The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Meeting Professionals Association has announced its first educational event scheduled for November 2 at the Park Central San Francisco Hotel. The workshops and panel discussion will be hosted in conjunction with the Community Marketing & Insights 18th Conference on LGBT Tourism & Hospitality, which runs from November 1−3.
Planned sessions include online marketing tips and techniques for meeting planners, planning LGBT-friendly events, and why inclusion is important. There will also be a panel discussion on navigating “bathroom bills” and other legislation that affects the LGBT community in your meeting location.
Matthew Skallerud, president of Pink Banana Media and an LGBT MPA advisory board member, is hosting a session on meeting planning and social media. He says, “We help clients figure out where their target audience is, and in this case, LinkedIn and Twitter can be powerful tools for LGBT meeting planning professionals.” Skallerud notes that some industry organizations have held informal networking events for the LGBT community in the past, for example LGBT MPA held a networking reception on January 10 at this year’s Professional Convention Management Association Convening Leaders event in Austin, Texas. But, he says, “Now we have true networking and education opportunities specifically focused on the meeting world. I’m looking forward to going to San Francisco to meet new folks in the LGBT planning space that the association and conference are bringing together.”
Executive Director David Jefferys said, “Our industry is growing and so are the business opportunities for leadership at all professional levels to impact diversity, innovation, and inclusivity.”
Registration for the one-day LGBT MPA event or the three-day CMI conference is open, and sponsorship opportunities for the event are available.
The Philadelphia-based LGBT MPA was launched last year with the goal of providing a business network for the LGBT community to connect with the global marketplace.
