UCB outreach officer up for top events management award

A UCB outreach officer whose events management skills have helped over a thousand pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds access higher education is up for a top award.

Joanna Axinte, who graduated from UCB with an Events Management degree in 2012 and now leads the University’s National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) team, has made the finals of Conference News’ CN30 Under Thirty awards, recognising the success of events projects she has been involved in over the past year.

These include being a mentor for The Evolve Programme, fostering emerging talent in the event industry, head of events for the Future Leaders Club and its Futurize event in Birmingham and guest writer for The Mice Blog.

She is also in the process of launching website FindFreelancer.com and partnered up with QHotels to develop wellbeing and fitness content for event professionals.

Cutting her teeth in the events management industry as a volunteer at the 2012 London Olympics, then working for bespoke events management agency Conference Solutions in Castle Bromwich for four years, Jo said she was amazed to be in the finals.

“I danced around the office when I opened the email,” said Jo, whose NCOP role involves setting up events that bring real world opportunities to widen participation.

“I love events management and mentoring professionals and students, and to be told you have made one of the strongest contributions to the industry feels great.”

In association with event tech specialist Cvent, the CN30 Under Thirty awards honour the UK conference and meetings industry’s top young talent, with 30 professionals being recognised at London’s Camm & Hooper’s Victorian Bath House on October 30.

Liz Agostini, publishing director for Conference News, said: “The industry is not short of talent, but sometimes those in the early years of their careers can get drowned out in the noise. It’s time that we, as trade press, take these future leaders seriously and give them the appreciation they deserve.”

During her time as a student at UCB, Jo volunteered for more than 200 hours for different events as part of the Professional Events Practice module. She also did an internship in the fundraising department at Birmingham Children's Hospital. 

Find out more about UCB’s Events Management (BA Hons), which is accredited by the University of Birmingham and sits within UCB’s The Business School.