AT : What does a typical workday look like for you ?
MH : The best thing about being a logistics manager / meeting planner is that there is no typical workday . Planning an event takes place in stages . In the beginning , I am deep in venue research and selection , then the contract negotiation phase followed by detailed meeting space allocation , food and beverage selection , and determining audio-visual requirements . By the end , I am in the accounting world reconciling an invoice for hosting over 2,500 attendees . I spend quite a bit of time communicating between the various ACAMS departments to make sure everyone has what they need to create a great attendee experience . By knowing the entirety of an event , I can see where multiple points intersect and how decisions may impact the various parties contributing to different parts of the conference .
AT : How has your experience in theater helped you prepare for a career in events management ?
MH : My theater experience is invaluable to my career as a meeting planner . In theater , “ The show must go on ,” and the same is true with events . If something unforeseen happens , a meeting planner needs to be able to pivot immediately and develop plans B , C and so forth on the fly without giving the audience ( attendees ) any indication that something has changed or has not gone according to plan .
AT : Which ACAMS conference is your favorite to attend ?
MH : I don ’ t have an answer to this one . Any time I get to gather with my colleagues and see the fruition of our work is special .
AT : What do you like to do in your spare time ?
MH : Other than chauffeuring my twins to their activities , I like to spend my time at home gardening and crafting ( e . g ., quilting , cross-stitching , crocheting ). However , I am always up to traveling and seeing new places .
Interviewed by ACAMS Today editorial , ACAMS , editor @ acams . org
ACAMS Today September – November 2023 143