CEMA Newsletter: July 2026

CEMA Member Since: 2025

I’ve spent my career at the intersection of live events, executive storytelling, brand moments, and content experiences; or more simply put, I love helping teams bring big ideas to life on stage. In my current role as Director of Keynote Strategy and Event Content at Autodesk, I lead the team responsible for shaping main stage and content experiences for some of the company’s most visible events, including customer conferences like Autodesk University (AU), and internal events like One Team Conference and TechX.

Before Autodesk, I held events, communications, and content roles at Workday, Google, Virgin America, and Adobe, where I developed a deep appreciation for the power of clear storytelling and thoughtful production. What I enjoy most is bringing together narrative, creative, technical production, and audience experience to create moments that feel meaningful, and working alongside the talented teams and partners who make those moments possible.

Your CEMA Story

Q: What first drew you to CEMA, and how has being part of the community shaped your professional journey?

A: Hosting a CEMA Study Tour at Workday Rising 2024 was a real highlight for me, and it showed me how being part of a professional network like CEMA can create meaningful opportunities for learning, connection, and growth.

At the time, many of my Workday colleagues were already involved in CEMA, and I was excited by the opportunity to connect with other event professionals beyond my own company and immediate circle. That became especially meaningful as my career evolved from leading keynote and content experiences at Workday to stepping into a broader leadership role at Autodesk.

Being part of CEMA has helped me expand my perspective, build relationships across the industry, and stay connected to a community of people who understand both the complexity and the magic of this work. It has given me a place to trade ideas, talk through shared challenges, and continue growing as my role and responsibilities have grown.

A Defining CEMA Moment

Q: Can you share a moment or connection through CEMA that made a lasting impact — a collaboration, insight, or opportunity that stands out?

A: Attending my first CEMA Summit in my hometown of Austin last year had a lasting impact on me. It was the first time I found myself surrounded by event professionals from every corner of the industry, and it genuinely felt like I’d found my community. The ability to openly exchange ideas, share challenges, and learn how others approach similar problems was both inspiring and energizing.

The timing couldn’t have been better, either. I had recently stepped into a new leadership role on the Autodesk events team a few months earlier, and the conversations, perspectives, and relationships I built through CEMA gave me confidence, fresh ideas, and a network of peers that I continue to lean on today.

What’s Inspiring You Right Now

Q: What’s something you’re currently working on or exploring that excites you — whether it’s a project, a new skill, or an emerging trend?

A: One thing I’m really excited about right now is exploring new ways to make technology feel more tangible, participatory, and human at AU, our flagship customer conference. Live on-stage demos are a big part of that, especially in an era where AI is becoming part of almost every conversation around the tech industry. There’s something powerful about moving beyond talking about innovation and allowing audiences to actually see it in action.

We’re also rethinking learning experiences more broadly. We hear that attendees are eager for new ways to learn outside of traditional stand-and-deliver content sessions, whether that’s through hands-on labs, interactive formats, or other experiences that create more direct engagement and enable peer to peer networking. My team spends a lot of time thinking about how to better connect with our attendee base, meet different learning styles, and create moments that help people not only understand where technology is going, but feel connected to it in the room.

Passions That Fuel You

Q: What outside interests or passions help you show up stronger in your work?

A: Experiencing live events as an attendee is one of the things that most fuels me outside of work. Whether it’s a concert, a brand activation, or live sports event, I’m always paying attention to the moments that give me goosebumps. It might be a reveal, an unexpected transition, a beautifully composed camera shot, a perfectly-timed piece of music, or simply the feeling that everyone in the room is experiencing something together. Those moments remind me that the best events don’t just deliver content; they create a feeling, a memory, and a sense of connection. I’m always thinking about how to identify and build those “goosebumps” moments into the experiences my team creates for our audiences.

Words to Work By

Q: What advice, mindset, or mantra has guided you in your career?

A: “Calm in chaos” has always been a core mantra for me. Live events are full of moving parts, unexpected challenges, and high-pressure moments, especially onsite, and I’ve learned how important it is to be the person who can stay steady, focused, and solution-oriented when things get complicated. Calm is contagious: when you create a sense of confidence and clarity for the team around you, everyone is better equipped to do their best work.

Looking Ahead

Q: What shifts or challenges do you see shaping the future of events, and where do you think our community has the biggest opportunity to lead?

A: One of the biggest challenges is the pressure to deliver more impact with resources that aren’t always keeping pace with the rising cost of materials, labor, travel, production, and just the cost of doing business overall. I think our community has a huge opportunity to help organizations make smarter, more strategic decisions about where to invest—getting clearer about the outcomes our events are designed to drive, and advocating for the resources that are needed to deliver work that isn’t just memorable for our attendees, but also measurable for business impact.

Rapid Fire

Favorite event destination: Any venue with windows and natural light

Go-to productivity hack: A solid Spotify emo/punk rock playlist

Event-day essential: Nearby mobile-order enabled Starbucks for cold brew

Someone in the CEMA community who inspires you: Bellwether’s Richard Steinau

Closing Thought

Being a part of the CEMA community always reminds me why I love this work: creating experiences that bring people together, creating meaningful moments, and learning from peers who share my passion for the craft of live events.