The annual Women In Sports and Events (WISE) president’s meeting was held in Houston, Texas this year. President’s from all the chapters, including our very own co-president, Rae Kauder, attended a variety of events that kicked off at the Houston chapter’s wine down event. The next couple days were full of planning and education along with a tour of the Texans Stadium. We sat down with Rae to find out a little bit more about her trip and what we can expect in 2020.
Q: Talk a little about what went on at this year’s WISE president’s meeting.
A: It was a great couple days in Houston. We attended the local chapter’s wine down event the first night we got there. It was great to meet so many women who are making a difference in sports and events. The Houston chapter really rolled out the red carpet for us and enlisted the help of their corporate partners to create a one-of-a-kind experience.
We were able to tour the Texans stadium, take a photo on the field and learn a bit more about their organization. Aside from the fun, we did roll up our sleeves and do a lot of work. There was a full day of planning meetings that included all areas of WISE programming, research, technology, and looked at how WISE is impacting cultural change. We were also able to share best practices with other chapters which was super helpful. It’s nice to know we aren’t in this alone.
Q: What are a few key takeaways from the meeting?
A: There were a lot but here are a few notable takeaways:
- Recognizing that holidays are everyone else’s entertainment which means most of us are working in some capacity. That’s not an easy lifestyle and it can get lonely.
- Our chapter needs to step up our social media game and we have a plan in place to do that now.
- We need to continue to develop educational programming.
- Committees are the hallmark of WISE. Committee members are an integral part of each chapter and making each chapter work. We need to continue to empower our committees so we can make the Charlotte chapter grow and prosper.
Q: Was there any advice you received and would like to pass along to our members?
A: I think we aren’t fully leveraging our relationships. Every person in our chapter has a lot of relationships. And sometimes you don’t even realize you have as many as you do. Whether the relationship is with a partner, a celebrity, a vendor, an event space, we all have a healthy contact list so, we need to tap into those relationships. We’re doing great things as a group and there is more to come. I think there are a lot of individuals and companies who would want to be a part of what we’re doing…we just need to tell them about it.
Q: What can the WISE Charlotte chapter expect to see in 2020?
A: As we enter our second year, we’ve learned a lot! You can expect to see the wine downs continue along with adding some new events that will be focused on education. Membership continues to be a focus for us. Beyond our current members, I know there are a lot more women in sports and events in the Charlotte area and we want them to join us and grow our membership base so we can be even stronger. The last point goes back to the previous question. We want to tap into local businesses and create new partnerships that will benefit our chapter in a variety of ways.
Q: Any closing thoughts?
A: We’re all in this together and we are only as good as our chapter helps us be. Los Angeles and New York have set a high bar for us because of their size and the resources they have at their fingertips but there’s no reason why we can’t set the same goals for ourselves. We have so many amazing women in our chapter and I want them to recognize that WISE is a platform to help them. Whether you are looking for a job, career advice, a mentor, or just to find people who keep your same crazy schedule, we are here as a resource for you and we all need to help one another.