Upcoming Events

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Annual Fall Focus	Coffee and Connections	2019 Annual Gala
November 5, 2018 11:30 am to 6:30 pm The Gideon Putnam Saratoga Springs, NY Click here to register.	December 14, 2018 8:00 am to 10:00 am Tru By Hilton Albany Crossgates Mall Registration Coming Soon	Save the Date! April 4, 2019 More Details to Come.

Hello MPI Northeastern New York Members!

Our new fiscal year kicked off on July 1st and the 2018-19 board of directors has been hard at work!  I'd like to first acknowledge and introduce you to them; click here to see a full list. I am honored to be leading this chapter but feel even more lucky to be working alongside such an amazing group of professionals. It truly is a team effort and we are determined to make this our best year yet!

It feels like the year just started but we’ve already accomplished so much with even more exciting things to come. Here’s a quick look at each: 

Past Events

• Special Events: We had our August Cocktails and Connections networking event at Wolf’s 1-11. It was a great event filled with networking, appetizers and happy hour. Special thanks to Wolf’s 1-11 for sponsoring our event, It was a perfect way to kick-off the MPI year!

• Education: Our first education event of the year took place in the Western New York Region. We were so excited to hold our first event of the year in the Western New York Region. It was a geat way to kick off our newly merged chapter! A big thank you to our Directors Lori Alstrom and Dana Pierce who spearheaded the event and thank you to Cheshire Audio Visual sharing their insights into “Today’s Event Technology.

• CMP Study Club: The Fall CMP Study Club began the week of Labor Day and will continue through the end of October. This is a free benefit to our members—if you haven’t signed up yet and are interested in participating, it’s not too late! Contact our CMP Chair Cindy Sullivan, CMP, cindy@lakeplacid.com. 

 Future Events

• Special Events: Our next Coffee and Connections will take place on December 14, 2018 at Tru by Hilton Albany Crossgates Mall. Be sure to stop by for a tour of the hotel and to meet other members!

• Education: The education team led by Carla Rosenbaum, CMP and Jennifer Kearney, CMP is hard at work putting together our signature Fall Focus event! This years' can't-miss event will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions, vendors, CMP information and a cocktail reception. There are also still partnership opportunities available—for more information contact our Director of Sponsorship Laura Vecchio, CMP, lvecchio16@gmail.com. 

We're also in the process of changing our chapter name. Thank you to the members who submitted their suggestions. We're looking forward to unveiling our new name at the Fall Focus on November 5th!

I’m looking forward to our upcoming events and to getting to know our members better. My goal is for you to get the most out of your MPI membership so I challenge you to get involved, volunteer, and try something new. We have such an amazing, diverse membership. You will get out of it what you put into it; put yourself out there! The connections you make and the education you receive will be well worth it.

Kristina

Kristina Catrambone, CMP

More than 30 MPI NENY members and non-members attended the August Cocktails & Connections event held at Wolf’s 1-11 Restaurant in Colonie.
The casual gathering of suppliers and planners took place in one of the three banquet spaces Wolf’s 1-11 now offers. The networking event was a success
as volunteers, committee members, board members, new members and prospective members engaged in conversations, mingled, socialized with
friends and made new ones. All while enjoying the delicious hors d'oeuvres provided by Wolf's 1-11. A few committees even took the opportunity to meet
to begin planning for the year. Be sure to sign up and join everyone at the next Cocktails & Connections event! Don't miss it!

Fall Focus Preview

Registration is now open for the 2018 Fall Focus and the hard-working MPI NENY Education Committee is planning a fun and informative agenda for this year's event, which will take place at The Gideon Putnam in Saratoga Springs, NY on November 5, 2018. The half-day education event will feature a dynamic keynote speaker, educational breakout sessions outlining current industry trends, and trade show to network with vendors.

The keynote speaker is Jan Horton Spence whose presentation is titled: Dare to Be Different- 3 Keys for Goal Setting.             

A member of the National Speakers Association, Jan combines the lessons she learned playing women's professional full-tackle football with her business experience to inspire people to make a difference through “Cheerleadership.” She is known for her highly interactive, entertaining, and inspirational style. Jan is an international speaker, trainer, and consultant.

With contagious charisma and a zest for life, this TEDx speaker has used her vast knowledge in sales, communications, finance, and employee engagement to help clients like Pillsbury, Walmart, and Frito Lay. Jan and her husband, Mitch, launched the second FiltaFry franchise in the US in 2003. They were awarded the “2005 Franchisee of the Year” by the International Franchise Association. They sold the business in 2007 at 300% ROI.

Jan serves on the boards of Meeting Professionals International – North Florida and Compass Finances God’s Way – Florida. She is active with the local Association of Talent Development chapter and the Beach Church in Jacksonville, Florida.  She and her husband of eighteen years enjoy traveling the world when not at home attending Jaguars football games and cultural events.

Register today!

Thanks to our sponsors:

           

Vren Banks, MPI NENY Communications Director, Promoted

Vren Banks was named Associate Director/LEAF Director for the New York State Council of School Superintendents. Vren has worked on LEAF programming for almost 13 years and is responsible for planning and arranging various professional development programs through LEAF, such as the Aspiring Superintendents Workshop; Institutes for Cabinet, New Superintendents, and early career Superintendents; Leadership for Student Achievement; the annual Cabinet Summit; Financial Leadership workshops and Women’s Initiative programs. She maintains the Superintendents Resource Bank and provides editorial support for the LEAF website and for the Councilgram newsletter. Recently, she has helped lead the partnership with the New York State Association for Women in Administration. Congratulations to Vren.

"Our Strength is YOU!" is a short-term new member acquisition challenge designed to increase new member recruitment and retention efforts across all chapters. 

Let the challenge begin!

Emily Cuda - Elissa Fornasiero - Melissa Schilling - Lorie Wasilawski - Tricia Brennan

Christina Marcello - Valerie Ozga - Alicia Fultz - Amanda Smith.