Schedule

Wednesday, July 28

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.  Optional Dinner 
Location: Jimmy Madison's Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar or Clementine Cafe
Join other attendees for delicious local cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Provide your RSVP on the registration form.

Thursday, July 29

10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. - Welcome & Introductions

10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Panel Discussion: Conquering Hybrid Events: The Planning
Why is the prospect of planning a Hybrid Event so daunting? How do we plan two events at the same time? Where do we even start? It’s time we conquered this mountain. Together, let’s talk to the people who are making hybrid and virtual events work on both sides. With this panel we will learn from the technical professionals and the meeting planners who have experience with these events and are ready to enlighten us.
Facilitator: Tiffany Brown, Virginia Tech
Panelists: 

• Jennifer Withrow, Align Virtual Solutions

• Matt Carpenter, Ruggles Service Corporation

• Rhea George, American Institute of Architects Virginia

• Mike Bowman, James River Audio Visual Services

11:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m. Stretch Break

11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Panel Discussion: Conquering Hybrid Events: The Execution
Now that we’ve planned our Hybrid Event, it’s time to execute. What are the key pieces in this process that will get us to the finish line? How do we deal with the inevitable fires and roadblocks? Our enlightenment continues as our panel of technical professionals and meeting planners help us break it all down into pieces we can learn to deal with.
Facilitator: Tiffany Brown, Virginia Tech
Panelists: 

• Jennifer Withrow, Align Virtual Solutions

• Matt Carpenter, Ruggles Service Corporation

• Rhea George, American Institute of Architects Virginia

• Mike Bowman, James River Audio Visual Services

12:00-1:00 p.m. - Networking Lunch

1:00-1:30 p.m. - Break & Office Check-In

1:30-3:00 p.m. - Roundtable Discussion: Snowball Fight in July

Facilitator: Tom Osina, Non-Profit Help

There is probably nothing as fun as a Snowball Fight, right? Well, how about a Meeting Planner’s Snowball Fight? This one is designed to help you with some of the major challenges and problems you might be facing while doing your job. Come prepared to share at least one challenge and you may be pleasantly surprised at the ideas and solutions you get. Plus, you get to learn a fun, new way to facilitate discussions.

3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. - Property Tour: How Much Space Do We REALLY Need with Physical Distancing?

Walk with us as we discover all the lovely spaces The Hotel Madison and Shenandoah Valley Conference Center has to offer. As we have a look around, our host will showcase various room setups with physical distancing protocols to help us better understand what in-person spaces look like these days.

4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. - Free Time

6:00-6:45 p.m. - Networking Reception: Coloring and Cocktails

Let’s Relax! This optional session will help us all decompress after a day of great programming. No brain power required. Just come, relax, grab a cocktail and a crayon. We’re going to color, unwind and enjoy each other’s company. Then we’re going to put our masterpieces on the proverbial fridge – or in this case, meeting room wall – to be admired by all. All artwork will be published anonymously.

7:00-9:00 p.m. - Dinner

Friday, July 30

7:30-8:30 a.m. - Breakfast

8:30 a.m.-9:15 a.m. - Conquering Hybrid Events: The People
Presenter: Pamela Flynn, Eisenman & Associates, Inc.

How do assure your virtual attendees are fully engaged within a hybrid event?

Though your budget is a factor, it is crucial to focus on event design and knowing your audience needs. The best hybrid events create unique experiences for each different type of participant. The attendee experience for both in-person and virtual individuals will differ, but the level of engagement can be equal. During this session, we'll explore ideas for enhancing virtual attendee engagement and discuss managing expectations for both virtual and in-person attendees.

9:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m. - Break

9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m. - Panel Discussion: Bring Your Own Coffee?! The Latest on In-Person Food Service
Facilitator: Natalie Toler, Virginia Auto Dealers Association

Panelists: 

• Chris Long, The Omni Homestead

• Denise Creasman, Renaissance Portsmouth-Norfolk Waterfront Hotel

• Karen Garrett, Kingsmill Resort

• Mary Kelly, CMP, Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront

An opportunity to talk with industry leaders about all aspects of in-person food service. From breakout snacks to beverage stations. Are we going to be limited to a baggie of trail mix and a bottle of soda? Will we be required to pay a server to pour the coffee? Find out your options from this panel of conference professionals.

10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m. - Break

10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m. - Flipped Panel: Creativity Begins at the End of Our Comfort Zone: How are we thinking outside the box for upcoming events?

Facilitator: Lisa Varga, Virginia Library Association
This “flipped panel” discussion includes every member of the audience. In the last year, we’ve all been pushed far out of our comfort zones, and learned some lessons about our organizations, our colleagues, and ourselves. Rethinking all our events with a new lens, without each other to lean on as we worked from a distance, caused us all to think about the attendee experience in a new light. Join us as we flip the script on a traditional session and toss around some great ideas for you to implement at your organizations.

11:15a.m.-11:30 a.m.  - Closing Remarks and Adjourn

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