Young Professional Achievement: Evan Nielson, CMP
This award recognizes an individual 35 years of age or younger with a minimum of one-year professional experience in the meeting and event industry who has made outstanding contributions to MPI and/or the meeting and event industry.
Evan joined MPI as a student after a chance encounter in 2016 led to attending a Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) event that year. He immediately became a member of multiple committees to see how the MPI Potomac Chapter worked.
He took on his first chapter leadership position as Networking Events chair during the 2019-2020 term, where he helped organize the chapter’s first Trivia Night, which has since become one of their signature events and a significant revenue driver. Shortly after obtaining his CMP in 2019, Evan volunteered as a facilitator for the chapter’s CMP prep courses.
His first role on the board was director of Certifications & Career Development. His team created new course concepts that are still used today. He subsequently assumed the role of director of Member Engagement and Community Outreach, spearheading the launch of new events and programs.
He was tapped to serve as director of Member Recruitment & Retention for the 2022-2023 term, creating the Member Lifecycle Roster tool which is still used today. He shifted to the VP of Membership, leading to a 12% net member growth and a 74% retention rate.
Evan serves as VP of Finance and was recently named MPI Potomac Chapter’s first Regional Council representative and was named Chapter Leader of the Year in 2023.
Outside of MPI, Evan works on the AARP Event Services Team. He’s passionate about strategically using event tech to deliver exceptional, inclusive experiences. He holds two degrees from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.: a Masters of Tourism Administration with a concentration in Event and Meeting Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Communication.
Member of the Year: Jenny Dao
This award is given to an exceptional MPI member who through volunteer efforts has made outstanding grassroots contributions and demonstrated unparalleled commitment to the advancement of a chapter, club, community or region.
Jenny’s journey as an MPI member has been marked by a commitment to fostering inclusivity, innovation and leaving a legacy rooted in diversity, equity and inclusion. Through various leadership roles and initiatives, the work she has accomplished specific to her chapter and region has helped to create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
In 2022 and 2023, she was an education event designer and speaker at the regional Canadian conference, the EVENT, where her involvement allowed her to emphasize diverse perspectives, promote discussions on critical issues and foster inclusivity in the MPI community. Since 2022, she has served the MPI Ottawa Chapter as chair and co-chair of its annual MPI Prix Prestige Awards event, for which she integrated Indigenous protocols and helped to celebrate diverse voices within the awards framework.
For the last five years, she has also served on the MPI Foundation Canada Council, a role that provided a platform to implement strategies and advocacy that have directly influenced her chapter’s approach to fundraising and community engagement.
Through her work at Discover Saskatoon, Jenny has been instrumental in embedding indigenous protocols and recognition into event design, paving the way for truth and reconciliation in her community and the industry.
The impact of Jenny’s efforts on her chapter include greater event attendance and satisfaction rates when Indigenous practices and rituals were incorporated, a 25% increase in membership from diverse backgrounds and a 20% reduction in marketing costs when collaborating with local artists.
Meeting Industry Leadership: Steven Foster, CMP
This award honors those rare individuals who by visionary hard work and creative insight have positively changed the global meeting and event industry. It recognizes sustained commitment and substantial contributions to the meeting and event community.
Steven G. Foster, CMP, managing partner of Foster+Fathom, first volunteered at MPI in 1994 and has been a member for 33 years. In 1999, he served as MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter president and subsequently served on multiple MPI global volunteer committees, including the Facilitator and Chapter Training Committee (he’s the longest-serving MPI chapter facilitator, having done that for 20 years).
As a chapter leader, Steven helped to establish an endowment with the Dallas County Community College Foundation to create the Travel, Exhibition and Meeting Management Program at Richland College (now Dallas College)—one of the first in the nation. Long before GMID, he was also chair of the Texas Meetings Industry Legislative Action Day.
More recently, he helped develop a cash analysis tool during the pandemic which many U.S. chapters still use to better understand fiscal management and strategize use of financial reserves, as well as strengthen community engagement with meaningful volunteer development opportunities, and assisted in creating cross-chapter partnerships through sharing of best practices.
Since 2020, Foster+Fathom and its partner Grit Productions & Expositions have been the Signature Sponsor & Event Production Host for MPI’s GMID broadcast. Since 2021, his company has partnered with MPI’s Chapter Operations to produce and broadcast the two-day Chapter Business Summit (now the Chapter Leadership Summit).
He also co-founded 2 Guys Doing Good, a nationwide initiative facilitating “team-giving activations” that help businesses connect with local non-profit organizations to impact communities through meaningful acts of service.
Steven is a member of the MPI Community of Honorees, named one of MPI’s 50 Most Influential Members and is chair of MPI’s Southwest Regional Council.
