Teresa Cirillo
Lyndhurst,NJ
Summary
Versatile meeting and event leader with extensive experience working in both agency and corporate environments, specializing in high-impact, large- scale events, high-touch C-suite experiences, and incentive programs. Known for combining creative vision with operational excellence, bringing a strategic, client-centric approach to delivering premium events. With expertise in managing complex logistics, vendor relations, and cross-functional teams, Ensuring seamless executions that drives business goals and delivers extraordinary, tailored experiences for high-value clients and for senior executives.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President of Event Operations
EMC Meeting and Events
09.2019 - 09.2024
- Guided internal teams and external vendors to execute events flawlessly, delivering within tight deadlines, under high-pressure conditions and within budget
- Fostered deep relationships with clients, often serving as the trusted point of contact and advisor, ensuring clear communication and alignment from concept to execution
- Collaborated with clients to develop and manage event budgets up to $10M, ensuring financial alignment with project goals and maximizing cost efficiency
- Continuously explored and implemented new technologies to enhance processes and drive efficiency
- Oversaw the annual review process using Paychex
- Held weekly meetings with the team to ensure alignment and progress and bi-weekly 1-1 meetings to provide personalized support and feedback
- Collaborated closely with leadership to ensure alignment on goals and strategy
- Built high-performance teams through effective recruitment practices focused on competency alignment coupled with ongoing performance management processes.
- Spearheaded organizational restructuring initiatives, streamlining operations and reducing overhead costs.
Director of Meetings & Events
EMC Meeting and Events
02.2014 - 09.2019
- Instrumental in growing the meeting department from 11 events in 2014 to 150 in 2019, playing a key role in transforming it from a sourcing agency into a full-service meeting agency Lead the development, managing, planning, logistics and execution of small to large-scale meetings, conferences, trade shows, virtual events, and CME events, and incentive events; from 15 to 6,000 attendees
- Lead the collaboration of teams and departments to plan, implement and execute events
- Excellent knowledge of planning meeting logistics
- From site selection, RFP’s, BEO’s, A/V, Exhibits decorators to reconciliation
- With budgets raging from $15,000 to $10M
- Developed and managed events budgets, vendor relations and contracting, housing and registrations
- Continuously explored and implemented new technologies to enhance processes and drive efficiency
Meeting Manager
Medco Health Solutions
03.2007 - 03.2013
- Managed C-suite sponsored events for a Fortune 25 company, by becoming a trusted advisor throughout the planning and execution process
- Provided strategic counsel and ensuring alignment with organizational goals to deliver impactful and successful events
- Successfully managed numerous meetings with tight timelines, ensuring efficient planning, budget oversight, and execution under pressure
- Contributed to a team that planned and executed a 1,000-person client event at Disney World annually
- Additionally, managed eight smaller pre-meetings for various client groups, ensuring tailored experience for each
- Created and managed the executive calendar, working closely with EA to ensure a seamless scheduling and coordination of meetings, and appearances during the event
Education
Certified Meeting Planner - Hospitality Management Program
Northeastern Academy
OrlandoSkills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 Suite
- Budget management
- Vendor negotiation
- Organizational skills
- Team Leadership
- Relationship Building
- Decision-Making
- Critical Thinking
- Strategic Planning
Accomplishments
- Successfully project managed a 2,000-person award-winning event in Miami, overseeing a team of event planners, audio visual and trade show partners, 14 hotels and the Miami Beach Convention Center. Delivering a seamless, high-impact experience.
- Managed and expanded 2 onsite teams focused on learning and development and new hire training, for 2 of our largest corporate clients.
- Built and led a team of skilled and versatile professionals, including meeting planners, sourcing managers, and registration specialists.
- Led a series of Premier events from 2016 to 2019, averaging 65 events per year across 65 unique locations in the US, while working directly with 38 different stakeholders.
- Developed workflows, established standard operating procedures (SOPs), and managed the event calendar to streamline event execution.
- Responsible for event design and execution process while navigating significant budget reductions, starting with a $6M budget in 2016 and adjusting to $2.9M by 2019. Maintained event quality and attendee experience by optimizing resources, negotiating vendor contracts, and implementing cost-saving strategies.
- Maintained a satisfaction rate of 89.68%
- Planned and executed high-level corporate incentive trips for top executives, organizing events in destinations such as Iceland, Morocco, Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean including cruises.
Educationcertifications
Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), Northeastern Academy, Hospitality Management Program
Languages
Italian
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Vice President of Event Operations
EMC Meeting and Events
09.2019 - 09.2024
Director of Meetings & Events
EMC Meeting and Events
02.2014 - 09.2019
Meeting Manager
Medco Health Solutions
03.2007 - 03.2013
Certified Meeting Planner - Hospitality Management Program
Northeastern Academy
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