PCMA Convene Podcast

For more than 25 years, a Philadelphia food bank has provided low-income residents a pathway to employment in food service. A new partnership with the Philadelphia CVB and Michelin seeks to elevate and expand career opportunities for those students while filling a need in the local hospitality sector.

Written and read by Jennifer N. Dienst, senior editor at Convene.

Read the Article: 

Filling a Hospitality Talent Gap While Giving Back: New Initiative Uplifts a Community: https://www.pcma.org/philabundance-kitchen-kickstart/

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

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Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Subscribe to our newsletters: pcma.org/subscribe-to-pcma-emails 

Contact Information: For anything podcast-related, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000+ qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

In this episode, we break down the biggest takeaways from Convene 4 Climate — from the growing hunger for collaboration to the need for clearer data, unified standards, and a mindset shift toward innovation‑driven sustainability. Joining the conversation are three leaders helping shape that future: Rachael Riggs, General Manager of Environmental Strategy at Maritz, known for her work in ESG strategy, carbon reporting, and wellbeing‑centered event design; Kit Lykketoft, Director of the Copenhagen Convention Bureau, whose career spans social innovation, city‑level transformation, and advancing sustainable, legacy‑driven events; and Tanya Popeau, PCMA’s Head of Global Sustainability, a former UN advisor with deep expertise in using innovation to drive systemic change. Together, they share what inspired them in Rotterdam — and what the business events industry needs next to translate ambition into meaningful climate action.

Mentioned Links:

Convene 4 Climate Report: https://convene4climate.org/c4c-report/

Sustainability Hub for Events (SHE): https://she.gevme.com/login

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Contact Information: For any questions, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000 qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

This season has been kindly sponsored by Louisville Tourism. Go to GoToLouisville.com/meet to learn more.

In this episode, Andrew Cooper, Executive Chef at La Quinta Resort & Club and Pyramid Global Hospitality’s 2025 Manager of the Year, shares how sustainability, storytelling, and creativity go hand in hand in a luxury kitchen. From transforming food waste with the Orca, to creating “Is This Really Vegan?” menus that surprise even meat lovers, Chef Andrew shows how sustainability can inspire—not limit—culinary innovation. He also explains how local sourcing, chef empowerment, and storytelling are helping La Quinta redefine what luxury dining means today. 

Links:

Chef Andrew Cooper Presenting the Orca: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-28HBGuDvP/

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Contact Information: For any questions, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000 qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

How a First Nations artist’s live carving sparked a four-day-long conversation at an International Academy of Trial Lawyers meeting.

Written and read by Barbara Palmer, deputy editor at Convene.

Read the Article: 

An Artist in Residence Inspired Deeper Connections at This Association’s Annual Meeting: https://www.pcma.org/artist-in-residence-inspired-deeper-connections/ 

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Subscribe to our newsletters: pcma.org/subscribe-to-pcma-emails 

Contact Information: For anything podcast-related, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000+ qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

Innovation expert Peter Baeck joins the Convene Podcast to unpack how collective intelligence, hybrid human–AI collaboration, and ambitious net zero goals can reshape business events. Discover how to move beyond basic sustainability, rebuild trust, and design events that become real catalysts for climate action and community impact. 

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Contact Information: For any questions, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000 qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

This season has been kindly sponsored by Louisville Tourism. Go to GoToLouisville.com/meet to learn more.

Food and beverage (F&B) remain the biggest line item in most event budgets — and the first place planners hope to cut. In this conversation Eating at a Meeting host Tracy Stuckrath joins us to unpack how to move beyond “cost per plate” and start measuring real F&B value. Tracy shares data-driven strategies to right-size orders, reduce food waste, and negotiate smarter with venues, while also designing inclusive menus that protect attendee safety and reduce legal risk as allergen-labeling regulations tighten. 

Links:

·       Eating at a Meeting Podcast: www.eatingatameeting.com

·       Episode with Tyra Warner -  Contracting Food and Beverage During a Pandemic: eatingatameeting.com/51-contracting-food-and-beverage-during-a-pandemic

·       Episodes with Ryan Gembala: eatingatameeting.com/guests/ryan-gembala

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Contact Information: For any questions, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000 qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

In keeping with its goal of having participants reimagine the traditional conference model, the inaugural The Conference for Conferences kicked off with an offbeat icebreaker.

Written and read by Barbara Palmer, deputy editor at Convene.

Read the Article: 

A Connection-Building Exercise That Draws Out Event Participants: https://www.pcma.org/how-to-create-connections-at-events/

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Subscribe to our newsletters: pcma.org/subscribe-to-pcma-emails 

Contact Information: For anything podcast-related, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000+ qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

In this episode of the Convene Podcast, we sit down with global leadership expert and CL26 mainstage moderator Holly Ransom to unpack the most powerful insights from Philadelphia—spanning Adam Grant’s “second score,” Trevor Noah’s reminder to ask “What’s the point?”, the accelerating impact of AI on business events, navigating geopolitical noise, and the essential role of empathy, curiosity, and intentional joy in leadership. Holly also shares personal stories, practical frameworks, and a challenge for everyone: stop being a “knower” and start being a “doer.”

Visit Holly Ransom’s website: https://hollyransom.com/ 

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Contact Information: For any questions, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000 qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

At The Conference for Conferences, participants explored what events rooted in participant experience and connection could look like.

Written and read by Barbara Palmer, deputy editor at Convene.

Read the Article: 

Fixing a Broken Conference Model: https://www.pcma.org/fixing-a-broken-conference-model/

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Subscribe to our newsletters: pcma.org/subscribe-to-pcma-emails 

Contact Information: For anything podcast-related, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000+ qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra

In this episode of the Convene Podcast, keynote speaker and self‑described “recovering type‑A overachiever” Erin Stafford talks about what sustainable success really looks like. Erin shares why the very traits that make high performers so successful — ambition, resilience, perfectionism — often take them straight into burnout. She explains how tiny micro shifts, not dramatic routines, help leaders and teams maintain energy in high‑pressure roles, especially in fast‑paced environments like event planning.

Erin Stafford’s Book:

The Type A Trap: https://erinstafford.com/book

Follow Convene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pcma-convene/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcmaconvene/ 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pcmaconvene 

Medium: https://medium.com/@convenemagazine 

X: https://x.com/pcmaconvene  

Contact Information: For any questions, reach out to Magdalina Atanassova, matanassova(at)pcma(dot)org.

Sponsorships and Partnerships: Reach 36,000 qualified meeting organizers with Convene, the multi-award-winning magazine for the business events industry. Contact our sales team: https://www.pcma.org/advertise-sponsorship/

Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra