George Washington Event Management Certificate Program Instructors

James M. Goldberg (CWEP – 504 Risk Management) James M. Goldberg is a principal in the Washington, DC law firm of Goldberg & Associates, PLLC. His practice focuses on the representation of trade associations and professional societies, as well as independent meeting and event planners and other providers of services to the association and event communities. In his law practice, Mr. Goldberg routinely reviews and negotiates client contracts with hotels, convention centers and other service providers. He estimates that he reviews more than 100 such agreements each year. Mr. Goldberg is the author of “The Meeting Planner’s Legal Handbook,” and teaches in the event and meetings management certificate programs at The George Washington University and the University of Georgia. Mr. Goldberg is a charter member and has served on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys. He was a member of the Legal Advisory Council and Contracts Panel of the Convention Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) initiative.

Karen Baker (CWEP – 503 Event Coordination; CWEP – 502 Event Marketing) Karen Baker is a senior marketer with 22 years in experiential marketing and live events. Karen has designed strategies, planned and managed multiple products and services for company icons like BET, Viacom, Pernod-Ricard (Forbes ranked, One Of The Top 20 Most Innovative Companies In The World); Isom Global Strategies (Inc 5000 Company) and DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, noting the highest number of attendees in its history of Dance DC Festival. As a 10 year adjunct professor, she has trained over 1600 students in experiential marketing and event management, traveling to Trinidad's University of the West Indies to lecture. Karen has been awarded a DC Commission on the Art and Humanities 2014 Artist Fellowship and a 2013 Community Art Grant and was chosen to present at The EPIC 2013 in London for her work in experience design. Karen is certified as an Adobe Education Trainer, holding a MTA in Event Management and MA in Design Management.

Kenny Fried (CWEP – 503 Event Marketing) One of the country’s top creative public relations and marketing executives, Kenny has been on the forefront of innovative communication programs for clients across the nation. With more than 30 years of PR and marketing experience, Kenny has promoted some of the top events in the area. Kenny has

been handling projects for Foot Locker since 1981 including handling national PR for the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in New York City, Charlotte, Wisconsin, Los Angelo’s and San Diego. Kenny co-founded Winter-Fried Communications in 1981. The firm merged with Charles Brotman Associates in 1992 to become BrotmanWinter-Fried Communications, now a subsidiary of Sage. For more than twelve years, Kenny oversaw BWF’s Starbucks Coffee account and was the only non-Starbucks employee in its history to receive the Spirit of Starbucks award from the company. He also conceived and promoted the coffee chain’s first national sports sponsorship. Kenny has spearheaded the Foot Locker account for the past thirty years, receiving an award from Brand Week magazine for his work on Foot Lockers national community programs. Kenny has promoted through the years many top companies including Ringling Brothers Circus, Disney on Ice, lululemon athletica, Darden Restaurants, Fannie Mae and Sallie Mae. Kenny has also handled public relations duties for such events as The Taste of DC, The Best Buddies Ball, The Legg Mason and Citi Tennis Classics, the Tiger Woods Golf Tournament and the National Battle of the Corporate Stars. Kenny has been a past Board member of the Larry King Cardiac Foundation and Washington, DC Special Olympics. He has been an adjunct professor of Event Marketing at George Washington University for the past twenty years and has taught classes for universities in Israel, Jordon, Morocco, Puerto Rico and across the U.S., and has been named Educator of the Year. He also was named by the Washington Business Journal as one of the 40 under 40. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Maryland. Fried lives with his wife Stephanie, his sons Josh (18) and Will (16) in Bethesda, Maryland.

Sandra Khoury (CEWP – 512 Catering Design and Coordination) Sandra has over 30 years of experience in hospitality and management in hotels, event management and catering, internationally and nationally. She has been an adjunct professor at George Washington University since 1998.

Mark Sonder (CEWP – 503 Event Marketing; CEWP – 508 Starting, Growing and Managing an Event Business; CEWP – 546 Event Entertainment and Production) Mark is the Chief Entertainment Officer at Worldwide Experience in the strategic planning, development and management of multi-million dollar entertainment programs.

Mark Sonder, MM, CSEP is the author of the best-selling book in the hospitality industry, "Event Entertainment and Production". He advises corporations throughout the world on strategic ROEE (Return on Event Entertainment) for their meetings, conventions & events. His articles on music, entertainment management and production have been published in all of the hospitality/meeting/event trades plus other media outlets, including: The Boston Globe; SF Chronicle; Miami-Herald; Houston Chronicle, LA Times, Yahoo Finance, UPI, etc. He has appeared on CNBC/FNN, FOX, CBS MoneyWatch, TNN, and in a major motion movie for Universal Pictures (The Money Pit), as well as various talk radio programs. Mr. Sonder was a founding member of the International Association of Corporate Entertainment Producers, the Association of Entertainment Professionals, and The International Special Events Society NY Metro Chapter. He went on to serve as the 2nd President of the Chapter and served on the International Board of Directors. Mr. Sonder earned both his MM & BM Degrees from The Manhattan School of Music in NYC. He sits on the faculty at The George Washington University as a Lecturer in Tourism Studies in their Master of Tourism Administration Program in Washington DC and for 6 years at UNLV's Harrah's College of Hotel Administration, plus lecturing at Temple University School of Business, George Mason University School of Recreation Health & Tourism, in addition to The University of the West Indies Hospitality & Tourism Master's Program.

Gary R. Biggs (CWEP – 545 Protocol for Event Managers) Gary is a veteran protocol officer with over 28 years of experience advising senior officials on a wide range of protocol and business etiquette issues including conferences, special events, ceremonies and foreign and domestic visitor programs. His expertise includes policy development, staff management, program design and execution, funding, and team coordination. He is a founding partner of Protocol Partners-Washington Center for Protocol, Inc. Additionally Biggs is an adjunct faculty member at the George Washington University School of Business and the Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, DC and at Stratford University in Falls Church, Virginia, and conducts training at the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean in the Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Biggs is a member of the Protocol and Diplomacy International Protocol Officers Association, serves on the education committee as a mentor, and served on its board of directors from 2005-2007. Biggs enjoys a long and distinguished career as a Protocol Officer in the U.S. Department of Defense, including ten years as the Chief of Protocol at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and15 years as the Protocol Officer in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon.

Biggs’ education includes national security studies, executive leadership and event management instruction from the U.S. Department of Defense, Carnegie Mellon University/University of Pittsburgh, the George Washington University and Syracuse University. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the United States Intelligence Community Seal Medallion, NGA Distinguished and Superior Civilian Service Medals, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency Director’s Medallion for Excellence, the Chairman, JCS Joint Distinguished and Meritorious Civilian Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation and Achievement Medals. Career accomplishments include: planned and executed more than 60 visits to the United States by high level foreign dignitaries, served as team lead on visits by Presidents Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, team lead for the 50th Anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the 50th Anniversary of the Chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and two North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee Fall Tours and he planned numerous official ceremonies including three Change of Director ceremonies, farewell activities for three Secretaries of Defense and three Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Lawrence Dunham (CWEP – 545 Protocol for Event Managers) Lawrence Dunham served as U.S. Assistant Chief of Protocol from 1989 until 2005, and held a variety of other positions in the State Department Protocol Office beginning in 1983. He was Acting Chief of Protocol from January until June 2001. He now consults for government and private sector clients. As Assistant Chief of Protocol, Mr. Dunham headed Protocol’s Diplomatic Affairs Division, which oversaw the State Department’s relations with foreign embassies in Washington, and foreign government offices throughout the United States. In addition to his primary responsibilities, Mr. Dunham coordinated or participated in a number of events such as the Summit of the Americas, the NATO 50th Anniversary Summit Meetings, Presidential Inaugurations, State Funerals of former U.S. Presidents, State Visits of foreign leaders to the United States, and travel by the President and of Presidential Delegations representing him overseas. Mr. Dunham has been featured as an authority on matters related to protocol and diplomatic immunity in news articles and on television and radio broadcasts, has been consulted by numerous journalists and authors for insight and guidance in these areas, and has lectured and provided training to diverse groups on a wide range of protocol related matters. He recently was a contributing writer for United States Protocol – The Guide to Official Diplomatic Etiquette, authored by Ambassador Mary Mel French. Larry is a senior associate with Protocol Partners, an adjunct faculty member at George Washington University’s School of Business and the Elliott School of International Affairs, and conducts training at the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean in the Institute of International Relations at the University of

the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad. He is a member of the board of directors of the International Student House in Washington, the advisory board of THIS for Diplomats, which serves the diplomatic community in Washington, D.C. , the U.S. board of directors of Nyumbani in Kenya, an organization which provides assistance to children and families affected by HIV, and is an honorary member of the Board of Advisors of the Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies. He previously has served on the board of directors of Protocol and Diplomacy International - Protocol Officers Association, the George Mason University School of Law Alumni Association, the Executive Committee of the Consular Corps of Washington, D.C., and the advisory committee for Passport DC’s annual embassy open house. He is the recipient of the State Department’s Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, and the Secretary of State’s Certificate of Appreciation. Other awards include the Order of Her Most Catholic Majesty Queen Isabella, from the King of Spain, and the Commander’s Cross, from the Government of Austria, the Spirit of Diplomacy Award from Protocol and Diplomacy International and a distinguished alumni award from the George Mason University School of Law. Mr. Dunham is a graduate of the Catholic University of America and the George Mason University School of Law.

Phyllis Mikolaitis (CEWP – 506 Corporate Event Management) Phyllis is the Founder and President of Events Plus Training and DigiPrint Academy headquartered in Frankford, DE. Her firm provides design, development and delivery of award winning learning solutions and event project management for corporations, colleges and associations around the world. Since 1998, Phyllis has been a frequent guest instructor at The George Washington University School of Business and Public Management in Washington, D.C. Using the latest technologies and techniques, Phyllis works in partnership with major corporations and educational institutions to develop and deliver innovative award winning learning solutions and events. Her clients include major corporations from around the globe. Phyllis is a dynamic and engaging presenter who invigorates her audience with her experience, delivery and business acumen. She has over 35 years’ experience developing her skills in sales, leadership, marketing and communications. Her programs and events reflect her extensive global experience and bring a sense of reality to the planning and production. She is Co-author of the book Corporate Event Project Management published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY. The book is recommended by several international universities including The George Washington University and the University of Australia in Sydney. Phyllis and co-author Bill O’Toole have recently submitted the manuscript for their next book on Event Project Management comprehending the criteria for international certification in Event Project Management. Phyllis is currently working with several

corporations on the integration of Storytelling for Business Success into their executive and sales programs as well as their marketing events. Prior to establishing her own business, Phyllis was employed by Xerox Corporation where she received numerous awards including two instances of the prestigious Xerox Vice President’s Award for Excellence. In addition, she has received the New Media Invision Gold Award for innovative multi-media training, and the Philadelphia Fire Marshall’s Association Honors for her founding of the Save-A-Life program. Phyllis is listed in the Cambridge Who’s Who of Successful Women. She is also member of the American Society for Training & Development, Meeting Professionals International and the National Association of Professional Women.