Mentorship, Teaching & Learning Development
Shaping the next generation of event professionals
Wake Technical Community College · Special Events Planning & Production
The course
I served as the connective tissue for all speakers and teaching for the Special Events Planning & Production module at Wake Tech. As a primary point of contact, I made sure every instructor had created their presentations and headshots and was ready to submit them to the university — working directly with the associate professor so each team delivered and every presentation was well received.
The course is still running today and continues to have a meaningful impact on the events industry and the wider community.
What the module covers
- 10-week intensive on special events planning and production.
- Taught by expert event industry instructors with real-world experience.
- Hands-on curriculum covering design, logistics, vendor management, and client experience.
- Prepares students to enter the events workforce with practical, portfolio-ready skills.
My role in the classroom
- Coordinate speakers, presentations, and submission deadlines.
- Ensure every instructor's headshots and materials meet university standards.
- Partner with the associate professor to maintain course quality and consistency.
- Act as a bridge between working event professionals and emerging talent.
Community leadership
I served as team lead for BASF’s food bank initiative, an effort that brought up to 1,000 people on site for a large-scale food bank drive. Over several years with the company, I helped coordinate the logistics, volunteer flow, and on-site experience so that every participant could contribute safely and efficiently — turning a single-day event into a sustained, high-impact community program.
Personal philanthropy
Outside of my professional work, I have supported a number of charitable organizations and philanthropic causes as an angel investor. I am drawn to initiatives that create meaningful, lasting change and use the same strategic lens I bring to events — clear objectives, thoughtful execution, and measurable impact — to help mission-driven ventures grow.
Playbook and Events Stack
I have created and written the playbook, best-practice guides, standard operating procedures, and end-to-end processes for four global companies — and built out the event stacks that power their programs. This work spans strategy templates, vendor onboarding, run-of-show frameworks, budget governance, and technology architecture so teams can execute consistently at scale.
Department build
I helped build a new Creative & Technical Services department alongside the senior leadership team, bringing 2D and 3D design, video capture, editing, content creation, and full studio production capability in house. I hired and onboarded a Technical Director and a Director of Photography — both new roles for the company — and scaled delivery by keeping creative and technical work internal rather than outsourcing. The department quickly delivered high-impact projects across marketing, communications, and events, and extended its reach into internal communications, tutorials, and on-demand content.
Technology partners
I work across a broad event-technology ecosystem, including:
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Airtable
- Allseated
- Asana
- Bizzabo
- Canva
- ChatGPT
- Claude AI
- Eventbrite
- Figma
- Gemini
- HubSpot
- Lovable
- Mentimeter
- Mento
- Microsoft Teams
- monday.com
- ON24
- Pathable
- Salesforce
- Slack
- Slido
- Smartsheet
- Social Tables
- Splash
- Swoogo
- Vimeo
- Wrike
Impact
“Helping students see what is possible in this industry — and giving them the tools to step into it confidently — is one of the most rewarding parts of my career.”
The program has introduced new talent to the events community and strengthened the pipeline of skilled planners, producers, and creatives across the region.
Get in touch
For speaking, consulting, mentorship, or event leadership opportunities, please reach out directly.
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Ciara J. Connolly — Events & Field Marketing