Eva Wilczek

Meetings and Education Director @American Planning Association

Chicago, IL, US

Serving as a member of the senior management team providing strategic development and organizational leadership. Developing key vendor relationships and delivering successful events that meet and exceed expectations and goals. Managing the APA National Planning Conference and other leadership events including retreats or committee meetings. Planning and executing the Fall Leadership Conference, the Policy and Advocacy Conference, and in-house meetings. Directing Meetings Department staff, overseeing budget and activities, and providing shared leadership and planning. Providing staff support to the NPC planning committee, the site selection committee, and the Board of Directors. Actively communicating across the organization and preparing reports for the Board of Directors and APA leadership. Evaluating potential sites for meetings and making recommendations to the Site Selection Committee and APA Board. Overseeing activities and logistics as well as preparing and managing budgets for the National Planning Conference. Developing marketing plans and the program for conferences as well as negotiating contracts with convention centers. Overseeing the sponsorship and the exhibit programs as well as supervising staff and vendors on-site at conferences. Executed a strategy to deliver the first-ever virtual conference due to pandemic in under 6 weeks for attendees. Delivered 3 subsequent online conferences all that produced a surplus with positive attendee and stakeholder feedback.