The Miller Tanner difference is our people. That’s why we want to introduce you to our team of superstars that brings our corporate meetings and events to life for our clients. Today we introduce you to Christina Serra, Global Event Director. Christina has the ability to juggle and problem solve any event challenge that comes her way. She’s dedicated to providing only the best service to our clients and event attendees.
Meet Christina Serra
Tell us about your current role with MTA? What are your primary responsibilities?
As a global event director, I work closely with our clients to ensure full understanding of their event expectations and goals. Then, along with an amazing team of MTA colleagues and our vendor partners, I work to ensure each aspect of the event is managed and implemented efficiently and flawlessly both during pre-planning and on-site.
How long have you been with MTA? I have been with Miller Tanner for 4.5 years.
What did you do before joining MTA? Prior to joining Miller Tanner, I completed a master’s degree program while working as an event manager at The Georgia Museum of Art – Georgia’s official state museum of art.
What’s the best part of your job?
I love that my job looks different every day based on the event on which I am working or team with whom I’m working. Of course, it is always nice when things go smoothly; however, I really love working through the logistical hurdles that come with being in the event industry. I love problem-solving and find it very rewarding any time I am challenged to look at a task with a new perspective in order to find a new solution or approach.
What’s been your favorite event destination as an event planning professional?
For most of my career with MTA, my event destinations have been domestic US cities. My favorites would be a tie between San Diego and San Francisco. Both are such walkable cities and for me, being able to sneak in a quick walk during a long day on site is the greatest treat. For smaller events, San Francisco offers several unique, historic hotels that are a fun change of scenery from a typical conference hotel.
What’s been your most memorable event to date and why?
During my first year with MTA, our team was working on a major global event series. Each event averaged 300 – 600 attendees and the series touched nearly every region of the world. Each event was logistically more complicated than a typical event, which forced the team at large to think outside the box and to really hone in on our individual strengths in order to develop greater efficiencies for our clients, our attendees, and the team members working on each event. I loved the challenge and hustle of these events and it was truly a team effort to get from start to finish each time. For the events in this series, it was pretty amazing to watch each event come to life seamlessly time and time again knowing all that went into the pre-planning.
Do you have a few great travel tips that you could share?
- Less is more! You truly don’t need much and so I usually will lay out everything I plan to pack and then put a good bit away before packing my suitcase.
- Having a good piece of luggage also makes a huge difference! I travel with an Away carry-on suitcase and am amazed each time I travel how much I can fit inside.
- I read recently that if you do not eat during international travel, you are less likely to experience difficult jet lag. I tried it on my last international trip and felt significantly better and found it much easier to adjust to the new time zone.
What do you do for fun?
I have a three-year-old who keeps me on my toes. Aside from spending time with my family, I love practicing yoga, spending time with friends, and am a self-proclaimed podcast addict.
Where are you currently located? And what is it about the area that you enjoy most?
I grew up north of Atlanta. I currently live in Athens, GA – about an hour outside of Atlanta. I never thought I would love living in a small town, but living in Athens is magic. Athens is a university town, which offers so many free cultural and educational events, workshops, lectures, etc. Additionally, Athens has historically been home to a strong music scene, which in turn has attracted a large artistic community who have chosen live and work here. I love that I can experience the charms of small-town living, while also having easy access to great food, music, and art. And when you start to get a little stir crazy, Atlanta is just a quick drive away.
Any favorite spots that you would recommend to tourists?
For anyone visiting Atlanta, I would highly recommend a walk or bike ride on the Atlanta Beltline. Along the way, there are numerous delicious restaurants to stop and grab a bite. Other favorite Atlanta spots include the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
What makes Miller Tanner stand out as meeting planning company? What’s your favorite aspect of MTA?
I love that MTA is a forward thinking company. The team at large is always looking at how we can make processes more seamless and efficient for our clients and the attendees and how we can utilize technology along the way. I worked in events in other capacities prior to my time at MTA and I can truly say that the people who make up MTA are unique. It is a team packed full of brilliant minds and kind hearts, which yields spectacular support for one another, our clients, and our attendees.
