Name: Sandra Taylor
Occupation: Student/Design assistant
Planner or Supplier: Supplier
Current Employer: Artistic Florals
How long have you been a member of MPI?
December 2021
Name: Matthew Baker
Occupation: Chief Culinary Officer
Planner or Supplier: Both (catering and full event production)
Current Employer: Feast on This Culinary & Event Production
How long have you been a member of MPI? On and off for years! I guess I can be considered an industry veteran (Feast on This just turned 22 years this month!!)!
Name: Jennifer Watson
Occupation: Senior Director, Global Accounts
Planner or Supplier: Planner
Current Employer: HelmsBriscoe
How long have you been a member of MPI? One month
How did you get your start in the industry? I started in Food and Beverage service at 16 and pretty much never left. Waiting table through college, and then Marketing and Live Events for the music industry. When I needed to pivot from that, I went back to college for Culinary Arts, to take the F&B to a more professional level. From there, went on to catering, banquets, managing restaurants, back of house. Realizing the physical challenges of catering and line cooking would prove difficult as I age, I took that experience to Catering Sales, behind a desk. I got my “first big break” as a Convention Service Manager at the world-famous Hotel Del Coronado, which truly started me on this current path. From there, I moved to Sales at a Westin, a Hilton, a DMC and finally, HelmsBriscoe.
What is a typical day like for you? Servicing my clients. Finding hotels and convention centers
that best suit my client’s needs.
What do you enjoy most about MPI? I just joined.
What is the best career advice you’ve received? People don’t leave bad jobs; they leave bad
bosses.
What’s your favorite tip for someone in our industry? Everyone is a sales manager for
themselves. Personal reputation matters. When working at a hotel, if it’s service levels are not up
to your personal standards, it’s time to leave. Your clients trust you, that’s the most important
thing. Always make sure you are looking out for your client’s best interest.
What do you love most about your MPI Chapter? I just joined, so cannot yet answer.
Name: Summer McElman
Occupation: Student at San Diego State University
Name: Yinka Freeman
Occupation: Event Planner
Planner or Supplier: Planner
Current Employer: Triple Pocket Events (Owner)
How long have you been a member of MPI? One month, but I have gone to many MPI events as a non-member.
How did you get your start in the industry? Like so many us, I started in the industry as a server. My first job was working at my college restaurant. I fell in love with this crazy industry and worked my way up to event sales, group sales and event planning.
What is a typical day like for you? As an independent planner that is self-employed, I get the luxury of not having a typical day. Depending on the time of the year, I am out on the road working events all over the country, working out of hotel rooms, lobbies, airport terminals or anywhere that has an electric outlet.
What do you enjoy most about MPI? I really enjoy the education that MPI provides. I love learning and having so many different topics I have an interest in available to me is great!
What is the best career advice you’ve received? A friend of mine recently said this to me and it has become essential in my every day. Take passion breaks “When you are a creative, inspiration comes in waves. When it hits you, you give everything towards what you are doing because you're passionate about it. You can't keep that fire fueled forever and you have to take breaks to build up creative inspiration again (passion break), until you save up enough energy for when the next bit of inspiration hits and you're ready to bring the passion” -Fiona Buckley
What’s your favorite tip for someone in our industry? Do everything, work at different venues, change roles, work in a different state or country. Doing so challenges you and is one of the best ways to take control of your professional development.
What do you love most about your MPI Chapter? The community hands down! Every member is here is help you grow and want to see you succeed.
Name: Josh Bragg
Occupation: Product Marketing Manager
Planner or Supplier: Supplier
Current Employer: PSAV
How long have you been a member of MPI?
A couple of months.
How did you get your start in the industry?
After high school I worked a summer job at the Hotel Del Coronado, which was really my first exposure. A few years later I moved back home to San Diego, after some time living in Budapest, Hungary, and entered the world of Audio Visuals.
What is a typical day like for you?
Right now everything is anything but typical, but my team and I remain focused on various activities related to identifying and developing products and solutions that solve problems.
What do you enjoy most about MPI?
The people and the amount of resources available.
What is the best career advice you’ve received?
Look for what can be done better, and find a way to do it better.
What’s your favorite tip for someone in our industry?
Make sure to enjoy your work and find the best people to work alongside.
What do you love most about your MPI Chapter?
I hope to have a good answer to this question soon!
Name: Kit Gutierrez
Occupation: Catering Sales Manager
Planner or Supplier: Supplier
Current Employer: Great Wolf Lodge
How long have you been a member of MPI?
Less than a year.
How did you get your start in the industry?
I got my internship at Cebu Plaza Hotel in the Philippines which is now Marco Polo Hotels.
What is a typical day like for you?
I’m a working mom and wife. In the mornings, I take my run here in Long Beach, get back home to prepare lunch for my son and myself, and head to work. Once at work, I listen to voicemails, read emails, and go through a list of things to do that I preset on my Outlook (Outlook reminders from following up on proposals, contracts, solicitation, appointments both off property and on property, or even out of town appointments, food tastings, networking, etc. the list could go on and on). I stay focused on what I have scheduled for the day. Sometimes, not everything goes to plan. That’s when I adopt to whatever is at hand.
What do you enjoy most about MPI?
I’ve attended MPI events before, when I was with a different hotel. It’s been a while because we take turns. But what I enjoy about MPI is the education and networking possibilities. From these events and meetings I can meet clients that will become friends and the whole business relationship is built from this foundation. Although, now with COVID-19, it is taking us to a different level of meeting people. But I’m sure we will adopt.
What is the best career advice you’ve received
Best career advice that I received is do what you love to do, because if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.
What’s your favorite tip for someone in our industry?
Adapt to change and find ways to grow every day.
Occupation:
Director of Events
Planner or Supplier:
Planner
Current Employer:
San Diego Natural History Museum
How long have you been a member of MPI?
This is my first Year!
How long have you worked in the industry?
Seven years
What is a typical day like for you?
Walking around the museum and the park with patrons to help them visualize and execute an excellent event!
What do you enjoy most about MPI?
Its amazing connections and education!
What is the best career advice you’ve received?
Know your worth; it is crucial to see the bigger picture of your impact.
What’s your favorite tip for someone in our industry?
Be Kind! We can face stressful moments at times, but every collaboration can have a great impact if you have a positive mindset.
What do you love most about your MPI Chapter?
There is more collaboration over competition! It is fantastic and refreshing to meet the members and their distinctiveness.
Name:
Krissy Raghina
Occupation:
Conference Services Manager
Planner or Supplier:
Supplier
Current Employer:
Lakehouse Hotel & Resort
How did Krissy hear about MPI?
Krissy heard about MPI and the CMP originally from her days as a San Diego State student pursuing a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. During her recent work as a Conference Services Manager, she connected with Peggy Jewel who hosted a corporate meeting at Krissy’s hotel property. They clicked immediately and Peggy invited her to be her guest of honor for a San Diego MPI Holiday Party 2018 event.
Why did Krissy join, and what does she want to get out of membership?
Krissy joined MPI because of the great experiences she had as a guest of Peggy’s at chapter event. She is hoping to gain new relationships and keep learning about the industry as an MPI member. Krissy is pursuing her CMP this winter and hopes the MPI membership and industry engagement will help prepare her for the exam.
What is Krissy’s role with the Lakehouse?
Krissy is the Conference Services Manager at The Lakehouse Hotel & Resort, a boutique property in San Marcos. She is responsible for managing all arrival and event details for corporate group business. Some of these responsibilities include: hotel room reservations, meal menus, meeting room space, audio/visual requirements, overall event coordination, banquet staff, set-up and tear-down. She specializes in creating unique and memorable experiences for her guests!
What are some fun facts about the venue?
The Lakehouse is a 144 room boutique resort located on a lake and full-service marina in San Marcos. The property boasts their featured “wow-factor” restaurant, Decoy, fourteen venue spaces, two golf courses, and all the water toys imaginable.
What is a fun fact about Krissy?
Krissy is a world-traveler and has visited over 22 countries. As an undergrad student, she studied abroad in Thailand and even had an internship at the Hyatt in Bangkok. Her experience in Thailand and all the travel adventures that followed cemented her passion to build a career in hospitality.