Hey there,
Thank you for your questions.
What are some of the things from this year that you think went really well in this department?
We worked really well with the event managers at the Oregon Convention Center and learned a lot about our new space, as well as the hotels we worked with this year.
Everything with Travel Portland went very well this year, and can be tweaked to fit our needs even better for 2017.
Having only had four months in our positions, I feel like my opponent (current Director of Infrastructure, John Krall) and I made the most of what we had - it was a great learning experience for everyone involved. There was a lot learned that can be implemented for the next year's convention. Over the last month, and especially the last week, there has been a lot of feedback that can be put towards 2017. I feel it is very important that progress isn't just intra-departmental but also interdepartmental if we want to work the best together.
Our facilities liaison, Leon Lewis, was fantastic. He was also stationed in Operations Office near Dispatch so he could cover or relay Infrastructure related information from different channels/sources quickly and efficiently. He also used that as a way of putting out small fires quickly when it didn't have to go up the chain of command at all. I think that always keeping at least one facilities liaison in that area helps with very minor things being taken care of in a very timely manner without the director or assistant director having to do it themselves every time. I would like to keep having someone from Infrastructure in the Dispatch area regardless of future radio channel or office changes.
What are some of the things from this year that you think need to be improved on in this department?
There is always room for improvement in any department, especially at a new venue. Being a newer department, there is also still a lot of a learning curve. More staff is a priority. Facilities liaisons are very useful and we need more than one helping us. Having a Infrastructure radio channel will help us be reached in a more expedient manner. I would like one staff member from our department to be near Dispatch as I previously mentioned, but I would also like the rest of Infrastructure to be separate so that if you need to reach us or the OCC there is a more clear way to do so. Radio etiquette is a part of this to me as well, I want anyone in our department going forward to be trained in proper radio etiquette - though I feel like that is something that everyone prioritizes luckily.
Being more thorough with the floor plans and finding a way to be more efficient with room changes is something that is important to me for coming years. I think that working on them earlier and having a hard deadline for them earlier, while also keeping all appropriate parties in the loop during negotiations will be helpful not just to Infrastructure but to the convention as a whole. While also making sure than in any maps or images that everything is color coordinated properly and that the legend is accurate for easy interpretation by all parties as to exactly what is wanted for any space.
Reevaluating which keys we need, how many copies of those keys, who they do to, etc...
John Krall and I, both, would also like to at some point to have an Infrastructure office that we can use at con for a list of reasons I have been compiling, which can be elaborated on further if desired.
Quicker response times to emails is a high priority. Making sure that if one person in the department isn't able to answer emails, than anyone else with access to the alias has the knowledge or access to the knowledge needed in a timely manner.
What makes you think you're right for this position?
John Krall and I have many of the same skills, opinions, some relevant experience in common, and I feel will have very similar platforms this election. I am very happy to have worked with him this year during the part of the year we worked together and found being his assistant a very valuable experience. I like him very much. I very much appreciate being chosen to do what I did this year. We gave it our all, did what we could, and in that process learned about each other and our strengths I think. I believe that being good for a role like this is simple. You need to know your own strengths as well as the strengths of all of those on your team. Everyone has different strengths, experiences, and knowledge. If I am put in this position, I will endeavor to have a skilled and knowledgeable team who will give it their all like we did this year.
I believe that I could really shine in this role at the convention. It’s not just my background doing leadership roles for conventions — or my people skills, which have helped me develop great relationships with contractors, vendors, and senior staff members alike. But I’m also passionate about this industry and I’m driven to deliver high-quality work for our convention that we all love. I have worked with legal documents before, various hotels and other venues around town for different events, and have been a director for other conventions as just some of my experience I feel contributes to my fit in this department. I also have held management roles for companies, both local and national. Confidence, both in those working with me as well as in myself to get the job done to the best of my ability. Transparency in my actions. I want anyone else on the board - as well as any staff of mine - to be 100% with me; thus, I will always be 100% with them.
These are some things you can expect from me:
- Patience for those around me and underneath me.
- Passion for what we do and what we are.
- A positive, and personable, attitude regardless of the situation.
- Persistence.
- Honest transparency in my work.
- Dedication to each task put before me.
I very much look forward to this opportunity to run in these elections and to a friendly competition against another incredibly qualified candidate, who is/was a fantastic boss to me this year.
Are then any points that you can help improve in other departments if you're director if this one?
I think that part of Infrastructure's department as a concept is making sure that things go smoothly for the whole convention, to the best of our ability. That means every department and outwardly the attendees - but that is more indirectly, of course. Making sure that every department has their space needs met in any way that we can. That each room works for its needs. That doors get locked and unlocked when they are suppose to at any available hour. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. The only improvements I would like to make in other departments, if I'm director of this one, would be having as open communication as possible as to what needs are met by Infrastructure for them and how to best get those done throughout the year.
And because I have your attention, who isn't your favorite person?
This is the only question that I am not positive how to answer. At the convention? Historically? In general?
Because they are all very different answers... Benito Mussolini, Stephenie Meyer... Could you be more specific please?
Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to future questions.
