Speakers

Mataiasi “Tasi” Ahokava, Hilton Arden West, Sacramento

Behind the Meeting: What Your Partners Wish You Knew

Mataiasi "Tasi" Ahokava has spent over 12 years making his mark in hospitality. He began his career as a Front Desk Agent at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf Hotel in San Francisco, later stepping into Front Desk Manager at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District.

Wanting to be closer to family, Tasi returned to Sacramento, joining the Hilton Sacramento Arden West as Director of Front Office. When an opportunity arose in Sales as Convention Services Manager, he made the leap and discovered a new passion for bringing events and groups to life.

Today, Tasi wears two hats as Executive Meeting Manager and Convention Services Manager, creating memorable experiences, building relationships, and ensuring every detail is handled with care. Outside of work, Tasi cherishes time with his nieces and nephews — because for Tasi, family truly is everything.

Carolyn Muller Brown, DES, LA Tourism

Behind the Meeting: What Your Partners Wish You Knew

Carolyn is a hospitality industry veteran whose career spans hotel operations, national sales leadership with Red Lion Hotels, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, and Meristar Hotels, and destination marketing organizations including Long Beach, Reno-Tahoe, and Los Angeles Tourism. With more than 14 years representing Los Angeles, Carolyn leads association, corporate, and technology-focused business development efforts across key markets nationwide. A respected industry leader, Carolyn is a founding member of MPI Sacramento Sierra Nevada Chapter and has been recognized as Supplier of the Year by MPI SSN, Associations West, and BAMIES.

Other industry memberships include:  PCMA, CEMA, MPINCC, SITE NCC, SGMP and CReW.

Elizabeth Cardwell, CAE, CMP, Smith Moore and Associates

Behind the Meeting: What Your Partners Wish You Knew

Elizabeth Cardwell, Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Association Executive (CAE) is an account executive for Smith Moore & Associates. Prior to starting with Smith Moore & Associates in 2007, she worked in the Communications Office of the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs where she served as the assistant to the Public Information Officer. Since then, she has incorporated the knowledge and experience gained there into her varied positions throughout the years with Smith Moore & Associates. Elizabeth is now responsible for all aspects of her clients’ operations, including board governance, administration, budget development and membership recruitment and retention. She is also responsible for the planning and execution of all meetings and conferences for her clients including site selection, on-site management, hotel relations, program development, sponsorship generation and financial tracking. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys decorating baked goods, and soaking in all things Disney.

Elizabeth has a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal communications from California State University, Sacramento. Elizabeth received the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation from the Events Industry Council (EIC) in 2012 and the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in 2022.

Melanie Cottrill, MBA, CAE, Executive Director, Head Start California

Beyond the Fly-In: How Three California Associations Built Advocacy Programs That Last

Melanee works with the board of directors to plan for the association’s future and provides direction and oversight for day-to-day operations. She serves as the primary liaison with other state, regional and national associations, as well as other policy and research groups that impact Head Start. She has over 15 years of experience in association leadership and holds a Master of Business Administration from the California State University, Stanislaus. Melanee lives in Elk Grove with her husband. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, gardening and watching Star Trek.

Lupe Alonzo-Diaz, Vice President, Continuing Medical Education and President and CEO, CMA Foundation, Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC)

Beyond Buy-In: Building a Board Partnership That Works

Lupe Alonzo-Diaz understands firsthand how political determinants affect health outcomes. As President and CEO of Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC), she launched and scaled a grantmaking portfolio investing over $809 million to deliver care to underserved communities. As Vice President of Continuing Medical Education for the California Medical Association, she authored the nation's first regulatory standards on cultural competency in continuing medical education.

Her public service career spans California's health infrastructure, including overseeing five state hospitals serving 11,000+ patients annually with a $1.4 billion budget as Deputy Director of Administration for the Department of State Hospitals, and championing health workforce development at the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Earlier, she advanced health equity through the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, Western Center for Law and Poverty, and MALDEF.

Stephanie Goldman, CAE, Faculty Association of California Community Colleges

Beyond the Fly-In: How Three California Associations Built Advocacy Programs That Last

Stephanie Goldman, CAE, is the Executive Director of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, representing thousands of community college faculty across California. She brings extensive experience in advocacy, public policy, and organizational leadership, with a strong track record of advancing issues critical to faculty and students. Stephanie first joined FACCC in March 2018 as External Affairs Director and was promoted to Associate Director in July 2019. As a registered lobbyist, she successfully advanced legislation addressing part-time faculty equity, support for undocumented students,  retirement security, and community college funding. Prior to her work in higher education, Stephanie worked in the telecommunications industry, where she negotiated contracts and represented clients before regulatory boards. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Cal Poly Humboldt and a Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She lives in Rocklin, California, with her husband and two sons.

Anabel Martinez, MBA, CAE, PMP, AAiP, Director of Member Services, CWEA

Peer Power: Rapid-Fire Association Brain Dates

 Anabel Martinez is an executive operations   and organizational growth leader with experience driving financial performance, membership expansion, data modernization, and cross-functional alignment across mission-driven, association environments. She specializes in transforming systems, strengthening governance, and building high-performing teams, with an approach that is collaborative, values-driven, and rooted in scalable structures that improve member value and long-term sustainability.

Anabel has led organizational change initiatives, including AMS transitions, membership growth strategy, digital community platforms, and strategic lifecycle redesign — always with a focus on operational accuracy, risk reduction, and strategic alignment at the board level.

She is equally passionate about developing leaders and advancing professional communities, serving on industry committees that strengthen leadership pathways and professional development. 

Krystinne Mica, Executive Director, Structural Engineers Association of California

Beyond the Fly-In: How Three California Associations Built Advocacy Programs That Last

Krystinne brings more than 13 years of executive leadership experience in nonprofit association management, driven by a deep commitment to mission, equity, and meaningful impact. As a Certified Association Executive (CAE), she has led work that elevates member voices, strengthens governance, builds partnerships, and helps organizations evolve in ways that matter.

Krystinne's leadership style is collaborative and people-centered. I focus on empowering teams, creating inclusive decision-making processes, and aligning strategy with purpose. Her approach connects strategy, programs, advocacy, and day-to-day operations so the work stays mission-driven and centered on the people we serve. 

Maria Romero, Hyatt Regency Sacramento

Behind the Meeting: What Your Partners Wish You Knew

Maria Romero is a Senior Sales Manager at Hyatt Regency Sacramento with over twenty years of experience, specializing in group and association business.  With extensive understanding of hospitality sales and event planning, she brings a collaborative and customer-focused approach to every partnership.  Guided by integrity, service and care, Maria is committed to finding the right solutions for her clients and ensuring their success.  Her focus is simple: when her customers win, everyone wins. When she isn’t pouring her energy into meetings and conventions, she loves spending time with her elderly mother, hanging out with her two twenty-something daughters, traveling to distant lands with her husband, and spoiling her four-legged fur baby.

Alexandra Mouw, CAE, Nonprofit Executive Advisor, Amazon Web Services

Mission, Strategy, Action: An AI-Accelerated Workshop for Association Professionals

Alex Mouw is a Certified Association Executive who spent more than 20 years in association technology consulting before joining Amazon Web Services. At AWS, she works with nonprofit and association executives as a strategic thought partner, helping them harness innovation principles and emerging technologies to advance their missions. A practitioner of value mapping and design thinking, Alex has facilitated dozens of strategic workshops helping organizations connect vision to prioritized action. She serves as Immediate Past Chair of the ASAE Technology Professionals Advisory Council.

Pam Pietrok, Senior Client Relationships, Heritage

Behind the Meeting: What Your Partners Wish You Knew

Pam Pietrok is a senior executive whose career centers on relationships. With expertise spanning strategy, leadership, sales, marketing, operations, and analysis, she has spent decades helping organizations in the events and exhibitions industry grow through strong client partnerships and sharp execution. Pam currently serves in a senior client relationships role, building on years leading executive-level sales and marketing initiatives within the event management and tradeshow industry. Her specialties include event management, communication, public relations, and training. A longtime, active member of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), Pam is known for building trust and driving results. 

 Michael Vargas, Pinnacle Live

Behind the Meeting: What Your Partners Wish You Knew

 Michael Vargas is an Audio-Visual Director with a background spanning live event production, hospitality AV operations, and financial and operational reporting. He specializes in delivering seamless technical experiences for corporate events, conferences, and large-scale productions, blending hands-on production expertise with sharp business acumen. Beyond directing AV operations, Michael is an entrepreneur at heart, having built and grown ventures in the media and events space. He has led teams, managed client relationships, and developed systems to keep complex event operations running smoothly. Michael is always glad to connect with others in the AV and events industry to trade ideas, collaborate, and push the craft forward.

Catherine A. Smith, CAE, Founder & CEO, Smith Moore & Associates, Inc

Beyond Buy-In: Building a Board Partnership That Works

 Catherine A. Smith, CAE, is the founder and CEO of  Smith Moore & Associates. Catherine has more than 35 years of experience in association and nonprofit administration on local, state, national and international levels. Catherine founded Smith Moore & Associates after serving as the executive director of the California Special Districts Association (CSDA).  She had always dreamed of opening the doors of an association management company and in 2006 that dream became a reality. Catherine has presented at state and national forums, speaking on association management and governance issues. In 2000, Catherine received the Chair’s Award for exceptional service from Associations West.

Alison Teitelbaum, MS, MPH, CAE, Founder, AST Strategies

Beyond Buy-In: Building a Board Partnership That Works

 Alison Teitelbaum, MS, MPH, CAE, is the Founder and Principal Consultant of AST Strategies, where she helps mission-driven organizations strengthen governance, leadership, and strategy. With more than 20 years of executive experience—including service as a C-suite leader for national and international associations—she has led organizations through major transformations in culture, structure, and performance. Alison is known for her engaging, practical approach that connects strategy, leadership, and alignment. She is a frequent speaker on board culture, leadership continuity, and strategic planning.

Jim Tincher, CCXP CEO, Heart of the Customer

Crafting Exceptional Member Experiences

 Jim Tincher is the founder and CEO of Heart of the Customer, a B2B growth consultancy. His research — over 1,000 customer interviews, 34 C-suite interviews, and a 10,000-response benchmark of advanced manufacturers — uncovered the growth gap: 81% of customers are satisfied, but only 27% plan to grow with their supplier. His Growth Chain methodology shows associations which customer emotions and operational levers close that gap. He is the author of Do B2B Better and How Hard Is It to Be Your Customer?