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Shameka Allen-Lane (she/her) is the Principal Event Scientist of Catalyst Event Coaching, which offers coaching, training, and event management services to nonprofits and small businesses. Shameka modeled her business after her love of two things—chemistry and event management. She has cleverly infused a scientific theme throughout her offerings, including a framework for event management training inspired by the periodic table. She’s also an Adjunct Professor teaching hospitality and event management courses at Albany Technical College and Washington State University. Shameka holds two professional certifications; Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Digital Event Strategist (DES), a Masters in Hospitality Management from the University of Central Florida, and dual bachelor’s degrees in Business Management and Chemistry with a Mathematics Minor from Albany State University
Discussed this episode:
Shameka’s relationship with feminism
How events have historically fallen short of being inclusive
Evolving interest in DEI in the event-planning space
Political decisions and their effects on events
The benefits of hosting inclusive events
Examples of accommodations to consider
Managing disappointment when you can’t accommodate everyone
Common barriers to planning inclusive events
How to gather information about your attendees and their needs
Shemka’s five-part framework for planning an inclusive event
The importance of communication during the planning process
Getting everyone involved in the event on the same page about values
How events can miss the mark when it comes to inclusion
Special accessibility and inclusion considerations for online events
How to fight for inclusion as an event attendee
Shemka’s vision for the events industry
Resources mentioned:
Learn more about accountability coaching with host Becky Mollenkamp at https://beckymollenkamp.com
