NYPCMA Education Day

NYPCMA Education Day

Thursday, October 1 | 12:45 PM – 6:00 PM 

Hard Rock Cafe New York

1501 Broadway, New York, NY 10036

Registration is currently live! Register today. 

Join us for an energizing afternoon in the heart of NYC as we explore how events can spark connection, build resilience, and elevate every attendee experience. NYPCMA Education Day will feature dynamic speakers and hands-on sessions designed to challenge assumptions and equip you with tools you can use right away. 

Program Overview

Our 2026 Education Day brings together meeting and event professionals from across the region for an afternoon of learning, reflection, and skill-building. This year’s sessions center around two guiding pillars: intentional engagement and crisis readiness—the tools every event professional needs to design unforgettable experiences while protecting them when the unexpected happens.

Attendees will learn how to move beyond accidental engagement toward intentional design, explore a practical framework for building crisis-ready teams, and walk away with real strategies for increasing audience energy, trust, retention, and ROI.

We’re thrilled to welcome our featured speakers:

🎤 Devon Montgomery Pasha

Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED is a Facilitator of Human Experience who helps leaders and event teams create moments that move people forward. Her work spans global conferences, executive panels, and leadership sessions where clarity, trust, and momentum matter. On stage and behind the scenes, she guides conversations that create alignment and move people forward. Through her SPARK framework, she ensures gatherings are designed for measurable impact, not just applause.

Session Details: 

SPARK the Stage: How to Energize, Engage, and Elevate Every Experience

Key Takeaways:

• • • Identify engagement breakdowns within traditional event structures 
    • Apply a facilitation lens to increase audience energy and connection 
    • Design one activation strategy to increase retention and ROI

🎤 Dr. Christine Cleaver

Dr. Christine A. Cleaver is a Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU’s Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and an industry educator specializing in event management and experiential learning. With more than two decades of experience in the events and hospitality industries, she bridges academic theory with real-world practice by integrating industry partnerships, live events, and applied projects into her courses.

Session Details: 

Crisis Command: The First 15 Minutes How to Lead, Communicate, and Make Decisions When an Event Goes Off Script.

Key Takeaways:

• • • Apply the SCOPE framework to assess an emerging event crisis and determine immediate priorities during the first 15 minutes.
    • Establish clear roles, decision-making authority, and communication responsibilities when information is incomplete or rapidly changing.
    • Develop concise internal, attendee-facing, and public-facing messages that communicate verified information without creating additional confusion or risk.
    • Evaluate whether an event should continue, pause, be modified, or be canceled based on attendee safety, operational impact, and organizational risk.
    • Identify at least one actionable improvement to strengthen their organization’s crisis-response plan, team readiness, or communication procedures.

Agenda

• 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM: Registration & Networking
• 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM: Opening Remarks
• 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Session 1: SPARK the stage: How to Energize, Engage, and Elevate Every Experience. (Part 1) 
• 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Break
• 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM: Sponsor Remarks
• 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM: Session 2: Dr. Christine Cleaver
• 4:15 PM – 4:30 PM: Break
• 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Session 3: SPARK the stage: How to Energize, Engage, and Elevate Every Experience. (Part 2) 
• 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Reception

Venue Info:
Many thanks to Hard Rock Cafe for being the venue host for this event. Hard Rock Cafe is located at 1501 Broadway, New York, NY 10036.

Registration Information:

• Membership in the PCMA New York Chapter is not required to attend.
• If you are not a member, click here to learn more about membership.
• If you are a member of PCMA, but not a member of the New York Chapter, please contact [email protected] to add the NY Chapter to your account. The cost to add a chapter to your membership is $30.00.
• Early registration closes on Friday, September 25, 2026, 11:59pm. After that, only onsite registration will be available.
• To register please click here. 

Education Credit:
PCMA has been approved by the Events Industry Council (EIC) as a Preferred Provider of the above-listed continuing education course, which qualifies for CMP continuing education credit. Determination of continuing education credit eligibility or Preferred Provider status does not imply EIC’s endorsement or assessment of education quality. If you plan to claim education credit, please register for this meeting with the same email associated with your EIC account. You will receive an automated message to claim credit after the meeting when the final attendee roster is uploaded to the EIC.

Accessibility:
Hard Rock Cafe is ADA accessible. If you require specific accommodations or have questions about accessibility, please contact [email protected].

Thank you to our sponsors and host!