Board of Directors
Executive Committee:
President
Tuula Westlake, CASE, HMCC, PMP
Principal
Sabre
469-980-4333
Tuula is a strategic marketing professional and customer advocate with over 15 years of experience in driving strategic initiatives and resolving complex business problems in a matrix environment in Fortune 100 companies.
As a passionate advocate for
continuous learning Tuula received the December 2016 MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Sprit Award for
her work as a Co-Chair of MPI D/FW Chapter Mentor Program. During the 2017-2018
term Tuula was a VP of Communications and 2018-2019 she was an Incoming
President for the MPI D/FW Chapter.
Tuula has a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and an MBA in Marketing Management. She also holds CASE and PMP certifications.
President Elect
Annie Matthews
Sales Manager, PSAV
214-306-9331
Annie is a native Texan, born and bred right here in Dallas. She graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic University with a degree in International Business and minor in Spanish. She’s always been in sales and got into the audio-visual business with AVW-Telav (currently Freeman AV) back in ’00. She is currently a sales manager with PSAV at their Dallas Corporate offices in Coppell. Annie started out attending, and eventually serving with, MPI back in 2000 when she first got started in the AV industry. She has helped out chairing a few different events and committees and is excited to be serving her first year on the Board of Directors for MPI Dallas/Forth Worth.
Annie’s hobbies include riding her bike around White Rock Lake, searching for patio’s on a beautiful sunny day, and spending time with her two rescue kitties, Pete & Tilley.
Immediate Past President
Paige Mejia, FPO
Director of Sales and Marketing, Pyrotex, Inc.
469-534-0635
Paige is beginning her sixth term on the MPI BOD this year having also served on the BOD for ISES, TxACOM, and CCEP in the past. As a nine year veteran in the industry, she is very involved in a number of other industry organizations and recommends getting involved in the industry to get the most out of a membership. When she is not volunteering, she gets paid to blow things up as the sales and marketing director of Pyrotex, the oldest Texas-based professional pyrotechnic company. Married to her high school sweetheart, she is a mom of 2 beautiful children and resides with her family WAY UP NORTH in McKinney.
Libby Severance, CTIE
Head of Group Sales & Luxury Leisure Travel
American Airlines
817-689-8818
Libby Severance is Head of Group Sales and Luxury Leisure at American Airlines, with responsibility for re-engaging American Airlines in the Groups market, as well as, developing the Luxury Leisure strategy.
Libby’s background in the travel industry began at American Airlines in 1995 in Sales and her career has brought her full circle as she has returned to American after working 20-years outside of the Airline in various market segments – tour operators, destination management companies, boutique hotels, consortia and airlines – serving in sales, marketing, operations and training capacities.
Libby lives in Fort Worth and enjoys traveling with her husband and son. She serves on the boards of the MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter and Harvest Christian Academy.
Vice President of Educational Events
Robert Sanchez, CMP
Director, National Accounts
Global Cynergies
Vice President of Special Events
Katherine Overkamp, CMM
Senior Director, Global Accounts
Lamont Associates
480-250-8051
Vice President of Leadership
Shankia Davis
214-875-2255
Shanika began her adventure into the Meetings and Events Industry while enrolled in the Travel Exposition and Meeting Management Program (TEMM) at Richland Community College. She became a MPI student member in 2011 and quickly became involved in the MPI D/FW Chapter through various committees including: Speaker Liaison 2012-2013; Breakfast w Club Chair/Co-Chair 2013-2014; Walk A While Committee Co-Chair 2013-2014; Speaker Liaison 2012-2013 and the Policy Review Committee 2014-2015. Shanika earned the recognition of her peers and was awarded the 2013 Spirit Award; 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award and 2013 Rising Star Award.
She credits much of her success to an amazing mentor and numerous others who served as coaches along the way.
Shanika has a passion for empowering others to learn, grow and maximizing their gifts and talents to be the best representation of themselves they can be.
She believes leadership begins with servitude, putting others before yourself. In her spare time, Shanika likes to spend time with family and traveling around the world.
Vice President of Membership
Corina Balsells
Director of Events
Women's Foodservice Forum
Corina Balsells has been in the meetings industry for 20 years. She credits her success to working with the best teams ever, as well as incredible mentors and sponsors who have paved the way for her.
For Corina, serving others is what is all about. She prides herself in taking others under her wing and helping them achieve their career goals.
Corina has been a member of MPI D/FW for four years. From the time she joined, she knew she needed to be an active member in order to gain the most from her membership…and encourages others to do the same. Corina has served in various committees for the Education & Event Committee and the Leadership Committee, as well as served as a mentor and an Ambassador. She also served as the Director for the Leadership Committee for the 2018/2019 term, and now serves as Vice President of Membership for the 2019/2020 term.
In her free time, Corina enjoys spending time with family, listening to music, dancing, and traveling.
Vice President of Finance and Sponsorship
Roma Giordano
Regional Director of Convention Sales
RSCVA/Reno Tahoe USA
469-344-0940
Roma was born and raised in western Ukraine in the most beautiful Carpathian Mountains. She moved to the United States with her family in 1996 and settled in Rochester, NY. As a Dean’s List High Honors graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Roma has a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Service Management and an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science in Travel and Tourism.
Roma was born and raised in western Ukraine in the most beautiful Carpathian Mountains. She moved to the United States with her family in 1996 and settled in Rochester, NY. As a Dean’s List High Honors graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Roma has a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Service Management and an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science in Travel and Tourism. Roma is currently a Regional Director of Convention Sales for Reno-Tahoe Convention & Visitors Authority. She began her hospitality career at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 2002 advancing through numerous roles. Shortly after relocating to the DFW area in August 2013, she became a member of MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter. There, she volunteered her time on different committees and for the last 3.5 years served on the board as VP of Membership and VP of Finance. Roma was a proud recipient of Spirit Award in December 2018 for her continued involvement and volunteerism in the chapter.
In her free time she enjoys cooking, baking, gardening and traveling with her husband and two kids.
Directors:
Director of Finance and Sponsorship
Jonathan Goldwater
VP Creative Services
GLADTOWER
dirfinance@mpidfw.org
Director of Marketing Communications
Tricia Hill
Associate Producer
Merestone
dircommunications@mpidfw.org
Director of Educational Events
Sandra Dyeak
Restaurant Sales Manager
The Adolphus Hotel
diredevents@mpidfw.org
Sandra grew up immersed in the arts and food, ultimately heading to New York University to pursue a degree in Performing Arts Administration. After school Sandra moved to Houston where she managed the special events program for Stages Repertory Theatre, worked for an event décor firm, Art Attack, and was recruited by The George R. Brown Convention Center.
In 2009 Sandra moved to Los Angeles and ran her own company, Bright Red Events, where she would regularly manage dance and theatrical events throughout the Los Angeles area.
In 2014, Sandra moved to Dallas where she ran the events program for Sissy’s Southern Kitchen and Lisa Garza Taste Studio producing over 200 events each year and grossing $1.06 million in sales. Sandra then moved over to Cane Rosso to oversee the events program for all 10 restaurant locations throughout Texas.
In 2019, Sandra was hired by The Adolphus to cultivate a new restaurant event sales program where she represents The French Room, City Hall Bistro and The Pool at The Adolphus.
Director of Special Events
Shelana Poindexter, M.S.
Director of Sales and Merketing
ECS Transportation Group
dirspecialevents@mpidfw.org
What I love -- MUSIC! Then international travel, exploring new cultures & languages. I love to smile, so: sunny days, puppies, good food, good wine, a good book. My goal is to visit a new country every year, so far, so good. I have been to 35 countries thus far, and I am always up for suggestions on where to go next! I also happen to really enjoy the gym, so in my "spare time", I am a competitive bodybuilder - started in figure and now compete in bikini.
I love bicycles – they are my happy place. To see life from the seat of a bicycle, there is nothing else like it.
I speak English, a lil Dutch, un poco Espanol and I am learning to speak French now!
I have done a bit of this and a bit of that. I spent 8+ years working in college athletics administration - I am a HUGE sports fan. I then transitioned to executive recruiting and teaching spin / indoor cycling. After two years with the search firm, I had the opportunity to go back to higher education and live in Bangladesh, so I went! I came back to the states in 2015 and fell in love with bicycles and started working at a local bike shop in Atlanta, It was then that I decided to return to Texas. In the fall of 2017, I became the Director of Sales & Marketing for ECS Transportation Group and began my career in the hospitality industry. I joined MPI in December 2018 and jumped right in and I am super excited about appointment to the DFW Chapter Board of Directors.
I have a Master of Science - Organization & Human Resource Department and Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing & Management, both from Abilene Christian University.
Currently reside in Highland Village, TX.
Director of Membership
Kim Hussey
Account Executive
AFR Event Furnishings
dirmembership@mpidfw.org
Kim is in her fifth year as an MPI member and her second term as Director of Membership with MPI D/FW. She is actively involved in a handful of other industry organizations as part of her day job with AFR Furniture Rental. She moved to DFW from Philadelphia with her husband three years ago and is expecting her first child in November.
Director of Leadership
Sarah Gould-Stotts, CMP
President, Principal Planner
Simple Meeting Solutions
dirleadership@mpidfw.org
Sarah Gould-Stotts has planned and executed strategic events in both the nonprofit and private sectors for twelve years. After spending most of her career as an in-house planner, she decided to pursue her goal of founding her own company, Simple Meeting Solutions, which is dedicated to small-scale corporate meetings and events.
Sarah graduated cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in English and business from Southwestern University and earned her CMP in 2015.
She was selected by PCMA as one of the Top 20 in their Twenties in the meetings industry in 2016.
.tmb-medium.jpg?sfvrsn=191d00a4_2 "Hayley Hambre headshot (1)")
Staff:
Chapter Administrator
Caitlin Watson
Account Executive, Madeleine Crouch & Co., Inc.
(972) 233-9107 ext. 201
chapadmin@mpidfw.org
Caitlin went to Arizona State where she received a BIS with concentrations in business and tourism development. She has worked in hospitality for the last 10 years. She originally became a student member of MPI in 2009 for the Arizona Sunbelt Chapter. Currently, Caitlin works for Madeleine Crouch and Company an association management company, with a focus in non-profits, as an Account Executive. She has works with several clients and continues to provide them with professional service. It was through her involvement with the different associations that she joined MPI D/FW in 2018 and has been supporting them as their Chapter Administrator.