
Loren Christie
Consultant and Project ManagerLoren Christie Solutions

Shannon de Groot
Director of OrganisationInternational Conference Services
This module is supported by:

The supporter of this WebEDGE module has not contributed to, nor influenced, any of the content presented. Their support is in recognition of the value that IAPCO WebEDGE brings to the meetings industry through high-quality continued professional development.
Destination and Venue Selection and Management
- Preview Duration
- Identifying Client Priorities 17 min
- Considerations When Selecting a Venue 21 min
- Effective Venue Management 13 min
- Effective Use of Contracted Space 14 min
Learning Objectives
On completion of this course, you will be able to confidently assess venues in light of a client’s requirements, secure the best option for their purpose, create an effective working relationship with a venue’s team and know how to design spaces to meet the client’s vision.
What will I learn?
1. Identifying client priorities
2. Considerations when selecting a venue
3. Effective venue management
4. Effective use of contracted space

Consultant and Project Manager for Loren Christie Solutions. Clients include DMOs, hotels and associations across North America and Europe.
Loren Christie has 23 years of experience in the travel & tourism industry including 17 years with Starwood Hotels & Resorts based in Toronto where he worked in the international congress market for two of Canada’s largest conference hotels. From 2017-2020 he was the Director of Sales for the Canadian and International Congress markets at Destination Toronto overseeing the International Congress Team and assisting to expand Toronto's ambassador program, The Leaders Circle. He is a nationally recognized media personality and travel expert as the on-air travel contributor for CTV’s Your Morning and a regular contributor to travel magazines, radio programs and websites domestically.
He is currently on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and the Vice-Chair for the Canadian Meetings & Events Committee for the Global Business Travel Association. Loren previously served as faculty for ICCA’s AMP European Education Session in 2019.

Shannon de Groot Born in Ontario, Canada, my character, and drive were shaped growing up as an athlete and National level swimmer. I began my career in lifeguarding and instructional watersports then moved to Victoria, BC where I graduated college and transitioned back to Ontario to attend University in Waterloo. I entered the entertainment industry focused on regional account management, then transitioned to national conference management in education, while pursuing firefighting part-time before moving overseas to Europe. Based out of The Netherlands for 13 years, my expertise in executive operations and conference management broadened globally, leading large international conferences for associations and non-profit organizations worldwide in both international education and science industries. I consider myself a lifelong learner and am passionate about leadership and international conference management, building on certifications in Leadership Profile Mentoring, Leadership Essentials, Adult Education Facilitation, Executive Coaching and Project Management Fundamentals. My practical experience, education and certified trainings have enhanced my professional results and enabled a strong network around the world. I am currently the Director of Operations with ICS (International Conference Services) and am excited to be part of the IAPCO WebEdge Module Training. I hope my experience and shared information will support others navigating through the ever-changing realities of our industry in the present day and look forward to any future connections resulting from this shared learning.
