RUSH University
Experiential Production & Operational Strategy
Large-scale academic milestone events — produced end-to-end, from venue strategy and vendor management to guest experience and original collateral.
Client
RUSH University Medical Center
Role
End-to-End Event Production
Scale
~200 Attendees Per Event
Outcome
74% Cost Reduction — White Coat
RUSH University Medical Center runs a full calendar of student-facing milestone events — Graduation, White Coat Ceremony, Match Day, Preview Days, orientation, recruitment programming, graduation dinners, and silent auctions. These events carry real institutional weight: they mark the beginning and end of demanding academic journeys and shape how students, families, and faculty experience the university.
I manage end-to-end production for this portfolio of events. That means coordinating every layer — venue sourcing, vendor management, contract coordination, budgeting, catering, audiovisual, photography, guest logistics, stakeholder coordination, and all original event collateral — from initial planning through day-of execution.
Delivering polished, meaningful institutional experiences for approximately 200 attendees requires managing competing pressures simultaneously: tight budgets, multiple vendors, complex logistics, faculty and administrative stakeholders, and guests who expect a ceremony that feels worthy of the milestone.
The work demands both creative judgment — what should this experience feel like? — and operational precision: the contracts, timelines, run-of-show documents, and real-time problem-solving that make it possible.
I evaluate the entire experience before touching a single vendor. That means understanding what the moment needs to feel like for graduates and guests, then building the operational structure — venue, vendors, logistics, collateral — to deliver it within budget.
When an existing model isn't working — on cost, on experience, or both — I build the case for a new approach and execute the transition. The White Coat Ceremony's move to an on-campus model is one example: I identified the opportunity, proposed the model, negotiated the change, and produced the event. The result was a 74% reduction in event-production costs. The model has been adopted indefinitely.
Venue Sourcing & Strategy
Conduct site visits, evaluate venues against program needs and budget, and negotiate contracts. Initiated the White Coat Ceremony's move to an on-campus model — now adopted indefinitely — and am currently leading venue transition planning for the 2026 Graduation at Drury Lane.
Vendor & Catering Management
Source and manage all event vendors including catering, A/V, photography, signage, and printing. Develop menus, coordinate production timelines, and hold vendors accountable to quality and budget.
Contracts & Procurement
Initiate and coordinate contracting and procurement workflows — from vendor quotes and contract requests through internal review and approval. Partner with university contracting and legal teams to finalize agreements, then coordinate payment and financial processing through Accounts Payable while keeping event timelines on track.
Collateral Design
Design all guest-facing event materials in-house: ceremony programs, tickets, virtual invitations, signage, and print and digital collateral. Handling design internally eliminates external design costs entirely.
Guest & Faculty Logistics
Manage all guest communications, seating, wayfinding, and faculty coordination. Develop run-of-show documents and briefing materials for staff, faculty marshals, and day-of volunteers.
Day-of Execution
Lead all day-of production personally — managing event flow, vendor relationships, and real-time problem-solving to ensure each event runs smoothly for graduates, guests, and university leadership.
Verified cost reductions across two major ceremonies — without compromising the guest experience.
White Coat Ceremony — ~200 attendees
74%
reduction in event-production costs
After I initiated the move to an on-campus model, event-production cost decreased from $8,753.45 at an external venue to $2,251.04 — a $6,502.41 reduction. The on-campus model has been adopted indefinitely.
Graduation — ~200 attendees
20.8%
year-over-year cost reduction
Graduation event spend decreased from $14,878.43 in 2024 to $11,788.39 in 2025 — a $3,090.04 reduction while maintaining the same venue and approximately 200-person experience.
Active Project
2026 Graduation — Drury Lane
In response to budget constraints, I initiated a venue transition for the December 2026 Graduation. I am currently sourcing, negotiating, contracting, and planning the new event model at Drury Lane. This work is ongoing.
