CEIR Webinar: How to Maximize Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales Outcomes in the New Normal

Nancy Drapeau, IPC. Is a market research veteran with more than 31 years in the business-to-business exhibitions industry. As CEIR’s Vice President of Research, Ms. Drapeau conducts industry wide studies and reports on current trends in the exhibition industry. In 2019, she was named to BizBash’s 1,000 Most Influential People in Events list. She holds a BA in Government from Georgetown University and a Master’s in Advanced European and International Studies from l’Institut Européen des Hautes Études Internationales. She is an AC Nielsen Burke Institute trained focus group moderator. She is a well-respected industry speaker and an active member of the Industry Insights Association and has served on the Event Industry Council’s (EIC) Research & Advocacy Task Force. She lives in Maine, with her husband and a border collie named Moxie.

Diedra currently serves as Senior Director, Industry Sales and Operations for Digestive Disease Week®.  The industry team is responsible for all exhibit and sponsorship sales, as well as all operational aspects of the event.  DDW® is a unique event with four societies partnering to provide the educational content.  DDW has around 300 exhibitors covering 105,000 net sq ft with over 13,000 professional attendees.   In addition, the team is also responsible for exhibit and sponsorship sales and operations for a joint Congress between the American Gastroenterological Association and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation focusing on IBD.

Diedra brings over 20 years of experience to DDW® specializing in trade show marketing strategy development and implementation to include exhibitor and attendee retention, sponsorship development and fulfillment, registration protocol, website development, vendor relationship management, project management, show theme design and production, show operations, education conference management and special events.

Jeff Davis has worked in the events industry since 2011.  He joined Emerald in January 2022 and serves as Group VP over the company’s Action Sports and Outdoor portfolio of 10 events.  Prior to working in the events industry, Jeff spent 14 years on the emerging digital side of media businesses.  Jeff is a graduate of Baylor University and lives in Dallas with his wife and 2 children.

Christine is an accomplished executive with more than 25+ years’ experience in meetings, conferences, conventions, events, expositions, marketing and sales. She has the proven ability to cultivate productive relationships with top decision makers and manage projects on a comprehensive basis to achieve company goals and maximize profit. Astute, results oriented, self-starter with a demonstrated ability to lead, manage and motivate team members, solve problems and deliver high-impact results.

Areas of expertise include association management, domestic and international event and meeting management, business and partnership development, strategic planning and staff mentoring and development. She brings extensive experience and knowledge of the event industry, with the planning of hundreds of annual conferences, high-profile events, and meetings. Additionally, she has a background in marketing, sales and advertising, exhibit space, and corporate sponsorships.

She has run her own event consulting business, served as the Executive Director of the Women’s Dermatologic Society and as Vice President of Meetings and Business Partnerships at the Institute of Food Technologists.

Christine is a current member of the CEIR Research Council, serves on the board of directors for the Girls on the Run Northern VA Chapter, is a past national board member of the Professional Convention Management Association.