(Pictured the 2019 full board of directors for AWE, L-R, top row: Adriana Gallegos, Alleah Crawford, April Walsh, Carrie Abernathy, Cattleya Wongkongkatap; second row: Courtney Stanley, Danielle Duran Baron, David Kliman, Gracie Jones, Greta Ask; third row: Jackie Richards,
Jenn Artura, Johnnie White, Judy Chambers, Julie Sullivan; fourth row: Kari Messenger, Kelsey Dixon, Kiki Fox, Leigh Long, Linda Vaji; and fifth row: Maggie Menozzi, Marie-Claire Andrews, Mas Tadesse, Shameka Jennings and Valerie Sumner)
The Association for Women in Events (AWE), a not for profit organization supporting gender equality and diversity in the events industry, has announced its 2019 board members and executive committee. The association received a significant number of applications for 12 open board positions. The Succession Planning Task Force spent several weeks vetting candidates for these important leadership roles. The Board of Directors is expected to guide the vision of the association and shape the community surrounding the organization.
2019 Incoming Board Members (beginning a two-year term in 2019) are Adriana Gallegos, Alleah Crawford, Carrie Abernathy CMP, CEM, CSEP, Courtney Stanley, Gracie Jones, Greta Ask, Jenn Artura, Kari Messenger, Kelsey Dixon, Leigh Long, Linda Vaji and Maggie Menozzi.
2019 Board Members (finishing a two-year term in 2019) are David Kliman, Danielle Duran Baron, Mas Tadesse, Jackie Richards, Shameka Jennings, MTA, CMP, DES; Valerie Sumner, Judy Chambers, CEM; and Cattleya Wongkongkatap.
The 2019 Incoming Executive Committee are President Julie Sullivan, CEM; Vice President Marie-Claire Andrews; Treasurer Johnnie White;
Secretary April Walsh and Past President Kiki Fox.
“We are pleased to welcome the 2019-2020 slate of board members,” says Kiki J. Fox, 2018 AWE co-founder and president. “We are always thrilled and humbled by the caliber of applicants who want to be a part of our organization. With such outstanding individuals, the decision process was incredibly difficult. The 2019 board of directors have the intellect, passion and dedication to take AWE to new heights. 2019 is a bittersweet year, as it’s the last year an AWE founder will be on the executive committee and we couldn’t ask for a better group to shape AWE and carry out its mission.”
The board members hold two-year roles. New board members were chosen from an array of fields including education, marketing, association, corporate and hospitality spanning the globe from Seattle to Boston to Mexico City. The official 2019 Board of Directors roster will be published on their website in January 2019.
AWE is also introducing a new membership model. AWE recognizes that expanding its community is pivotal to creating positive change within the events industry. With this model, AWE is making it easier and more accessible for all event professionals to join their community, making it more inclusive than ever before. Two new membership options will now be offered upon joining AWE. With these new membership options, AWE aims to embrace a larger community and create deeper impact. These new models are:
NEW: Key Membership—$40 annually
- Free access to webinars
- Discounts to ticketed events
- Access to virtual happy hours
- Early access to register for AWE events before they open to the public
- Access to the membership directory
- Membership logo for display
Premium Membership (formerly regular membership)—$195 annually- Membership includes all of the above plus:
- Immediate Coaching Program
- Access to the job board (coming soon!)
- Included in the AWE Speaker Directory
- Access to the Members Only Facebook Group
- Access to sponsored deals
- Access to AAUW classes
- Early registration or free admittance to AWE events
NEW: Student Membership—$0 annually
- Full access to Premium Membership.
“We’ve created an incredible membership community over the past two years, and we want to share it and see it grow with as many people as possible.” says Kiki J. Fox, AWE co-founder and 2018 president. “The Key membership makes AWE more accessible for anyone who wants to contribute to the movement, participate and learn more about us. We’ve added even more benefits for our Premium members, including access to the new Speaker Directory. Because ‘I couldn’t find any speakers of other genders/race/age, etc.’ should not be an excuse. Our members are passionate about helping the next generation, so our Student membership is now free.”
The new membership model is effective immediately. Any members of the previous system will have a chance to renew his/her membership status at the end of his/her annual period.
“All of these models will allow AWE to reach more men and women worldwide and give more voices to shape our organization and offerings,” says Marie-Claire Andrews, AWE board member and incoming 2019 vice president.
The Association for Women in Events, a 501(c)3 non profit, is an inclusive community dedicated to the professional advancement of women in all facets of the events industry. The international organization was established in Washington, D.C., in March of 2015. AWE has earned international support from a myriad of individuals and organizations. For more info, visit womeninevents.org.
