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AMANDA CIARLONE
PRESIDENT
Amanda Ciarlone represents the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau and works with clients based in the Northeast to consider the fabulous city of Dallas as a meeting destination. Her affiliation with PCMA began when she was a student in the late 1990's. Amanda, who was living in New York, relocated back to Dallas with her family in September 2010. She has spent the majority of her career in the CVB world, but also spent some time working at hotels in Dallas.
Over the past few years, she has held various leadership positions in MPI and PCMA, and the Junior League of Northern Westchester (an organization of women dedicated to building better communities). She is very passionate about volunteering and her experience is the more that you give by volunteering the more you get back in return.
During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Tom, and young children Cate and Jack. Reading, cooking, and practicing yoga are some of her hobbies. Amanda is excited about continuing to volunteer as a leader with the PCMA New York chapter and looks forward to working with other leaders and our members to build on the succesful momentum we created in 2010.
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ROCCO LA FORGIA
VICE PRESIDENT
Rocco La Forgia, Director of Sales Worldwide Accounts with Hilton Worldwide,
has been an active member of the hotel industry forover 20 years. After graduating from Pace University with a BBA in Marketing, he started as a night auditor at the Hilton Woodcliff Lake in NJ. He then moved into various sales positions, and since 2005, he has been representing Worldwide Sales.
Rocky is very active in the industry, from a former Board of Director for ESSAE, as well as a member - and Chairman of various committees - for MPI NJ, MPI WestField, GNYMPI, NYSAE, and now NYPCMA.
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ANNE SHEERIN
TREASURER
 Anne C. Sheerin, CMP has her own independent meeting planning company. ACS Inc. is a boutique company that offers contract negotiations, on site conference management and best practice solutions in the meetings industry.
Anne's meeting planning experience, attention to detail and excellent people skills allow her to be successful. Her goal is to provide clients with personalized solutions to address their business needs.
Anne Sheerin served as department manager and senior conference planner during her 18-year career at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Anne earned her Certified Meeting Professional designation in 1996, and successfully trained many conference planners during her tenure at the Institute. Anne is an active member of PCMA on both the local and national level.
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ELIZABETH MAISONET
SECRETARY
 Elizabeth Maisonet, Director of Northeast Accounts, Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Florida, has been working in the hotel industry for 20 years. Elizabeth started at Princess Hotels International as a reservation agent while attending Baruch College in New York City. After graduation, she held various group sales positions at Princess Hotels International. In 1997 she joined El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico as Associate Director of Sales, Northeast. In 1999, she joined Canadian Pacific Hotels, which later became Fairmont-Raffles-Swissotels Hotels & Resorts, as Director of Global Accounts, covering the Northeast Association and Corporate group market. In November 2010, she made a slight career change to work for an independently owned resort, Ocean Reef Club, while continuing to cover the Northeast group market. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has been a member of NYSAE, MPI and PCMA. Elizabeth resides in Bellerose, Queens with her husband John, 3 year old son, Robert and 2 year old daughter, Gabriella.
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KARIN BAGNALL
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
 Karin Bagnall is associate director of convention programs at the Modern Language Association, whose members teach languages and literatures at colleges and universities throughout the United States and abroad. She joined the MLA's convention department in 2000 and PCMA soon afterward. An active member of the New York Area Chapter from the beginning, Karin cut her teeth on the Communications Committee. She served as co-chair of the Membership Committee for three years, edited articles for the chapter's newsletter, and worked with the University of New Haven's students to create their student chapter. In 2010 Karin served as chapter President.
While work, family, and friends provide her with the opportunity to travel across the country and across the Atlantic, Karin can't imagine living anywhere other than Brooklyn. From the restaurants, museums, and now the Tot Lot in Prospect Park where she plays with her favorite nephew, there's no place like home!
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DEAN D'ANNA
DIRECTOR, AWARDS & RECOGNITION
 Dean D'Anna, Associate Director of Sales and Marketing, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Global Account office, has been working in the hotel industry for over 20 years. Dean started his career in Vermont at the Ascutney Mountain Resort as a reservation agent. He then moved to the Boston area and was a sales manager for Ocean Edge Resort & Conference Center, Brewster, Massachusetts. In the early 90's Dean worked at Plaza Hotel in New York City as Director of Convention Services working for Donald and Ivana Trump. Dean spent the next 10 years with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts based in New York City as National Sales Manager. Dean then spent a year as a sales manager at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Connecticut.
In 2003, Dean joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts as a Director of National Accounts and in 2005 was promoted to the Associate Director of Sales for the Northeast Global sales Office. Throughout his career, Dean has been active member of both PCMA and Meeting Professionals International.
He resides in Milford, Connecticut with his wife Tracy and his 13 year daughter Olivia. When Dean is not working, you can find him skiing, running, coaching youth basketball and supporting the Boston Red Sox.
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LYNNE NORDONE
DIRECTOR, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Lynne Nordone, CMP, is managing partner of LAN/events which specializes in meetings/events planning and strategies. She previously served as vice president-member services at the national media trade association Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, overseeing meetings/conference operations, information resources and client services.
A chapter member since 1997, Lynne has served on NYPCMA's program committee, and since June 2007 on the marketing/communications committee, intially as an editorial contributor and for the past two years as newsletter production editor.
Lynne also serves as a board member of the Executive Women's Golf Association Long Island chapter.
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AMBER LEVY
DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP
Amber Levy is currently the Director, North and Southeast Region Hotel Sales for LA INC., the Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau.
A nine-year veteran of the hospitality industry, Levy was most recently the National Sales Director for the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau. Levy has also served as the Director of Sales for The Hyland Group, based in New York City and Arlington, VA. Amber handles the Northeast market, the southeast market and the Sports market nationwide.
Amber has been actively involved within PCMA for the last several years and is excited to serve as the PCMA Membership Chair for the second consecutive year.
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MICHELLE JAMES
DIRECTOR, NETWORK FOR THE NEEDY
 Michelle James, CMP is a Meeting Planner for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), a trade association serving the global retail real estate industry. ICSC produces more than 200 conferences, local programs and trade shows each year. Michelle's conferences mostly focus on specific professional and business sectors within the shopping center industry.
Prior to joining ICSC, Michelle was Manager of Conferences and Special Events for the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) of New York City.
Michelle is a graduate of Elon University where she received a BA in Political Science. Since moving to New York, Michelle attended NYU Event Management classes and received her CMP in September 2009. Michelle currently resides in Manhattan.
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STUART RUFF
DIRECTOR, PROGRAMS
Stuart Ruff, CGMP, CMP, has worked in the hospitality and tourism industry since 1998, planning meetings since 2002. His experience spans the event spectrum and includes planning international events on behalf of the National Institutes of Health and the US State Department. He is currently the Senior Meetings Planner, Marketing and Programs Strategy, at the International Trademark Association in New York.
Stuart holds a B.A. in English, and is a Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) and a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). He is the Director of Programs for NYPCMA, serves on the PCMA International Taskforce and, is on the Convention Industry Council (CIC) Standards Review Committee.
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TANYA TROYER
DIRECTOR, SPONSORSHIP & ADVERTISING
 Tanya Troyer, Director, Global Accounts is responsible for strategic account development with Omni Hotels and Resorts. Based in the New York
Global Sales office with a key focus on the NE Association Market, she also works closely with Global Hotel Alliance providing clients a seamless process with twelve leading brands worldwide.
A seasoned sales professional with twenty years of experience, Troyer's career began in New Orleans working for multiple hotel companies. A member of PCMA though out her career, she has assisted in community projects for the needy to an exciting new appointment to the board of the NY Chapter to grow sponsorship and advertising.
Tanya resides in Manhattan when she is not using her passport to explore her passion for travel. What makes this southern girl smile: kiss from her son, a good work out at the gym, boating, cooking with friends and jogging in Central Park.
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MICHELLE NICOLETTI
DIRECTOR, MENUS & VENUES
Michelle Nicoletti is Director of Worldwide Accounts for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Michelle has been in the hotel industry for more than 20 years and began as an Association meeting planner with National Retail Merchants Association. After nine years as a planner, she moved over to hotel sales as part of the pre-opening team at the Hotel Macklowe in New York. From there she moved on to the Sheraton New York as a sales manager in the association market. In 1995 Michelle moved to Hyatt and has just hit her 15 years with the company.
Michelle has always been active in both NYSAE and PCMA. Michelle lives on Long Island with her husband Peter and their 12 year old Weimaraner, Nikki. Michelle and her husband work out together and enjoy biking, antiquing and entertaining in their home.
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