Allison H. Carpenter, CEM, CMP, 33, works in Arlington, Virginia, as director of exhibits and sponsorships at the National Defense Industrial Association. As a 2018 40 Under 40 honoree, Carpenter discusses her passion for the events industry.
Connect with Carpenter on Instagram.What I do: My team and I manage all aspects of exhibits and sponsorships for about 10 events each year. We value our roles even more because of the association we work for and what it means to our nation’s warfighters. There is no better place to see the networking that takes place between industry and government than on the exhibit-hall floor of an NDIA event.
How I got here: Fresh out of college, I worked as a meeting planner for two years. There was a small amount of interaction with exhibits and sponsorships, but I knew I wanted more. I started at NDIA eight years ago as an exhibits manager and haven’t stopped learning since.Impressive stats: Four years ago, I received the NDIA President’s Award for development of a standardized, tiered sponsorship program for application across the association’s operation business center event portfolio. In its first rollout, the new program resulted in a 31 percent increase in sponsorship revenue and a corresponding 37 percent reduction in sponsorship expenses.
What I do outside of work: I try to make fitness a priority, so I love Orangetheory Fitness. On the other hand, I also love visiting the many wineries in northern Virginia. I’m also a member of the Junior League of Washington, a network of amazing female volunteers dedicated to improving the D.C. community.
