GIGI SHEPPARD
- |-| https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigisheppard/
Visionary Event Architect with a results-driven approach and a deep commitment to client satisfaction. Proven success in
leadership, workflow optimization, and strategic planning, coupled with expertise in client relations, employee
engagement, and vendor management. Exceptional skills in planning and managing in-person, hybrid, and virtual events,
with a specialized focus on creating inclusive experiences for neurodivergent and differently-abled individuals.
Skills and Abilities
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Analytical & Evaluative Skills
Client Relationship Management
Communication & Marketing Design
Event Design
Event Production & Audio-Visual Management
Hybrid & Virtual Event Strategy
Inclusion & Accessibility Consulting
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Interpersonal & Communication Skills
Leadership & Team Management
Process Improvement
Project Management
Sponsorship & Exhibitor Management
Strategic Planning
Time Management
Software
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Accounting (Quickbooks)
AI ((Bing, Chat GPT, CoPilot, DALL-E, Midjourney)
Collaboration Tools (Asana, Basecamp, Lasso, Monday.com, Slack)
CRM (Hubspot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Zoho)
Event Management (Cvent, Whova)
File Sharing Tools (Citrix, Dropbox, Google Docs, OneDrive)
Graphic Design (Canva, Photoshop, Google Sketchup)
Office Suite (Microsoft Office, G Suite)
Project Management Tools (Asana, Hubspot, Monday.com, Smartsheet, Trello)
Virtual Event Platforms (6Connex, Pathable, Zoom Events)
Professional Experience
Freelance
EVENT ARCHITECT / CONFERENCE NAVIGATOR
2010 – PRESENT
● Client Relationship Management: Provide ongoing support to clients, ensuring their service objectives are met by
collaborating with internal and external teams. Facilitate the resolution of service issues and proactively conduct
account audits to identify potential risks and emerging trends.
● Conference and Platform Strategy: Collaborate with clients to select the most suitable virtual platform or physical
space for their conferences, ensuring a seamless and impactful event experience.
● Hybrid and Onsite Event Strategy: Partner with tradeshow and convention organizers to develop innovative onsite,
virtual, and hybrid event strategies that align with client goals and enhance attendee engagement.
● Project Management: Develop comprehensive project management templates and timelines, guiding the planning
and execution phases to ensure every detail is meticulously managed.
● Communication Design: Create and design templates for email marketing and communications, ensuring consistent
and effective messaging across all event-related communications.
● Liaison and Coordination: Act as the key liaison between clients, the audio-visual production team, and virtual
platform staff, ensuring smooth coordination and flawless execution of all technical aspects.
● Sponsorship and Exhibitor Management: Oversee the management of sponsors and exhibitors, providing support
to maximize their participation and impact at events.
● Team Leadership: Lead and manage a team of event managers, fostering a collaborative environment focused on
excellence in event delivery.
● Event Design: Specialize in crafting event designs that are visually stunning and logistically sound, enhancing the
overall attendee experience.
● Specialized Consulting: Provide expert consulting on events tailored for differently-abled and neurodivergent
individuals, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility at every stage of event planning and execution.
● Most recent events include: Amputee Coalition Annual Conference, LaSalle University Commencement and
Presidential Inauguration, Haitian Ladies Weekend
SAGE Virtual Staffing
2013 – PRESENT
CHIEF OF STAFF / SR. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
• Conceptualize strategic initiatives to propel the achievement of corporate goals, streamlined operations,
and maximized staff performance; directed human resources, performance management, budget
administration, and staff mentoring and leadership.
• Directs human resources, performance management, budget administration, staff mentoring and leadership.
• Realizing consistent improvements in organizational profitability, efficiency, and performance through
effective problem solving, organization, and interpersonal abilities.
• Maintains spreadsheets and CRM through data entry, data processing and using software applications to
create documents.
• Meets with employees monthly to ensure their continued success.
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Provides coaching, counseling, mentorship, and performance management.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• Collaborates with C-level executive clients to ensure their goals and objectives are executed with their staff,
contractors, and vendors.
• Deliver strategic innovation plan targets; identify incremental opportunities to accelerate growth.
• Conducts project meeting with team members to explain roles/responsibilities, relationships with other groups,
deliverables, timelines, assignments, and status reporting and assists with updating and revising plan, as
necessary.
• Ensure that projects are successfully launched; provide traditional project management functions; handle
requirements definition, scope, �meline, and budget monitoring.
• Identifies and works to remove barriers to successful completion of the overall project, with particular emphasis on
resolving issues with cross-module implications.
• Provided contract negotiations and created vendor relationships to save client $250k in renovations on office
building.
TRAVEL AGENT
World Travel Holdings, LLC
2016 – 2020
• Planned travel for corporate clients with online bookings for complex international and domestic travel
arrangements.
• Utilized extensive knowledge in the industry to uncover customer's needs, delivered top-quality service, and
responded to all client inquiries, requests, and concerns in a timely and professional manner.
• Sold over $1.5 million in revenue annually.
EVENT CONSULTANT / SALES MANAGER
PSAV / Swank Audio Visuals
2005 – 2015
• Established sales objectives by forecasting and developing annual sales quotas for regions and territories,
projecting expected sales volume and profit for existing and new products.
• Outperformed corporate sales and revenue goals through the development of aggressive and successful
business initiatives and effective sales team leadership, propelling drastic sales revenue increases
minimizing corporate expenses.
• Worked in Sheraton, Ritz Carlton, Marriot, and Loews Hotels.
• Sold over $3 million in revenue annually.
INDUSTRY RELATIONS MANAGER
The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
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2000 – 2005
Managed, planned, and supervised college’s non-credit courses and special events.
Created and managed Junior Chef Camps.
Coordinated food & wine tour to France, including travel itinerary, air, and hotel accommodations.
Developed relationships with internal and external customers with the intent to promote the college’s
business opportunities and growth.
Education
BS PSYCHOLOGY – ANTICIPATED
Florida Atlantic University
2025
ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
Delaware County Community College
2014
