What are some of the things from this year that you think went really well in this department?
Where to start?! So many things went well this year, but I’ll try to keep my list brief. We had such a fantastic team working this year, our vendors and artists were thrilled to be back together and in the new venue, we had incredible donations in the Charity auction, our guests were happy, we had new industry guests that we haven’t had with us before, we had Consul General Uchiyama attend and speak at opening ceremonies, and WE SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED OUR FIRST JAPANESE ANIMATION STUDIO, FASHION BRAND AND VOICE ACTRESS!!
In my opinion, Kumoricon 2016 was one of our most successful and positive years for both the Relations department and Kumoricon in general.
What are some of the things from this year that you think need to be improved on in this department?
In all of the Relations sub-departments, I think preparations, implementations, and executions of plans needs to be improved upon the most.
Relations has a fantastic team behind us and I feel that they can handle just about anything if given enough preparation. One of the serious hick-ups we had this year was that tasks were left undone until the last minute that could and should have been worked on much earlier in the year. The tasks were then forced onto folks that either didn’t have time to prepare properly or were not given enough explanation for expectations or functions. This led to some miscommunications, disgruntledness, and unfortunately some goals not met.
What makes the Relations team so great is our ability to identify the errors and then adjust/adapt to make sure we don’t make an error or repeat errors.
What makes you think you're right for this position?
I feel that I’m the right person for this position because I have the technical and soft skills required to perform the functions of the department, I have the experience necessary for this department to be successful, and I have worked tirelessly to aid Kumoricon in acquiring the contacts and the reputation that made bringing our first animation studio and seiyuu (voice actress) to Kumoricon. More importantly though, I believe I am the right person to give the Relations team the support and guidance it needs to be the most successful department it can be.
A successful Director of Relations must be adept at problem solving, able to make critical observations, be adaptable, outstanding at teamwork and collaboration, and most importantly be able to communicate. Throughout my personal career, I have taken on leadership positions that have helped me develop these skills that are critical to the Relations department. I make a mean (or rather GORGEOUS) spreadsheet too. ^_~
For experience, I have worked for Kumoricon in the Guest Relations department for the last 4 years, gradually working my way through the other sub-departments when I have the free time to lend a hand. This has led to a very insightful perspective for me as I was able to look at the department with fresh eyes and point out issues or areas for improvement in addition to helping with whatever task was asked of me.
The successful acquisition of Studio TRIGGER and voice actress Neeko was a two year project and one that I am immensely proud of. A small community outreach event blossomed into a lasting relationship and an incredible opportunity for the convention. Being Director of Relations isn’t just about what you can get for the year you’re elected. It’s about setting up the department and the convention for all the amazing things we’ll be bringing in future years.
Are then any points that you can help improve in other departments if you're director if this one?
We’re all interconnected and reliant upon one another to do our jobs – if one cog in the Kumo-machine slows down, stops working, stops responding…, it causes malfunctions at the user end for our attendees, our guests, our panelists, our vendors and artists, and our staff.
I believe preparation plays a huge role in preventing those kinds of malfunctions. There is a lot of work myself and my team can do in advanced to ease the way of our fellow departments. We’re going to look at all facets of the Relations department, assess how each of those areas affect the other departments, and then put in order what we can so that the other departments aren’t waiting on us.
And because I have your attention, who isn't your favorite person?
Totter. Absolute. Worst. Person. Ever.
