Committees
Volunteers are the heart of our organization. Volunteering can be a valuable way to enhance your current skills, learn new ones and make new professional connections. Interested in volunteering?
To get involved, see below for complete descriptions of our chapter committees and their responsibilities. You can volunteer on one of the committees by contacting the committee chair, board liaison or by submitting a Volunteer Interest Form.
Volunteer Opportunities
We need you!
Help make a difference in your chapter and shape its future. Volunteering on a committee is a great way to elevate your membership, engage with fellow planners and suppliers, develop your leadership skills, and learn new professional skills.
You can also find more information on our committees in the MPI-CC Leadership Manual or by contacting VP of Member Engagement, Rachel Whitten.
Membership in MPI Carolinas Chapter is mandatory to serve as a committee volunteer.
If you are not a member, please contact the MPI-CC office at (704) 377-5648 for information on how to join MPI-CC.
Committee responsibilities and goals:
The Awards Committee is charge with managing and facilitating appreciation for and recognition of the outstanding achievements of individual chapter members, rewarding volunteer involvement on committees, and furthering the visibility and value of meeting professionals within our chapter. The committee oversees the selection process for the chapter's annual awards: Planner of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Hall of Fame, Tomorrow's Leader and Volunteer of the Year.
Immediate Past President
Brandon Crumpton
Committee Chair
Brandon Crumpton
Committee Members
Committee responsibilities and goals:
The Education Committee reviews industry trends and member feedback for education session topics, decides on chapter meeting education session topics and themes, and reviews and identifies speakers for chapter meetings. For each chapter meeting, the committee provides speaker care and education session support as needed, writes education session recaps for the blog and Carolina Blitz and collaborates with the Marketing & Communications Committee to promote education sessions.
What will I gain from joining this committee?
- Speaker selection
- Content development
- Theming education content and program
VP of Education
Nicole Filippo (Interim)
Education Committee Chair
Kristin Walker
Education Committee Members
Allison Harding
Tammy Jeffries
Maureen Donovan
Lynne Krekelberg
Sarah Meister
Jason Arnold
Kevin Holland
The Professional Certification Committee plans and presents targeted educational programs to aid members in their pursuit of earning the CMP or other industry certifications. The committee manages and leads the MPI Carolinas virtual CMP study group, including setting the schedule, and shares relevant information about certification opportunities with the Marketing & Communications Committee to include in chapter communications.
VP of Education
Nicole Filippo (Interim)
CMP Study Group
Tarshi McCoy
Tessa Barrier
Committee Responsibilities
The Business Exchange Committee creates and executes the MPI-CC annual business exchange event or tradeshow. The ultimate format of the event is to maximize Vendor participation ensuring maximum Planner attendance. Committee members will be involved in soliciting participation from Suppliers/Vendors and Planners and promoting the event while keeping budgeted monetary goals in mind.
What will I gain from joining this committee?
- Creating a tradeshow from start to finish
- Project management skills
- Dual sided member interaction
- Meet decision makers in marketplace
VP of Finance
Karen Wall
Business Exchange Chair
Christian Schroeder
Committee Members
Ariana Pearsall
The Volunteer Engagement Committee supports the Director of Volunteer Engagement in identifying and developing new leaders and volunteers within the chapter; volunteer appreciation efforts, and serving as an ongoing resource for volunteers to ensure that they are getting the most out of their volunteer experience.
Director of Volunteer Engagement
Director Needed
Committee Chair
Chair Needed
Committee responsibilities and goals:
The Marketing & Communications Committee keeps members current on chapter news and programs. The committee curates information, gathers updates from other committees, and creates graphics that adhere to MPI's and MPI Carolina's branding and style guides. The committee promotes chapter and member achievements, and chapter meetings, news and updates through the use of the chapter's social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn), the chapter blog, the Carolinas Blitz, and the Midweek Member Minute e-newsletter.
What will you gain from joining this committee?
- Project management skills
- Leadership and training skills
- Learn and implement social media engagement
- Learn the art of communicating to a team, committee and membership
VP of Marketing and Communications
Melanie Mason, CMP
Committee Members
Sam Green
Mica Parekh
Committee responsibilities and goals
The Member Engagement Committee develops and coordinates member engagement efforts by assisting with volunteer opportunities, member care, hospitality and recruitment and retention membership events. Committee members are responsible for recruitment programs targeting members, developing and managing an on-boarding volunteer process, and support in identifying methods of retaining existing members via new or improved activities, communications, programs, and benefits.
VP of Member Engagement
Rachel Whitten, CMP
Chair
Olivia Terrell
Committee Members
Alex Morales
Cathy Carpenter
Chapter Ambassadors
Lynn Skinner
Patricia Byrd, CMP
Barb Dragan
Candice Chuppa
Mica Parekh
The Immediate Past President shall chair the Nominating Committee. The remaining members of the Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the chairman and approved by the Executive Committee. There shall be no less than four (4) members including the chairman
Nominations - Petition Process. Once the Nominating Committee has developed a slate of nominees for election from all the Candidate Interest Forms submitted, the slate is to be mailed to the membership with instructions that additional nominations from the membership shall be permitted, provided a nomination is submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee Chair and is supported by a minimum of five percent (5%) of the official MPI-CC membership. The nominee must identify the specific person he/she is running against in the general election and must have already submitted a Candidate Data and Interest form to be eligible for petition. If no additional nominations are received, the ballot submitted by the Nominating Committee will be deemed elected by acclamation and will be installed at the Chapter’s Annual Meeting. If additional nominations are received, a ballot will be sent to all MPI-CC members for those positions having two or more candidates in contention. Deadlines for Candidate Submission Forms, mailing(s) to the membership and additional nominations will be established by the Nominating Committee. Chapter Board nominations and elections must be completed and submitted to MPI Global by August 1st each year.
Chair - Immediate Past President
Brandon Crumpton
Committee Members
Najauna White
Nicole Filippo (nonvoting member)
Alyce Kelly
Amelia Hodges
Ricardo Hicks
Malinda Harrell
Nicole Keshler
Committee Responsibilities
The Publications Committee is responsible for producing The Carolina Blitz news publication. The Carolina Blitz is published online four times a year. It contains information about upcoming chapter meetings, education session recaps, member news and profiles, along with articles featuring a wide variety of interest to planners and suppliers. The committee helps with developing, soliciting and proofreading content. The Publications committee will work directly with our Blitz designer to craft a digital publication for our members and partners.
Melanie Mason serves as the temporary Editor in Chief of The Carolina Blitz. Any chapter member may submit an article by contacting Melanie, and all MPI-CC committees are encouraged to appoint a liaison to the Blitz to report on committee projects and news.
Submission deadlines for 2024:
- June 28, 2024 (Summer Issue)
VP of Marketing and Communications
Melanie Mason, CMP
Committee Chair
Committee Members
Committee Responsibilities
The Silent Auction Committee is responsible for securing items for the silent auction that takes place two to three times a year, establishing minimum bids on all items, working with the marketing & communications committee to promote the auctions and call for donations, and setting up the online bidding site.
What will I gain from joining this committee?
- Interaction with individual members
- Budget management skills
- Event promotion
VP of Finance
Karen Wall
Committee Chair
Nicole Keshler
Committee Members
Kathryn Short
Shelley Cromartie
Maria Lopez
Committee Responsibilities and Goals
The Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee creates networking and educational opportunities that further the mission of creating a diverse and equitable environment of inclusion in our chapter, community, and respective industries, through education and communication.
Committee members are responsible for ideation, creation, collaboration and coordination of educational content, events, and activities that celebrate our members' diversity, ensure equity for all, and engage membership inclusion through education and deep conversation.
VP of DEI
Kathryn Short
Committee Chair
Star Robertson
Committee Members
Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE
Erin White
Mitch Savoie Hill
Renita Williams
Shannon Groff
Lakesha Moore
Kevin Holland
Tarshi McCoy
Amelia Hodges
Committee Responsibilities and Goals
The Meeting Planning Committee helps plan and execute meeting planning duties on behalf of the chapter, and provides on-site management of chapter meetings and events. The committee develops and provides input for all experiential aspects of chapter meetings and the annual awards gala (including but not limited to: menus, set design, tablescapes, and audiovisual)
VP of Education
Nicole Filippo (Interim)
Testimonials
"The MPI Carolinas Chapter has been the number one source of education and networking for me. As a meeting planner, I am always looking for new ideas and better ways to do things. With the friends I’ve made over the years through MPI-CC, I can easily shoot an email to someone or pick up the phone to bounce around an idea. I’ve also used MPI-CC as a source for finding speakers and for session topics. Probably what stands out the most are the conversations I have with our members--planners and suppliers. We take time during the receptions and breakfasts to catch up not only on how work is going, but also on how WE are—how’s the family, how are the pets, how is our health (mental & physical!). It’s these conversations that make being a member of MPI-CC feel like being part of a family. When I miss a meeting, it feels like I’ve missed out on a reunion. The education and training are icing on the cake!"
Ginny Fountain, CMP, CMM | North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives
“Serving on a committee for the MPI-Carolinas Chapter adds tremendous value to my membership as I am able to connect much deeper with my fellow members than simply seeing them at the meetings. When we collaborate as a team on various projects, it allows us to share knowledge while building trust and friendship. The saying, ‘you get what you give’ proves so true. If you put forth efforts volunteering for the greater good of the chapter, you’ll be amazed at what you get back.”
Mallory Middleton, CMP | cheersyears.com
"What I find the value of volunteering for MPI-CC is that I am able to make a difference in the growth of the chapter by helping to grow our presence in social media and using that to inform and educate. We have such a diverse association and they need to get new information about the industry in various ways. It is an exciting time for the association and volunteering helps to attract other members like me that can see the value in the group and in turn want to volunteer to help continue the growth of the chapter."
Mica Parekh, CMP | IWP Photography & Video
"I am extremely excited to serve with the MPI-Carolinas Chapter. There are many benefits to volunteering, but a few stick out to me the most. Being able to serve in the community through the MPI-Carolina's Chapter affords me the great opportunity to give back and help bring joy to others. Creating joy for others exceed sharing with those who are in need, but for people in general. Personally, giving back in this manner will allow me to gain greater sense of accomplishment, enable me to develop new experiences, and a deeper insight on a world outside of my own. I look forward to volunteering alongside my fellow MPI members who share the same passion, to building new friendships, stronger business partnerships, and much more.
In my opinion, service isn't something that gets tacked onto my schedule if there is time, but in my heart."
Jemeria Lawson | The Durham Hotel
"MPI has always been so important to me. I transferred to the Carolinas Chapter in 1996 from Philadelphia Chapter. I went for my first meeting knowing not one person and had no job. I joined a committee the first meeting and I have been fortunate to have served on several. Whether I was on a committee, Board of Directors, Chapter President, or serving on an International Committee, MPI has given me so much more than I have given to MPI.
MPI is Your MPI, get involved, and make the most of your membership. I believe in Buy MPI and I contact other MPI Chapters for resources when planning a meeting in other cities.
I value the knowledge, relationships, and growth that MPI has provided me.
Make the most of your MPI experience!"
Linda Ilsley, CMP | LPI Events
