CHICAGO, IL — Sherrif Karamat, CAE, PCMA and CEMA President and CEO today announced he has received the 2025 Board of Directors and Trustees Slate from Immediate Past Chair and Nominating Committee Chair, Desirée Knight, CAE, CMP, DES.
The PCMA Board includes Directors and Trustees for PCMA and the PCMA Foundation. Board members represent a globally diverse community who support the association’s mission to drive global economic and social transformation through business events.
Karamat is honored to recognize one of the most globally diverse Boards in PCMA’s history, including representation from the CEMA Advisory Board.
“PCMA is the platform for the global business events community,” said Karamat. “The proposed Board slate embodies diversity of thought and range of experience essential to our work to lead significant and positive change throughout the world.”
The following leaders will begin serving a one-year Executive Officer term (2025):
Chair: Neil Brownlee, Head of Business Events, VisitScotland
Chair-Elect: Kelly Ricker, Chief Learning Officer, American Academy of Neurology
Immediate Past Chair: Leonard Hoops, President and CEO, Visit Indy
Upon PCMA membership approval, the following leader will begin serving a one-year Executive Officer term (2025):
Secretary-Treasurer: Robin Preston, CEM, DES, Managing Director, Events, The American Institute of Architects
The incoming CEMA Advisory Board Chair will begin serving a one-year Director and Trustee term (2025):
Gary Murakami, GTP, GLP, CMP Fellow, CMM, DES, Vice President of Global Sales and Industry Relations, Teneo Hospitality Group
Upon PCMA membership approval, the following leaders will begin serving a two-year Director and Trustee term (2025–2026):
Ari Goldsmith, Vice President of Marketing and Digital Media, KeHe Distributors
Dr. Edward Koh, Executive Director, Singapore Tourism Board
Ori Lahav, CEO, Kenes Group
Walt Leger III, President and CEO, New Orleans & Company
Heather Seasholtz, CMP Fellow, DES, Vice President, Operations, CM Event Solutions
Upon PCMA membership approval, the following leaders will begin serving a second two-year Director and Trustee term (2025–2026):
Gregg Caren, President and CEO, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
Dr. Amanda Cecil, PhD, CMP, Professor, Department of Tourism, Event and Sport Management, Indiana University
Brian Landers, CDS, Senior Vice President / Team Director, ConferenceDirect
Stephen Rose, Head of Global Communication Services, Siemens AG
The following leaders are serving the final year of a two-year Director and Trustee term (2024–2025):
Deborah Caldwell, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Head of Global Events, Bank of America
Patrick Espinoza, MBA, CMP, Director of Sales, Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
Fernando Fondevila, MBA
Gladys O’Mahony, Vice President, Global Sales Organization, Caribbean and Latin America, Marriott International
Peter O’Neil, FASAE, CAE, Principal, Perspective POV, LLC
Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, President and CEO, San Diego Convention Center Corporation
Panos Tzivanidis, Director, Corporate Events & Services, International Olympic Committee
In addition, the President and CEO of PCMA and CEMA serves as a Director and Trustee:
Sherrif Karamat, CAE, President and CEO, PCMA and CEMA
The Slate will be deemed confirmed by PCMA members at close of business 1 October 2024 @ 1700 hours Chicago time.
Directors and Trustees will assume office immediately following PCMA’s Convening Leaders annual meeting 12-15 January 2025, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.
# # #
For media queries from the Americas, APAC, EMEA, and requests for interviews with Sherrif Karamat, please contact: Meghan Risch, PCMA Chief of Staff, Vice President, Corporate Communications
About PCMA
PCMA, PCMA Foundation and CEMA educate, inspire, and listen, creating meaningful experiences where passion, purpose and commerce come together. We are the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, providing senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry. Our mission is to drive social and economic progress through business events. Headquartered in Chicago, IL PCMA has 17 North American Chapters, regional communities in APAC, EMEA and LATAM, and members in 59 countries. The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), a PCMA subsidiary, advances strategic event marketing and marketing communications for senior-level event marketers and industry professionals. Visit us at pcma.org.
About PCMA Foundation
The role of the Foundation of PCMA is to support the mission of PCMA through fundraising and grant-giving focused on scholarships, education and research that will advance the business events industry. Annually the Foundation funds over $900K in impact, and since 1985 has funded over 2,500 scholarships, 100 research studies and education programs, and $2.7M in charitable giving.
