Leah Mercado

Strategic meetings and events executive with 20+ years of progressive experience leading large-scale conventions, global member-facing programs, and learning experiences within international membership organizations. Expert in translating organizational mission into high-impact event portfolios — managing budgets up to $14M, directing teams of 15, and delivering programs across 40+ countries and cultures. Previously CMP-certified with deep expertise in convention management, registration technology, contract negotiation, financial oversight, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement.

Proven ability to build and lead high-performance teams in complex, fast-moving environments.

Vice President, Events & Meetings Strategy at Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) (2024-05 – 2026-02)

Senior member of the leadership team responsible for strategic direction and full operational management of a robust portfolio of member-facing events and organizational meetings. Served 5,000+ attendees annually with budgets of $11–14M, 12 direct reports, and up to 7 contractors.

• Directed end-to-end planning and execution of global organizational meetings serving 4,000 attendees per year with a $7M budget, including venue selection, RFP management, contract negotiation, BEO oversight, vendor coordination, and on-site leadership.
• Oversaw event products generating $5–8M in annual revenue and sponsorship, encompassing registration, content programming, and attendee experience from concept through post-event evaluation.
• Identified reporting gaps across two organizational verticals and created a standardized monthly reporting schedule, improving financial transparency and communication across leadership and finance committees.
• Developed comprehensive training programs, videos, and materials for member volunteer committees on contractual responsibilities, conflict of interest, and organizational stewardship.
• Served as business product owner for a four-year Cvent implementation, overseeing discovery, testing, deployment, and organization-wide training — transforming registration operations across all events and meetings.

Vice President, Connections at Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) (2020-05 – 2024-05)

Led strategic direction for events, meetings, Strategic Alliance partnerships, and Community networks contributing to member retention and growth. Managed $8–9M in revenue and a team of 15 FTEs and up to 3 contractors.

• Navigated cancellation of entire global event portfolio during COVID-19, managing force majeure negotiations and contract exits with minimal financial loss. Developed organization-wide decision matrix for safe event resumption in 2021.
• Designed and executed a hybrid annual meeting that doubled attendance to 4,000 participants (vs. 2,000 in-person baseline), demonstrating creativity and operational agility in format innovation.
• Co-created international virtual event programming — including culinary classes, cultural experiences, and virtual safaris across three continents — maintaining global member connection during the pandemic.
• Directed creation of monetization and valuation reports for in-kind sponsorships, providing leadership with data-driven insights on partnership impact across programs and membership.

Vice President, Events & Learning at Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) (2013-12 – 2016-10)

Oversaw all Learning, Event and Meeting products and programs. Managed partnerships with MIT Enterprise Forum and Bell Leadership Institute and directed training for Leadership Directors across 150 chapters globally. Budget: ~$6M, team of 10 FTEs and up to 2 contractors.

Vice President, Events at Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) (2010-07 – 2013-12)

Led global event and meeting strategy contributing to member retention and recruitment. Managed $5–7M portfolio and teams of 6–11 FTEs.

Vice President, Events at Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) (2016-10 – 2020-05)

Led global event and meeting strategy contributing to member retention and recruitment. Role expanded to include regional events. Managed $5–7M portfolio and teams of 6–11 FTEs.

Jr. Meeting Planner → Meeting Planner → Senior Meeting Planner → Director of Customer Relations at DTI Associates / Haverstick / Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (2003 – 2010)

Advanced through full-cycle event production, logistics, and stakeholder management for high-profile government clients. Clients served included the Secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor and POTUS/FLOTUS.

Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media Studies – The Catholic University of America