October 2024 - Sharon Collins, CMP, CMM, DES

Sharon Collins, CMP, CMM, DES Director of Conferences & Management Services Georgia Municipal Association Member since December 2023

Please extend a warm welcome to new MPI Georgia member, Sharon Collins, Director of Conferences & Management Services for Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). Sharon wears 2 hats at GMA. First, she leads a team in the planning and execution of the events that underscore GMA’s mission, vision and values. Sharon also provides leadership for all event management services and oversees event planning and management systems and policies in hosting events. Additionally, Sharon directs 6 associations within GMA providing full-service association management. The coolest thing she is presently working on is an annual summit for a newly managed association and setting them up for success next month. Her team has many best practices associated with each role and stage of planning their events. Still, their overarching one is to ensure our stakeholders are well-informed throughout the planning process, which fosters those key relationships.

Before rejoining in December 2023, Sharon was an MPI Georgia member from 1999-2004 but was not really engaged. She rejoined in 2015, after being involved with other industry organizations, and jumped into volunteerism on committees and the board. Sharon’s first industry job was working for the Medical Society of Delaware. She was involved with promoting their annual convention and tradeshow. Being part of a small staff, it was all hands on deck, so Sharon got to do a lot with their meeting and immersed herself in all the details. “I was hooked and asked to do more and more with other events.”

Sharon’s compassion can be seen in both wishful and wistful events. For example, losing both parents recently has had an everlasting impact on her. “Realizing that you’re not physically anyone’s child anymore, but you will always have memories with them. It also makes me want to be extra present for my son and granddaughters.” She exemplifies her compassion with the wish of unlimited funds with which Sharon would open Alzheimer's facilities to care for underserved individuals in the latter part of their journey, so they could have proper and dignified care.

Her values of care and building relationships are also evidenced in the song she would choose to be her walk-on song, “Friends Will Be Friends” by Queen. “The song epitomizes the value of friendship and that friends will be there right to the end!!” Speaking of music, Sharon’s best and first concert was in 1983 when she was 16. “My best friend and I went by ourselves to see The Police, along with opening acts of Joan Jett, R.E.M. and Madness at JFK stadium in Philadelphia. We were dropped off at the stadium and spent the entire day listening to amazing music surrounded by other fans in downtown Philly. Aaaaaaaaaa-mazing!!!”