Paula J. Staley

CMP, DES | Senior Vice President, Meetings

Paula J. Staley, CMP, is senior vice president of meetings. She’s responsible for overseeing the management and operations of the meetings department, which plans and executes all key Council meetings and events. Staley joined The Council in 1997 and received her Certified Meeting Professional designation in 2004. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Connecticut and spent four years as an air traffic control operator with the United States Air Force. Staley is currently a member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the Financial and Insurance Conference Planners Association.

First job: Washing dishes at a small-town diner when I was 15. Washing dishes was no fun and I could not wait to turn 16 and move up to waitress.

Last book read: The President’s Shadow by Brad Meltzer

Favorite place to travel: The beach

Favorite DC landmark: The Lincoln Memorial

If I could retire tomorrow, I would… buy a beach house