Julie Danastasio

About Julie Danastasio

Creating memorable, high-impact experiences is my superpower. As a young child, I was a personal witness to the stress and frustration event planning can bring. Every holiday I would watch as my mother would become overwhelmed with the intricate details involved in planning holiday and celebratory events at our home. I made a vow that I would never make hosting events a stressful experience. In high school, I began to flourish in my creative talents. Taking on a part-time job at a flower shop introduced me to the world of event planning. And from there I turned my passion into a career. From my first role as an Event Coordinator, to my current role as a AVP of Meetings and Events, I have excelled in creating experiences that are not only exceptional but are ones that invoke an emotional response in attendees — binding them to the company and increasing their loyalty. Through creating bold strategy and design, I have succeeded in crafting experiential and immersive experiences that turn moments into memories. A few of my stand out achievements include: Propelled a rapid increase in the event satisfaction score — from 69% to 92% in only one year. Achieved a 99% top-tier box satisfaction score from a large-scale national event. Outperformed a majority of services in the last Annual Advisor Survey with a 2nd place rank. Specialties: Large-Scale Event management | Event Planning and Execution | Global Events Strategy | Budget Management | Stakeholder Engagement | Relationship Management | Vendor Management | Process Improvement | Partnership Building I welcome the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and industry leaders. Please contact me on LinkedIn or via email at: j••••••••@yahoo.com.

Experience

1. AVP, Meetings & Events

   Kestra Holdings

   Mar 2018 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   In my current role, I provide oversight for a team while working directly with C-Suite and Senior Leaders, including the CEO, Presidents, EVPs, and SVPs on various events. As the AVP of Meetings and Events, I spearhead the event lifecycle as the first shared service operations with support for 6 brands within the Kestra Holdings portfolio. I am tasked with developing, executing, and managing high-impact events that strategically support the organization’s vision and objectives. I play an instrumental part in aligning events with the firm’s strategy to grow and empower advisor success.

Education

• Saint Mary's College

  Communications

  1999 — 2002

• Oakland University

  B.A, Communications

  2002 — 2003