March
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: Show Up Strong: Building a Personal Brand on
LinkedIn as an Event Professional
LOCATION: Eleven Eleven Winery | 620 Trancas Street
Napa | CA 94515
MEETING DATE: Thursday, March 19th, 2026
TIME: 1:00pm-3:00pm
HOST: Kim Scarlata | Kim@1111Wines.com
About the Program:
LinkedIn isn’t just for corporate professionals — it’s a powerful platform for event and venue professionals who want to build visibility, credibility, and meaningful industry connections.
If your profile hasn’t been updated in years — or you’re not sure what to post — you’re not alone.
In this session, Ame Hernandez, Senior Events Program Manager at LinkedIn, will share practical strategies to help you strengthen your online presence, grow your professional network intentionally, and confidently represent your work.
You’ll walk away with:
A clear understanding of what makes a strong, compelling LinkedIn profile
Practical ways to build and nurture meaningful industry connections
Insight into LinkedIn features and how it'll help you
Confidence around what to post — and what to avoid
This is about being intentional with your professional presence — whether you’re job-curious, building your network, or simply want your online profile to reflect the caliber of work you already do.
About the Speaker
Ame Hernandez is a Senior Events Program
Manager at LinkedIn, where she designs
and leads high-impact experiential programs
that connect brand, talent, and community. With over
a decade in the events industry, her experience spans executive donor experiences, major gift nonprofit galas, community activations, corporate conferences, and weddings — giving her a well-rounded perspective across multiple sectors.
Before moving into tech, Ame founded her own event planning business, partnering closely with venues, vendors, and clients to produce meaningful, high-touch experiences. Her career began in nonprofit events for philanthropic leaders, and today she brings that hands-on industry foundation into the tech world, aligning experiences with measurable business outcomes.
A former president of the International Live Events Association (ILEA) and founder of The Events Life, Ame remains deeply committed to elevating event professionals. She believes strong relationships — both in person and online — are the foundation of long-term success in this industry.
GET LINKEDIN READY- BOOK A MINI HEADSHOT SESSIONS WITH DANA!
Photographer, Dana Hargitay, will provide Mini-Headshot Sessions during the event. Each session is $50 which includes natural lighting photos. Editing will be an additional fee quoted based on your preferences. To secure your spot, send your $50 to Dana Hargitay’s Venmo.
April
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: ABC Rules and Guidelines with Shlomo Franco
LOCATION: ShinDig Sonoma | Petaluma, CA
MEETING DATE: Wednesday, April 29th, 2026
PARKING: Boulevard Cafe (Parking Lot Behind)
1096 Petaluma Blvd North
Petaluma, CA 94952
TIME: 3:30pm-6:30pm
HOST: Stephanie Franco | stephanie@spotonevents.com
SAVE THE DATE
May
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: DMC Deepdive : An Interactive Panel with Local DMC Representatives
LOCATION: Paradise Ridge Winery | 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
MEETING DATE: Thursday, May 21st, 2026
TIME: 3:00-5:00pm
HOST: Sara Sugrue | sara@prwinery.com
SAVE THE DATE
June
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: Operations, Systems & Time Management, An Interactive Round Table
LOCATION: Casa Mani Resort | 1075 California Blvd, Napa, CA 94559
MEETING DATE: Thursday, June 18th, 2026
TIME: 3:00-5:00pm
HOST: Sharon Gabriel | sharon.gabriel@hilton.com
SAVE THE DATE
July
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: Principles of Food and Wine Pairing
LOCATION: St. Francis Winery | 100 Pythian Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
MEETING DATE: Thursday, July 16th, 2026
TIME: 9:00am-11:00am
HOST: Cammille Lunt-Bisbey | clunt-bisbey@stfranciswinery.com
SAVE THE DATE
August
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: Non-Negotiables, A Round Table Discussion about contract terms and guidelines
LOCATION: La Toque/Westin Verasa Napa | 1314 McKinstry St, Napa, CA 94559
MEETING DATE: Thursday, August 20th, 2026
TIME: 9:00am-11:00am
HOST: Judith Perkins | jperkins@westinnapa.com
SAVE THE DATE
September
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: Event Designs and Rentals
LOCATION: Sunflower Cafe | 421 1st St W, Sonoma, CA 95476
MEETING DATE: Thursday, September 17th, 2026
TIME: 4:00pm-6:00pm
HOST: Jamie Lunney | AP@sonomasunflower.com
SAVE THE DATE
October
Educational Meeting
TOPIC: Southeast Wedding and Events with Ranjan Dey
LOCATION: Chateau St. Jean | 8555 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood, CA 95452
MEETING DATE: Thursday, October 15th, 2026
TIME: 3:00pm-5:00pm
HOST: Olivia Roualdes | oroualdes@ffws.com
SAVE THE DATE
November
VENDOR SHOWCASE
LOCATION: Cliff Lede Vineyards | 1451B Yountville Cross Rd, Yountville, CA 94599
MEETING DATE: Friday, November 20th, 2026
TIME: 2:00-5:00pm
HOST: Sherell Guyot | Sherell@ledefamilywines.com
SAVE THE DATE
