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ACG’s core values include growth, partnership, transparency, innovation and empowerment. We believe if our team is able to grow professionally, thrive in partnerships with colleagues and clients, conduct themselves with integrity and transparency, problem solve and innovate, and feel respected and empowered, our clients will be successful.
PRESIDENT & FOUNDER
DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
SENIOR CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER
SENIOR MANAGER & DIRECTOR, MARKETING GROUP
FINANCE MANAGER
MEETING PLANNER
MEETING PLANNER
SENIOR CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER
MARKETING COORDINATOR
COORDINATOR
SENIOR CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER
MANAGER, SENIOR MEETING PLANNER
CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER
As President and Founder of Association & Conference Group (ACG), Carolyn brings more than 25 years of event and association management experience to every client engagement. She began her career at a premier conference production company, securing senior level speakers from Fortune 500 companies. Her accomplishments included successfully launching a new division of the company that continues to thrive today. In 2001, Carolyn moved to the Washington, D.C. area to work in the association industry. After serving several years as a volunteer board member and experiencing firsthand lackluster service from an association management company, Carolyn founded ACG.
Growing ACG from an idea to a firm employing over 20 women, Carolyn is passionate about the culture and team at her firm and with helping its clients achieve their strategic goals. Today, she is involved with strategic planning, budgeting, finance, fundraising and membership recruiting and retention strategy development for ACG clients. Carolyn earned a BA and BS from Rutgers College, Rutgers University and earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential issued by ASAE. Carolyn is an active member of the AMC Institute and serves on the Rutgers University Alumni Association Alumni Leaders Council.
Val joined ACG in 2016, bringing over 12 years of association management experience. As a Senior Manager and Account Executive, she provides strategic vision with a focus on sustaining organizational growth through the development of financial resources, membership retention and engagement, and raising brand awareness. She utilizes a data-driven approach to achieve desired results for client leadership, while expanding value for all members. In addition, Val manages a diverse team and is responsible for providing supervision, coaching and professional development.
Val began her career working for the Camden County Bar Association, focusing on event management and membership coordination and recruitment. She later went on to work as an account manager for L&T Health and Fitness where she was responsible for managing health-related events for Government Agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and townships nationwide. At this position, Val managed 40+ clients and excelled at building meaningful and lasting client relationships. Val earned a BA from Rowan University.
Under Val’s management of the Association of Fundraising Professionals- Greater Philadelphia Chapter (AFP-GPC), she created and implemented a new sponsorship program that increased revenue 100% from 2018 to 2020 and is on track for growth in 2021. In addition, Val has been instrumental in introducing and implementing non-dues revenue streams for this association. Many of the associations that Val manages have won awards including the Association of Fundraising Professionals Ten Star Designation and Chapter of the Year awards.
As a Manager and Account Executive, Amanda Shumaker brings over 10 years of experience managing operations, meetings and events for multinational associations. In her current role, Amanda is responsible for ensuring the strategic and operational goals of her clients are achieved.Â
Amanda currently serves as executive staff for multiple associations. She brings a unique blend of strategic board management experiences, a passion for non-profits and a client-centered perspective to association management. In addition to her client responsibilities, Amanda manages a team of four ACG staff members.
Amanda attended The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration majoring in Management. She began her career in event management at Alpha Delta Pi Sorority as Meeting Planner in Atlanta, GA. In this role, she was project manager for all organization events, including committee meetings, banquets, conferences and conventions. In 2014, Amanda earned her designation as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP).
Paula Dvorak brings over 20 years of management and operations experience to ACG, joining the company in 2014. As the Director of Client Operations, Paula is responsible for overseeing the process and execution of all financial matters for ACG clients. Utilizing best in class technology, Paula provides accurate budget reports and timely billing of invoices, ensuring financial transparency for client leadership. Paula is also a key member of the senior leadership team and is responsible for developing many of the systems and technology implemented by ACG to ensure processes are efficient and effective.
Prior to joining ACG, Paula worked for SAP for six years as a key account support manager. She also spent six years working in sales and customer service before moving into the IT field at Hercules, Incorporated. Paula earned a BS from Penn State.
Francesca is an accomplished professional in account management and marketing, bringing her expertise to Association & Conference Group (ACG) in 2024 as a Client Relations Manager. In this role, she offers strategic guidance to client leadership teams and committees, while overseeing campaigns, events, and overall client engagement. Francesca thrives on fostering meaningful relationships and is committed to helping her clients achieve their objectives through thoughtful collaboration.
Throughout her career, Francesca has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and corporate donors, developing a robust background in partner marketing, cause marketing, and project management. She excels in managing multi-channel campaigns and cultivating partnerships that align with strategic goals. Prior to joining ACG, she led initiatives across account management, project coordination, and general marketing, blending creative vision with seamless execution.
Cindy brings over 14 years of experience working in the healthcare association industry to Association & Conference Group (ACG). As an Account Executive, she provides strategic direction and guidance to client leaders and leads her team to support the client’s mission. Cindy is passionate about building client relationships and ensuring each client receives the support needed to achieve their goals.Â
Prior to joining ACG, Cindy was the Executive Director at the Oakland County Medical Society (OCMS). OCMS worked in tandem with the Michigan State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. At OCMS, she managed operations, human resources, finance, membership, education, and marketing. Prior to joining OCMS, Cindy managed over 70 educational events per year for a magazine publishing company. She then went on to become the Director of Marketing for a general contractor with annual revenues of $45 million. Cindy earned her Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Journalism/Public Relations from Madonna University.
Kathy brings over 15 years of experience in the non-profit and association management industry, which includes both trade and professional organizations, with extensive experience in CE compliance and maintenance. In her role with ACG, Kathy provides strategic guidance to her clients to meet their goals. She partners with the leadership team to develop and execute strategic plans, while providing oversight and governance including policy development, financial management, and membership recruitment and retention initiatives. With an understanding that volunteer engagement is critical to meet the goals of the organization, Kathy continually focuses on building relationships and promoting synergy.Â
Prior to joining ACG in 2018, she provided leadership, educational direction, and consultation to a diverse portfolio of clients including Financial Executives International, The Hydraulic Institute and the Commercial Real Estate Development Association of New York City. In addition, Kathy previously held the position of Training & Development Manager in the VOIP Division at Intel Corporation overseeing strategic planning, needs assessment, design, and staff development. Kathy received a BA from Rutgers University and her MA from Montclair State University and is a Certified Human Resources Professional, SHRM.
Taylor Dubord joined Association & Conference Group (ACG) in 2024 as a Senior Client Relations Manager, where she is pivotal in fostering collaborative relationships and implementing strategic initiatives that contribute to client growth and development. With over 12 years of experience in association management, project management, client relations, and event planning, Taylor oversees critical aspects of service for her clients, ensuring seamless delivery and strategic alignment with their mission. Before joining ACG, Taylor was a Senior Account Executive and Event Director at Clemons & Associates, Inc., where she significantly boosted event attendance and financial outcomes for multiple national associations through effective management and innovative strategies.
Committed to delivering excellence and efficiency, Taylor leverages her strong administrative and project management skills to drive organizational success and elevate the mission and vision of the associations she engages with. Taylor holds a BA from the University of Rhode Island. In her free time, you can find her spending time with her husband and two kids, spending time outdoors gardening, hiking, riding ATVs, watching her kids’ sports games or relaxing by the fire pit with friends and family, coaching recreational cheerleading, or getting lost in a good book.
Nicholas Evangelista is a Senior Manager and the Marketing Department Lead at ACG. With a passion for technology, he has dedicated 10 years to the digital transformation of various organizations. He aims to leverage the latest technologies to improve communication and optimize processes.
Nick oversees the marketing strategy of ACG clients. He provides the strategic guidance and technical support required to achieve a client’s outreach goals. As a data-driven individual, he leverages the latest tools, including ChatGPT, to maximize the organic reach of email marketing and social media posts. Nick has a particular affinity for crafting polished layouts and designs, bringing a clean look to websites, event landing pages, and graphics.
Born in Connecticut, Nick had an early fascination with web design and video production, creating his first website at age 11 to publish videos he made with his friends and family. He currently lives in Cincinnati, OH, with his wife Micaela.
He graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a BA in Communication and a minor in Japanese. Prior to working at ACG, Nick founded Nimbus Digital Media to guide the marketing strategy for his clients.
Outside of work, Nick is a film junkie and avid audiobook listener.
As a Marketing Coordinator at Association & Conference Group, Katie uses her 10+ years of marketing experience to assist clients with various aspects of promotion and data analytics. Marketing day-to-day can mean maintaining a website, creating graphics, advising on a social strategy, or crafting interactive dashboards to showcase traffic and how an email has resonated with an audience. Our marketing team is ready to handle the wide-ranging needs of our clients while adapting to new trends and requirements.
Katie graduated from Kent State University with a BA and immediately started working as an internal marketer at a financial firm. Since then, she has done various marketing work for a wide range of businesses and nonprofits, and most recently obtained her data analytics certification to better understand the “why” of marketing and what drives behavior. She enjoys helping clients create content, copy, and increase their web and social traffic while still being mindful of transparency in marketing in an ever-evolving tech world.Â
Katie is also a published photographer, Montessori volunteer, and has worked as a volunteer crisis counselor. When she isn’t working, she very much enjoys traveling with her husband and son, hiking, reading, playing word games, and scouting out local bakeries and book shops.Â
Before joining ACG, Heidi worked for several small businesses providing bookkeeping services. She also spent 10 years at Nordstrom in several capacities including East Coast Women’s Buyer and East Coast Women’s Financial Planner. Heidi attended George Mason University.Â
Heidi loves to read and spend time with her kids. Â
Joanne Hampton joined Association & Conference Group (ACG) in 2018, bringing over 15 years of accounting experience. As a Finance Manager at ACG, Joanne provides client tax filings, invoicing, bank and investment accounts reconciliations. Her other responsibilities include accounts payable and receivable utilizing BILL.
Prior to joining ACG, Joanne worked for Airbus, the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer, as an executive assistant to the chairman and president. She spent over 15 years in the aviation industry, which included a five-year stint in France working for British Aerospace. Joanne attended Kent State University and has participated in frequent professional development trainings.
I currently reside in Phoenixville, PA but I’ve lived in Pennsylvania my whole life. I’ve been married to my husband, Jere for 7 years and we now have a son, Galen who is 17 months old. We have 2 dogs, Arlo and Pippin.
I went to college at Arcadia University where I studied communications with the intention of becoming a fashion journalist. While interning, I stumbled on a love for event planning as I helped a coworker coordinate a pop-up shop full of events. After college I went into off-premise catering and mostly did weddings and social events. After that I progressed to being a convention services manager at a casino resort property where I coordinated any and all kinds of events happening at the property. It was exciting, exhausting and definitely an experience I won’t forget. I moved to my last company as a meeting planner where I got to be on the client-side of planning with medical education being at the center of their business. I’m excited to join ACG and get to work on a wider variety of conferences and see where the future takes me!
Kasey Mulligan is an experienced communications government relations and events professional who joined Association & Conference Group (ACG) in 2023 as a Client Relations Manager. In her position, she provides guidance and strategic support for her clients’ leadership teams and various committees, as well as conference planning and event management. Kasey is dedicated to helping her clients achieve their goals, create successful events, and produce committee work that achieves strategic objectives.
Kasey has had experience with both state level and national trade associations with her work at the Maryland Bankers Association, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility and the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. In her past positions, she was responsible for overseeing government relations committees, member communication, event planning, and industry research projects. Prior to working at ACG she was a Manager of Public Affairs at a public relations firm where she managed projects and was the liaison for client communication. Kasey earned a BA in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Dayton.
Bianca Plater joined Association & Conference Group (ACG) as a Coordinator in early 2022. Bianca is responsible for managing all administrative and operational tasks associated with her clients. This includes event support, managing online registration, responding to all member inquiries, and board support. In addition, Bianca is responsible for researching vendors as needed, mailing membership renewal invoices, processing new memberships, maintaining sponsorship benefit trackers, and compiling various reports clients need to make data-driven decisions.
Prior to ACG, Bianca worked for a small law firm in Bethesda, MD as the Facilities and Records Manager. She offers a strong administrative background and values providing excellent customer service. Bianca is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences.
Megan brings decades of experience in non-profit management, hospitality, sales, event and meeting planning to Association & Conference Group (ACG). Megan joined ACG in 2022 as a Client Relations Manager, providing guidance and strategic support to her client’s leadership teams and various committees as well as conference planning and event management. Megan was promoted to Senior Client Relations Manager based on her demonstrated ability to guide client strategic initiatives, collaborate with her team and clients, and deliver results.
Prior to joining ACG, Megan was Director of Sales and Conferences in the hotel industry, where she was responsible for the corporate sales market. Her experience includes managing client relationships, contract negotiations, meeting/event planning, and menu planning. Megan has served on the board of directors for several professional organizations. She is passionate about community service, planning and executing events such as Greater Hartford WalkAmerica, Signature Chef’s Auction and various sports tournaments. Megan earned a B.A. in Art Administration, Museum Theory and Practice from Russell Sage College, Troy NY.
Britni is a Marketing Coordinator who brings over six years of hospitality and event marketing experience to ACG. Her creativity and experience support the execution of diverse marketing campaigns and initiatives. Britni assists in the development of marketing strategies for multiple clients and implementing campaigns that span graphic design, newsletters, website management, and social media. Through the preparation of detailed marketing reports, analyzing campaign performance data, and collaboration with client teams we ensure to produce effective marketing materials that drive impactful results for clients.
Prior to joining ACG, Britni worked for several entertainment and hospitality venues as an events and marketing manager. Britni graduated from Delaware State University with a BA in Communications and a minor in Marketing. When she isn’t working Britni enjoys spending time with her husband, weekends watching her son play soccer, and exploring plant shops and bookstores.
Bishara Rahman is a Coordinator at Association & Conference Group, where she ensures seamless task execution, effective communication, and successful outcomes. Her role involves member engagement as well as event and project coordination. Bishara joined ACG in 2024, bringing a passion for mission-driven work and a commitment to supporting clients, members, and volunteers in achieving their associations’ goals. She holds a degree in Communications with a minor in Justice Studies from American University in Washington, D.C.
Before joining ACG, Bishara gained valuable experience at Smithbucklin, honing her skills in member engagement and event coordination. Known for her attention to detail, organizational expertise, and dedication to excellence, she thrives in collaborative environments, working closely with colleagues to achieve shared objectives.
Outside of work, Bishara explores the world through photography and travel, focusing on landscape and wildlife photography. Her adventures have taken her to extraordinary destinations such as Antarctica and the Arctic Circle, where she captured the beauty of penguins and polar bears in their natural habitats. Deeply committed to giving back, she values connecting with and contributing to the communities she visits.
Bishara now resides in Northern Virginia, where she enjoys the lush greenery and vibrant community. She finds inspiration in both the area’s natural beauty and the warmth of its people.
Ashleigh is a dedicated Senior Client Relations Manager with a proven track record of building and maintaining strong client relationships. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for problem-solving, she excels at identifying and addressing client needs. Her strong interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport allow her to foster long-lasting partnerships. In her free time, Ashleigh enjoys staying active at her local Burn Boot Camp and is always going on new adventures with friends and family!
Tara brings more than eight years of events and management experience to Association & Conference Group (ACG). As a Senior Meeting Planner, Tara provides guidance and strategic support for her clients’ leadership teams and various committees including Membership, Professional Development, Sponsorship, Communications, and Community Service. Tara collaborates with association leadership to develop and implement long-term plans to help reach their goals.
Prior to joining ACG, Tara worked as the Director of Programs & Operations for the Sacramento District Dental Society. In that role she managed all events and meetings (in person and virtual), including their large-scale annual conference with 500+ attendees. She was also responsible for membership recruitment, retention and engagement and providing strategic leadership guidance. Tara earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from San Francisco State University, and she received her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) credential issued by the Events Industry Council in 2012.
Terri brings several years of experience in the association and hospitality industries to ACG. As a Client Relations Manager, she provides guidance and strategic support for her clients’ committees including Education, Membership, Professional Development, Sponsorship, Communications, and Community Service. Terri works with the committees to ensure they receive the support needed to reach their goals. She also assists with planning meetings and events.
Prior to joining ACG, Terri served as Chapter Coordinator for the American Association of Franchisees & Dealers for four years. While there she provided management assistance for 13 chapters, working closely with the chapter leadership on membership recruitment and retention, and served as committee and board of directors’ liaison. Terri began her career in the hotel industry in the capacity of Executive Assistant and Human Resources and Benefits Manager for Dolce International, Sonesta Hotels and Swissotel. Terri attended County College of Morris, New Jersey and Northeastern University, Boston.
Karrie Underwood joined ACG as a Coordinator in 2019. In this role, Karrie is responsible for managing all administrative and operational tasks associated with her clients. This includes managing online registration, responding to all member inquiries via phone and email, and assisting with event planning. In addition, Karrie is responsible for assisting the Account Executive with board meeting prep, event logistics, researching vendors as needed, mailing membership renewal invoices and processing new memberships. She maintains membership and prospect data and provides monthly reporting on the results of all email communications, membership and sponsorship sales.
Prior to joining ACG, Karrie was an Administrative Assistant at Greeley and Hansen acting as the primary contact for the EVP of the region, 25 engineers, and various other clients.
As an Account Executive, Kira Wagner brings a diverse skill set to the ACG team. She has the ability to develop efficient processes and systems focused on people and strategy. With 20 years of experience in the association management profession, Kira has held roles ranging from Executive Director to various volunteer positions, and everything in between. This experience allows her to understand the organizational challenges faced by volunteer leaders while helping streamline association operations and improving communication and leadership continuity. In addition to her role at ACG, Kira is a business consultant specializing in business planning, development and marketing strategy, and training.
