I help companies turn complex events into clear, well-run programs.

about me

I’m Janessa Philemon-Kerp, a senior event partner with 15+ years of experience planning and leading conferences, corporate events, executive programs, and other complex event experiences.

Companies bring me in when they need experienced event leadership, additional capacity, or someone who can take ownership of a program.

Sometimes that means leading an event from early planning through execution.

Sometimes it means taking the logistics off an internal team’s plate.

And sometimes the event already has a team and a history, but the way it operates needs work.

My job is to understand what you’re trying to accomplish, figure out what the event requires, and create the structure to successfully get it there.

I bring more than event experience to the table:

Events have been the throughline of my entire career, but they’re not the only lens I bring.

I’ve spent years working across digital marketing, business strategy, websites, marketing operations, CRM systems, reporting, and measurement. I’ve also built and run my own businesses and worked as a consultant, which means I tend to look beyond the event itself.

And that broader perspective is especially useful for companies whose events have grown more complex, whose internal teams are stretched, or whose event programs have evolved faster than the systems and processes supporting them.

A great idea for an event is one thing. Knowing how to plan and run it well enough to make that idea happen is another.

I do both.

I work with leadership to define what an event needs to accomplish (and how), build the plan and budget, manage stakeholders, and make strategic decisions.
And I bring the operational rigor behind the event: build the workback, manage the budget, lead teams & vendors, coordinate workstreams, track dependencies, solve problems, and make sure all the pieces come together through the entire event lifecycle.

I’ve worked across tech, SaaS, media, legal, healthcare, and professional services, with organizations including Microsoft, PayScale, Smartsheet, Sony, Legility, Consilio, and Angeion Group.

What I’ve learned is that good event leadership isn’t just about being organized enough to keep all the pieces moving.

It’s knowing which pieces matter, how they affect each other, where problems are likely to show up, and what needs to happen next.

about my clients

Most of my clients are VPs, CMOs & Directors of Marketing at B2B technology companies, professional services firms, and legal industry teams.

Maybe you have a flagship event that needs senior leadership, but not a full-time Head of Events.

Maybe an established event is growing, evolving, or becoming more complex, and your current team needs someone experienced to lead the next iteration.

Maybe you have a capable marketing or events team, but need senior ownership across strategy, budget, operations & execution for a major program.

Or maybe you’re an event agency that needs an experienced lead or logistics partner for a specific client program or workstream.

Whatever the situation, you need someone who can understand the event and the business around it, see what needs attention, make informed decisions, and take meaningful ownership through execution.

See previous event work →