As we count down the last few days before e4, the EXCITEMENT as well as a tiny bit of ANXIETY manages to creep its way into the noise of my mind.  It is not so different from the fear I experienced when I was venturing off to my first day of school;  or departing off to college ~ terrifying!!   Even my first day of work, here at Experient, over 22 years ago conjured feelings of that first day of school so many years ago!

It is a feeling that at times is so hard to explain, yet I know we have all experienced “Anticipation”!!

Each year in our planning efforts for e4, I gain all the more respect for our valued clients who work on their annual meetings all year long. . . or any type of meeting for that matter ~ they all take so much Work!

I know that if I went back and found all of the scraps of paper that I scribbled notes on during this planning process, I for sure would be able to wallpaper my bathroom at home or at the very least publish a small novel ~ UGH so many trees!

Look forward to seeing all of you who are attending e4, and ANTICIPATING a fun filled, productive conference  for ALL.

PS –  If any of you have any words of wisdom to calm the butterflies, feel free to reach out. . .

Teri Tonioli

Over the next few months we will be featuring profiles on some of our Experient clients.  Clients who have joined us at e4 in the past or are joining us this year for the first time.  Take a few minutes to get to know some of your industry peers.  Great people you will have a chance to get to know better when you join us at e4.  See you there ~ Teri Tonioli

• Name: Michele Cushnie
  

  Michele Cushnie

• Organization: International Association of Business Communicators
• Title: Vice President of Professional Development & Education
• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Number of years with the organization: 5 months
• Professional background: Prior to my role with IABC, I was the Manager of Instructional Delivery and E-Learning at the Technology Transfer Program at the University of California, Berkeley where I provided vision and leadership for the development of professional development programs for transportation engineers and planners. I promoted the effective use of distance learning technologies and long-range activities related to workforce development. I have a doctorate of philosophy in human resource development and a master’s degree in African and African-American studies from Ohio State University. I also have a master’s degree in public administration from Drake University.
• Family life: I recently got married in Bermuda.  I spend time in Florida and Jamaica which is my native country.
• Morning routine: I get up and do a lot of aerobic exercising before going to work.  I am a vegan so I eat a lot grain and complex carbohydrates as well as fruit each morning.  I also take time to do my morning devotion and prayers.
• Greatest professional challenge: Getting staff to work as a team was a past challenge that I had.  Currently, I’m trying to learn and understand IABC’s culture and work style of doing things.
• A proud accomplishment from the past year: I am volunteer mentor for the Oremi Mentoring Program which serves children of incarcerated parents by creating lasting one-on-one mentoring relationships with community members.   I have  been actively involved with a 5-year old child for several months and  it is a privilege to help him in read, write, do arithmetic and bible study.  I tell him that he should strive  to be all that he can be.
• In a game of “Truth of Dare”, which would you pick? Truth
• Guilty Pleasure: I love to watch the television drama series “24”
• Favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon: Take a walk in a park, eat at my favorite restaurant or read a book
• If you could have any super power, what would it be and why? I wish I could take people’s negative thinking and turn into positive, encouraging thoughts.   Help people to to use their gifts and talents to uplift mankind
• Why do you come to e4? This is my first time
• What would you like to talk to other clients about at e4? … I would like to find out what is going well at their conferences and how to attract a younger audience

Yurii Land, CMP

Over the next few months we will be featuring profiles on some of our Experient clients.  Clients who have joined us at e4 in the past or are joining us this year for the first time.  Take a few minutes to get to know some of your industry peers.  Great people you will have a chance to get to know better when you join us at e4.  See you there ~ Teri Tonioli

Allison Kelley, CAE

• Name: Allison Kelley, CAE
• Organization: Romance Writers of America
• Title: Executive Director
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Number of years with the organization: 15 years
• Professional background: VP of Deposit Operations for a $2 billion, 20 branch savings bank. Past-President of Houston Society of Association Executives.
• Family life: I have been married to the same man for 30 years, we have 2 sons, ages 21 and 23. Our boys love animals, so we have opened our hearts to many. In addition to dogs, we have shared our home with guinea pigs, a hedgehog, a wonderful Chinese rat named Jade, a prairie dog, and a flying squirrel named Chewbacca. (Chewy is 16 years old and doing quite well.)
• Morning routine: Up at 6:00, take a shower, drink 2 cups of coffee, watch Good Morning America (I still miss Diane and Charlie!) then drive to work—it’s about a 3 mile drive, so it’s very nice.
• Greatest professional challenge: Currently, I am challenged by the 24/7 demand for communication. Twitter has changed the way RWA members do business. It’s hard for associations to address issues quickly and control the message when outsiders don’t have to answer to anyone but themselves.
• A proud accomplishment from the past year: Successfully defending the association’s standards against a move by several large publishers to monetize unpublished manuscripts by convincing desperate writers to finance publication of their novels.
• In a game of “Truth of Dare”, which would you pick? Truth
• Guilty Pleasure: Reading tabloids—I am too cheap to subscribe, so I read voraciously when I am getting a pedicure.
• Favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon: My favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon would be to go sailing. In reality, I am usually foraging for groceries and other supplies to keep the family going for another week.
• If you could have any super power, what would it be and why? I would want to read people’s thoughts.
• Why do you come to e4? To solidify business relationships and to learn about the latest trends in meetings.
• What would you like to talk to other clients about at e4? Crisis planning and management.

Over the next few months we will be featuring profiles on some of our Experient clients.  Clients who have joined us at e4 in the past or are joining us this year for the first time.  Take a few minutes to get to know some of your industry peers.  Great people you will have a chance to get to know better when you join us at e4.  See you there ~ Teri Tonioli

Interviewed by James Kelley

• Name: Chris Torsy, CMP
• Organization: Society of Petroleum Engineers
  

  Chris Torsey

• Title: Meetings Manager
• Location: Richardson, Texas
• Number of years with the organization: 11 years
• Professional background: Before moving to Dallas in 1999, I worked at Medical Center Hospital in the Community Relations and Marketing Department for 5 years in Odessa, Texas. Before that Iworked at a Energy Depot, a fireplace shop in the winter and at Truckload Fireworks stand in the summer, both for the same company for 9 years.
• Family life: I have been married for 18 years, I have a 27 year-old stepson who has recently married, I now have daughter-in-law I absolutely adore and a 17 year old son who will be a Senior in High School.  I have two dogs – Rudy & Sam.
• Morning routine: I get up at 5:45 – 6:00 each morning, get ready for work, head out the door and am at the office by 7 a.m. I sometimes have coffee, but not every day.
• Greatest professional challenge: The biggest challenge I have ever faced in my career is the death of my boss, friend & mentor – Sally Goldesberry.  When a family member/friend dies you go to work to “escape” however, when it is someone you have worked with for 9 ½ years on a daily basis, traveled with and someone who taught you most everything you know it has been a real struggle.  Knowing that she would be proud of me and the things I have accomplished since her death make me proud and gives me encouragement every day.
• A proud accomplishment from the past year: Working with an incredible team in planning and implementing the largest conference my company plans each year.  Offshore Technology Conference, 72,900
• In a game of “Truth of Dare”, which would you pick? Dare
• Guilty Pleasure: Not a guilty pleasure, but a passion – Gospel singing is my passion, I would do it for a living if I could, not to get rich, but to uplift people who need encouragement.  I am addicted to the series “The Real Housewives”, doesn’t matter if they are from Orange County, New Jersey, New York or Atlanta… I am hooked.
• Favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon: Depends on the time of year. Summer – by the pool. Winter – Watching NFL all day!
• If you could have any super power, what would it be and why? I would love to be invisible……. That way I could see what people really said about me when I am not in the room.
• Why do you come to e4? E4 is an opportunity to meet with a select group of people who have had tremendous experience and are willing to share their ideas and experiences whether they are good or bad.  This is a great learning conference, which helps you think outside the box.
• What would you like to talk to other clients about at e4? I am still trying to grasp this social media stuff, I am signed up for Twitter, Linked-In, however, have no clue how to use it… I need the twitter for dummies book….people tell me they are following me on twitter, and I tell them don’t follow me, I am lost…
  

  James Kelley