OFEA Fall Workshop 2026 - Smarter. Stronger. Safer.

 OFEA Fall Workshop - Smarter Stronger. Safer.

Friday, October 30
Riverfront Community Center (489 NW Water Ave., Albany)
9:30 AM – 2:00 PM

The landscape of event production is evolving faster than ever, demanding that organizers adapt to new technologies while managing increasingly complex operational realities. Smarter. Stronger. Safer. is an intensive workshop designed specifically for event professionals who want to stay ahead of the curve. This forward-thinking session provides event producers, coordinators, and organizers with the practical tools and strategic frameworks necessary to elevate their marketing, fortify their operations, and protect their physical and digital assets.

The workshop kicks off by exploring the cutting edge of event promotion, demonstrating how to transform artificial intelligence into a powerful creative assistant. Attendees will discover how to leverage AI to streamline planning, supercharge social media and email campaigns, and deliver highly personalized experiences that resonate with target audiences. By mastering these digital efficiencies, producers can save valuable time while significantly boosting event visibility and attendance.

Moving from promotion to protection, the afternoon sessions confront the multi-layered risks inherent in modern event management. Experienced industry leaders will guide participants through robust frameworks for physical risk mitigation—covering everything from severe weather and crowd dynamics to contract transfers—emphasizing why comprehensive safety planning should never be compromised. The workshop concludes with a deep dive into the often-overlooked world of cybersecurity, arming professionals with the knowledge to safeguard sensitive attendee data, secure financial transactions, and defend against sophisticated digital threats.

Cost: $45 for OFEA Members | $60 for Non-Members
Lunch included
 
Workshop Schedule (subject to change)
9:00 a.m.
Check-in Opens
 
9:30 a.m.
Welcome & Introductions
 
9:40 a.m.
AI for Event Marketing: From Zero to Wow
Tim Fahndrich, WhirLocal
Using AI to plan, promote, and personalize event marketing across ads, social media, and email campaigns. Discover practical ways to turn AI into a creative marketing assistant, from generating ideas and content to reaching the right audience and saving time along the way.

 
10:50 a.m.
Don’t Value Engineer Your Risk Mitigation: Risk Management Strategies for Your Event
William White, Ice God
Events bring people together—and with people, animals, vehicles, weather, vendors, volunteers, and technology come risks. This interactive presentation provides practical, straightforward strategies for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating the risks that can affect events of any size.

Using real-world examples and a few unexpected scenarios—from loose cows and missing children to severe weather, crowd incidents, participant injuries, cyber scams, and event cancellations---we will explore how to think about risk before an incident occurs. Participants will learn the fundamentals of risk management, including likelihood, severity, vulnerability, mitigation, and risk velocity, and how to use tools such as Bow Tie Analysis to identify effective controls.

The presentation will also address insurance, waivers, contractual risk transfer, event operations, and the importance of learning from others' experiences. Participants will leave with practical risk management strategies they can apply immediately, including separation, duplication, avoidance, loss prevention, and loss control.

The goal is simple: plan ahead, identify the risks, mitigate them to an acceptable level, and don’t value engineer your risk mitigation. Good planning—and a prepared cadre of key volunteers—can make the difference between an event that simply happens and one that is safe, resilient, and successful.
 
12:15 p.m.
Ask Anything Open Forum (working lunch)
It’s a meeting of the minds! Bring your questions, your needs, and your wants for an engaging open forum session that encourages open dialogues and a free exchange of ideas.
 
1:00 p.m.
Virtual Risk: Cybersecurity for Event Professionals
Your event may have physical security, emergency plans, insurance, and backup generators, but what happens when the threat comes through your inbox, social media account, or website?
 
Event professionals manage a surprising amount of sensitive information, financial transactions, online accounts, registration data, vendor information, and public-facing technology, making events an increasingly attractive target for cyber threats. This session will explore the digital vulnerabilities that can disrupt an event or put your organization, vendors, and attendees at risk.
 
Attendees will learn how to recognize and respond to common threats, including phishing and email scams, fraudulent payment requests, social media account takeovers, website hacks, compromised accounts, and other increasingly sophisticated schemes. We’ll also look at practical ways to protect attendee and organizational data, secure online systems, strengthen account access, and reduce digital risk before something goes wrong.
 
1:50 p.m.
Closing