Director of Meetings

Shelley Cohen Renn

Mobile: 240-***-****

*******.****@*****.***

STRATEGIC MEETING PROFESSIONAL

Recognized industry expert known for superior technical expertise encompassing all facets of meeting management.

Leader who is highly communicative, shares information and knowledge, likes to mentor, motivates and encourages professional growth. Leads with integrity and respect.

Creates strategic direction for meetings. Drives related key business initiatives from conception to implementation, ensuring the excellence and financial success of all meeting offerings.

Collaboratively engages with meeting stakeholders: leadership, planning committees, members, and departmental staff across the organization.

Known for building and maintaining successful, long-term industry relationships with convention and visitor bureaus, convention centers, hoteliers, general contractors and other meeting-related service providers.

EXPERIENCE

Director of Meetings June 2021 – Dec 2022

American Society of Human Genetics

Rockville, MD

Overall responsibility for strategy, development, fiscal performance and implementation of the logistics for the ASHG Annual Meeting (7000 - 8000) attendees. Directed departmental operations including personnel; training and development; budget preparation and administration; short/long term forecasting; and continual process improvement. Worked closely with Exhibits and Sponsorship department in the achievement of budgeted revenue goals. Developed, managed, and evaluated comprehensive and unified plans that drive the Annual Meeting to ensure success, continued growth, and profitability. Supervised ASHG Program Manager. Provided mentorship and growth opportunities to Program Manager. Managed vendor relationships and contracts. Oversaw on-site vendor performance. Recommended appropriate sites for future meetings. Negotiated all meetings contracts. Reviewed contracts with Chief Operating Officer, CEO and legal counsel when necessary. Evaluated and selected appropriate vendors for relevant functions. Developed marketing plans and strategies in conjunction with the Marketing Department. Reviewed and evaluated outcomes of marketing efforts. Prepared and monitored budget performance.

Worked closely with the Annual Meeting Program Committee in the development of the educational content for the meeting.

Provided leadership, motivation, and development opportunities to staff. Worked in a highly collaborative manner with all departments and senior leadership team.

Exceeded budgeted attendance by 20% at first post-COVID in-person meeting.

Successfully implemented COVID verification process in conjunction with Safe Expo a healthcare services supplier. Verified over 6500 attendees pre-conference.

Adopted WRIKE, an online organization-wide collaborative work tool to help prioritize and outline tasks and timelines.

Director, Meetings 2017–May, 2021

Institute for Operations Research and

Management Sciences (INFORMS), Catonsville, MD

Member of the senior leadership team. Supervised, mentored, and grew team of six meetings department staff. Key responsibilities included strategic oversight of the logistics of the INFORMS Annual Conference, (6000-7000 attendees), the Business of Analytics Conference (1000 attendees), the International Conference, (600-800 attendees) and the Healthcare Conference (800 attendees), Researched and recommended appropriate sites for future meetings. Negotiated or oversaw negotiations of all meetings contracts. Reviewed contracts with legal counsel and Executive Director. Evaluated and selected appropriate vendors for relevant functions. Oversaw all tasks and projects related to meetings, and conferences. Developed marketing strategies in cooperation with the Marketing Department. Prepared and monitored budget performance. Researched and analyze competitors and ensured the ability to differentiate the offerings.

Worked with Organizing Committees from concept to completion of each meeting, Coordinated activities of committee members; coordinated committee efforts with staff responsibilities. Served as liaison to the Meetings Committee and VP Meetings. Assisted Meetings Committee and VP, and others as appropriate, by providing advice, information, and assistance. Staff liaison to the Annual Conference Program Planning Committee.

Assistant Director, Meetings

American Geophysical Union – Washington, D.C. 2014 – 2016

Oversight and management of third party vendor facilitating registration and housing processes for large (25,000 attendees) annual meeting. Key responsibilities: oversight of on-line housing and registration website development, contract negotiation oversight, budget projection and management, marketing plan development, on-site management registration processes. Lead team planner for small (100 – 150 attendees), discipline-specific conference series. Key responsibilities: Liaison between program directors, AGU staff and logistics vendor. Oversaw logistic processes, abstract submission, program development, website development, grant application process, budget preparation and reconciliation. Staff liaison to the Chair, Chapman Conference Series. Supervised two department staff.

President

MeetingPROS, Rockville, Maryland 2011 - 2014

Meetings and events consultant and service provider. Clients include:

International Association for the Study of Pain 2014 American Society for Cell Biology 2013 American Society of Plant Biology 2013

Long Island University 2011 – 2012

Director, Meetings and Programs

American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) – Bethesda, MD 2005 – 2011

Directed all aspects of meetings production and development for annual meeting and exposition (7,000 attendees, 200 exhibiting companies) including exhibit and sponsorship sales, two smaller meetings (300-400 people) and approximately 20 committee meetings. Developed and administered $6 million annual meeting budget. Supervised and mentored staff of four meeting planners. Developed annual meeting budget and department operations budget. Tracked revenue and expenses. Developed RFP’s, solicited and selected vendors and managed vendor relationships.

TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft Office 365: (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), SharePoint, iMIS, Personify, Basecamp (project management software), Avectra, ExpoCad, a2z Exposition Management Module, NetForum, TeamworkPM, CoreApps “Follow Me” Mobile Application, Adobe, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, CTI meeting platform for virtual conferences, MeetingPlay meeting platform for virtual conferences, Remo virtual networking platform, Wrike Collaborative platform.

EDUCATION

Business Administration Coursework Montgomery College – Rockville, MD

CMP designation.

Ongoing professional development through participation in the educational meetings of professional meeting planning societies.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Professional Convention Management Association

American Society for Association Executives

CUSTOMER ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

Anaheim Convention and Visitors Bureau 2005 - 2011

VisitBaltimore, (formerly Baltimore Area Convention 2007 - 2011

& Visitors Association)

Experient 2006 – 2011

Houston 2018 – Present

INVITED SPEAKER

PCMA Annual Meeting, Speaker: Exhibitor Satisfaction

PCMA Annual Meeting, Speaker: How Planners & Suppliers Can Work Better Together

IAEE Annual Meeting, Speaker: Event Marketing, Promotion, Trends & Insights

Local chapter PMPI, Speaker: Creating Positive Relationships with Sales Managers

ACCME Ann. Meeting, Speaker: Contract Negotiation 101

PCMA Annual Meeting, Speaker: Stress and Anxiety in the Workplace

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