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About Debbie Huff
I’m a senior conference and meeting planner based in Topeka, Kansas. For the past decade my work has lived inside veterinary and pet-industry conferences and events, lately with Purina and before that with Hill’s Pet Nutrition, where most days touched room blocks, registration, exhibit booths, opening ceremonies, sponsored education sessions, meetings rooms, or the logistics that keep all three moving. I orchestrate large-scale conferences for national and global organizations.
National shows like VMX, WVC, Global Pet Expo, and SuperZoo are the backbone of what I do; ACVIM and AVMA specialty conferences sit alongside regional meetings when the calendar turns that way. Same planner whether it’s a 30×50 island or a breakout room list. Just different scales.
Professional Summary
Seasoned event management professional with over 10 years of experience in orchestrating large-scale conferences and corporate events. Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration. Adept at delivering exceptional event experiences that drive brand recognition and business growth.
Professional Experience
- 10+ years conference leadership
- 30 conferences managed
- 250 to 27,000 attendees
- Award-winning programs
Senior Veterinary Department Coordinator
Managed meeting space execution including registration, badges, securing AV, electrical and catering requirements.
Senior Veterinary Conference Planner
Core responsibilities
- Scale: Managed 30 conferences, ranging from 250 to 27,000 attendees, resulting in a 15% increase in attendee participation over five years (national programs including VMX, WVC, Global Pet Expo, SuperZoo; specialty forums including ACVIM and AVMA; regional programs including VET and Fetch).
- Cost control: Implemented cost-saving measures that reduced event expenses by 7% annually without compromising quality.
- Engagement: Led cross-functional teams in developing educational marketing strategies, enhancing attendee engagement by 20%.
- Alignment: Collaboration across Marketing, Sales, and third-party vendors ensuring cohesive messaging and branding across event platforms.
- Systems: Proficient in event management platforms (Cvent and Passkey), enhancing registration efficiency and data accuracy.
- Virtual: Skilled in virtual booth creation and interactive design, contributing to a 25% increase in virtual event participation.
- Scope: Conference team responsibility for strategy development, educational experiences, sponsored education, VIP events, meeting space and exhibit hall booths, including signage, sponsorship placements, entertainment, and VIP / thought-leader hospitality.
Key achievements
- Nine years as a highly organized Senior Conference Manager with a proven record of innovative, successful meetings and sponsored events.
- Educational marketing strategies that deliver a comprehensive Hill's educational experience for attendees.
- Led conference initiatives ensuring cohesive, enriching attendee education.
- Thought-leader speaker management and collaboration with Marketing, Procurement, Vet Affairs, and Accounting.
- Virtual booth interactive design: contributor and implementer; content and design leadership for Hill's Transforming Lives app for virtual conferences.
- Managed initiatives effectively in hybrid remote arrangements with strong communication across onsite and remote teammates.
Prior Professional Experience
Conference Planner Assistant
Supported senior conference planner with room blocks, badges, transportation, giveaways, meeting space, speakers, AV, and budgeting.
Office Manager
Communications, marketing, payroll, accounting, HR, fixed asset management, insurance, job costing, workers' compensation, and audits.
Co-Owner
Startup ownership spanning communications, marketing, payroll, accounting, HR, insurance, manufacturing ordering and inventory; awarded a KDOC Value-Added Loan.
Project Manager: Core Conversion for Y2K
Led multi-million-dollar JD Edwards implementation on time and on budget; KPI tracking; training and national sales conventions.
Brand Coordinator
Communications Administrator
Key Competencies
Strategic planning & vision; project management & organization; budgets & financial management; venue selection & logistics; stakeholder & vendor management; marketing & audience engagement; risk management & contingency planning; technology & innovation; communications & negotiations; post-event evaluation.
Conference & event planning: booth creation and execution, room blocks, process development, problem solving, creativity, leadership, and hospitality relations.
Software: Microsoft Teams & Office, Google Suite, SAP, virtual booth creation, web registration, Cvent, Passkey.
Awards
- Chairman's You Can Make a Difference: Outstanding Conference Execution, Colgate-Palmolive, 2017
- Impactful Storytelling Award, AVMA, 2023
- Vetty Award: Hill's Veterinary Academy, NAVC, 2022
- 22nd Annual Sizzle Award: Integrated Trade Show Exhibit Marketing Campaign, EXHIBITOR Magazine, 2019
- Association of National Advertisers B2 Award: Excellence in Integrated Trade Show Marketing, EXHIBITOR Magazine, 2019
- Most Interactive/Innovative Booth Award, AVMA, 2017
Education
- MBA, Marketing, Washburn University, 1994
- BA, Communications / Public Relations, Washburn University, 1988