Marti Winer, Vice President, MGM Resorts Event Productions, MGM Resorts International
Marti B. Winer joined MGM Resorts Event Productions (MREP) as Vice President in September 2018. Marti has a passion for hospitality and a firm belief that events are the greatest communication to foster engagement among global diverse audiences. She also believes that by keeping a keen focus on the goal and vision for each unique event, MREP can exceed expectations in delivering events full of “wow” moments on time and on budget.
Marti is an energetic leader with a track record of success in utilizing communications, events, marketing and analytics in corporate and entrepreneurial environments. She brings leadership experiences in finance, operations and experiential marketing. She served as Vice President, Global Communications and Events for Wyndham Hotel Group, as well as produced events for industries ranging from finance and pharma to food service and franchising. Marti has a BA in Economics and Political Science from Drew University, Madison, NJ, an MBA from Rutgers University and, just for fun, a Masters of Letters from Drew University having completed a thesis on the role of hospitality in 20th century literature.
Marti also loves to clown around each year as a volunteer clown in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Executive Presence as a Creative Professional
Tuesday, March 28 at 4:00 p.m.
Executive presence is the much-discussed, yet hard to master, concept of how you exude confidence and professionalism in order to influence colleagues, clients, and your community. However, most conventional training in this space is counter-intuitive to how creative professionals show up in this world. Does our enthusiasm, energy, and creative thought process mean we can't have a great executive presence? Is successful executive presence limited to "more serious" lines of work? Of course not!
Join us for this session to explore the elements of successful executive presence, how to apply them in your daily life, and how we can adapt them for creative professionals. We will discuss real-life examples, practice with fellow learners in a safe space, and have plenty of time for questions and discussion. We will also explore how to use your executive presence to embrace diversity and inclusion and communicate to both creative and non-creative audiences.
We look forward to joining together on your journey for continued personal development and your growing ability to market yourself to the world, all while maintaining your individual creative flair!
Kawania Wooten, Principal Consultant, Howerton+Wooten Events and The Enlightened Creative
Kawania Wooten, CMP, is an innovative event management executive, who excels at competitive strategic planning, convention and trade show management, and volunteer management. Her expertise lies in developing operational and programatic initiatives that provide added value, reduce operational costs, streamline internal processes, and standardize association policies and procedures.
As the owner of Howerton+Wooten Events, Kawania uses her strength in contract negotiations, logistics management, budget management, and strategic marketing to make considerable enhancements to the overall attendee experience of a convention of 5,000+ attendees filled with high caliber events.
Additionally, Kawania is also an adjunct instructor in the hospitality, tourism and culinary arts department at Prince Georges Community College in Landover, Maryland. Over the years, she has taught various classes, such as “The Fundamentals of Convention and Event Management,” “Introduction to the Hospitality Industry,” and “Hospitality Entrepreneurship.”
Emergency Preparedness for Creative Pros: What to Do When "Stuff" Hits the Fan
Tuesday, March 28 at 11:15 a.m.
As event professionals, most of us have faced crises, threats and disasters that affect our lives, our businesses and our clientele. Many of these negative events will occur no matter how much we plan in advance. The key is to know how to prepare for and handle whatever comes our way. During this session, you will hear from an event professional who managed events that were affected by the death of a keynote speaker, a major earthquake, and a terrorist attack. Participants in this session will hear steps they need to take to build an emergency action plan and create a clear on-site communication strategy. NOTE: This session and the supporting materials are provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute any type of professional advice from an attorney, healthcare professional, or insurance professional.
You can connect with Marti Winer and Kawania Wooten at Catersource + The Special Event this March 27-30 in Orlando.
