Q4 Spark: Horizons: Workplace Innovation in Ever Changing Waters

Join us for PCMA Capital Chapter’s Hybrid Q4 Spark – Horizons: Workplace Innovation in Ever Changing Waters. On Thursday, October 14th at The Garden Alexandria. Where people work and how well they work (remotely or together) is just the tip of the iceberg “as we navigate the yet-uncharted waters”. How would you prefer to be sailing into 2022? Let’s start the new journey across the waters by fostering an innovative workplace. When leadership cultivates the intelligence, skills, and passion of everyone in the organization, everybody creates, everybody is connected, and everybody contributes. Our Q4 Spark will highlight three paths of innovation in the workplace for the hospitality industry in a ever-changing environment:

• • • • Understand the level of engagement and culture – As the COVID vaccine takes hold, and workplaces ramp back up, employers will need to reconnect with employees to gauge the level of engagement.
      • Heightened diversity and inclusion focus – Now is the time to improve multicultural competence, evaluate and expand training, include millennials in the discussions, and rethink the interview process.
      • The gig economy will continue to grow – An economy based on independent contractors can translate into cost savings for employee benefits, office space, and overhead, while bringing skills and competency to the organization.

Agenda

12:30 PM            Registration Opens

12:30 PM            EPC Virtual Discussion Tables; Career Advice, LinkedIn, Resumes (Optional)

12:45–1:30 PM  Capital Connections (Virtual Event Begins)
This is not just another cheesy networking reception. Okay, maybe it’s a little cheesy. We are partnering with The Boards for our first ever Capital Connections opening networking event at Spark on October 14. We are kicking off our last Spark event of the year with a curated forum for everyone to get to know each other better, learn about important updates from the chapter, and more. Our in-person audience at The Garden in Alexandria, Virginia will get to personally experience a delicious assortment of personal gourmet charcuterie and the virtual audience on the Performedia platform will join in for tips and tutorials on building your perfect board at home from Travis Peterson, President and Co-Founder of The Boards himself. Come prepared to learn, exchange ideas, and have some fun!

1:30–2:30 PM     Opening Keynote: Candid Conversation: New Leadership – New Direction with Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE of ASAE
We will have a candid and fun question guided conversation with our guest, Michelle Mason. We will also solicit audience participation with questions and polling tools. As the conversation flows, so will the questions. Our conversation will be around:

– The importance of DEI as it relates to innovation and creativity.
– Innovative practices she used in previous position.
– Innovative practices she plans to use in her current position to improve employee engagement and shift the workplace culture to be one that can be successful in the new work environment.

2:30–2:45 PM     Networking Break and Virtual Networking Table (New Leadership, New Direction Open Group Discussion)

2:45–3:30 PM     Workplace Innovation Panel: Fostering an Inclusive Company Culture with RedPeg Marketing
As event planners and marketers we have a social responsibility to make sure that the experiences and content we curate foster inclusivity and reflect the diverse backgrounds, areas of interest, and lived experiences of our consumers. To do this, we must first make sure that we are arming our teams with the insights, tools, and support needed to feel empowered to do so. Join us as we share our story on how we leverage our company culture and business practices to #MakeItMeanMore for employees and clients.

Speakers:

Noelle Alexandra, Director, Employee Experience, RedPeg Marketing

Taren Tennessee, Director, Venues and Sponsorship, RedPeg Marketing

3:30–3:45 PM     Networking Break and Virtual Networking Table (Fostering an Inclusive Company Culture Group Discussion)

3:45–4:30 PM     Innovation Case Studies
To get ahead, every organization needs to find a unique angle to keep up with outside change. Innovation is never easy – and if you want to make a major leap forward, you need to understand that it’s a messy, unpredictable, serendipitous process. Successful innovation is about learning from your mistakes, persisting when the going gets tough, rethinking your tactics in the face of disruption. It can even involve luck. To inspire you to think differently about innovation, we bring you three innovation case studies: examples of teams that have done things their own way.

Innovation: PCMA Government Relations & Advocacy Committee White Paper
Mark Decker, Executive Director, Client Relations, MB4 Productions

Innovation: GenerationNext: Innovative Strategies for Engaging Millennial & GenZ Audiences Online
Jasmine Dyson, CEO & Brand Strategist, The Brand Xperience Lounge

Innovation: Transitioning The Garden
Allen Brooks, Chief Creative Officer, Building Momentum

4:30 – 4:50 pm    Virtual Closing/Debrief (Virtual Event Ends)

4:30–6:00 PM     Wine and Welding Reception (In-person only)
Spark is taking on a whole new meaning at our Wine and Welding reception this October! Break out of your typical routine with a fun and creative opportunity to bond with your chapter colleagues and learn a new unique skill. The team at Building Momentum will lead us through an innovative and hands-on workshop where we will each create a personal welded name plate to take home as a keepsake. Safety gear will be provided, but please wear closed toed shoes and pants.  We will end the day with conversation, connection, and literal sparks of creativity flying!

4:30–6:00 PM    EPC Virtual Discussion Tables; Career Advice, LinkedIn, Resumes (Optional)

This event is eligible for 4.5 CE credits.

All Access Passholders: This event is included in your pass. Please contact [email protected] if you have not received your discount code.
*To attend in person, there will be an additional $15 fee.

The student rate to attend this event is normally $5, but we are currently offering a limited number of student scholarships to attend this event for free!  Please contact [email protected] for additional information.

In-person space is limited. 

In-Person registration is closed, you can still register to attend virtually until 5pm on October 13th!!

COVID-19 Guidelines

The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority for the Capital Chapter; therefore, we will be implementing the following guidelines:

• Proof of full vaccination will be required and verified prior to entrance. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Unfortunately, with the current transmission rates we will not be offering in-person access with proof of negative COVID-19 test results for non-vaccinated people.  We do invite and encourage anyone to join us via the virtual platform and receive the full content of the event including CE credits.
• The Capital Chapter and The Garden Alexandria are following the CDC recommendations and requiring attendees to wear masks indoors unless actively eating or drinking.
• Protect yourself by frequent hand washing and minimizing face touching.
• Do NOT attend if feeling ill or if you have had recent COVID-19 exposure.

Community Service Project

Martha’s Table believes that every Washingtonian deserves the opportunity to thrive; supporting strong children, strong families, and strong communities by increasing access to quality education, health and wellness, and family resources.

Martha’s Outfitters is an innovative, no-cost community store focused on supporting families with young children in the crucial early years of a child’s life. Martha’s Outfitters offers baby items, children’s clothing, and professional workforce attire for adults!

THANK YOU for the great success we had during our Q3 Spark event. It was comforting and humbling to see all the items that our members donated to a great cause! NOW as we get ready for the winter season and holidays we are asking to continue with giving back with cold weather clothing items. Coats, sweater, hats, gloves, boots for all ages are needed.  Clothing accepted from infants to adults.

Information on making the clothing donations directly to Martha’s Table in D.C. can be found here. If you wish to bring the donations with you to Q3 Spark for a volunteer from the Capital Chapter to make the donation on your behalf, please text (443) 788-0692 upon your arrival to the parking garage at the MGM Grand and someone will meet you at your car to collect your items.

You can also support Martha’s Table with a financial donation that can be made here. You can contact Briana Cleveland at [email protected] from Martha’s Table if you have any additional questions.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Venue Sponsor

Platform Sponsor 

Capital Connection Sponsor

Food & Beverage Sponsor

A/V Sponsor

Photography Sponsor

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor