Danielle Foisy is the Director of Business Development and Industry Relations at Transportation Management Services (TMS). With a background in hospitality and destination management, she built her career working with CVBs, non-profit organizations and Fortune 1000 companies. As a senior-level Tourism and Hospitality professional, she moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 2000 to join the team of Destination Canada. During her tenure, she contributed to establishing the country as a first-class meetings and convention destination for U.S-based organizations.
Danielle found joining TMS eight years ago an exciting opportunity to explore a new facet of the live events industry. She is responsible for helping TMS increase sales, strengthen and build relationships within the meetings and events industry, and foster greater awareness and recognition of TMS as the global leader in event transportation and mobility solutions.
Danielle appreciates the importance of giving back to the industry she loves and volunteers with several organizations such as IAEE, PCMA and ASAE. She grew up near Montreal, lived in Vancouver and Whistler, BC, and is fluent in French and English. She loves to golf, play poker and dreams of retiring in a small beach town.
Here, Danielle shares why she enjoys serving on IAEE’s Expo! Expo! Advisory Committee and what she looks forward to the most at Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2024 this 16-19 December in Los Angeles, California.
What motivated you to join IAEE’s Expo! Expo! Advisory Committee, and what do you hope to achieve through your service?
Expo! Expo! is THE show for shows and thus I didn’t hesitate to say yes when asked to serve on the committee. As an industry partner, it’s a great opportunity to have a role in shaping the success of the show.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing the exhibitions and events industry today, and how can attendees at Expo! Expo! learn to address these issues?
Overall, I believe the biggest challenges facing the industry are the escalating costs across the board – from A/V to catering, hotels, and convention centers – along with ongoing staffing shortages that affect service quality. Additionally, navigating the rise of AI and integrating it effectively into events, as well as producing more sustainable shows, are key hurdles to address.
How do you leverage your experience as a show ambassador during Expo! Expo! to gather insights and improve future events?
In general, I believe industry partners are quite open about sharing their opinions, including their likes and dislikes! But as an ambassador for the show, I want to engage in real-time feedback with attendees, exhibitors and sponsors during the event to gather immediate feedback on their experiences. Use this to identify what’s working well and where improvements are needed. Also, use this opportunity to share the IAEE vision and encourage my fellow attendees to volunteer, and explore ways to support the organization in multiple ways.
As an industry supplier, what do you see as the greatest takeaways for those who attend Expo! Expo!?
For me, it all comes down to relationships. It is such a fantastic opportunity to meet face-to-face, have great conversations, and learn from one another.
What do you look forward to the most at this year’s Expo! Expo! in Los Angeles?
Aside from reconnecting with amazing clients, I’m excited for Seb Terry’s keynote – he’s incredible! Plus, being in L.A., there’s always the chance of a celebrity sighting and, of course, the opportunity to enjoy a delicious In-N-Out burger! 😊
