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June 14, 2023
Events at the Lab are often a challenge. There are limited spaces where large groups can gather, and temporarily without a permanent cafeteria, the conference host needs to depend on vendors to deliver the food. Luckily, the Lab’s Conference Services team has over 100 years of combined conference planning experience to tackle the unique challenges of welcoming conference guests, whether they are on site or in a nearby venue.
“People are excited to be back together in person,” said Elijah Walker, III, the Lab’s Travel and Conference Services manager. “Pre-pandemic, we hosted over 500 conferences and events in fiscal year 2019 at the Lab. Next year we forecast to be back at or even exceed that level. That’s why we are making many improvements to our planning tools so that Conference Services can better partner to plan and execute impactful events on behalf of the Lab.”
Walker said the Conference Services website is a work in progress, but the new design has different paths to follow whether you are hosting or attending a conference. Also new to the site is an expanded list of caterers, venues, and off-site venues.
To get to know the people behind the professional conference planning team, each member of Conference Services shared some information about themselves and how they support the Lab’s mission through their work.
Elijah Walker III, is the Travel & Conference Services Manager in Conference Services, part of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer Division. He has spent 27 years in the travel and events industry. Outside the Lab, Elijah enjoys visiting Disneyland for the holidays, traveling, offroading, camping, and visiting local wineries.
How do you enjoy providing excellent customer service to those who need conference services?
Ensuring exceptional customer service is crucial for the success of our department. Personally, I enjoy tackling diverse challenges and discovering unique solutions.
How does your work further the mission of the Lab?
Conference Services partners with stakeholders to deliver professional, welcoming, and engaging events for Berkeley Lab. Successful and compliant events are imperative for our continued success.
Jill Stark, CCTE, CGMP, CMM, is the Senior Conference Planner in Conference Services, part of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer Division. She has spent 30 years in conference planning. In her spare time, Jill is an avid 49er and San Francisco Giants fan and enjoys gourmet cooking, wine tasting, gardening, and floral arranging.
How do you enjoy providing excellent customer service to those who need conference services?
Customer service is essential when creating an excellent experience for my clients and attendees. After I've gathered information on what the client wants for their function, I schedule a follow-up meeting to present what I have found. This might include the results of a request for proposal (RFP) cost comparisons, photos of locations, budgetary items, or meeting the client at a venue for a site visit.
For significant events, Conference Services is always available to manage on-site tasks such as registration, including payments if applicable, name badges, and liaison with the hotel staff to review and sign contracts. I like sharing my past experiences, tips, and suggestions for creating a successful event on a limited budget, all while communicating guidance and interpretation on UC/LBNL/Contract 31 policies and procedures. Even if my client is happy with their event, scheduling a post-event follow-up meeting is essential to discuss what worked best and the lessons learned.
Share one time when you needed to be extra creative in making a conference work?
Sometimes negotiating menus at the per diems can be challenging, especially when negotiating meals at hotels and other venues. When I worked at UCOP, I learned from a colleague there the trick of piggybacking off of another event, especially when it comes to catering and event space.
So, when I was negotiating a contract for a hotel in San Franciso, everything as far as cost was within policy except for catering costs. I could have had the chef develop something that met the per diems like the usual pasta. Still, I wanted to test what my colleague told me. So, I asked the catering manager what other events were happening at the hotel during the time of our event and I asked the catering manager would you mind sharing their menus. I selected the menu that was the largest with the exact event dates. I then began negotiating with the catering manager that if the chef was already placing a bulk order, why couldn't we get the same selection at the state per diem? It worked! My client was thrilled to get delicious food while still in compliance. Since then, I have also made similar agreements with caters; if the timing worked, it was great.
How does your work further the mission of the Lab?
Meetings and conferences facilitate collaboration and communication and provide a valuable opportunity to share progress. Meetings and conferences are an essential part of Lab life. Connecting with our stakeholders, attendees, and the Department of Energy personally significantly impacts engagement. These meaningful face-to-face connections are rare in the virtual world and can solidify someone’s interest in our organization. Creating these connections is a critical component of Berkeley Lab's mission.
John Parr, Senior Conference Planner; in Conference Services, part of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer Division. He has spent 25 years in conference planning in numerous capacities wearing different “hats.” Outside the Lab, he enjoys relaxing at home, cycling, golfing, camping, and most of all his dogs. John especially enjoys volunteering to help with animal rescue.
How do you provide excellent customer service to those who need conference services?
When an event is first turned over to me I set up a call with the requester. Some have loads of experience and for some, it might be their first event. I go through a list of questions to “test the water” then summarize with due dates, schedule planning meetings, schedule vendors and catering, and if the event is off-site, secure a venue.
Can you share an example of a time when you needed to be extra creative in making a conference work?
One, in particular, comes to mind. It was an Assistant Lab Director meeting in October 2021 and it was the first official in-person meeting since Covid restrictions were being relaxed. The meeting was to take place on a Monday and I met the two hosts at the UC Botanical Garden to get things in place the Sunday prior. It happened to be the largest atmospheric river of the season! We were soaked. We weren’t sure if Julia Morgan Hall would be there the next morning but it all worked out.
How does your work further the mission of the Lab?
We work with all divisions of the Lab to ensure conferences and events go smoothly and stay within compliance.
Anne Mason, Senior Disbursement Specialist in Conference Services, part of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer Division. She has spent 25 years in travel and trade show planning. Outside the Lab, Anne enjoys running, biking, and exploring the outdoors. She also volunteers at running events and at the Norwegian Club. For relaxation, she enjoys knitting and reading.
How do you enjoy providing excellent customer service to those who need conference services?
My goal is to respond to everyone in a timely and efficient fashion with guidance on how to submit both event attendance requests and hosted Lab events. I also like to ensure that everyone has the tools and resources they need to be successful.
How does your work further the mission of the Lab?
I work to make sure the paperwork is done, such as getting attendance event reports to DOE or Lab management if necessary. Also, I work to make sure we stay within the DOE rules for all hosted events.
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