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MTA Spotlight: Accounting Associate Anne Weiland’s Inspiring Donor Story

We’d like to spotlight a Miller Tanner Associates team member for her extraordinary act of kindness – one that qualifies as a special badge of honor. This week, Anne Weiland, an accounting associate at MTA, will become a kidney donor to someone she’s never met. This generous decision stems from a compassionate desire to transform someone’s life. As Anne embarks on this journey, her story is an inspiring reminder of the power of human generosity. 

Last Thanksgiving, Anne took a serendipitous journey through the woods with fellow hikers, two of whom shared their personal stories as kidney donors. This left a meaningful impression which ultimately led Anne on another journey – down the path of donorship. She began researching more about kidney donation; and after talking to other donors and exploring the option further, she determined that she wanted to pursue the opportunity to donate to a non-designated recipient. 

While most organ donations come from friends or family members, Anne felt moved to make a difference in the life of a non-designated recipient, highlighting the profound impact one individual can have on another’s survival and well-being. Another source of motivation for Anne was the chance to assist when she had previously been unable to do so in a different situation. “I had a brother and a sister who both passed away and [given their respective health circumstances] I wasn’t able to help. This was an opportunity where I could do something to help someone through organ donation.” 

Although Anne’s surgery and her donor recipient’s transplant will take place on the same day, in the same hospital, on different floors, she isn’t sure if she’ll have the opportunity to meet the recipient in person. While a decision like this can have many emotions, Anne feels happy for her female recipient. “Imagine how her life will change,” she shared. On average, a kidney from a live donor can last 10 years longer than a kidney from a deceased donor, resulting in more promising outcomes for the donor recipient. 

As of March 2024, there are over 89,000 patients on the kidney transplant waiting list. Each year, only around 400 individuals donate to non-designated recipients. If a person chooses to be one of these non-direct donors, the donor has the potential to initiate a chain. “Even if you aren’t a match for someone you know, donating to a non-designated recipient allows you to create a longer chain, possibly impacting more than just a single life,” shared Anne.

“If anyone is interested, I’d be happy to share and answer questions about how to become a donor. So many people are on dialysis or have kidney issues, and many people will never receive a kidney donation. If I can raise awareness through my experience, I’m happy to do it.”

For more information about becoming a kidney donor, you can visit https://www.kidneyregistry.com. 

Resources:  

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How Miller Tanner Associates Optimizes Attendee Engagement at Events  

digital sign in
Digital signature at a recent MTA Workshop makes for a more efficient sign-in process.

In today’s rapidly evolving event landscape, the buzzword on every organizer’s lips is attendee engagement. But what exactly does “attendee engagement” mean, and why has it become the cornerstone of successful event planning? 

Understanding the essence of attendee engagement and its significance can transform how we approach event planning. It shifts the focus from merely gathering an audience to actively involving them, turning each event into a dynamic, interactive experience that delivers real value to everyone involved. 

How MTA Maximizes Attendee Experiences

Senior Director, Customer Experience (CX) Conor Barry shares how Miller Tanner Associates is leveraging both technology and innovative approaches to captivate your audience and ensure their active participation. 

Q: Events (both live and virtual) are on the rise and the key focus, regardless of market, has been the significance of attendee engagement. Let’s set the stage a bit and give a foundation for the importance of the overall attendee experience. To start, planning events, whether for small or large groups, comes with a variety of needs and challenges. What would you say is the most common challenge sponsors face when planning for a life sciences event? 

Conor: By far the most common challenge sponsors face is not only measuring but demonstrating ROI. Often some of this ROI is not quantifiable (such as the networks/relationships being formed during life science events) but is of huge value to future studies and research cycles.  

Sponsors often only focus on the quantitative metrics (attributed revenue, lead count, etc.) and need to also take into account qualitative metrics such as lead generation, brand visibility, and attendee sentiment and engagement to justify their investment. 

We’ve found that it’s equally important to assess the long-term impact of sponsorship activities, including brand loyalty and ongoing relationships formed during the event. 

Q: On the topic of additional event aspects to consider, what would you say are some event management best practices to which MTA closely aligns? 

Conor: As an overarching point, I’d have to say making sure that you’re being strategic from day one of the event planning process is important. Establish what success looks like for all stakeholders – guests, sponsors, speakers, and the planning team. Aside from that point, I’d summarize additional best practices under four main points: 

  • Planning Timeline Development: MTA is committed to building comprehensive timelines that are adaptable to change, but ensure all parties are clear on what is a priority at any stage of the planning process. 
  • Risk Management: Our team is dedicated to identifying potential risks and developing contingency plans to address them far in advance of moving on-site. 
  • Attention to Detail: We’re hyper-focused on attention to every detail, no matter how small, to ensure a seamless event experience for our sponsors, customers, and guests. 
  • Audience-Centric Approach: To know your audience, we take extra time to clearly understand your needs, preferences, and expectations of the event.  

Q: Tell us what technology or innovative practices MTA uses to maximize not only attendee engagement but the general attendee experience.  

Conor: There are several key technologies that we leverage but the most exciting are the inclusion of digital signature (eSign) and the Attend app. The addition of these products to our events’ “toolkit” ensures technology is at the core of elevating the attendee experience and drives engagement throughout the event. 

The usage of digital signature (eSign) allows us to reduce paper/wet ink use on site and the user experience is seamless as our attendees sign in for sessions using iPads. Digital signature allows customers to access real-time information on attendee check-in status, review attendee signature count, and enhance the check-in experience for attendees significantly. Most importantly, it offers consolidated reporting post-event that is fully digital and secure via its data authentication features that ensure data integrity. 

We brought on board the Attend app as we were looking for a way to enhance the guest experience in a fully digitized and mobile-friendly method while also offering more seamless, interactive, and inclusive opportunities for the attendees. 

Q: We understand that a main factor that indicates the success of an event is attendance. With that key focus in mind, how does MTA ensure that life science sponsors are sure to achieve their goals? 

Conor: That is the question of the year, now isn’t it?! MTA supports our sponsors in a number of ways to reach their goals regardless of the type of event they’re hosting, but if I had to consolidate it, I’d capture it in three main methods: 

  • MTA is committed to educating our customers using a data-first approach. 
  • Utilizing invite data analytics allows our team to build a deep understanding of the persona we are targeting for each event.  
  • Building highly targeted marketing campaigns and invite strategies that are customized to align with the target audience’s preferences and drive engagement. 
  • MTA leverages seamless registration process technologies. 
  • MTA invests in building cutting-edge technologies that support a smooth guest registration process. This enhances the conversion rates with the target audience and ensures that the first touchpoint our audience has with our customers’ events is a good user experience.  
  • MTA is continuing to invest in technologies that innovate the on-site guest experience and positively enhance guest sentiment towards each event. 
  • Integrating live polling and real-time Q&A sessions during presentations fosters interaction and keeps attendees involved. 
  • Paperless check-in experience for guests using the latest industry technologies to digitally sign in for on-site event sessions. 
  • These technologies also bridge the gap between speaker and audience when the event is a hybrid experience. 

As we look to the future, the possibilities for enhancing attendee engagement are constantly evolving. By staying open to new ideas, technologies, and strategies, we support event organizers to reach their event goals by innovating and elevating the event experience along with ensuring that every event is an opportunity for growth, connection, and engagement. 

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MTA’s Strategic Meetings Management Saves Time and Significantly Reduces Costs for Life Sciences Meetings 

The Event

A life sciences company with complex training needs contacted Miller Tanner Associates for planning guidance.

The Challenge

Our customer, a life sciences company, needed to deliver training on 5 different protocols to 600 HCP attendees from numerous European sites, many of whom required multiple trainings on different combinations of these protocols. To add to the complexity, this was a rolling site list with attendees being added, some with tight turnaround times on Visas.

The Solution

MTA partnered with our customer to provide comprehensive Strategic Meetings Management that would reduce costs and maximize time.  

Rather than attendees needing to attend three separate investigator meetings at various locations, MTA proposed a solution to consolidate by training all sites simultaneously over 8 days in London, with staggered trainings and tailored agendas for each attendee. This approach aimed to minimize travel for the corporate team and site participants; offer efficient training for all attendees; and reduce costs and time for all participants involved.  

MTA began by dividing the 600 attendees by countries to meet compliance standards. With time efficiency as a priority, MTA then strategically crafted an extensive agenda to accommodate 60 various protocol training combinations, tailoring a personalized agenda for each participant (in total 60 agenda versions). MTA orchestrated a comprehensive agenda for the entire event, incorporating general sessions, break-out sessions, parallel protocol training sessions (each included 3 days of content), and welcome dinners.  

To optimize attendees’ time when not attending their respective trainings, MTA included a “connection lounge” for attendees. Here, sponsor representatives were available for one-on-one time with attendees for discussion and to answer questions, further building relationships with sites and site participants. 

During the 8-day event, daily arrival and departure schedules were organized to accommodate each individual’s training requirements. MTA developed a communication strategy with our travel partners that included a keen understanding of the attendees’ roles and personalized agendas, to secure a smooth arrival and departure process for all participants. 

Additionally, MTA utilized advanced technologies to enhance the attendee experience, to increase efficiency, accuracy, and overall attendee satisfaction. 

  • To streamline operations, MTA implemented digital sign-ins across 11 daily opportunities, eliminating the need for a cumbersome sign-in process. In turn, this also allowed for easy post-event data reporting. 
  • By leveraging MTA’s proprietary app, Attend, attendees could conveniently access personalized digital agendas and scheduling details from their mobile devices. Using Attend, our on-site team was able to quickly assist attendees when needed.    

Through Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) and early planning, MTA leveraged our extensive logistics planning expertise, vendor partnerships, and advanced event technology, to produce a streamlined, 3-in-1 investigator training that prioritized time efficiency resulting in a significant cost savings of 25 percent – over 1 million dollars – for our customer. 

Great to work with your team yet again! A huge shout out to Jenny, Conor, Christina, Miranda, Tricia, and the entire team! And I don’t know how but despite the jetlag Jenny has all the permutations/combinations in her head. Kudos! Looking forward to our continued collaboration through APAC and LATAM Meetings. – Customer, Program Operations Leader 

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Meet MTA: Selina Rogers, Senior Financial Analyst

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Senior Financial Analyst Selina Rogers. Data is Selina’s love language; she’s a master at translating financial and event data into actionable, compelling insights that enamor both our internal teams and our customers.

Meet Selina Rogers, Senior Financial Analyst

Strengths (based on CliftonStrengths): Relator, Harmony, Belief, Achiever, Responsibility

Languages spoken: English and some Mandarin  

Tell us about your current role with MTA. What are your primary responsibilities?

As a senior financial analyst, I focus on leveraging MTA’s financial and event data to provide actionable insights to our customers and internal stakeholders. I have the privilege of working with each one of our amazing teams at MTA to make our data usable through timely, accurate, and accessible reporting and analysis. 

What did you do before joining MTA?

Before joining MTA, I was a senior financial analyst at a large academic medical center. In that role, I collaborated with operations teams to improve labor productivity across our healthcare system while maintaining quality of care. Healthcare is a complex, engaging, and fulfilling industry to work in. I knew I would want a new role or industry to have those same qualities, which led me to MTA! 

MTA has the unique ability to share detailed data on every stage of the event life cycle with our customers, including key metrics on event timelines, costs, and attendee satisfaction. These data insights allow us to partner with our customers to make future events more effective. 

What do you feel are the most fulfilling aspects of your job?

I love how innovative and agile MTA is – we are always working to improve an existing process, implement a new technology, or test a new event service, so I get to be creative in my work every day. It’s also fulfilling to know that my work will serve our team and our customers in a meaningful way, whether that’s saving them time or giving them access to data that hasn’t been available to them before.  

Why do you think access to event data is important for our customers?

Our customers trust us to deliver exceptional experiences that achieve their goals and maximize their investment, and data is crucial in evaluating the success of an event. Through our proprietary technology, EPIC, and other investments in technology, MTA has the unique ability to share detailed data on every stage of the event life cycle with our customers, including key metrics on event timelines, costs, and attendee satisfaction. These data insights allow us to partner with our customers to make future events more effective. 

What makes Miller Tanner Associates stand out as a meeting planning company?

MTA truly cares about its customers and its people, which translates into exceptional service for our customers and exceptional collaboration among our teams. We work to deeply understand our customers’ needs, goals, and processes so that we can seamlessly partner with them not just on individual events, but also on long-term event strategy. MTA also invests in industry-leading technology to make us more efficient and deliver dynamic event experiences. 

Selina pictured with the Finance Team at the 2024 Workshop in Dublin, Ireland.

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important?

As a fully remote company, MTA Workshops are important for our team to connect in a way that virtual touchpoints can’t replicate. When we get together in person, we make incredible memories and have the chance to spend time with MTA team members that we don’t interact with as much in our day-to-day work. I also love that we live out our company values by doing a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project together as a team every Workshop. 

What do you do for fun?

I love to read (fantasy books, especially), travel to new countries, lift weights, hunt for good Chinese food, and spend quality time with friends and family. 

Where do you live and what do you love most about your state/city?

I live in Nashville, TN, and I love the natural beauty of Tennessee and its rolling hills. Nashville is growing rapidly, which means there is so much to do in the city, but you are still close to nature and there is plenty to do outdoors. For anyone visiting, I would get a pastry from Dozen Bakery, hike around Radnor Lake, eat at some of the amazing restaurants here, visit historic downtown Franklin, and listen to live music at The Bluebird Café or The Listening Room. 

To learn more about the MTA Team, visit www.millertanner.com. 

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Meet MTA: Sydney Shields, Global Experience Specialist – Events

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Global Experience Specialist – Events Sydney Shields. Sydney’s role supports logistical and on-site event management to deliver tailored experiences for attendees.

Meet Sydney Shields Global Experience Specialist – Events

Strengths (based on CliftonStrengths): Strategic, Achiever, Individualization, Activator, Ideation

Languages spoken: French intermediately; I studied it and can hold a basic conversation – but being in France this spring (as well as my role) has inspired me to commit to learning it. That being said, if you have any French shows or music/musicians to recommend please share my way! 

Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?  

I am a global experiences specialist – events, and my responsibilities are to ensure the experience for the attendees, our customers, and my colleagues goes according to expectation. I do this on the back end with data and logistical management – and on the front end on-site at our events supporting the delivery of a memorable experience for all parties involved. 

What did you do before joining MTA?  

I came from a background in film and media studies, and post-graduation got into recruitment within the STEM sector; there I realized my love for talking to people and learning about them, and got the chance to work with some great teams. I knew I wanted to be in a team-oriented environment that prioritized people and their experiences.  

What’s the best part of your job? 

This is a tough question with a simple answer – the people, whether that be my colleagues, our attendees, or our customers. I love the way MTA recognizes individualization and sees all people and experiences this way. No two events are ever the same. Every project is an opportunity to learn something new, so there is a constant evolution in growth and understanding. 

What’s been your favorite event destination as an event planning professional? 

Since it was my biggest event to date, London – where my team spent 2 weeks in Kensington supporting a major clinical series. On-site, we learned to collaborate and bring forward different strengths and styles of executing the details. Off-site, we enjoyed some great restaurants and got to hit all of our points of interest around the city. The highlights had to be a colleague’s birthday we did high tea, taking the tube, and when a Michelin guide restaurant let us take over the aux.  

No two events are ever the same. Every project is an opportunity to learn something new, so there is a constant evolution in growth and understanding. 

What’s been your most memorable event to date and why? 

London because it was one of the longest and most complex events to date in our time as an organization and it was awesome to see done – meeting the vision of both the customer and our team. 

Do you have a few great travel tips that you could share? 

Don’t be afraid of not having an itinerary. I am a big fan of Anthony Bourdain, and he led me to this way of thinking. I have found my most memorable experiences were the unexpected ones I couldn’t have planned any better. Be adventurous, try new things, and get an e-sim card if you can because not having data and being lost on an island (personal experience) isn’t too fun. Having data is. 

What’s the one must-have for every event? 

A good cafe nearby for the morning coffee runs. 

What makes Miller Tanner Associates stand out as a meeting planning company?

The people! What makes them stand out to me is the way they carry everything out from end-to-end. It is all done in-house, which makes the process of execution very efficient.  

mta global experience team
Sydney pictured with Global Experiences Team members at the 2024 Workshop

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time together? 

Being remote, except when we get to be on-site for events, can be hard to connect with colleagues. Especially since most of us are global – it can be amazing to have friends all over the world but also tough to connect outside of work with all working in various time zones. The Workshop ensures that as a remote organization, everyone from every department gets to feel that sense of connectedness. It’s a great way to get to know each other better, have fun, and be filled in on what’s next as an organization. I don’t know of any other remote companies offering this, so I feel grateful to be a part of a place that puts that thought forward.  

What do you do for fun? 

Traveling! I also like to listen to music, read, write, and sing. I love trying new restaurants with friends and day trips, thrifting – I also just ordered my first DJ controller and am going to try that out for fun…but I said it’s for fun…not that I will be good. 

You are originally from? You currently reside in? What do you enjoy most about living there? Any favorite spots that you would recommend to tourists? 

I’m from Sacramento, CA, and reside there currently. I enjoy how Sacramento has grown these past few years, and that it is 2 hours from the beach, the mountains, and San Francisco. I’d recommend the summer concerts in the park, our food scene, great parks, and bike trails. 

To learn more about the MTA Team, visit www.millertanner.com. 

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Meet MTA: Sarae Gdovin, Senior Global Experience Designer – Events

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Senior Global Experience Designer – Events Sarae Gdovin. Sarae leverages her extensive expertise in pharmaceutical industry event management to deliver successful events for both our internal team and our customers.

Meet Sarae Gdovin, Senior Global Experience Designer – Events

Strengths (based on CliftonStrengths): Arranger, Learner, Strategic, Achiever,
Individualization

Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?

I am currently a senior global experience designer here at MTA. My responsibility is to work closely with our customers to bring their event objectives and visions to life. I manage the logistics, behind the scenes, so our clients can focus on the content and deliver an exceptional event experience for all attendees.  

What did you do before joining MTA?

I previously worked as an event director producing pharmaceutical events and managing a team of fellow event managers and coordinators.  

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is the tangible aspect of seeing an event come together onsite in person – it is so fulfilling to see the hard work put into a project come alive into an experience.  

What’s been your favorite event destination as an event planning professional?

Sydney, Australia – Australia had always been on my bucket list, and I was lucky enough to go for the first time for an event. I enjoyed it so much that I now go back any chance I can get! 

MTA is full of brilliant people who work together to create exceptional events and truly embrace and practice the MTA values.

Do you have a few great travel tips that you could share?

‘Do the thing you’re supposed to do in the place you’re supposed to do it’ – I firmly believe in getting off the beaten path when traveling, but sometimes the most visited place is popular for a reason! You shouldn’t miss the Eiffel Tower light up at night just because it’s a tourist spot.  

Also, AirTags! I have one in all of my suitcases, and they have been so helpful on the unfortunate occasions when my luggage has been lost.  

What’s the one must-have for every event?

Comfortable shoes and a backup plan for any last-minute changes! 

What do you do for fun?

Although I travel a lot for work, traveling is still my favorite thing to do! I love a solo adventure just as much as a trip with family or friends. My husband also shares my love for adventure, and we try to plan one big trip a year – our most recent being gorilla trekking in Uganda! 

You are originally from? You currently reside in? What do you enjoy most about living there? Any favorite spots that you would recommend to tourists?

I am from and currently reside in northeast Pennsylvania – close to Scranton for fans of The Office! My favorite thing about living here is how well-connected it is to the Northeast and beyond. I’m only a 2-hour drive from Philadelphia or New York City, and just a few hours more to Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Although our airport may be small, it’s usually only one connection away from any major city in the US, Europe, or LATAM! 

Sarae, pictured with team members, who recently received the MTA 2023 Story of the Year Award.

What makes Miller Tanner Associates stand out as a meeting planning company?

Our people! MTA is full of brilliant people who work together to create exceptional events and truly embrace and practice the MTA values. We push each other forward to not only get the job done but innovate how it could be done better.  

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time together?

Getting the chance to experience my first MTA Workshop just a few months after joining the company was so impactful – it allowed me to strengthen new relationships and feel at home as a part of the team. The time we spend at the Workshop really shows that MTA is willing to put the same investment into in-person meetings as our customers, plus it gives a glimpse into what the Global Experience Team does for those who are not as often on site at events! 

To learn more about the MTA Team, visit www.millertanner.com. 

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Meet MTA: Kyra Matthews, Global Experience Designer – Events

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Global Experience Designer – Events Kyra Matthews. As a global experience designer, Kyra collaborates with the Global Experiences Team to meticulously plan and execute outstanding events from beginning to end.

Meet Kyra Matthews, Global Experience Designer – Events

Strengths (based on CliftonStrengths): Developer, Achiever, Positivity, Input, Arranger

Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?

My current role is global experience designer – events. I am responsible for providing a seamless planning experience for the customer and our partners that translates to a beautifully executed event.   

What did you do before joining MTA?

Prior to joining MTA, I was an event sales manager for a hotel in Philadelphia.   

What’s the best part of your job?

The people! The culture at MTA is so unique. In my time at MTA, this company now feels like family. I am so grateful to be a part of this team and travel the world with them.  

What’s been your favorite event destination as an event planning professional?

So far, Ireland! It was the most pleasant surprise to travel to Dublin and experience a city that was never on my radar, but now I am itching to return.  

Kyra with MTA team members in Dublin, Ireland

What’s been your most memorable event to date and why?

An event in Miami has to be the most memorable meeting because it was my first. This was my first time seeing an investigator meeting in action, meeting my cohorts, and members of the MTA team. I had all of the nerves, excitement, curiosity, and anxiety rolled into one. But after the meeting, I knew I was in the right place. That meeting was the best introduction I could have had to MTA.  

Do you have a few great travel tips that you could share?

Absolutely! 

  1. Don’t check a bag if you don’t have to. Things can change so quickly with travel and the last thing you want is to be without your personal items.  
  1. Be open to new experiences. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own bubble, but there is so much to see in the world. It truly changes you.  
  1. Travel from a place of love. This is my biggest one because it is so easy to get frustrated when traveling due to cancellations, delays, or rude staff/travelers, but everyone is dealing with different things and may just need a smile or for someone to be nice to them to make their day. 
  1. Most important! If you are traveling over 4-5 hours, upgrade your seat if you can. Your body will thank you!  

Whether it is an incentive trip or an investigator meeting, people remember how they felt, and engaging your audience will always produce positive results.

What’s the one must-have for every event?

An engaging element. Whether it is an incentive trip or an investigator meeting, people remember how they felt, and engaging your audience will always produce positive results.

A must-have for every planner, a crossbody bag or pockets to keep your phone, pens, or random things you need during an event.  

What do you do for fun?

I love to try new restaurants, travel with my friends, watch documentaries, play with my dog Knox, and spend time with my sisters.  

You are originally from? You currently reside in? What do you enjoy most about living there? Any favorite spots that you would recommend to tourists?

I am originally from Philadelphia and currently reside there as well. I enjoy being close to my family and enjoy the food scene in the city. My favorite spots for tourists would be:  

  1. Reading Terminal Market – One of the largest and oldest farmer’s markets in the country  
  1. Sanpan – Best happy hour in the city 
  1. African American Museum -The history displayed in this museum is unmatched 

What makes Miller Tanner Associates stand out as a meeting planning company?

The special thing about MTA is that it is not focused on just being a logistical powerhouse or just providing amazing anticipatory service; the focus is to do both with ease and have fun while you do it. It is important for us to be efficient while not sacrificing our human needs or those of our customers/attendees. 

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time together?

As a fully virtual company, it is extremely important to take this time to not only meet those that you only see through a screen but also connect with them. It is easier to do business with people you have a connection to and, in this industry, you have to be able to work as a team. As someone newer to the company and virtual life, it allowed me to see that the culture is strong, you are not in it alone, and it is not anywhere near as disconnected as I feared it may be.  

Anything else you’d like to add? I am extremely grateful to be a part of this team! 

To learn more about the MTA Team, visit www.millertanner.com. 

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MTA Champions Diversity in Clinical Trials Ahead of FDA’s Latest Draft Guidance

FDA Issues Diversity Action Plan Draft Guidance

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a preliminary guideline advocating for more diverse patient groups in clinical trials. This initiative aims to enhance the quality of data submitted in support of premarket applications. The guideline outlines aspects that sponsors should include in their Diversity Action Plans as directed by Congress. Download guidance here.

In the recently released draft guidance, the FDA specifies the content of a sponsor’s Diversity Action Plan, identifies the products that necessitate these plans, and outlines the submission process to the agency. Once finalized, this guideline will supersede the FDA’s 2022 directive regarding diversity plans in clinical trials. 

Specifically, the Diversity Action Plan must include the sponsor’s rationale and patient enrollment goals based on age, ethnicity, sex, and race. It also urges sponsors to look beyond those factors to other demographic differences and consider how they may affect the product’s performance.

Based on the guidance: “Diversity Action Plans are intended to increase enrollment of participants who are members of historically underrepresented populations in clinical studies to help improve the strength and generalizability of the evidence for the intended use population. Such plans must specify ‘the sponsor’s goals for enrollment in [a] clinical study,’ ‘the sponsor’s rationale for such goals,’ and include ‘an explanation of how the sponsor intends to meet those goals.’” 
 
“In general, clinical study diversity helps ensure that clinical studies appropriately test the product in a representative sample of the product’s intended use population. Factors to consider when setting enrollment goals include demographic characteristics (e.g., race, ethnicity, sex, age group), clinical characteristics (e.g., presence of comorbidities, disease etiology), and other characteristics (e.g., access to standard preventive and diagnostic care, access to standard treatments of the clinically relevant population).”  (Regulatory Focus RAPS.org)

Miller Tanner Associates’ Commitment to Clinical Trial Diversity and Equity

Miller Tanner Associates (MTA) has recently joined Trial Equity in a partnership aimed at expanding education and participation across diverse patient groups, a strategic move to address the crucial gap in clinical trial diversity. This collaboration will co-market Trial Equity’s innovative Clinical Trial Diversity Training to pharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, and site networks, leveraging MTA’s extensive global reach and expertise in event management within the healthcare sector. 

diversity in clinical trials
diversity in clinical trials
diversity in clinical trials

“This partnership marks a critical step toward ensuring future medical breakthroughs are effective and accessible to everyone, truly reflecting the diverse communities we aim to serve,” shared Trial Equity Co-Founder Dr. Otis Johnson.

This partnership anticipates transforming clinical trials through: 

  • Enhanced Recruitment and Retention: Empowering study staff with the tools to recruit and retain minority participants more effectively. 
  • Increased Compliance and Generalizability: Ensuring that trial findings are more reflective of the population, adhering to FDA and EMA guidelines on diversity. 
  • Innovative Learning Solutions: Delivering engaging and interactive training modules that include video lectures, activities, games, and case studies, with a certificate of completion for sites’ Trial Master File, upon passing the included assessment. 

Together, Trial Equity and Miller Tanner Associates are setting new standards in clinical trial diversity, paving the way for a future where medical research is truly inclusive. To learn more about this partnership, click here.

For more information on the Clinical Trial Diversity eLearning Course, or to arrange a diversity workshop, please visit Miller Tanner Associates or Trial Equity. 

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Meet MTA: Gabriella Galindo, Global Experience Specialist

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Global Experience Specialist Gabriella Galindo. Gabriella is an essential part of our Global Experiences Team, putting her core strengths to work within our team and for our customers.

Meet Gabriella Galindo, Global Experience Specialist

Strengths (based on CliftonStrengths): Achiever, Relator, Arranger, Discipline, Responsibility

Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?  

I am a global experience specialist (GXS) so I work with the global experience designer (GXD) to help the meetings come to life! I work with the data / administrative side of things to make sure all details are implemented into the system correctly. I also go on-site for meetings to help the global experience team.  

What did you do before joining MTA?  

Before MTA, I worked in various positions such as event administration, human resources, and recruiting for major companies.  

What’s the best part of your job? 

The best part is seeing all of the hard work pay off when you actually attend the meetings. The role of GXS is very detail-oriented so to go on site and see our work professionally executed is satisfying. Also being able to connect with the Global Experiences Team while on site is so nice especially since we are a remote company.  

What’s been your favorite event destination as an event planning professional? 

I was fortunate as I was just in London for two weeks for a very unique meeting! This location with the MTA staff chosen for this meeting was such a memorable experience.  

MTA Team in London

What’s been your most memorable event to date and why? 

I have to say the three investigator meetings that were just in London were definitely among the most memorable events I’ve done! The memories that were made there will forever be cherished with the MTA team as well.  

What’s the one must-have for every event? 

A wireless mouse!! I know it sounds silly, but a wireless mouse is a MUST when traveling to on-site meetings.  

What do you do for fun? 

I love to travel so any opportunity I have, I take it! I also love to stay active, play sports and spend time with my lovely pup. 

You are originally from? You currently reside in? What do you enjoy most about living there? Any favorite spots that you would recommend to tourists?

I am originally from Texas and I now live in Dallas! Dallas has so much to offer with live entertainment, sports, and some really good food! If I have to recommend you do anything in Dallas, it’s get some barbecue!  

What makes Miller Tanner Associates stand out as a meeting planning company?

With Miller Tanner Associates being a remote company AND producing meetings all over the world with us only meeting face-to-face once a year, I think this is a huge stand out as we have been able to do it very successfully. A women-owned company definitely caught my eye when looking into Miller Tanner Associates and that is my favorite aspect about MTA!

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you get most from this time together? 

Since we are a remote company, I think it’s a great time for us to get together and meet essentially! We use this time to brainstorm ideas and bond with different roles in the company since we usually only speak with our specific teams on a day-to-day basis. This time is essential to our company as we continue to become bigger and better! 

To learn more about the MTA Team, visit www.millertanner.com. 

 

Blog

Meet MTA: Lauren Reeves, Senior Learning and Development Manager

The Miller Tanner Associates’ (MTA) difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our customers. Today we introduce you to Senior Learning and Development Manager Lauren Reeves. Lauren’s core strengths of “communication and futuristic” are essential to her role in expanding MTA’s employee training and leadership development programs.

Meet Lauren Reeves, Senior Learning and Development Manager

Strengths (based on CliftonStrengths): Achiever, Communication, Focus, Futuristic, and Woo

Tell us about your current role with MTA. What are your primary responsibilities?  
 
As the Senior Learning & Development Manager, I am focused on ensuring we have the right tools to support the training and continuing education for new and existing employees. Also, building a Learning Management System that will encompass all generic, role-specific employee training. Further, I will focus on management development and implementing leadership development components to bolster the future growth of MTA employees!  

What did you do before joining MTA?

Before joining MTA, I was the Senior Director of Learning and Development with an Atlanta-based restaurant group with 28 locations & 2K employees. Prior to that, I held multiple roles in the full-service restaurant space, primarily working in learning & development roles.  

What do you feel are the most fulfilling aspects of your job? 
 
I’ve had the great fortune of having many superb mentors in my career and my passion is creating content/learning systems that are easily digestible and support innovation. The reason I wake up in the morning excited to get to work is because I am able to support others in the pursuit of their goals. My goal is to be an influential leader and mentor. I love being a small part of people’s success stories. 

How would you describe the work culture of MTA? 
 
MTA has proven to be inclusive, innovative, creatively agile, and (most importantly) FUN! Everyone I have encountered has been welcoming, helpful, and truly happy to be working with MTA as a subject matter expert within their role. I believe that people make places & MTA has some of the best.  

What makes Miller Tanner Associates stand out as a meeting planning company?
 
Miller Tanner Associates distinguishes itself in the meeting planning industry through several key factors: 

  • Innovative Technology Integration: MTA leverages cutting-edge technology to streamline meeting planning processes. MTA’s proprietary event management software is used to support virtual event platforms, and mobile applications to enhance attendee experiences and optimize event logistics. 
  • Global Reach and Expertise: MTA operates on a global scale, with a network of subject matter experts and partners worldwide. We are “talent empowered”…operating as a collaborative group that is familiar with a variety of cultures, demographics, and numerous parts of the world.  
  • Customized Solutions: Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, MTA takes a tailored approach to meeting planning. We work closely with clients to understand their unique objectives, budgetary constraints, and preferences, crafting customized event experiences that exceed expectations. We are creatively agile & will always be able to present innovative solutions to any meeting plan!  
  • Attention to Detail: MTA is known for its meticulous attention to detail throughout every stage of the planning process. From venue selection and logistics coordination to attendee registration and on-site management, the company ensures that every aspect of the event is flawlessly executed. 
  • Exceptional Customer Service: We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service to our cherished customers. The company maintains open lines of communication, provides timely responses to inquiries, and remains flexible and adaptable to client needs throughout the planning process. 

By excelling in these areas, we set ourselves apart from competitors and consistently deliver high-quality meeting planning services to our customers who are the most important part of our business.

Why do you think that the MTA Workshops are important? What do you value most from this time together? 
 
Ireland will be my first MTA Workshop but I am eagerly anticipating meeting everyone in person. I believe there is an irreplaceable human connection component that can only be achieved in person and while exploring a city/experiencing new things. I look forward to a time of shared stories, collaboration, futuristic thought, partnership, and growth! 

Where do you live and what do you love most about your state/city? Any must-see tourist spots? 
 
I live in Marietta, GA, just north of Atlanta. I love the people in Georgia, we are known for hospitality; while the city is home to so many people, there is still a small town & quaint feeling of connection. We have Michelin-star restaurants, mostly sunny and warm weather, Southern hospitality, rich history, and beautiful exhibits of architecture & exterior design. What is not to love?  
 
I love that we are just a few hours away from Savannah, Sea Island, Charleston, and Murrell’s Inlet. And a few hours in other directions to 30A on the Gulf Coast, and the North Georgia mountains.  
 
Must-see tourist spots: Marietta’s restaurants – Mac’s Steakhouse & Hamp and Harry’s;  Truist Park where our beloved Braves play; the Fox Theater; and Canoe restaurant. 

What do you do for fun? 
 
My husband and I stay busy raising our three kids. When we are not busy cheering on a youth sporting event, I enjoy entertaining, exploring new cities both domestically and internationally, interior decorating, cycling, cooking and reading cookbooks, planning fun events, and exploring new wine varietals.  
 
I am a published author, having written two children’s books of a series: Zooziez -which are books based on teaching attributes & values, “Character-building characters”. Additionally, I serve as the co-chair for the Young Professional Leadership Council for CURE Childhood Cancer. Our group serves CURE’s mission to find support for the families of children with cancer and to raise money for the funding of research around pediatric cancer treatment and therapies.  

To learn more about the MTA Team, visit www.millertanner.com. 

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