Example of freelance work I completed for Unique Venues, a marketing agency for event planners and venues, in 2020
Julia McDevitt talks about how building relationships have taken her from teaching to growing opportunities at the University of New Brunswick as the Acting Senior Director for Conference Services.
Unique Venues “Professional of the Year” isn’t the first accolade that Julia McDevitt has received. In 2017, she received the CUCCOA (Canadian University and College Conference Organizers Association) Rising Star Award for demonstrating exceptional contribution and innovation to the industry and was also recognized as MPI Atlantic Canada Chapter’s Planner of the Year. She just finished a two-year term on CUCCOA’s National Board as the Marketing Director and served as Co-Chair for the 2020 National Conference.
McDevitt never dreamed of being an event planner though. After receiving a business degree from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, and then an education degree at UNB, she taught for a few years, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do. When her boyfriend (now husband) moved to Toronto, she went with him and got an internship with a high-end event planner.
“I learned so much from the three-month internship,” said McDevitt. “I couldn’t imagine not working in high-end events.”
Following the internship, she worked in corporate event sales, including team building and morale boosting. McDevitt joined UNB as the sales manager in 2013 to bring conference and accommodation business to campus. This role evolved into the Business Development Manager, and now Acting Senior Director, where she runs day-to-day activities, develops programs to grow revenue, creates educational packages with schools, and increase conference management services.
Since McDevitt came on board, UNB Conference Services has tripled the number of conferences it hosts and expanded its services by developing strong relationships on and off campus. She attributes the growth to referrals from previous conference clients and strong partnerships with the city, convention center, hotels and the New Brunswick DMO. McDevitt travels with the DMO across the country several times a year to promote New Brunswick as a destination. If hotels are full, they refer to UNB, and vice versa. She said this relationship has been essential to gaining new conferences and events in the last two to three years.
“Relationships are key to what we do. People do business with people that they like,” related McDevitt. “Our partners understand that we offer conference management. We have had hotels reach out to us to take on the role of conference manager for their clients. The working relationship with the city has been very helpful.”
Adding full-service conference management has been a vital part of UNB’s Conference Services growth, and they are the only provider in the city that can provide this service. McDevitt’s team takes event services from start to finish with internal partners and off-campus vendors, including registration, hotel booking and off-campus event spaces.
“It is unique in collegiate conference services to provide the range of services that we do,” McDevitt said. We aren’t afraid to take risks.”
She took on such a risk when a national client, Canada-Wide Science Fair, needed an event director, and McDevitt took on the role. The week-long event hosts 750 participants and 7000 guests. She serves as event director even when the event isn’t on the UNB campus, but her presence has guaranteed that UNB will host the event three times in the next nine years. This unique opportunity allows her to gain knowledge of how other campuses operate and bring best practices back to UNB.
McDevitt’s devotion to her clients is clear with this level of service, and this trickles down to her pro staff and the students who are on her team. She believes that building strong, authentic relationships with clients will deliver exceptional customer service.
Alisha Bainbridge, the UNB Conference Services team member who nominated McDevitt, credits the team’s success and level of service to “Julia’s passion, leadership, and commitment” and providing value, service, and flexibility to their clients.
“We are big on creating experiences for people, and every interaction that we have allows the opportunity to add to that experience – everything from offering coffee if attendees arrive early to adding touches so that they have a great experience from the start,” shared McDevitt. “I want them to know that I care about them.”
McDevitt sees a bright future for UNB’s Conference Services operation. The team currently has one full-time staff dedicated to conference management, and three that have part-time duties associated with conference management. She sees the potential to have two or three dedicated conference managers.
While she is growing UNB’s Conference Services team and its services, McDevitt also devotes time to her personal growth. She obtained her CMP certification while on maternity leave last year and is looking at getting a master’s degree next.
“I wanted to get my CMP to have the knowledge, and to add credibility to the work that we do in the university environment,” McDevitt relates. “Further your education. It doesn’t have to be a degree — it could be a certificate or coursework.”
She also stressed the importance of having a mentor. Her mentor happened to be her first supervisor at UNB, and even after her departure, she continued to provide McDevitt with guidance and inspiration. She still looks up to her former director, and they continue to bounce ideas off each other.
McDevitt’s last piece of advice? “It’s important to take risks. I didn’t know anything about event planning when I started the internship in Toronto. That’s where I discovered my passion and what I wanted to do with my life. If I didn’t apply for that internship, I may not be where I am now.”
McDevitt describes herself as a Mother, Achiever and Creator.
“I lead by providing strategic vision, but I’m also hands-on and participate with staff in coordinating events,” said McDevitt. “I have a positive outlook and enjoy creating experiences.”
Sravanthi Meka 