US Leadership Team

Tom Gibson founded Coulter Companies (now MCI USA) to ignite a core objective … to help people and organizations do both well and good. Over its 25+ year history, Coulter Companies grew to more than 100 accomplished professionals spread over two distinct business units and five divisions, including industry-leading business units serving both associations and corporations.

Erin Fuller leads MCI USA’s team who focus on nonprofit management and consulting, and assesses business development and partnership opportunities that advance MCI’s mission and model while supporting a culture of creating thoughtful growth and strong career pathways.

Blake Kotenbrink joined MCI USA in 2011 as Vice President, Corporate Experiences and in 2015 was elevated to President, Luxury Events & Experiences. In this role, Kotenbrink leads a team which conceptualizes and delivers tailored events and experiences to top luxury brands and their most valued clients. Corporate sectors served include fashion, culinary, automotive, sports, theatre, and financial services.

With over 20 years’ experience in the event industry, a proven track record of operational excellence and utilizing data driven insights to growing events in diverse industries, Shawn Pierce has a unique talent for turning around and reinvigorating events.

Carrie Hartin brings her years of experience to bear on making good decisions in helping our client partners generate advertising revenue through new products and emerging media. She intuitively knows that in today's evolving association marketplace, media sales is about finding new and creative ways to align advertisers' messages with audiences valuable to our clients.

Michele Jerome joined MCI USA as a senior associate in 2006 and served as deputy executive director for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and executive director for NAWBO's Institute for Entrepreneurial Development until 2008—when she agreed to lead the company’s US operations team. Jerome currently serves as senior vice president of enterprise operations where she is responsible for building and managing effective and streamlined systems, including financial, accounting, information technology, human resources, and physical infrastructure.

Kate O'Donnell joined MCI USA in January 2008 as a senior associate, managing the marketing and creative efforts for the company’s nonprofit, events, and consultative clients. In 2015 she was named Vice President, and currently oversees marketing & communications initiatives for MCI USA’s four divisions, creating experiential productions and building brands through creative ventures from concept to fruition.

Mike Candela joined MCI USA in 2015 as Associate Vice President of Sales and was promoted to Vice President, Strategic Growth in 2016. In this role, Candela brings over 15 years of expertise to his position with an expansive background in event, print, social, and digital revenue generation. He has multi-disciplinary association experience in business development, marketing, communications, public relations, and advocacy.

Adam Patterson joined MCI USA in January 2013 to bring added depth and strength to overall financial and business planning operations as Corporate Controller. Prior to joining MCI USA, Patterson worked with a federal defense contractor, helping the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business establish project control functionality including financial processes, controls, and reporting.

Angela Fiorini joined MCI USA in April 2017 to strategically align HR initiatives with MCI’s business objectives, supporting both organic and acquisitive growth. Fiorini provides both strategic and tactical oversight of People & Culture initiatives for MCI USA’s four divisions and group functions, and partners with MCI’s global headquarters office on HR and People & Culture strategies.

Amy Lotz joined MCI USA in 2002. She currently leads one of MCI USA’s newest clients, the Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association (HCEA) where she brings her ability to grow associations in key areas including membership, conference attendance and overall revenue.

Sara Meier currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Credentialing, Standards & Professional Development, Association Management & Consulting. In this capacity, Meier works with organizations to determine performance objectives for learning management systems and credentialing programs and assess how structure, content, delivery and metrics can align with company objectives.

With 15 years of nonprofit management expertise, Amy Lestition Burke joined MCI USA in 2006, and was named a Vice President in 2015, focusing her work on association management and consulting for MCI’s clients. Burke serves as the go–to expert for membership strategies around both retention and recruitment, and she has also provided consulting services ranging from strategic communications and marketing to organizational development and change. Burke currently serves as the executive director of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), creating and implementing new educational and community initiatives as well as new benefits for SLA members.

Lee Lowery joined MCI USA in August 2000 and currently serves as chief staff executive for two of our health-related clients. As the Executive Director for the Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA), she represents the interstitial cystitis (IC) patients’ voice through advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, in the Food and Drug Administration, and through various patient coalitions. She oversees a multi-tiered individual giving program that provides over $400K annually, as well as the administration of a $100K CDC grant, that together help to carry out the association’s mission to advocate, educate and raise awareness about the disease.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience in technology and event services, Ross Sawai brings a wealth of knowledge and business acumen to the company.

Elisa Perodin joined MCI USA in 2007. As senior vice president, Perodin specializes in event-management services for all MCI USA’s association clients, as well as oversees the coordination of logistics for conferences, trade shows, workshops, award ceremonies and other education programs. She also spearheads the Association Events business unit, which conceptualizes, designs and produces live events for public and private organizations.

Agnès Canonica joined MCI USA in 2017 as Global Account Director to lead the Corporate Meetings & Events division across multiple industry sectors.

Kerry Wages joined Wyndham Jade (now MCI USA’s Strategic Events, Meetings & Incentives division) in 1994, and was charged with developing and growing a convention housing and registration services platform.

Jen Smith joined MCI USA in 2005 and guides the editorial and design teams to plan, launch, sustain and assess association communications—both in traditional print and emerging new media formats.

As a key member of MCI USA’s sales team, Brittany has mastered the rapidly changing media environment by actively selling for many of MCI USA’s association clients.