Juanita Chavarro Arias

Even though mentor Sofia Figueroa is based in Miami and mentee Felicia Kelly is based in Durham, NC, the distance didn’t stop this pair from forming a strong relationship rooted in curiosity, determination and an openness to learn from one another, particularly because both come from different sides of the event industry.

For Anna Nicholson, it’s a full-circle moment to be participating in the Experiential in Color Mentorship Program. In 2021, she was recognized in Experiential in Color’s first class of rising-star honorees. Four years later, Nicholson is now an event manager at Yahoo and is giving back to the industry, mentoring Melencia Lattimore, meeting coordinator at A-Plus Meetings & Incentives. Lattimore never had a mentor before, but the opportunity to join the mentorship program felt right, as she was preparing to graduate with her master’s from the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. She was looking for support from an experienced mentor to make industry connections and reaffirm that events was the career path she wanted to follow, and Nicholson was the perfect match.

Back for a third year, the Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix took over the Strip for a 3.8-mile night race that passed by all of the city’s iconic landmarks, Nov. 20-22. The Sphere was once again integrated into the spectacle, with larger-than-life video imagery of the drivers and sponsors illuminated on its surface […]

Since the inception of our Experiential in Color recognition program in 2021, created to shine a spotlight on and help support a pipeline of verse talent and leadership in events, mentorship has consistently risen top as a key driver of new and meaningful opportunities for rising stars in the industry.

When the global attractions industry gathers under one roof at IAAPA Expo, it’s a bit of sensory overload. Flashing lights and sounds are emerging from arcade games, attendees are screaming on roller coasters and drop towers, popcorn is popping, animatronics are speaking to passersby, and kids are bouncing on inflatables. But that’s what makes this […]