MPI
BOUNCING
BACK
MPI president hopes to take lessons learned from pandemic and turn them into opportunities for members By ERIN THORBURN
D
onna Robinson, president of the Sunbelt Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) embraces her role with a collaborative spirit, passion and positivity. These character traits have served her well in her career spanning many years, in a variety of industries. Robinson has received both the Planner of the Year and Rising Star MPI awards for her achievements in event and meeting planning. And, from restaurants and salons to collections and administration, her diverse experience in industries-wide leadership makes Robinson an asset to the Sunbelt MPI chapter. It also helps that she is all about people. Coming off of a year of ongoing fluctuation, Robinson continues to problem solve, facing challenges head-on and appreciating moments of victory — sharing successes with her colleagues and fellow chapter members. We sat down to hear more about what motivates Robinson and what she’s looking most forward to in
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her role as president of the Sunbelt Chapter of MPI. AzBusiness: What are you most looking forward to this year in your role as the Sunbelt MPI Chapter president? Donna Robinson: Had you asked me that question last year, it would look very different. This year, I most look forward to meeting in person again. I didn’t think that would be the No. 1 thing I was thinking about as I entered this role. As a leadership team, we want to take the lessons learned from our struggles these past 16 months and turn them into opportunities for our members to engage, collaborate and just have fun. Our outstanding board of directors and volunteers are here to listen to what members want and provide them with exceptional education, networking and comradery. We are a small but mighty part of this large industry that brings people together — because it is all about the people.
