Anh Nguyen is the Head of Community Engagement at twine, the most simple and compelling way to create serendipity, connection, and meaningful conversations for your virtual, hybrid and in-person events.
Anh is also the founder of Spark Event Management, an award-winning, full-service event management firm and the Spark Event Collective, a network of independent planners collaborating to deliver event experiences.
Anh is a seasoned business event professional who possesses over 15 years of event design, production, and management experience. She has managed a vast array of events including intimate corporate functions, awards and fundraising galas, large conference, virtual events, conventions and tradeshows, and international hospitality events and is known for her keen eye for detail while being able to lead, inspire and manage large, global teams.
Anh discovered her passion and enthusiasm for the industry early and has held senior event management roles at a number of event management agencies.
- How long have you worked in the events industry and what keeps you interested in it?
I’ve been in the events industry for 15+ years; what keeps me engaged and interested in the industry is definitely the people and the community. There are a lot of people who are very passionate about the industry, there are always lots of opportunities for collaboration, and I love learning from all the great people who make up this community. - Best (and worst?) moments working in the events industry?
The grassroots #GMIDGoesVirtual campaign that took place right after the pandemic was definitely one of the highlights of working in the events industry. A lot of great things have come out of the pandemic, but I also know there has been a lot of hardship, loss, and uncertainty for many people during this time, so I would say that the past year has been both the most exciting, but also scariest moments for our industry. - What was the last event on which you worked?
We are hosting a lot of events at twine from weekly plank with friends, to our #twineTalks series where we bring the industry together for conversation and collaboration. On the event planning side, we are still doing lots of different virtual events, including supporting an event for a venture capitalist in Alberta. - From your experience, what’s the best way to utilise tech at an event?
I think any technology or platform that focuses on engaging attendees outside of the actual event days will start to become more valuable in your tech stack. - We all learn from our mistakes! What was the biggest lesson you learned from a mistake since being in the industry?
I am still learning this lesson, but I need to learn how to take a break and make time for rest and play in my life. This industry can be very tough on your, demanding, stressful, and high pressure. It’s easy to slowly let it creep into your personal life and the importance of setting boundaries so you have time for rest and recovery is important. The older I get, the more I realize how much we need to plan for rest as much as we plan for hustle. - What are you most looking forward to at Event Tech Live?
I am biased, but I am really looking forward to our panel on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. I think this is such a fascinating topic and technology companies can play such a significant role in making events more accessible and I’m excited to dig into it. - What do events, such as ETL, mean to you?
These industry events are always such a blast! They’re a great way to bring people together so they can connect and learn. It’s like a mini reunion every time we have one of these big industry events. - What can our delegates expect to take away from your session at ETL?
Now is that time that we need to improve how technology is used to make events more inclusive and accessible. This panel has some really diverse perspective and will hopefully give organizations tangible tips on how to start building a inclusion and accessibility into your organization’s culture. - Which one piece of tech couldn’t you live without?
I have a 2 year old who loves music, so our Amazon Alexa is an important member of our family! “Alexa, play Peppa Pig Party Time!” - Most pointless tech you have purchased?
Well, I was getting tired of remembering passwords, so I signed up for LastPass and then promptly forgot my LastPass Password. The service is so secure that they don’t keep a copy of your password on file, so once it’s lost, it’s lost
Join Anh for her session: Why We Need Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) in Events
at ETL US & Canada on June 8th on the Main Stage – Book your ticket here
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