One year later: Virtual conference gathers at Luskin Conference Center for Global Team Summit

Just over a year ago, when the UCLA Luskin Conference Center was still under construction, Tessitura Network, Inc. selected the Conference Center for their annual meeting venue for the next two years. Tessitura is a non-profit technology company that provides software and services exclusively for arts and cultural organizations in eight countries. (See February 2016 newsletter here.) Now, one year later, they recently completed that first meeting at the Conference Center.

“We chose the Luskin Conference Center because it had the right number of sleeping and meeting rooms for our group, was a great location, and offered the all-inclusive CMP (Complete Meeting Package) rate,” says Laura Bowden, Tessitura’s Vice President, Administration.

Since the company is 100% virtual, with team members working from home across five countries and in 34 states, when team members get together for the annual summit, it’s “a bit like a large family reunion with intense learning, brainstorming, and discussions,” says Heidi Pamplin, Conference Director.

And the Luskin Conference Center fit the bill in every way for this year’s conference. The 196 team members who attended took advantage of the multiple breakout rooms of many different sizes and configurations to share ideas, learn from each other, solve problems, and facilitate team building. The large Centennial Ballroom accommodated their full group for meetings and meals. They hosted Awaken A Capella — a UCLA acapella group — during one of their dinners and had a drum circle going one evening as a team-building event. And their team loved the Center’s generously stocked nutrition hubs during the breaks!

Enthused Pamplin, “The Luskin Conference Center staff are all top-notch professionals — the front desk, banquet team, and especially the A/V team. And being a short drive from LAX is terrific. With our team members flying in from all over the world, most people are able to arrive on a direct flight. Our team also enjoyed being so close to the restaurants in Westwood Village, and on our off nights, we also had fun exploring UCLA and Los Angeles.”

Fun indeed, as conference attendees played Frisbee on campus one morning, took a Segway tour of the campus, and went to a show at the famous Groundlings Theater in Hollywood (which is a Tessitura Network member!).

With a basketball game happening next door at Pauley Pavilion, they took in the crowd of fans and even met UCLA’s mascot, Joe Bruin!