Happy December!
Congratulations on making it through 2020. As challenging as this year has been, it has also inspired innovation, introspection, and community across all levels of business and society. Think of all we’ve accomplished! Creating and supporting grass-roots efforts to support and sustain local businesses and industry partners. Placing diversity, equity, and inclusion planning, with a focus on racial equity, at the forefront of industry conversations and event development. Learning and excelling at digital event planning for meetings of all shapes and sizes. Finding innovative ways to stay connected, expand skill sets, and explore new career goals. Reinventing the way we conduct business, develop meetings and events, support our business partners, and define what is most essential through it all.
We have one month left in 2020, so let’s make it count. Join us for NYPCMA’s Month of Giving Tuesdays! Each Tuesday in December features a different CSR focus that is open and free to everyone to join. Shake off the winter blahs with a silly sweater (or hat, or dress up your cat – whatever makes you smile) on December 15 at our Very Ugly Sweater Holiday Shindig! If you participate in the CSR Active-Thon to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, we’ll be celebrating the winner at the Holiday Shindig as well! And what better way to end the month than by focusing on How to Get the Career You Want! Join Dawn Penfold for this free workshop to help identify and hone the key skills you need to thrive in your profession.
Convening Leaders 2021 will take place January 11 to 15, and NYPCMA will again partner with the Greater Philadelphia chapter for an online reception. I truly hope to see you there. We can’t wait to connect in-person, but for now this will have to do.
We’ve already begun planning NYPCMA events for 2021. Please mark your calendar for the 2021 Online Winter Program on March 10, and Global Meetings Industry Day scheduled for April 8. And we are still collecting donations for our Hardship Fund to help cover NYPCMA event registration for those who need it. Please consider donating at any amount. Your help enables us to make educational content and networking opportunities available regardless of a person’s ability to pay.
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers, sponsors, members, supporters, and friends! This year would not have been possible without your continued engagement and support. I encourage you to follow @NYPCMA on social media, volunteer for one of our committees, collaborate on a sponsorship, send content and speaker suggestions, and help us make the chapter you want it to be.
It’s now time to pass my virtual pen on to Jimmy Le, our 2021 NYPCMA president. His experience, graciousness, and creativity will make him an excellent leader through whatever the next twelve months throws at us. I look forward to supporting him in my role as Past President, and to seeing you all very soon.
Stay safe, stay connected, and stay engaged!
Stacey
