evm_october-2024 - 74

WATCHLIST
THE TRANSFORMERS: Reimagine existing events like nobody else.
JIMMY KNOWLES
Global Head of Experiential
Canva
When an experience needs a head-to-toe shake-up, Knowles is the
one to call. With an innate aptitude for visualizing the next big thing,
he's not afraid to level an event and rebuild it from the ground up,
and turn a broken, outdated concept into an engaging new venture.
Look no further than Canva Create 2024, which he transformed from
an internal keynote event into an external-facing festival of creativity.
The reimagined affair featured leadership sessions, interactive demos,
high-profile customer case studies... and a rap battle that went viral.
MEREDITH JACOBY
Director-Events and Experiences
Roku
JEFF TSAI
Lead-Field Experiential & Global Executive Briefing Program
Dell Technologies
Tsai's digital-first mindset and penchant for pushing boundaries
have helped instill a new culture of data-driven decision-making
at Dell that has meaningfully impacted the business and
its ecosystem in a matter of just two years. He's also responsible
for the transformation of the one-city Dell Technologies Forum into
a five-market North American tour that crushed KPIs, including
exceeding 100 percent of attendance targets for each city. And his
expertise in robotic process automation means he'll continue to stay
well ahead of the curve.
BUDGET WARRIORS: Consider budget constraints a challenge to conquer.
PJ PARR
Lead Marketing Manager
Cricket Wireless
Some marketers aim for high-profile properties, but Parr focuses
on maximizing existing assets and being selective about aligning
opportunities with Cricket's consumer passion points meaningfully-
think: the Cricket Celebration Bowl's title sponsorship and a Campus
Ambassador Program for students at HBCUs. A collaborative marketer,
he works with internal partners to share budgets, unlocks new assets
through strategic media buys and has found cost savings through
longer-term partnerships. But supporters say what truly sets Parr
apart is his ability to not only cast a vision, but also leverage industry
knowledge and relationships to bring it to life.
MARIA TERESA 'TITA' MORENO
Director-Business Marketing
Avis Budget Group
Moreno raises the bar year after year to deliver
experiences that feel premium, but don't
break the bank. One part of her secret sauce?
Leaning on celebrity partnerships that not only
add an extra layer of energy to events, but also
extend the brand's reach. Like inviting Kristin
Chenoweth for an Avis meet and greet at
the Global Business Travel Association's 2023
convention in Dallas, where conferencegoers
were also doing " Avis-car-aoke " in a branded
vehicle-and were spontaneously joined by the
Broadway star.
74
EVENT MARKETER FALL 2024
In her time at Roku, Meredith has elevated the
brand's events from conventional pipe-anddrape
setups to fully immersive experiences
that captivate attendees. Whether planning
a big-budget event or an intimate client
gathering, Meredith's vision and leadership
ensure that every occasion is executed with
precision and creativity. At NewFronts, Roku
doubled its audience size-growth that
can largely be attributed to her innovative
approach to event design, which included a
bold, brand-centric aesthetic, a venue move,
and an extra-polished stage, which showcased
Roku as the lead-in to TV.
ALYSON STRICKLER-VAZQUEZ
Senior Event and Marketing Specialist
Quest Software
Small-scale internal events powered by big-world thinking are
Strickler-Vazquez's M.O. For Quest's 2024 internal sales conference,
she led the complete rebrand and strategic overhaul of the event,
redubbed " NXT. " Attendees were immersed in a visual journey fueled
by more than 100 technology-themed print artworks that provided
a " universal language " for the global affair, while keeping expenses
in check. Oh, and her knack for making the salesforce's top earners
feel like rockstars during the annual President's Club trip is second
to none.
eventmarketer.com
http://www.eventmarketer.com
evm_october-2024

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