CHICAGO — Trade Show Executive’s (TSE) Women to Watch Class of 2024 is a group of exceptional up-and-coming women who making significant impacts at their organizations through their work, from operations to marketing to pricing to sales. Since 2018, this program has served to recognize women professionals and their achievements in the trade show industry. This month, TSE is highlighting each of this year’s Women to Watch, to celebrate their contributions. TSE caught up with one of this year’s Women to Watch, Sydney Rhea, CEM, Sustainability Project Delivery Manager, Informa Markets North America, to talk about her career journey, how she overcomes challenges and what she credits for helping her achieve her success.
MADDY: Can you tell us how you landed in the trade show industry? Was it a straight path here, or was it unexpected?
SYDNEY: Productions and events have always been in my journey. My career began in theater, eventually stage managing Off-Broadway. While I enjoyed the creativity of the theatre world, I realized I craved more challenges and varied experiences, so I transitioned to event planning in New York City. When my husband and I left the city, I discovered the tradeshow industry, with my first role as an operations coordinator. I’ve been with Informa Markets ever since in various different roles across several industries, and am incredibly grateful for the nine years of growth and opportunities Informa has provided.
MADDY: What are some of the skills that have helped you move up in your organization, and how do you refine those skills?
SYDNEY: One of my key strengths is my ability to connect with others. I find great energy in inspiring and encouraging people to bring their ideas to fruition. This skill has been vital in my operations roles, supporting event management, sales, marketing, and education, and it continues to be essential in my current sustainability role. I believe it’s crucial for everyone to feel heard and valued to have diverse perspectives represented. This approach not only helps me advocate for the needs of the business, our colleagues and our customers, but also supports my team members effectively.
MADDY: Thinking back on your career thus far, what is a standout moment that makes you proud of yourself?
SYDNEY: In 2022, I stepped into the Chair role of the IAEE Rocky Mountain Chapter when we were down to just four board members. Rather than closing our doors, we grew to 12 board members and hired a part-time association manager within a month. I’m incredibly proud of how the chapter has thrived under new leadership, and I’m grateful we could change its course.
In my day-to-day role, launching an internal Sustainability Innovation Grant has been another significant achievement. This initiative aims to inspire colleagues to develop ideas that create real impact at their events, launch revenue generating opportunities that do good, and provide best practices across our portfolios. I’m now in the second year of running the program, and the creativity I’ve seen from our colleagues has truly amazed me. We’ve given funding to projects like outdoor solar chargers at one of our Agriculture events, a custom-built reusable structure to highlight sustainable packaging at our SupplySide events, and investment to grow a “Women in the Construction Industry” program for one our Infrastructure & Construction events.
Launching the initial program and planning funding involved a robust process that took over six months but the end result has far exceeded my expectations. Now, other departments are even mirroring their funding and fulfillment learning from this example.
Related. Meet the 2024 Women to Watch: Natalie Santiago
MADDY: What is your motivation to continue striving for excellence in your work?
SYDNEY: My motivation stems from a genuine desire to enhance the lives of those around me. My goal is that our trade shows create a positive impact in every market we serve, ensuring that every attendee leaves with new knowledge, personal growth, and enriched experiences.
I’m continually inspired by my colleagues who are making significant strides in sustainability at their events. This drives me to develop sustainability education for them, support the evolution of their practices, and help them minimize waste and maximize resources, while improving their impact on local communities.
I’m passionate about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as enhancing the wellness of our attendees and exhibitors.
Witnessing our hard work come to fruition at our events and seeing the impact it has, motivates me to champion our event teams in building and growing sustainability practices above and beyond what they dream is possible
MADDY: What’s the toughest decision you’ve had to make in your role and how did you handle it? Or, can you share a significant challenge you faced as a woman in this industry, and how did you overcome it?
SYDNEY: The toughest decision I’ve had to face is whether event teams and, subsequently, my colleagues, meet their OKRs based on their sustainability efforts. It’s challenging because sustainability is an ongoing proactive commitment that requires both immediate results and ongoing improvement, and we want to ensure that teams are rewarded for their long-term efforts and stay motivated, while also being accountable to creating real change.
When confronting this decision, I take a step back to assess the overall impact and engage in open conversations with the teams to understand their opportunities and successes, emphasizing the importance of progress over perfection. It is so important for our event teams to focus on innovative practices that might not yield immediate results today will contribute to our sustainability goals in the long run. This not only supports the teams in their current initiatives, it also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration, which is essential in our industry.
MADDY: How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout? How do you encourage others to do the same?
SYDNEY: I am always evaluating my own work-life balance to ensure I am modeling a healthy working environment for myself and others. As a high performer who has high expectations for herself, I find inspiration in making a real impact, which often requires more time than a traditional workweek allows. To protect my mental well-being, I prioritize being selective and intentional with what I take on and what I might not have the bandwidth for. It’s really hard when you are so passionate and motivated by your work, but it is a lesson that everyone needs to learn to thrive, sustainably.
A key aspect of maintaining balance is understanding that needs evolve over time. What worked last year may not be effective this year, so it’s important to advocating for balance and resource. For me, the benefit of flexible working hours is a huge support for childcare schedules, especially with work travel.. It’s important to recognize that work-life balance looks different for everyone and changes through various seasons of life.
MADDY: How do you think women can support each other more in this industry? Or, in what ways do you think the trade show industry is evolving to better support women in leadership roles?
SYDNEY: I’ve witnessed significant progress in women supporting each other during my time in this industry. Support for women through different childcare stages has grown tremendously, especially those with newborns and young children. You will now often see women working on the show floor with a caregiver back in the hotel room, allowing them to be powerhouse professionals during the day, and be present with their children in the evening.
There’s always opportunity to invest deeper in supporting women at all stages of their careers. Despite women making up over 70% of the workforce in the trade show industry, twice as many men hold director-level positions. This disparity often stems from women prioritizing security, flexibility, and schedules that accommodate family needs, which can hinder their career growth.
Encouraging a work environment that allows both women and men to create schedules that enable them to fulfill their job requirements while being productive and meeting their personal needs is critical for us to thrive personally and professionally.
MADDY: What do you think the next big thing in the events space is going to be, whether it be related to technology, work models, experiences, etc.?
SYDNEY: The next big trend in the events space is that attendees will increasingly choose which events to attend based on sustainability factors and the quality of the experience offered. As conscious consumers shift toward embedding sustainability into all facets of their life, from clean beauty to better-for-you foods, and ethically made clothing, the demand for sustainability to be inherent in business also rises.
Events that fail to embed sustainability, whether through their content, vendors, community impact, or investing in our future through the reduction of waste—will lose traction with their audience. Additionally, those that don’t foster community experience where attendees feel they receive a strong ROI for their trip will see a rapid decline in participation. As people become more selective about their travel and dollars spent, it’s essential for event organizers to prioritize and showcase their commitment to sustainability while creating an engaging experience that fosters FOMO.
MADDY: What advice would you give to other up-and-comers in this industry?
SYDNEY: Embrace your strengths, but also seek to expand your experiences beyond your comfort zone. I also recommend volunteering with a non-profit in the industry.
For example, being on the IAEE Rocky Mountain Chapter board for several years has allowed me to connect with friends and colleagues, while also providing a space to test new ideas. During my time there, I created a website from scratch, launched an engagement video series, and learned how to craft effective email communications. I developed skills that I didn’t have while in an operations role, which are now essential in my current function. This opportunity provided me growth and empowered me to lead my career at Informa Markets in a more meaningful way.
MADDY: What strategies have you found most effective for building a strong professional network within the trade show community?
SYDNEY: We are in the business of connecting people to people. Always take the initiative to say hello and introduce yourself to everyone you meet regardless of their role. No one will know who you are or how you can add value without that introduction.
Immerse yourself with other teams and service providers. Offer a helping hand whenever possible, building relationships through collaboration is key to establishing a strong professional network.
MADDY: What role does mentorship play in your career development, and how can other women seek and cultivate these relationships?
SYDNEY: Mentorship has been pivotal in my career development. My first supervisor and mentor at Informa, Pamela Skaggs, encouraged me to pursue my CEM certification as a valuable education and networking opportunity. At that time, I was new to the exhibitions industry and unfamiliar with IAEE or the CEM designation. Her investment in my career opened the door for my involvement with IAEE.
When I transitioned to the Infrastructure & Construction portfolio as a Senior Event Operations Manager, my mentor, Anna Horn, urged me to become the Sustainability Champion for the portfolio, recognizing my passion for sustainability early on. When the role I am currently in became available, it was a former mentor of mine who encouraged me to apply, even though at the time I felt underqualified.
I consider myself very fortunate to have found mentors among my supervisors at Informa Markets, but I have also sought guidance from the broader events industry. The Meetings Industry Council (MIC) of Colorado is a robust network of meetings and hospitality professionals where I’ve found mentors who continuously encourage me to contribute positively to our industry. Their support has been invaluable, and I’m honored to represent the organization as Chair this year.
For those seeking mentorship, I recommend looking both within your company and across the wider spectrum of the events industry. Be true to your values, stay open to guidance, and nurture the relationships around you.
MADDY: How do you stay updated on industry trends and changes, and what resources do you recommend to your peers?
SYDNEY: I go to many of the Informa Markets trade shows to see practically what is working well and where there is opportunity. I also love attending Expo! Expo! and MIC’s Conference & Trade Show every year.
I am active on LinkedIn and love seeing the successes and challenges industry friends are sharing. My trusted resource for trade show data is CEIR and I enjoy participating in IAEE webinars. For all things related to event sustainability, the EIC Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact is also a great resource! And of course, TSE!
MADDY: What is your vision for the future of women in the trade show industry, and what steps can be taken to foster greater inclusion and diversity?
SYDNEY: My vision for the future of women in the trade show industry is one where women consistently occupy leadership roles and are recognized as key decision-makers at every level. We are so fortunate at Informa Markets to have such inspirational, talented women in positions of influence, and I want more of that throughout our industry. I envision a vibrant, inclusive environment that empowers women to share their ideas and expertise, fostering innovation and collaboration.
To realize this vision, we can implement formal mentorship programs that connect aspiring women leaders with experienced professionals. Research shows that mentees are promoted five times more often than those without mentors, and mentors themselves are six times more likely to be promoted. Additionally, we should offer training programs that equip women with essential leadership skills such as negotiation, public speaking, and strategic planning.
Promoting gender equity is also vital, which includes tracking female representation and addressing gaps in the talent pipeline. By hosting feedback forums on career progression for women at all levels, we can pinpoint key hurdles to advancement and cultivate a supportive environment. This may involve revisiting current policies and providing tailored support, while also focusing on developing high-potential female leaders through targeted initiatives.
Finally, advocating for comprehensive parental leave policies that support both mothers and fathers is crucial, as it enables them to balance family responsibilities without hindering their career growth. By implementing these strategies, we can create a more inclusive and diverse trade show industry where women thrive and contribute to its ongoing success.
