Alex Evans

Program Manager, The Grove, Google

Alex Evans is a Program Manager for Google’s Customer Experience Center, The Grove, in Redwood City, CA.

She joined Google in 2017 supporting events across the company before taking on the role at The Grove. Alex takes pride in providing best-in-class experiences, maintaining high-functioning relationships with stakeholders and support teams, and the overall success of the experience center.

Alex stepped in as interim Head of The Grove for six months in 2022 during a period of leadership transition. During that time she drove return-to-office, re-opening the 40,000 square foot center and pivoting a team of five from producing virtual to in-person events. She remains a strong thought leader and integral player to the success of the team, managing 100+ events since mid-2022 while simultaneously working on projects to define and increase priority stakeholder utilization.

Alex leans heavily on her project management skills and her CEMA network as she drives to 2x seller engagement, defines success metrics, and discovers ways to further up-level customer experience.

Alex enjoys strength training with her partner and acting as business manager to his entrepreneurial endeavor as a fitness trainer. Alex is grateful for the relationships she has made over the last three years as a CEMA member and for the once-in-a-lifetime experiences made possible by the CEMA community including the 2022 NFL Draft Study Tour and Pre-CEMA FAM with Gaylord Opryland.

When you are in the Bay Area, reach out to Alex for an exclusive tour of The Grove as a benefit for fellow CEMA members.

Shana Carr

COO, Impact XM

Shana has grown up in the tradeshow, event, experiential marketing, and brand environment industry. Over the past 25+ years she has had the pleasure of partnering with stellar client brands in a variety of industries. Throughout her career Shana has held multiple roles from Estimator and Project Manager to Sales Director and General Manager to Division President with top companies such as Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, Derse, MC2 and ASTOUND.

Her passion revolves around leading, coaching and motivating a multi-faceted team of people. Her diverse background offers a good blend of strategic insight, operational oversight, program/business management, and financial evaluation to clients and organizations. She strives to make a difference and deliver true value.

As Chief Operations Officer at Impact XM Shana will act as a strategic partner to Jared Pollacco, CEO, in setting and driving organizational vision and operational strategy and providing leadership to the core business operations. She will directly oversee Operations, Client Service, Account Management and Live + Digital Production teams. Shana is excited to join the team and support the continued growth and success of Impact XM.

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Kim Napolitano, CASE

Executive Director, Industry Relations and Intermediary Group Sales
Hilton Worldwide Sales

Kim Napolitano started her career at Hilton as part of the Hotel Operations Teams at Hilton McLean. She quickly moved to the Sales team, where she discovered her passion for providing solutions and strengthening customer relations. Jump forward a few decades; Kim is now Executive Director of the Industry Relations and Intermediary Group Sales team. She leads a team of eight and works to ensure Hilton is valued as a trusted advisor to clients and the world.

Kim thrives when creating a high-performance, revenue-improving culture, and she fosters an environment where everyone strives to be better than the day before – empowering each person to be the CEO of their domain. Kim also works with key stakeholders to ensure her team remains focused on driving meaningful connections and is the most sought-after hospitality sales partner.

Two of Kim’s favorite stops throughout her career were when she managed two of Hilton’s largest site-sourcing agencies for four years and when she created the Hilton Worldwide Sales Association Group Sales team. Serving as Managing Director of the Association Group Sales team, Kim united individual sales professionals across the country. Bringing people together is her forte.

During the peak of COVID, Kim received her certification as a Master Practitioner of Energetic Medicine through the Four Winds Society. Her goal is to bring greater consciousness into boardrooms and ballrooms worldwide.

Kim has three beautiful children and is married to her college sweetheart, Michael, who helps her balance her life. She covets her time on her Peloton and has accomplished her 200th ride. Her leaderboard name is MamaNaPelotono.

Freeman is a global leader in events. Whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid, we are on a mission to redefine live for a new era. Through a data-driven approach and the world’s largest network of experts, our insights deliver moments that build connections, drive business, and surprise and delight. Creating those moments that matter — the ones that linger in people’s memories and live on through their stories — is what we do.

It’s Time to Renew Your Membership!

Another year is coming to an end, which means it’s time to renew your CEMA membership for 2023. All 2022 memberships will expire on December 31, 2022.

As we continue to adapt to a dynamic event landscape, we need to rely on each other to be fearless innovators who continually redefine what’s possible and put amazing ideas into action.

In the coming days, you’ll be receiving more information on how to renew your CEMA membership for 2023, including instructions on how to access our new member portal.

​If you have you any questions about your membership or the renewal process, please contact membership@cemaonline.com

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Afternoon Keynote: Improviser – The New Essential Event Marketer Skillset

Our Tuesday afternoon keynote at CEMA Summit was delivered by author, speaker, and entrepreneur Judi Holler. She shared her unique perspective on how embracing an improvisational mindset can propel your career. Judi’s theme: Improvisor – The New Essential Event Marketer Skillset, made the bold proposition that success is not about luck, or whom you know, or even what you know. It’s about a possibility-driven mindset and how brave you are prepared to be.

Being brave means understanding fear. Fear aims to stop you. Movement is the antidote. Start movement with “Yes, and…” “Yes” is positive but doesn’t necessarily lead to action. “And” gets you to action faster. It also means experimenting with fear…doing something uncomfortable purposefully to “fear, fear less.”

Judi also shared a special ”yes and” symbol, “&”, a manifestation of adding something new to the mix. “&” is where discomfort meets joy, where what could go wrong becomes what will go right and where we can run confidently towards opportunities, goals, and dreams.

Watch Now

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CEMA Educational Series Recap: EX = CX: How A Successful Employee Experience Fuels A Strong Customer Experience

At our October webinar, Jon Paul Potts, SVP of Strategic Solutions at InVision Communications, and Michael Vermillion, Senior Managing Director, Global Business Intelligence for J.D. Power, shared valuable insights and actionable strategies for creating a truly engaged workforce that will be empowered to deliver a better customer experience.

The session kicked off with a few compelling stats that make the business case for strong employee engagement:

• Customer Experience (CX) has a direct correlation on business outcomes, and Employee Experience (EX) – can make or break your CX. According to Glassdoor research, there’s a better than a one-to-one direct correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction.
• Fostering a culture powered by authentic and genuine employee engagement will drive meaningful customer experiences, which then will lead to overall organizational success. The Workplace Research Foundation found that employees that are highly engaged are 38% more likely to give you above average levels of productivity. According to Gallup, highly engaged teams drive 21% greater profitability for their companies.
• Conversely, if employees are not connected to your brand’s vision and purpose, your customer experience and business success will suffer. According to Gallup Research, employees who are actively disengaged are currently costing the world economy $7.8 trillion. That’s equal to 11% of global GDP.

Jon Paul and Michael shared the following key insights that should inform any EX campaign design:

• Employee engagement doesn’t happen by accident. It requires a deliberate approach. As such, campaigns should be multi-channel campaigns focused on meeting employees where they are. This is particularly important in companies that have field employees or a manufacturing workforce that does not have regular access to commonly used channels like email, intranets, and office signage.
• Money and compensation will not magically engage employees. It is possible to have a highly compensated workforce that’s disengaged. This is especially true in this new world of hybrid and remote employees. Keep in mind that competitors can always offer more money anytime and steal disengaged employees away.
• Don’t confuse communication cadence and volume with building culture and employee engagement. Focus communication strategy on ensuring that teams understand what you are communicating, and that messages are accessible, actionable, and connected to what your employees actually do. Employees should feel empowered to act on behalf of your brand, and have the tools, training, policies, and the process in place necessary to act.

Our speakers also outlined the six “bedrocks” of the employee experience that can be the reasons your employees are engaged, productive, and loyal – or they can become triggers of disengagement:

• Purpose and Values: Beyond defining your purpose, make sure it resonates with your people. Employees should be clear on how they play a role in achieving your purpose. Similarly, your values should be meaningful and authentic and inform your business decisions.
• Training and Development: Organizations invest in their employees’ development report 11% greater profitability, and 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development.

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Check out November’s CEMA Connects Episode: Designing Your Content Strategy

Erica Spoor, Impact Point Group and Allison Crooker, VMware continued their discussion from CEMA Summit around aligning content strategy and design to the customer journey for today’s hybrid world.

For the full experience:

• Listen to the Summit Breakout session – Designing Your Content Strategy
• Review the CEMA Connects Mural of key points, statements, and ideas from the episode
• Review Erica and Allison’s Presentation

Sponsored by:

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Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort Imbues Event Experiences with the Aloha Spirit

Patrick Foarde, Principal, The Gandalf Group/CEMA PR

Attendee experience is a key focal point in discussions about the evolution of events. CEMA members have explored event experience to great length, sharing insights and strategies for enriching experience through every event facet – content, speakers, breakouts, activations, networking events, amenities. As we witnessed in Nashville at CEMA Summit 22, attendee experience can also be enhanced tremendously by infusing the event with local flavor: culture, food, music history and ambience.

Another event destination that has doubled down on integrating local character into its event offer is the City of Honolulu, Hawaii, and in particular the revitalized Waikiki Beach neighborhood. In September, I had the opportunity to spend a few days at the newly renovated Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. After the visit, I was able to sit down with Kimberly Forte, the Senior Sales Executive for the resort to talk about how the city and Marriott are bringing the essence of the island back to the area.

“There’s real pride in the Hawaiian culture. You see it permeating everywhere. We have the special honor to reflect the aloha spirit in every aspect of the property and in how we approach events. We also work to integrate the Oahu and Waikiki experience into everything we do, because this island has its own special aura,” Forte noted.

The resort has recently gone through a $110 million renovation – including a spacious lobby and guestrooms with indoor-outdoor spaces where people can “gather in joy and hospitality, “ and a new acre-sized pool area designed to enable interactive outdoor experiences integrated into events. “We really took it up a notch to give people a real taste of Hawaii, and the new urban beach vibe in Waikiki,” said Forte. “When people think of Hawaii, they think of the beach, the palm trees, the relaxed atmosphere, and the surfing vibe. In Waikiki, you can have all of that, along with the best restaurants, top notch shopping, and just about everything you’d want from a big city…and we’re easy to get to, especially from the West Coast.”

The resort targets mid-to-smaller groups, with 250 to 300 participants as their sweet spot. They get a good draw from the tech sector because there’s constant movement and activity coupled with a beach chill type of ambience. Forte emphasized that meetings feature local elements – a luau, Hawaiian dance or chants.

“For example, when the CEMA board was here, we did an ocean cleanse activity called “Pikai” that started off with an “oli” or spiritual chant, which focused on releasing yourself into the ocean and moving forward,” she shared. “ In a way, the purpose of the “oli” is what CEMA members, and our corporate clients, are continuing to practice– letting go of the past and reinventing themselves. So the Hawaiian culture fit nicely into that dynamic.”

The resort also partners with the Hawaii Convention Center and CVB for larger venues, and according to Forte convention attendees enjoy the unique atmosphere at the resort. “People love walking out the door of the resort and being right at the ocean. Just a five minute Uber ride or a nice stroll along the beach and experiencing all that Waikiki has to offer, they are at the Hawaii Convention Center,” said Forte. Forte’s team focus on building relationships with clients, inviting them to experience the resort firsthand. “Often there’s a bias towards
meeting in Hawaii and being at “the beach,” but once they experience the resort, they don’t want to leave,” she said.

In Hawaiian, “Ohana” means family; in particular, extended family; and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. Ohana is a great way to describe CEMA. Because CEMA members treat each other like family. The Marriott Waikiki team embodies Ohana, in how they take care of their clients, and how they take care of their extended CEMA family.

I’ve experienced that firsthand. When Forte and her team learned that I was planning a trip to Honolulu to be with my son as he finished up a difficult 12 weeks of medical treatment at Tripler Army Medical Center, they graciously offered to host us for three days at the resort. Needless to say, it was a beautiful place, a wonderful resort experience, and a reenergizing break for my son and wife.

Mahalo to Forte and her team for the Hawaiian aloha spirit and the friendliness and warm welcome we got from everybody there.

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Reimagining Hospitality with Sustainability at Marina Bay Sands

Sustainability has been at the core of Marina Bay Sands since its opening in 2010. Guided by its global sustainability strategy, Sands ECO360, the integrated resort (IR) incorporates best practices, technologies and methodologies to reduce its overall environmental impact.

Over the years, the IR has invested heavily in smart building technology to reduce its environmental impact. Its S$50 million Intelligent Building Management System helps to monitor the IR’s lighting, heating, air-conditioning and water supplies, electricity and air quality very closely. With over 125,000 data points, this system has saved over 7.4 million kWh of energy annually since 2012, alongside other efficiency measures.

Sitting atop the Sands SkyPark are some 536 solar panels that can generate enough electricity to power all the lights in the park. Installed in April 2017, these solar panels help to reduce the annual carbon emissions by 70 tonnes.

Green Meetings at Marina Bay Sands
Over the years, Marina Bay Sands’ approach has grown beyond focusing on infrastructure. The IR has been actively engaging stakeholders such as suppliers, vendors and its Team Members in its sustainability journey, encouraging them to make decisions that reduce environmental impact wherever possible.

In 2020, Marina Bay Sands became Singapore’s first carbon neutral MICE venue, a result of its energy efficiency measures coupled with its investment in local Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and carbon offsets. Clients can conduct meetings and conferences that are 100 per cent carbon neutral at no additional cost. Already a LEED-Platinum and ISO20121-certified venue, Sands Expo’s carbon neutral status is a step in the right direction towards Singapore’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

Marina Bay Sands continues to strengthen its resolve to become one of the most sustainable venues in Asia Pacific, earning itself another accolade – Events Industry Council (EIC) Sustainable Event Standards for Venues Platinum certification – in May 2022.

As the industry continues its journey and work towards building a sustainable future, the IR shares its commitment and is constantly upskilling its team. Marina Bay Sands is working closely with EIC to put all its client-engaging Team Members through the Sustainable Event Professional Certificate (SEPC) programme, one of the main event sustainability credentials in the meetings and events industry. Armed with the certification, the team is empowered with the necessary skills and knowledge to lead clients and the community towards conversations about sustainability for the environment and the people.

Sustainable food sourcing
With the effects of climate change increasingly disrupting global supply chains, Marina Bay Sands is mindful of the need to source food sustainably. Since 2017, Marina Bay Sands has been working on improving responsible seafood sourcing in Asia Pacific. In 2021, 45.4 per cent of its seafood was responsibly sourced, while 53.9 per cent of fruits and vegetables were regionally sourced. Without compromising culinary experiences, more plant-based offerings are also made available to our guests to mitigate the impact of animal agriculture, a large contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. Our MICE Herb garden, located at Level 5 of the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, is also an intentional step towards supporting Singapore’s 30 by 30 food security goal.

Reducing single-use items and eliminating food waste
Marina Bay Sands has established partnerships with local food charities to donate unserved food, thus reducing overall food waste. To ensure that the food donated is fresh and safe for consumption, the IR invested in industrial-grade blast chillers. Since 2016, over 9,000kg of unserved food have been donated to communities in need through The Food Bank Singapore.

Some of the kitchens on property use technology to help chefs track and manage food waste. There are also five anaerobic digesters that break down remaining food waste into non-potable water, thus reducing waste to landfill. A disposables scorecard is used for selected business units to help manage and reduce single-use disposables.

Future of sustainability at Marina Bay Sands
Sustainability continues to underpin the IR’s business operations. It remains committed to decouple carbon footprint from business growth by harnessing cutting-edge technology, innovative solutions, Team Member and stakeholder engagements to deliver a sustainable hospitality experience. By working together with a wide range of stakeholders, Marina Bay Sands aims to create a collaborative environment that paves the way towards greater sustainability.