In 2025, Woda Cooper Companies reached a milestone worth celebrating: 35 years of building high-quality, affordable housing and stronger communities across the country. To honor that legacy, our leadership made the decision to bring the entire company together in one place for a full-scale celebration in Columbus, Ohio, home to our headquarters.

It was a rare and powerful opportunity. With teammates from 18 states—representing development, construction, and property management—this event wasn’t just a party; it was a moment of connection, recognition, and shared purpose.

I had the privilege of leading the planning and execution of this experience alongside my amazing team.

The Vision

Create an event that felt joyful, inclusive, and worthy of 35 years of impact, while also being logistically seamless for the more than 450 team members traveling from across the country.

The celebration took place at PINS Mechanical in Dublin, with additional smaller gatherings throughout the Bridge Park district. Guests enjoyed duckpin bowling, arcade games, pinball, ping pong, fire pits, massages, food, drinks, and time to simply be together—many for the first time in years.

But what guests experienced was only the surface. Behind the scenes was months of detailed planning, coordination, and problem-solving.

My Role

From concept to clean-up, my team and I owned every part of the experience. My contributions included:

Location Strategy

• Scouted and evaluated venues in Columbus and Dublin
• Coordinated multiple locations to accommodate different group sizes
• Balanced accessibility, capacity, atmosphere, and budget

Vendor Sourcing & Negotiation

• Identified and contracted vendors for:
  • Food & beverage
  • Entertainment
  • Photography
  • Rentals
  • Transportation
• Negotiated pricing, timelines, and deliverables to stay on budget while maintaining quality

Travel & Lodging for 400+ People

• Managed:
  • Air travel coordination
  • Hotel blocks
  • Local transportation
    • Ensured employees would either have a hotel or an Uber to avoid any pressure to drive after drinking
    • Brought company Uber for Business program online
• Ensured arrival and departure schedules aligned with the event timeline
• Supported a wide range of travel needs across 16 states of attendees

Communications & RSVP Management

• Built and maintained RSVP tracking (Eventbrite CMS)
• Coordinated internal communications so every employee had:
  • Travel details
  • Event schedules
  • Location information
• Troubleshot changes, cancellations, and last-minute needs

On-Site Event Execution

• Oversaw day-of setup for:
  • Vendors
  • Caterers
  • Photographers
  • Activity areas
• Managed flow, timing, and logistics while the event was live

Prizing & Guest Experience

• Planned and coordinated prizing and giveaways
• Ensured activities, food, and experiences were accessible and enjoyable for all attendees

Why This Project Mattered

This event wasn’t just a celebration—it was a reflection of Woda Cooper’s culture. Bringing hundreds of people together across departments and states required trust, precision, and empathy for every participant’s experience.

The most rewarding part for me was seeing teammates who usually only know each other through emails or construction sites finally meet face-to-face, laugh together, and celebrate the work we do.

The success of this event came from careful planning, strong partnerships, and a deep respect for the people who make Woda Cooper what it is.

And I’m proud to have played a role in making it happen.

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