Patti Spaniola has a deeply rooted passion for hospitality and a diverse range of experience in the field. Her career began in a restaurant learning the fine details of superior customer service. Next, she moved to a conference resort working at the front desk (the heart of all hotels). From the front desk, she worked as a wedding planner, conference coordinator and sales professional. After a full career at the conference resort, she transitioned into an event planner for one organization. Instead of participants coming to the her location, she traveled with the conference and experienced a new perspective. 

Patti began her career at the University of West Florida in 2008 as a part-time meeting planner in Continuing Education. As time progressed, she assumed the duties of Director of Continuing Education in addition to her event planning responsibilities. As UWF prepares to host the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in 2022, Patti was promoted to the newly created position of Director of Conferences & Events in January 2020 to focus efforts on this campus-wide endeavor. The timing was perfect as soon after came COVID-19 which upended the hospitality industry while offering the opportunity to explore virtual events and online event design facilitation.  

As the Director of Conferences & Events, Patti Spaniola offers event design, brainstorming and collaboration workshops, Best Practices for Planning Virtual Events and Event Basics classes, plus logistical planning services for conferences and events. All services are offered virtually.   This new perspective made a big impact and jump-started her journey to design and organize meaningful experiences for every participant.

Event Design

How does your event create value?

Do you know the stakeholders you should be planning for?

What is your stakeholders' desired behavior change by attending your event?

How will your event facilitate that change?

If your desire is to host meaningful events that are specifically designed to create behavior change for your stakeholders, then the Event Design workshop is for you.

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Testimonials:

"The annual event we had was always missing something, and I always dreaded planning it. We would try different things but nothing seemed to make it feel right nor create the sense of excitement that was needed. During the meeting design process I reveled in the creativity and the plethora of ideas that were pouring out from my coworkers and design team members. Once all of the elements had come to fruition, I was elated! The event was a huge success and I can't wait to plan another one!" -Rhonda Robinson, Director of Leisure Learning, University of West Florida

"Using the #EventCanvas methodology was amazing, inspiring, engaging, and made my brain hurt from being forced to think in a different way. It was a pleasant way for us to think differently and ask ourselves: Who are the stakeholders? What do they want? How can we give it to them? We literally put pen to 18 gazillion sticky notes to create a plan. It was transformative to me." -Dr. TinaMarie Coolidge, Drexel University

"The way this event design methodology forced us to stay focused was exhilarating and exhausting! Patti was a taskmaster who politely kept us on track in prioritizing our tasks. Our most productive discussion was about stakeholders and determining who we should plan for. In the end, the team came to a consensus and created a unified prototype that valued all stakeholders." -Dr. Marc Wilson, Southern New Hampshire University

"Having reflected on yesterday evening, I think the event was a huge success, not by accident but by design. I am proud to stand behind this group as we ratchet-up towards the conference." -Dr. Josaphat Uvah, University of West Florida

Most Valuable Takeaways:

"My most valuable takeaway was the idea of the time keeper to keep us on track. It kept us going and efficient. I also like the idea dump, I thought it was great for us all to throw out ideas no matter how big or small."

"Look at what you are wanting your key stakeholders to take away from the event and plan the event with this in mind."

"That event planning can be fun, easy and organized and this method just makes laying everything out so easy!"

"By taking the time in advance and getting everyone's thoughts, we have come up with our event plan and being on the "same page" will make for an amazing event."

"We finally approached the event with building an agenda that really involved active diversity and inclusive events."

"The actual events that would create the change from the entering behaviors to the exiting behaviors. It made us really have to think of what behavior we wanted to be changed and what it would take to change that behavior."

"It really helped me think through the event looking at it through the lens of identified stakeholders."

"It was helpful to consider the entering behavior and exit behavior, and with those components in mind, think of the event as a space where a change in behavior/attitudes should occur. Thinking about it in this way made it easier to narrow down on what the event should/should not entail."

"Identifying all of the feels/experiences of individual attendees"

"The whole experience was valuable. It provided us with a great platform (and dedicated time) to develop a plan for our upcoming virtual career fair. Your guidance and considerations were extremely helpful in this process."

"Having all of our internal stakeholders' opinions."

Clients:

University of West Florida

• Career Development & Community Engagement, All Majors Career & Internship Fair, June/July 2020
• Office of the Provost/Office of Undergraduate Research, NCUR Steering Committee, February 2020
• Usha Kundu, MD College of Health/College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, Staff Bash, January 2020
• Development, Endowed Scholarship Luncheon, January 2020
• Department of Movement & Exercise Science, Strengthsfinders Workshop, November 2019
• Certificate in Event Planning Leadership Team, Graduation Ceremony, June/July 2019
• Continuing Education, Equipped Leadership Workshop, May 2019
• Center for Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Center for Academic Excellence Executive Leadership Forum, March 2019
• Office of Undergraduate Research/Usha Kundu, MD College of Health/College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, NCUR 2019 Student Prep Workshop, February/March 2019
• Continuing Education, Leisure Learning Ice Cream Social, February 2019

Association for Continuing Higher Education

• 2020 Annual Conference Pivot to Virtual, March 2020
• 2020 Annual Conference, March 2020
• 2019 Annual Conference, April 2019

Event Design in Action

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