Today, on the blog we continue our Staff Spotlight series to help you get to know the people who help make your event a success! This week’s installment features an interview with Katie Hawkes, our Manager of Event Operations for The Lawn On D Powered by Citizens Bank.
Katie, what exactly do you do in your job role?
As the Manager of Event Operations, I oversee The Lawn On D’s public programming and manage the operations for The Lawn. I coordinate all of the logistics of MCCA/Signature Boston services and planning for all public programming, as well as manage the Food & Beverage contract and act as the day-to-day point of contact for their operations onsite. In addition, I manage sponsorship contracts and fulfillment, like the Citizens Bank contract and our public programming consultants.
On the private event side, I am a resource for the Sales and Event Services teams. I create and update the planning tools needed for events and help the teams with any unique event questions they encounter during the sales and planning process.
What does a typical day look like when a show that you are involved with is on the Lawn?
When I am coordinating an event at The Lawn On D, my day typically starts early, making sure all the event elements and vendors get set. Making sure the space show ready for opening is the most important part of the day. Once the event kicks off, I keep in constant contact with the F&B team and client to ensure everything runs smoothly and work through any issues that may arise. Post-event, I coordinate the move-out and make sure the space is returned to the way it was before the event.
What about when you are not involved in specific a show happening?
Planning… always planning and preparing for the next event. You can never be too far ahead of an event public or private. My days never seem to turn out as I expect, but that is what I love about my job. At any point I could be asked to help an Event Manager with an event outside or jump on a site visit to introduce a client to The Lawn.
How long have you worked for the MCCA/Signature Boston?
I started as an intern in college and have been with the MCCA for 10 years.
Is there a favorite event that you have worked on? Or moment of an event? Why?
I have had a lot of great events out on The Lawn On D, so to pick one is hard. The private event that I think stands out the most was the Education First event held in 2016. They set up an American Ninja Warrior competition. Being the Operations Manager, I worked closely on the event and was involved in the sales process to make sure we could make it work in the space. It was one of the most unique events I have seen at The Lawn On D.
My favorite public event was Kids Really Rock. This is a one-day family music and arts festival, with music performances and activities all day long and The Lawn On D is always fully engaged. The organizer is a star and her event is a gift to the community. As an event professional this gives you a feeling of pride at the end of the event because you got to be a part of something truly great.
What do you enjoy most about working in the events industry?
I love working in the events industry because every event is different. One day you can be planning a concert for 4,000 people, and the next you work on a gala for 250. You get to work with different types of people, but they all have one similarity: they are all working to create event experiences that people will remember.
If you had to give meeting planners one piece of advice, what would it be and why?
Use you event manager’s knowledge. Every venue has one and they know what works and what doesn’t in their space. They have seen all types of events held in the venue and you should use their expertise to make your event successful. Thinking specifically of The Lawn On D, you really need to think outside of the box. Trends are great, but in the world of public programming, a real placemaking event is what puts you on the map. Those are the events that draw in the surrounding community and find inspiration is what community’s assets are, they bring people together in a positive way. The Lawn On D was built to support those placemaking events because it is a flexible event space that can be a canvas for great events.
Check out the first article in our Staff Spotlight series featuring Joclynne Bynoe, Event Services Manager named a 2016 Supplier of the Year by Smart Meetings.