Meet the women to watch in 2024: Amanda Ciccatelli

CHICAGO — Women in the trade show and events industry are helping to drive our continued innovation and excellence. The Trade Show Executive’s (TSE) Women’s Watch program recognizes this through its annual winners category. TSE spoke with one of this year’s most noteworthy women, HLTH US Senior Director of Event Marketing Amanda Ciccatelli, about her career, lessons learned and her thoughts on the future of trade shows and events.

MADDY: Can you tell us how you got into the trade show industry? Was it a straight path, or was it unexpected?

Amanda: Interestingly, I always find myself drawn into events in some way. In college, I worked part-time in campus event management, my first job out of college was event coordination at a historic building in Connecticut’s capital city, and then when I got my first marketing job, I was working at a technology company The marketing company works to host its own trade shows twice a year. Then Informa and now HLTH, so I guess I’m stuck forever! Can’t complain about this.

MADDY: What skills have helped you move up in the organization? How do you perfect these skills?

Amanda: Empathy, communication, and ease of collaboration are hugely underrated skills that can really help you connect with the right decision-makers and help you grow. I try to always consider the feelings of others in all situations and practice compassion in every situation. I never want to make my colleagues’ jobs more difficult, I want them to feel the same way about me, so I really believe that working with ease is a very valuable skill that can go a long way.

MADDY: Thinking back on your career so far, what are some standout moments that you’re proud of?

Amanda: My proudest moment was undoubtedly when I met President Barack Obama at the 2019 Sustainability Conference. Being selected for the exclusive list of meeting one of my favorite past presidents is an absolute honor and a career highlight that I will always hold close to my heart. Heart.

MADDY: What is the toughest decision you have had to make in your role? How did you handle it? Alternatively, can you share some of the biggest challenges you face as a woman in this industry? How did you overcome it?

Amanda: Leaving Informa after more than nine years was the hardest career decision I have ever made. Informa is a company that has allowed me to truly “grow” from a 26-year-old girl to a 34-year-old woman. It felt safe and comfortable, but I knew I had to take a leap of faith and try something new. Taking this opportunity allowed me to gain experiences and opportunities that I would never have had if I hadn’t left my comfort zone there.

related. Meet the women to watch in 2024: Nicole Cho

MADDY: How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout? How do you encourage others to do the same?

Amanda: Daily walks are important to me, as well as setting healthy boundaries early in the morning and late at night. Additionally, I make sure to get enough sleep during the high-stress weeks leading up to competition to take care of my physical and mental health while having the energy to handle the long hours each day.

MADDY: How do you think women can support each other more in this industry? Or, in what ways do you think the trade show industry is evolving to better support women in leadership roles?

Amanda: I love seeing more women as speakers at events, especially in leadership roles on the main stage. I firmly believe this will have a trickle-down effect from keynote speakers to event staff and beyond. Now more than ever, women are respected and celebrated in leadership positions, and as women we should be screaming from the rooftops how proud we are of each other.

MADDY: What do you think the next big thing in the events space will be, and is it related to technology, working models, experiences, etc.?

Amanda: Arrange events in unique and out-of-the-box space types. Maybe host a conference in a glamping-style setting in the desert or at a resort ranch – the opportunities are endless, and we don’t necessarily have to stick to a conference center.

MADDY: What advice would you give to other up-and-comers in this industry?

Amanda: Invest in a pair of comfortable shoes! ! I can’t stress this enough when you’re at an event. Additionally, learn and master how to prioritize and manage your time well. If you can do this, you can handle and even thrive in the hectic and overwhelming workload events that sometimes bring. It’s all worth it though, and there’s no better product or industry than events when you’re running events with your team year-round and can travel to new cities or countries to experience events with them.

MADDY: What strategies do you think are most effective for building strong professional networks within the trade show community?

Amanda: Connect with like-minded people on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is an absolutely powerful community for the events industry! I got my last two jobs from LinkedIn without having to upload a resume or cover letter. It’s all about who you know and who you know on LinkedIn if you connect with them.

MADDY: What role do mentors play in your professional development? How do other women seek and cultivate these relationships?

Amanda: Mentoring has meant a lot to me throughout my career. Most of my mentors are former female managers, including Anastasia Ioannou, my former marketing director at Informa, and Denise Rosplock, my former VP of marketing at Informa. Both of these women honestly paved the way for me when I was working in event marketing as a young woman. They gave me the tools and cleared the way for me to grow and spread my wings.

We need more women supporting women in business because that’s where the magic happens. Compete less with each other and celebrate each other more. I would also like to express my gratitude to my current new mentor, Barry Edelman, who is HLTH’s Global Head of Marketing. He helped me take my marketing skills to the next level and pushed me beyond my comfort zone. His support and guidance have been invaluable in my career and I am so grateful to him for nominating Women to Watch!

MADDY: How do you stay up to date on industry trends and changes? What resources do you recommend to your peers?

Amanda: LinkedIn is where I go to pursue this goal—LinkedIn’s community of event influencers is a melting pot of amazing new ideas, trends, and resources that are free and growing.

MADDY: What is your vision for the future of women in the trade show industry? What steps can be taken to promote greater inclusion and diversity?

Amanda: The future is bright and exciting for women of all genders, nationalities and races. I like what I’m seeing now and am hopeful about what will happen in the next 10 years. It’s going to be beautiful and empowering because we’ve come so far. The sky is the only limit, or maybe space?

The December 2024 edition of Trade Show Executive features the full group profile of the 2024 Women to Watch category, which can be viewed here.