Heather Willden, Csep, Che Email & Phone Number

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Remote

Salt Lake County, Utah, United States

• Develop the education program and recruit and schedule speakers and panelists• Manage the relationship with AV vendors pre-event and onsite• Secure equipment and supplies for onsite, including stages, seatingand other needs• Ensure speakers are onsite and prepared for their presentations and work with AV to support speakers during the event

Las Vegas, Nv

• Facilitate event planning courses in online and face to face formats. Class sizes range between 25 – 100 students.• Facilitate the culminating experience class where students get the opportunity to put the skills they have learned throughout their program into practice.• Develop course materials to support lecture modules to help students learn key concepts.• Evaluate student performance and development and provide appropriate feedback on work.• Establish objectives for lessons, modules and projects.Fall 2020 and spring 2021, the culminating experience students developed and executed an advocacy empowerment webinar series for young girls between the ages of 10-17 years old. In the fall the students planned a 2-part webinar series. The first webinar included a presentation about how to be an advocate and share their story. During the second webinar, the girls were able to practice making sharing their story and making their ask of a law maker. We had 6 law makers and their representatives participate, including Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones; Mayor Pro Tem for the town of Morrisville, North Carolina, Liz Johnson; Gabby Everett from Commissioner Lee’s office; Nevada State Senator Melanie Scheible; Lilly Spinello from Congresswoman Titus’ office; and De’Liza Galimidi from Senator Cortez-Masto’s office.The spring semester we again partnered with Grassroot Girls to host a webinar for kids in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. This inclusive webinar allowed the girls (and boys!) to see first hand that their differences do not determine their abilities, and that everyone has the right to advocate and raise awareness for causes they feel passionate about. We had several guest speakers and youth advocates speak to the girls about the power they have to affect change by sharing their story. Guest speakers included Cat Brewer, Executive Director and Producer of the film "Sign the Show"; Karen Putz, Author; and Nevada Assemblywoman Selena Torres.

Las Vegas, Nevada Area

As the Coordinator of Events and Programs, I developed, oversaw, and executed approximately 100+ UNLV Alumni Association and Alumni Relations events, programs, and campus representation activities per year - including the annual homecoming dinner and golf tournament, football and basketball tailgate events, Senior Send-Off, Lifetime member wine event, Alumni Association monthly e-board and board meetings, and the annual board retreat. I was also responsible for promoting and managing the reservations for approximately 500 internal and external clients that use the Richard Tam Alumni Center building spaces that are available to rent for events and meetings. Rental revenue is approximately $65,000 per year.I served as the advisor to the Student Alumni Association (SAA), overseeing approximately 200 student members and hosting four to six programs yearly that benefit students currently enrolled at UNLV. The events serve to introduce students to the UNLV Alumni Association. As the advisor, I also work to ensure the organization is following established policies and procedures.I served as the staff liaison for Young Alumni programs, including working with young alumni board members to develop, market, and implement two to four young alumni events per year.I also forecasted and managed event and facilities budgets including obtaining estimates for event services, and tracking revenues and expenses.

Las Vegas, Nevada Area

• Manage 100+ client accounts annually that represent portfolios over $1,250,000.• Direct exhibit management and mobile app software development processes.• Solutions driven consultant with high industry standard client renewal rate of 82%.• Drive complex data integrations with internal and external stakeholders.• Leverage trends in customer marketplaces to present solutions and strategies.• Recruit, train, and mentor a team of three project managers.• Develop training improvements to improve staff performance and efficiencies.The following outlines some of the key skills that have helped me to excel in my current position:• I have a strong background in customer service, project management, and operations and implementation. • I work collaboratively with clients, internal teams, and 3rd party vendors to ensure the mobile app and event management software build process moves efficiently.• I bridge the gap between customers and internal technical teams by understanding how complex data integrations work and I am able to explain this in an easy to understand way.• I provide personalized white glove customer service to each client, developing lasting relationships to help ensure repeat business.• I am organized and able to manage multiple projects for multiple product offerings within an organization simultaneously.

Las Vegas, Nevada Area

Las Vegas, Nv

Las Vegas, Nevada Area

Greater Salt Lake City Area

I have been a member of MPI for 10 years. I am affiliated with the Utah Chapter. I served on the communications committee for the Utah chapter in 2010. As a member of the committee I helped develop a social media campaign for the chapter. I served as the VP of Communications for the 2012-2013 term. My major contribution to the position was to re-design the MPI Utah Website: www.mpiutah.org

During my time at UNLV I also had the pleasure of planning the 14th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism in 2009. The event was a huge success. The 14th annual conference boasted the highest number of participants and total number of research papers presented, since the beginning of the conference. There were over 600 students, faculty, and industry professionals in attendance. I negotiated a contract with the South Point Hotel to secure a room block for 600 attendees and 8 meeting rooms to be used over three days. I worked with the hotel catering department to plan the menu and set and monitor the guarantees for 5 meals (including the awards banquet and opening reception) and 6 break-outs. I planned the conference schedule and worked with presenters to determine the times they would present their research papers, and scheduled each room. I also worked with the printer to design and layout the printed conference program.I recruited, trained, scheduled and supervised 25+ student volunteer workers.I managed all on-site logistics and handled any issues that arose from the vendor or the attendees over the duration of the 3 day conference.I worked with the registration vendor to manage the online registration system, and monitored registration for 6 months.

I am a student member of the Las Vegas chapter of ISES. In 2007 I served as the Student Liaison for the chapter.

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

As the event operations manager at the Burn Foundation, I was responsible for fundraising events for a small nonprofit organization located in Las Vegas, NV. I planned and implemented 4 fundraising events that included a family fun run, calendar signing events, the annual toy drive that provides toys to children in the Las Vegas Valley, and the annual bachelor auction. Over $100,000 was raised for the organization through my efforts during my short time with the Burn Foundation.I also developed all of the communications that went out to the community and the media, including press releases and marketing flyers. I arranged photo shoots with photographers, bachelors and calendar models. I also worked with the printer to design the layout of the event program and annual calendar.

I planned and implemented special events for the City of Las Vegas, NV. One of my main responsibilities was to negotiate contracts for entertainment that performed at various events in the city. I also lead teams and was on teams for set-up and tear down for various events. I worked closely with the event manager in planning a park concert series, securing entertainment and food vendors.

Greater Salt Lake City Area

I managed the daily operations of a travel agency. I was responsible for weekly ARC reporting, posting deposits, and tracking contracts and issuing tickets for multiple groups every month for a tour operator (group sizes ranged from 20 - 50 participants). I also handled FIT and corporate travel arrangements for clients.

Greater Salt Lake City Area

I was an FIT and group ticketing agent for a small travel agency in South Jordan, UT. I was responsible for weekly agency reporting to ARC. I helped plan and escort incentive travel trips for large organizations and various tours for family, friend and religious groups. Group sizes ranged from 20 to 300+ participants. In addition to airline ticketing, I also negotiated rates and room blocks at hotels, and coordinated activities and meal functions for the large incentive groups at their various destinations.

Master Of Science, Hotel Administration

Activities and Societies: ISES Las Vegas Chapter, Student Liaison, 2008 Hotel Graduate Student Association (HGSA)Research areas include.

Graduate Certificate, Nonprofit Management

Research areas include the use of social media as a fundraising and development tool.

Bachelor Degree, Hospitality Administration

Activities and Societies: ISES student chapter President and Past President.Student taught classes in meetings and events. Studies were.

Marketing, Business, Marketing

Activities and Societies: President, Delta Epsilon Chi