This will be a 45-minute conversation discussing what Karen and her teammates at CTA learned from the first All-Digital CES in 2021. We will have an interactive Q&A for attendees to ask questions at the end of the conversation. Click here to register.

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May 5th, Getting Back to Normal: Hybrid and the Future of Event Marketing
Wednesday May 5th 11am PDT

John Capano, Impact-XM
Senior Vice President, Client Development

What does the future look like now that Covid-19 has impacted the way we live and work? Many event marketers are left questioning “what’s next?” With virtual here to stay and the need for more personal face-to-face experiences, now more than ever, hybrid events will be critical for success. Hybrid events successfully pair live and virtual components to create a fully immersive experience for attendees and exhibitors. In this webinar, learn best practices for successful Hybrid events and other strategies to extend your reach, prove ROI and drive your business forward, now and post-pandemic.

We will email the invite soon.

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June 8th #IamRemarkable webinar led by Google. As there are only 25 participants, sign up when you get the email.

Useful hybrid event checklist:

The components of a hybrid event have evolved over the last decade. What began as broadcasting an in-person event to a passive audience has grown into a connected, intentionally designed event experience.

This hybrid event checklist from Encore has been created so that you can get more done, save time and brain power, and reach your hybrid event goals more quickly! Divided into six key drivers for a successful hybrid event, our goal is to provide support for each stage of your event planning journey. resource across your event planning journey.

Click here for the list.

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Digital Event Strategist Certification

“Focus more on what you can create than on your perception of what has been taken from you.” — Camilla Webster, fine artist and best-selling author, in her Convening Leaders ‘21 session, “The Art of the Pivot”

If you’ve wondered how you can create an experience for your audiences that will engage, inspire and transform, here’s the tool you and your team have been looking for.

CEMA is happy to announce the extension of a special offer. As a CEMA member, you get 20% off with code CEMA and start your Digital Event Strategist certification now! You will come away with the knowledge you need to have the right conversations with the right people for your virtual events, all while gaining a supportive community.

Sign up here: https://www.pcma.org/products/des/

Calling all Experts: Help Us Build the CEMA “Next Normal” Knowledge Base

One of our core tenets as a member organization is generous knowledge and experience sharing. Over the years, we’ve worked to build a repository of expert content on the CEMA website with our CEMA Blog and Case Study/White paper section. Last year, the pandemic put a hold on that activity, but we are ramping it back up in 2021.

We’re encouraging all CEMA members to become guest contributors this year. It’s a great way to promote your brand, your team and yourself, while helping inform and enlighten your fellow members.

We welcome content on just about any relevant event marketing topic, but one thing we really want to showcase is the creativity and innovation that’s taken place over the past 12 months to pivot successfully from in-person events to digital – and now, the road back to live events. Topics include:
• Unique ideas and programs that are driving participation and engagement.
• Breakthrough strategies and programs that helped re-define participant experience in digital environments.
• Calculated risks that worked – and lessons learned from the ones that didn’t.
• Smart, creative approaches to architecting hybrid events.
• Exciting technologies and services that are supporting event marketers as the landscape shifts.
• Trends, promising new approaches, best practices, tips, and advice.
• Thoughtful perspectives on “the next normal” – experience, engagement, security, balance, wellness, etc.
• New measurement models and how data is informing event ROI.

Content Specs:
• The ideal length is 300-500 words but we’re flexible. If a case or white paper is longer, we’ll post a summary on the CEMA site and link to the full document.
• A relevant and compelling image, chart or graph is always good.
• Of course, your name, title and if possible, a headshot.
Don’t let length, format or your bandwidth be an obstacle to sharing! Send what you have to patrick.foarde@thegandalfgroup.com and we’ll work with you to get it published! Don’t wait! Send your story today. We’re excited to share your great work! –>

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IBM Case Study Webinar

Watch to learn more about how “Standardized Meeting Automation Across All Events Drives Stronger Results by Creating Deeper Engagement”

Thank you to the participants Aaron Karpaty, Head of Strategic Accounts, Jifflenow, Colleen Bisconti, Vice President of Marketing, Global Conferences and Events, IBM, Kada Sigl, Conference Manager, IBM, Gavin Reynolds, Campaigns Marketing, IBM and Jay Atkins, Event Manager, IBM.

The participants discussed
• How the event execs at IBM are dealing with digital fatigue
• How in digital, every minute presenters are competing for attention
• Why enterprise-wide adoption of meeting automation increases efficiency and eliminates complexity.

Find the webinar link on the Learning On Demand section of the website or click here: https://cemaonline.com/cemalod/cema-webinar-series-ibm-case-study/