Her Story
About Nikki
Nikki DeSantis, CMP Fellow is an accomplished meetings and events leader with more than two decades of experience leading luxury corporate incentives, global meetings, hospitality partnerships, and client engagement strategies. She currently serves as Client Engagement Director for The Collective by BCD Meetings & Events, where she manages strategic accounts, develops new business opportunities, and partners with clients to create customized, high-impact experiences. With a career built on creativity, strategic relationship management, and operational excellence, Nikki is recognized for her ability to transform client visions into memorable and seamlessly executed events. Throughout her distinguished career, Nikki has held leadership roles across some of the world’s most respected hospitality and entertainment organizations, including Marriott International, Caesars Entertainment Corporation Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, The Walt Disney Company, and SeaWorld Parks. Her diverse experience as a hotelier, event strategist, and strategic client advisor has provided her with a unique lens of understanding of the full event lifecycle, from strategic planning and sourcing to contract negotiation, logistics, and execution. She has successfully navigated significant industry challenges, including 9/11, the 2008 recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic, experiences that strengthened her resilience, adaptability, and commitment to excellence. During the pandemic, Nikki pursued her entrepreneurial dream by launching her own business, an experience that further shaped her leadership perspective and personal growth. Nikki holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a focus on Telecommunications Production from Pepperdine University. She completed executive leadership development through The Wharton School’s Executive Education program and achieved Certified Meeting Professional Fellow (CMP Fellow) status through the Events Industry Council. An active industry contributor, Nikki participates in professional organizations including the Events Industry Council (EIC) Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and SITE and has been recognized with Sales Team of the Year awards for her outstanding contributions. Guided by her unwavering faith, tenacity, perseverance, and the mentorship of leaders including Julie Friedman, Susan Salas, Patricia Ryan, Leah Linke, Jamie Jordan, Melissa Daniels, Kimberly Smith, Annette Gregg, Amy Kramer and most recently, Melissa Moten. Nikki is passionate about building meaningful connections, mentoring others, and creating inclusive experiences that leave a lasting impact. She also dedicates her time to serving her community through volunteer work with the Salvation Army Orlando chapter and QUAY Church in Windermere, Florida.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nikki
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my unwavering faith, a clear vision, strong resilience, and the belief that there is a higher purpose guiding my journey. Throughout every challenge or setback, staying committed to the mission, which in this case, is caring for my clients and caring for our industry as a whole, which has helped me learn and embrace every experience, and stay focused on growth.
I am also deeply grateful for the mentors and leaders who have supported, encouraged, and inspired me along the way, shaping both my personal and professional journeys.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
"To Thine Own Self Be True" and "Always Be Proud of your Work, but never Prideful" are two of the guiding principles that have shaped my career and remain at the forefront of my professional focus.
Also, I grew up in a very small mountain town, so the familiar saying, "Don't forget when you come from" has also definitely stayed with me no matter how far I travel the globe!
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Align yourself with someone who not only believes in you and your values, but also in your ability to keep growing and developing. Ask that person to be your mentor and collaborate and partner with them to become the very best version of your professional self. When you achieve the success that you envision, don't forget to come alongside of others and help them reach their full potential as well. What goes around, always, always, comes around professionally speaking. I will never forget the people who took the time to help get doors open for me and I am committed to doing the same for others.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The hospitality industry, as a whole, has faced tremendous setbacks in the wake of 9/11, economic recessions, the COVID 19 Pandemic as well as, geopolitical instability. The belief that the power of face-to-face meetings and in-person human connection cannot be replicated or replaced, is the main catalyst which keeps our industry moving forward. Whether it was Re-Inventing Meeting Formats, Developing Virtual Meeting Environments with Avatars to conduct tradeshows, Creating "Covid Friendly" Meeting Room Sets and Buffet Set-Ups, Developing New Presentation Ideas for Food & Beverage Service, Hosting virtual client events and sales presentations, Designing new credentials to educate on Pandemic Compliance, Drafting Post-Covid Business and Contract Terms or Negotiating new and better ways to partner with Hotels and Suppliers, the industry accepted all of the challenges and simply rose to the occasion. The greater challenge ahead, as we all know, is to embrace the integration of Artificial Intelligence and adopting that into the events & incentives ecosystem
Additionally, there is a huge gap that also still exists with regard to the traditional glass ceiling and the pure fact that women have to still work much harder to excel and be recognized for growth opportunities. The "old school, good ol' boys club" mentality, just isn't the recipe for success and there are still several organizations that are conducting their business and idealizing these values, when in fact, this methodology has proven to be a detriment. Women comprise over 52% of the hospitality industry and yet, only about 30% hold leadership or executive roles. Hospitality is a people business and putting people - whether customers or our own associates - must come first. When we stop listening to our clients and our colleagues, we won't be able to move ahead.
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05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are perseverance, resilience, dedication, and a strong work ethic. Throughout my career journey, I have faced challenges across multiple industries, from my time at SeaWorld during a tragic trainer incident to navigating the complexities of hospitality, entertainment, and global travel. I have also experienced the impact of major events, including the Las Vegas shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic, which tested my strength and adaptability. Opening my own business was a lifelong dream, and while I ultimately had to close it due to the pandemic, that experience reinforced my belief that every challenge is an opportunity for growth. These experiences have shaped me into a stronger leader and have taught me the importance of perseverance, embracing change, and continuing to move forward with purpose.
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