Julie Carter
Director of Sales and Events, Hilton Anaheim
Motivating Force: Teamwork. I grew up playing competitive team sports and the lessons I have learned in work ethic and perseverance have shaped my leadership style and career success. I started my career in guest services and, today, I have the pleasure of managing over 200 events a year. None of it would have been possible without the team members who mentored me in my early years today.
I found a love for fostering a hospitable environment for guests, coupled with crafting personalized itineraries for them. Central to my Hilton Anaheim experience is the profound camaraderie among staff members, and I find great joy in watching my team grow and work together to accomplish their goals.
Approach to Supercharging Experiences: For me, understanding the purpose of the event is always the first step. Every event has a unique intention behind it, and it’s our job to align with that vision. Knowing who our client is and what they aim to achieve sets the stage for the entire planning process. This foundational knowledge allows us to create personalized and impactful experiences that resonate deeply with their guests.
Once we have that groundwork, we focus on layering in elements of surprise and delight. These can range from unexpected entertainment or interactive stations to thoughtful touches that mirror the theme of the event. It’s these little extras that elevate an experience from good to unforgettable. By keeping the client’s goals at the center and adding our creative flair, we can deliver something that leaves a lasting impression, ensuring their event is not only successful but also memorable and exciting for everyone involved.
Highlight of My Hospitality Career: I have met the most amazing coworkers, mentors and clients throughout the years that I call friends today. I have also been fortunate enough to win the Hilton’s Circle of Excellence three times in my career. With that said, the event that was truly a pivotal moment in my career was the first event back after the pandemic. In 2020, our hotel closed down for 14 months with chains on the front doors and 700 team members abruptly furloughed. The off-period was a time of reflection and gratitude for what had been and the uncertainty of the future ahead. In May 2021, I received “the call” that it was time to come back.
I was the first employee in catering and events to return and walk that lonely hallway of empty offices that were once occupied by the #1 catering and events team in the nation for Hilton. The feeling was surreal, but from that day forward, my sole focus was to book new groups into our empty ballrooms and get our team members back to work. On a perfect Saturday night in 2021, The Nicholas Academic Center located in Santa Ana California, put their trust in me and after 16 months of vacancy, we welcomed 1,700 guests for a lovely reception and awards dinner. The energy was magnetic with the music, the food, the smiles on our guests’ and team members’ faces. As I watched from the Foyer, I took a minute to breathe it all in. I’m not sure if I found hospitality or if she found me, but I do know we have enjoyed a great career together.
Nikki Gonzales
Chief of Staff, Soundings
Motivating Force: Staying Curious has always been my motto in anything that I’ve approached in my career. When I was in high school deciding on which career path I wanted to venture towards, I knew that the basis of any job I held ultimately had to help others in a positive way. Luckily for me, pursuing a career in the hospitality and tourism industry allowed me to do just that (with the plus of it being a whole lot of fun). I never truly had a “dream job” as it felt like every time I discovered something new about the industry, I fell into endless rabbit holes discovering all of the different pieces that bring everything we do together. Being in an industry and in a position where I’m able to instill this sense of curiosity for our customers and freelancers motivates me every day!
Approach to Supercharging Experiences: Always starting with “why” can get you very far in creating experiences that exceed expectations. Understanding from the deepest levels why people are attending events and experiences we curate not only guides us in the decisions we need to make but can also help ground us when we’re feeling overwhelmed with possibilities and choices. Our company name, “Soundings” comes from the going deep below the surface before making decisions or a course of action. It makes a lot of sense when you look at the things we do to ensure we are getting to know both our customers and talent on a deeper level. We use technology to help make the pieces and processes move more efficiently, but ultimately to help give more time for us to dedicate to the “human” parts of our jobs. My role works closely with our internal team, but also has some pieces that allow me to interact with our incredible network of over 3,000 event professionals. The most fulfilling parts of my job come from the moments I get to know our talent on a more personal level and the moments I get to support and watch my internal team thrive.
Highlight of My Hospitality Career: Thinking about an answer for this question has really made me reflect on how much I’ve been able to accomplish in the last few years since graduating from college. A few moments that really stood out for me were the opportunities I’ve gotten to moderate panels and conversations with other inspiring event pros. My very first in-person panel I was able to lead was at MPI WEC 2023 in Riviera Maya, Mexico alongside a panel of incredible fellow Gen-Z rockstars. It was such a surreal moment looking out on a packed room of attendees who were excited to listen to our experiences and everything we had to share. Most recently, I was able to lead another panel at PCMA EduCon in Detroit focused on Breaking Barriers for Women in Business. Having the opportunity to help uplift those around me and create productive conversations has become such a full-circle moment! I think of college freshman Nikki sitting in my first National Society of Minorities in Hospitality Conference listening to these professionals speak about their experiences and pieces of advice. She absolutely would not believe she would be on the other side of the stage being the one who was leading these conversations!
Shannon Lyman
Senior Conference Services Manager, The Wigwam
Motivating Force: I love the challenge that each day and each group brings. I strive to always give 150% in everything I do professionally and personally.
Approach to Supercharging Experiences: What I love about my profession is that every day and group is something new and another experience to add to my accomplishments. I look forward to experiencing something new every day.
Highlight of My Hospitality Career: I started off in hospitality in Fall of 1991 as a front desk agent in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and have not looked back. One of the highlights was working for a host property during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Kristina Martinez
Entertainment Production Manager, Entire Productions
Motivating Force: As an entertainment event production manager with over a decade of experience in hospitality, my driving force is the collaboration and creative synergy that comes from working with talented artists from diverse backgrounds. I thrive on crafting memorable experiences that connect people, not just through the events themselves but by fostering a strong sense of community between partners and clients. My passion lies in transforming ideas into immersive realities, ensuring that every event is a unique expression of the artistry, vision and collaboration of everyone involved. It’s this dynamic intersection of creativity and connection that inspires me daily.
Approach to Supercharging Experiences: My passion for working with talented artists and building a sense of community drives my approach to supercharging event experiences. I believe that events are more than just gatherings; they are opportunities to create transformative moments that leave lasting impressions. By collaborating with artists from all walks of life, I bring diverse perspectives and creative energy to each project, ensuring that no two events are alike. This collective creativity allows me to push the boundaries of what’s possible, turning every detail into a chance to elevate the experience. From the atmosphere and entertainment to the engagement of the audience, I aim to craft immersive environments where people feel connected not only to the event but to each other. My focus on community extends beyond the guests, fostering strong partnerships with clients and vendors to ensure smooth, collaborative execution. Ultimately, my approach is rooted in creating events that inspire, engage and resonate deeply with everyone involved, leaving a powerful, lasting impact.
Highlight of My Hospitality Career: A highlight of my hospitality career was producing our team’s annual marketing event at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), where we transformed the space into a breathtaking immersive experience. The event, themed “Modern Art Attack,” brought together the creative energy of over 40 talented artists and vendors. Performers, aerialists, dancers, speed painters, DJs, photographers, florists, culinary artists and decor partners collaborated to reimagine the work of some of the world’s most iconic artists, including Frida Kahlo, Basquiat, Kusama, and Warhol and more!
The venue became a living gallery, with each element designed to capture the spirit of modern art in motion. Guests were transported into a world where performance art, visual installations and exquisite culinary displays converged. Speed painters captivated attendees with live art creation, while aerialists and dancers added a dynamic layer of entertainment, set to a vibrant soundtrack spun by our DJ’s and musicians in various spaces. Every aspect of the night was a sensory celebration of creativity, from the florals to the interactive photo moments. The event truly showcased the power of collaboration and artistic vision, leaving guests in awe and setting a new standard for experiential marketing events.
Cameron Rust
CSEP, Storyteller and Experience Producer, Hello! Destination Management
Motivating Force: As a creative producer for corporate events, the experiences I help create are often the highlight of a guest’s journey at the conference they attend or of their time in the destination. It’s that guest’s experience that drives my passion and fuels my creativity. The most generous gift anyone can give you is their time, fully present as their authentic self, and I believe wholeheartedly in the power of live events to motivate, celebrate and bring us together in ways that no other form can. There’s nothing quite like a great event—meticulously planned yet organically experienced, with each guest unique perspective coming together to form a collective whole. I’m motivated by the new, the now and the next that shapes our industry in new ways, inventing and reinventing the way we enjoy each other’s company and how companies reward their people.
Approach to Supercharging Experiences: I believe live experiences are a careful juxtaposition of the fresh and the familiar, the expected and the unexpected. It’s always fruitful to draw inspiration from outside of the events industry, utilizing trends from interior design, popular culture, music and film, international travel, art and culture to add new perspectives and authenticity. It’s just as important to draw on what guests are accustomed to, allowing them to let their guard down and truly live in the moments you create. As the events industry begins to reflect the diversity of people and experiences and welcome the concept of “belonging,” it’s important to understand that every guest has their own unique perspective and “wow” moment that will allow them to truly feel an event was created for them. For every grand, impressive moment, there’s an equally important small personal detail that can make a guest feel the designer cared about them. I believe it’s this balance that leads to true innovation in the events industry, and the mirror to which I compare the experiences I help create.
Highlight of My Hospitality Career: Last year I helped produce a capstone event for 300 meeting planners and clients at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. As a recently-opened concert hall named one of the most beautiful theaters in the world, it was important to showcase the venue to its fullest capabilities. With seats that rise and flip to change the configuration from concert hall to proscenium theater to ballroom event venue, we used the power of theater to pull back the curtain for this group of seasoned planners, transforming what seemed like a normal “dinner on the stage” event disguised as a show rehearsal into a full theatrical show, moving guests from tables to sit at the newly flipped seats to watch a thrilling finale. It was as much an experiment in what the space could do as it was an exploration of collaboration blending the venue’s events staff and theatre production staff. As the theater kid that created a stage out of boxes when I was five, it was a dream come true and a thrilling tour de force of the power of events in their rawest form to pull you in and make your heart soar.
