August 2026 | HER Collective Note
- Aug 7
- 8 min read
Next week, many of our industry friends will be flying into Toronto for CEMA and CMEE 2026, and the city is going to feel very full, in the best possible way.
There are receptions, meet-ups, socials, celebrations and countless invitations happening before, during and after these industry events. From the CMEE Hall of Fame Reception, CanSPEP Social, SPIN Meet-Up, Club Ichi Social, REVEAL , ENVISION with Quest AV and CMEE 2026 itself, this is just a small glimpse of everything happening.
And we know there are many more.
It’s exciting. It’s an incredible opportunity to reconnect with people we may only see a few times a year, meet new industry friends, celebrate each other and strengthen the relationships that make our events community so special.
But here is our little HER reminder as you look at that very full calendar:
You don't have to be everywhere to make the most of the experience.
Networking isn't measured by how many rooms you walked into, how many invitations you accepted or how late you stayed out.
Your intention and the energy you bring into the rooms you choose matter too.
Look at all the invitations and opportunities in front of you and ask yourself: Where are the people I really want to connect with? Who haven't I seen in a while? What relationships do I want to strengthen? Where will my time and energy be best spent?
And then choose.
CMEE has also been sharing some great reminders to book your appointments during the two exhibition days. Take advantage of that. Knowing who you want to see and having a few intentional meetings already on your calendar can make a very busy show floor feel much more manageable.
Last year, before the CMEE Opening Party, we hosted POWER HER WELLNESS. Together with some incredible partners, we created an experience centred around a simple idea: the power of our wellness is within our control, including how and where we choose to share our energy.
This summer, instead of creating one large HER gathering, we've been enjoying smaller micro-events and opportunities to connect. And during CMEE week, we're intentionally not adding another event competing for your time.
Instead, this is our invitation:
Go. Choose. Connect. Celebrate. Enjoy.
Go to the events you've been invited to. Celebrate the people you care about. Introduce yourself to someone new. Make the appointment. Accept the invitation that excites you. Stay a little longer when the energy feels right.
And give yourself permission to decline one too.
You can push yourself outside your comfort zone without pushing yourself to be everywhere.
There will always be another room, another reception and another invitation. What matters is being present in the rooms you do choose.
Choose your spaces with intention, and bring your best energy when you arrive.
With that in mind, there is one celebration happening during CMEE week that we're especially excited about.
Celebrating Our CMEE Hall of Fame Top 3 Finalists
Before we head into CMEE week, we also want to take a moment to celebrate some familiar faces.
The CMEE Hall of Fame recognizes leaders across our Canadian meetings and events industry, and this year's Top 3 finalists include so many incredible professionals whose leadership, ideas, mentorship and contributions continue to move our industry forward.
We're especially proud to see so many friends and colleagues from our MPI Toronto community, and our HER Seat at the Table members and supporters represented among this year's finalists.
Some are mentors. Some are collaborators. Some are industry friends we've grown alongside. And all of them give us another reason to celebrate when we come together next week. See all the finalists here: https://www.cmeexpo.ca/2026-nominees
Congratulations to every 2026 CMEE Hall of Fame Top 3 finalist. Being recognized by your industry and your peers is already something worth celebrating.
There are many ways we can stay connected. Sometimes it’s a one-hour virtual conversation. Sometimes it’s learning from someone willing to share their expertise. And sometimes, it really is as simple as sitting around a table together over a good meal.
At HER Seat at the Table, we gather with intention.
Not because we need another event on our calendars, but because relationships grow when we continue to make time for one another.
To check in.
To share what we're learning.
To ask for help.
To celebrate what’s going well.
To remind each other that there is a community here when we need it.
As summer turns into fall, here are a few more opportunities to gather, connect and learn together.
UPCOMING EVENTS
☕ August 26 | HER POP-IN (register here)
Moving to 6:00 PM ET - Look out for the update in your calendar invite
Our August POP-IN may be getting a little evening refresh!
We’re looking at moving this month’s gathering to 6:00 PM ET, giving us a chance to wind down the day together, check in and simply connect.
As always, POP-IN is casual, conversational and shaped by the people who show up.
Have a topic you think our community needs to talk about? We’d also love to invite our HER members to co-host an upcoming POP-IN with Connie. If there’s a theme, conversation or question that feels especially important or valuable to our community right now, reach out. These sessions don’t always need a formal presentation.
Sometimes the best conversations simply need someone willing to help start them.
September 9 | The AHA Series Returns (pre-register here)
Featuring Laura Shepard
After our summer break, the AHA Series returns on September 9 with Laura Shepard.
We’ll share more about Laura, her topic and registration details soon, but for now, save the date for another opportunity to learn from the expertise that already exists within and around our HER community.
September 12–17 | See You at THE EVENT in Vancouver!
Who else is heading west?
We’re looking forward to reconnecting with industry friends at MPI Toronto's THE EVENT in Vancouver this September.
And because some of the best conversations happen when we create a little space around the larger conference experience, we’re also exploring an intimate HER dinner in Vancouver during the week.
More details and an invitation will be shared in our next HER Collective Note.
For now, if you're heading to Vancouver too, let us know. We'd love to know who will be there!
September 18 | MPI Global Women’s Community
12:00–1:00 PM ET | Virtual | Complimentary for MPI Members
Building Your Professional Brand on LinkedIn: Be Seen, Be Remembered, Be Connected
We’re excited to welcome Leanne Calderwood to lead a special professional development session for the MPI Global Women’s Community.
LinkedIn has become one of the most powerful tools for building professional relationships, increasing visibility and creating new career opportunities. Yet many of us know we should be using it more intentionally without always knowing where to begin.
Leanne will lead a practical conversation about professional branding, strengthening your LinkedIn presence and using the platform to build meaningful connections and opportunities.
Following her presentation, we’ll move into facilitated conversations where members can explore their own challenges, exchange ideas and learn from one another.
Open and complimentary to all MPI members. Log in to your MPI Account and join the Women's Community to access the registration inside the community forum.
October 8 | Save the Date: HER Members Dinner
HER Seat at the Table members, save the evening of September 24.
We’re planning an exclusive Members Dinner, created simply as an opportunity to come together around the table, reconnect after a busy summer and enjoy some meaningful time with our HER community.
More details and your member invitation are coming soon.
💜 Want to Help Lead a Future POP-IN?
HER Seat at the Table has never been about one voice leading every conversation.
If you're a HER member and there's a topic you've been thinking about, something you're navigating professionally, a conversation you think we need to have, or simply a question you'd love to put in front of the community, consider co-hosting a future POP-IN with us.
You don't need to be a professional speaker or prepare a formal presentation.
Bring the conversation. We'll create the space together.
Join the conversation today and stay connected with the HER community between events.
Join our HER Seat at the Table WhatsApp Community, where members stay connected, celebrate one another, and keep the momentum going between our monthly gatherings.
Inside the group you'll find:
🎉 Celebrations of both big and small wins
💬 Ongoing community conversations and support
☕ Invitations to impromptu coffee chats and micro gatherings
💼 Hiring, volunteer, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities
To help keep this space meaningful for everyone, we ask that the group not be used for sales pitches or self-promotion. Instead, we encourage authentic conversations, generosity, and supporting one another's personal and professional journeys.
If you're ever unsure whether something is appropriate to share, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at HER@cayvii.com. We're always happy to help.
A Final HER Note
Sometimes Strength Looks Like Accepting the Help
I was reminded of something recently that I think many of us, especially those who are used to being the helpers, need to hear from time to time.
It is one thing to offer help. It is another thing to allow yourself to receive it.
A few weeks ago, It was a beautiful day, filled with familiar faces, laughter and all the things we love about getting together with our industry community.
And then the day took an unexpected turn when the summer heat got the better of me.
What I remember most isn't feeling unwell.
I remember the people and the voices.
The people who noticed. The people who checked in. The people who brought me what I needed, stayed nearby, changed their own plans and made sure I was okay.
My natural instinct is usually to say, “I'm okay. I've got this.” Many of us are probably very good at that.
We're planners. Leaders. Caregivers. Problem solvers. We're accustomed to being the person asking, “What do you need?” rather than being the person answering that question.
But community works both ways.
Sometimes we lead. Sometimes we support. And sometimes, we have to trust the people around us enough to say, “Yes, thank you. I could use some help.”
That isn't taking from someone else. It's allowing the relationships we've built to do what they're supposed to do.
Checking In Can Be Simple
We don't always know what someone else is carrying, and helping doesn't have to mean solving their problem.
Sometimes it's noticing that someone has gone quiet.
It's sending the message that says, “Just checking in. How are you really doing?”
It's offering something specific instead of saying, “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Can I bring you something?”
“Would it help if I stayed with you?”
“Can I take this one thing off your plate?”
“Do you need a ride?”
“Would you like company, or would you rather have some space?”
And perhaps most importantly, it's listening to the answer.
Help doesn't always mean stepping in. Sometimes helping means respecting when someone says they need rest, privacy or a little room to figure things out themselves.
And If You're the One Being Asked...
Try saying yes.
Let someone carry the bag.
Accept the ride.
Let someone bring you the glass of water, take something off your plate or simply sit beside you for a while.
You don't always need to immediately return the favour or prove that you could have handled it yourself.
Receiving care is part of community too.
As we head into a very busy season of gatherings, conferences, travel and reconnecting, I hope we remember to look around the room occasionally.
Not just for the person we want to network with.
But for the person who might need someone to notice them.
And when someone notices you, perhaps allow them in too.
That's part of what having a seat at the table has always meant to me.
We make room for one another. We look out for one another. And when it's our turn, we allow others to look out for us too.
With gratitude,
Connie Cay-Santos
CEO & Founder
CAY VII INC | HER Seat at the Table
If this newsletter resonated with you, we invite you to share it with someone who would benefit from joining the conversation.
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