About

Members of PCMA’s 20 in Their Twenties class of 2019 see a bright future for the business events industry, a future to which they plan to contribute. We asked the 2019 class of 20 in Their Twenties, supported by the PCMA Foundation and Experience Columbus, to share their impressions of and expectations for the industry and for themselves.

Meet the Class of 2019

GITA PUN

GITA PUN

Client Relations Team Manager; Shocklogic; London, England
Khadijah Nimrod 20 in Twenties

KHADIJAH NIMROD

MTA, Convention Sales Assistant, Destination DC; Washington, D.C.
Olivia Pelzer 20 in Twenties

OLIVIA PELZER

CMP, Senior Strategic Account Analyst, Cvent; Delaware, Ohio
Laura Neufeld 20 in Twenties

LAURA NEUFELD

Account Manager, Meetings and Events, MCI Group Canada Inc.; Toronto
Veronika Dimitrova 20 in Twenties

VERONIKA DIMITROVA

Marketing and Meeting Architecture Specialist, Kenes International; Sofia, Bulgaria
Kevin J Thompson 20 in Twenties

KEVIN THOMPSON

Event Manager, Events DC; Washington, D.C.
Jared Chambers 20 in Twenties

Jared Chambers

Strategic Account Manager, Experient; Frederick, Maryland
Andrea Lane

Andrea Lane

Andrea Lane, MTA, Meeting Planner; National Defense Industrial Association; Fairfax, Virginia
Greg Morris 20 in Twenties

Greg Morris

CMP, Director of Meetings and Education, Destinations International; Washington, D.C.
Giulia Ineke Sarri 20 in Twenties

GIULIA INEKE SARRI

MARCOM and Social Project Assistant, AIM Group International; Milan, Italy
Femke Morelisse 20 in Twenties

FEMKE MORELISSE

Sales Manager, GES; Alexandria, Virginia
Erin Simcox 20 in Twenties

ERIN SIMCOX

Senior Manager of Housing, Visit Knoxville; Knoxville, Tennessee
Emily Dietrich 20 in Twenties

Emily Deitrich

Manager of Business Events, Niagara Parks Commission; Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Edward Bagsic 20 in Their Twenties

EDWARD BAGSIC

Manager, Conventions VIP Events and Budgets, National Business Aviation Association; Alexandria, Virginia
Chad Manhertz 20 in Their Twenties

CHAD MANHERTZ

MTA, Event Manager; Events DC; Washington, D.C.
Janelle Lewis 20 in Twenties

JANELLE LEWIS

Meetings and Event Manager, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health; North Bethesda, Maryland
Molly Holt 20 in Twenties

MOLLY HOLT

CMP, Manager of Meeting Operations, Heart Rhythm Society; Washington, D.C.
Raul Cavazos-Binder 20 Twenties

RAUL CAVAZOS-BINDER

Account Executive, Development Counsellors International; New York, New York
Kara Hsu 20 in Twenties

KARA HSU

Convention Sales Manager, Destination DC; Washington, D.C.
Lindsay Williams 20 Twenties

LINDSAY WILLIAMS

Sales manager, GES; Chicago, Illinois

Award Information

  • PCMA membership is not required.
  • Must be 29 years or younger on Jan. 6, 2019.
  • Employed full time in the Meetings, Conventions and Business Events industry.
  • Demonstration of leadership. Application must address three of the following areas:
    • Creative thinking and problem solving.
    • Challenging the status quo.
    • Leading a team or project to achieve a common goal.
    • Elevating an industry network into business relationships.
    • Effective communication.
    • A positive role model.
    • Leadership in organizations (inside or outside the industry).
  • Complimentary registration, three (3) nights of housing and round-trip airfare for Convening Leaders, Jan. 6-9, 2019, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Other incidental expenses are not included.
    • On-stage recognition at one General Session or Luncheon.
    • Invitation to Chairmen’s Reception.
    • Discounted registration to attend Convening Leaders for the two years following your award (2020 and 2021).
  • Complimentary registration for the 2019 Education Conference. Travel and incidental expenses not included.
  • Complimentary PCMA membership in 2019. New memberships will begin in January 2019. Those who are already members will be automatically renewed. All honorees will receive discounted PCMA membership for the two years following your award (2020 and 2021).
  • Networking opportunities with PCMA Leadership, PCMA Partners and previous classes of the 20 in their Twenties program.
  • Recognition in a Convene magazine feature article and through a PCMA-issued press release to other industry publications.
  • Recognition as part of PCMA’s Class of 2019 on PCMA’s website.
    Mentorship opportunities with a PCMA leader.
  • Crystal award to display.
  • Exclusive opportunities to participate in PCMA programs.
  • Applications will be reviewed and candidates selected by a diverse PCMA member task force, including 20 in their Twenties program alumni and other PCMA volunteers.
  • A maximum of 20 applicants will be selected each year.
  • Individuals selected for the Class of 2019 will be notified with a phone call from a member of the selection committee no later than Sept. 24, 2018.
  • Applicants not selected will be notified via email no later than Sept. 24, 2018.
  • Candidates will be selected based on the following:
    • Content and quality of video (30%).
    • Quality of overall written application (20%).
    • Innovative Ideas (15%).
    • Demonstration of leadership (15%).
    • Career goal (10%).
    • References (10%).

Recipients

  • Edward Bagsic, CMP, DES
  • Raul Cavazos-Binder
  • Jared Chambers
  • Emily Dietrich
  • Molly Holt, CMP
  • Kara Hsu
  • Veronika Ivanova
  • Andrea Lane, MTA
  • Janelle Lewis
  • Chad Manhertz, MTA
  • Femke Morelisse
  • Greg Morris, CMP
  • Laura Neufeld
  • Khadijah Nimrod
  • Olivia Pelzer
  • Gita Pun
  • Giulia Ineke Sarri
  • Erin Simcox
  • Kevin J. Thompson
  • Lindsay Williams
  • Alexandra Adsit, CMP, CEM
  • Chloe Armstrong
  • Sina Bünte, DES
  • Erica Critzer, CMP
  • Patrick Crosson, CMP
  • Carmen Ferrari, CMP
  • Idil Findikoğlu
  • Karin Hagemann
  • Caitlin Hume, CMP
  • Chloe Lai
  • Annamarie Luccarelli
  • Samantha Mele
  • Cahal Mowery, MBA, CMP, CTA
  • Brittany Saylor, CMP
  • Barrie Schwartz
  • Allison Shebek
  • Kyle Smith, DES
  • Sara Stehle, CMP
  • Andrew Sykes
  • Rasheena Wilson, CMP
  • Derek Anderson
  • Vanessa E. Bass, CMP, HMCC
  • Alexandra Deering
  • Matthew B. Fox
  • Christine Frye, CTA
  • Tessa Kalfell
  • Eric Kincaid
  • Holly Lammert
  • Amanda Marochko, DES, TQ
  • Megan Martin, CMP
  • Johnny Martinez
  • Kaitlyn Palatucci
  • Allison Perrelli, CMP
  • Morgan Prewitt, CMP
  • Katherine Sinnen, CMP
  • Nichole Steele
  • Naida S. Struyk, CMP
  • Weini Tan
  • Lindsey Walker
  • Andrias White, MBA, CMP, CSEP
  • Kalee E. Barnhardt
  • Jamie Bruce
  • Edward Byers
  • Shannon DeSouza, MBET
  • Michael Doane
  • Bianca E. Ferrer
  • Jessica Fitting, CMP
  • Sarah Gould-Stotts
  • Juraj Holub
  • Irena Jelenova  MA, Msc.
  • Noreen E. Leahy
  • Victoria  Lee
  • Alexander David Plaxen, MTA
  • Claire Repass, CMP
  • Lauren M. Santarone
  • Peter T. Simonelli
  • Jenny C. Stanfield, BA, ICM Certification
  • Havovie  Suraliwalla, BTM
  • Erin Elizabeth Sweeney
  • Julia Yong
  • Ashley H. Akright, CMP
  • Magdalina A. Atanassova
  • Madeleine Bart
  • Michael W. Cubbage, CGMP
  • Katrina L. Dunn
  • Danielle E. Foster, MBA
  • Katharine L. Gausmann
  • Kacie Hackett
  • Kristine Koonts
  • Jennifer Kuchenbecker, CMP
  • Alana K. Mallory, CWP
  • Leucepe Martinez
  • Madeja M. Metcalf
  • Samantha L. Moore
  • Janet Partlow, CMP
  • Cara Pratt, DMCP
  • Lindsay K. Pund
  • Kristina Simkins
  • Jessica L. Smith, MTA, CMP
  • Jennifer Vaseleck
  • Ryan Barth, CMP
  • Jascha Bergman
  • Casey Carignan
  • Shawn Cheng
  • Katie Dolan
  • Vivian Fleet
  • Rosa Garriga Mora
  • Mindy E. Halpert
  • Rick Hyland
  • Alexis Kereluk
  • Sam NcNeill
  • Elisa Sandoval
  • Astrid E. Schrier, CMP
  • Kathleen A. Smith
  • Megan Tate
  • Marcela V. Torres Vargas
  • David Wagner
  • Rachel E. Walsh, CMP
  • Alleeshia Williams
  • Leslie Wong

20 in Their Twenties is supported by