Janet Sperstad

Janet’s professional history reflects her lifelong vocation: driving excellence in meeting and event management execution and education. Dedicating her career to defining the competencies and career pathways that articulate meeting planning as a design discipline requiring skills in the social sciences, executive leadership, and the cognitive sciences. She has written for a variety of industry publications, white papers, academic journal and is an internationally recognized meeting professional and speaker.

Day job: Faculty Director, Madison College Event Management Associate Degree, a U.S. Dept. of Labor Competency Model Champion.

Janet’s volunteer service includes high-profile leadership roles that are shaping how our industry defines itself, and how competencies impact education and standards development at every level. Current and most recent volunteer commitments include:

• Board Member, International Association of Exhibitions and Events

• Co-Chair, Events Industry Council, Career Landscape Task Force

• Member, US Department of Labor, Hospitality, Tourism and Event Industry Competency Model Task Force

She has received our industry’s most prestigious awards and recognition:

• Inducted into the Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders

• Named one of the top 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry

• Top 30 CMP Influencers’

• Changemaker

• Industry Trendsetter

• MPI Chairman’s Award

• MPI International Planner of the Year

• IAEE Outstanding Achievement in Industry Leadership Award

• PCMA Professional Achievement Educator

• And it turns out her students think she’s pretty great too, recipient of Madison College Teacher of the Year