Bianca Francois, 33, is event management team lead for FIRST, supporting Google. She's based in Brooklyn, N.Y. A quote from her nomination: "Bianca has a passion for hospitality and a commitment to excellence. She has worked tirelessly on some pretty tough and demanding events. She has an upbeat personality and is able to commandeer any obstacles that may come her way. Focus and dedication are her recipe for success."
What my day-to-day looks like: "I have the privilege of leading a fantastic team that manages internal events at Google. My day-to-day involves managing event escalations, maintaining communication with our service lines and clients, and serving as an advocate for my direct reports. Our team executes 75 to 100 events weekly, ranging from business-critical meetings to pet portraits, so there’s lots to keep us busy!"
My career journey: "I've always had a strong passion for hospitality, community, and entertainment. During my college years, I actively reached out to production and event companies in New York through cold emails to secure freelance opportunities for the summer. This initiative led to an eight-year engagement with the box office at the Governors Ball Music Festival and provided valuable experiences with the Tribeca Film Festival.
After earning my degree in sports, entertainment, and event management from Johnson & Wales University (and briefly working at The Gap!), I secured my first significant role as a production associate for Nickelodeon. The interchangeable skill sets between television production and event production have been a blessing, allowing me to seamlessly transition between the two in my career.
Francois served as lead event producer for Gyrl Get Hired 2022.Photo: Courtesy of Bianca Francois
Eager to reenter the events space, I took on a role as an event producer, overseeing the execution of over 200 luxury catering events within a 15-month period. This role provided the opportunity to work in some of New York's most renowned venues. Over time, I've been involved in various high-profile projects, including collaborations with Wild 'N Out, the VMAs, numerous music festivals, weddings, and celebrity football games.
Currently, I am managing an exceptional team at FIRST, and concurrently, I continue to freelance in production alongside some incredible industry colleagues."
What inspires me: "In addition to the incredible creatives in my life, I am deeply inspired by travel. Exploring new cultures and customs fascinates me, allowing me to see the world from diverse perspectives."
Francois helped produce this dreamy dinner for Fallon Carter Events at The Beekman in New York.Photo: Vik Moon
My greatest career accomplishment: "It’s hard to pinpoint what I would consider my greatest career accomplishment. I’m extremely thankful to have worked with some of the best teams in the industry. I’m most proud of my ability to maintain my full-time job while balancing freelance opportunities and personal passion projects."
My most memorable event: "It’s extremely hard to pick, but walking onto the Super Bowl LVII field was a rush of energy that I’ve never felt before. I was luckily enough to work with Diversified Production Services’ Talent Team for such an incredible event. Next to that would be planning my mother’s 60th birthday gathering—she’s truly my toughest client!"
The advice I would give my younger self: "Try everything, and know that your career path won’t be linear. It’s not a ladder; it’s a jungle gym. Also, enjoy the slow periods—there won't be many of those in the future."
My ideal day OOO: "My ideal OOO will always include travel to a warm climate, a spa day, no emails, great friends, and a strong cocktail (tequila-based, of course)."
What's next: "I want to continue focusing on building community. A close friend and I have been working on a series called Grown Folks Field Day where we encourage 'grown folks' to let their inner child soar. We have an annual Adult Field Day in Prospect Park and have also hosted happy hours, wine tours, and a community toy drive in collaboration with the NYC chapter of Blacks in Technology. As avid travelers, we’re looking forward to our next adventure… Grown Folks Field Trip!"
