Lyn Maddox, VP Meetings
Lyn Maddox, our VP Meetings, has been with the Society for 22 years. Her responsibilities include planning and executing all of the logistics related to the Annual Meeting, from identifying the location of the meeting to onsite management of the event. She has been in the meetings industry for 25 years, and previously worked for The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and assisted in the launch of a special events company. Ms. Maddox is an active member of the Professional Convention Management Association.
What attracted you to ASTMH and what do you bring to the Society?
I began with ASTMH in 1997 and at the time did not know much about the Society. After my first Annual Meeting I was hooked. I was impressed by how dedicated and passionate the members are to their profession and my knowledge of that has only increased over the years. I’m so proud to be a part of the ASTMH team, providing a platform for the folks who attend the ASTMH Annual Meeting to further advance their research and knowledge in tropical medicine.
What is/are the most challenging aspects of planning the Annual Meeting?
The most challenging part of the meeting is also the most rewarding – its overall growth. The Annual Meeting has grown not only in the number of attendees every year, but through the addition of new and exciting exhibits, workshops and special sessions. Accommodating all of this in a limited space is my biggest challenge every year. We also have experienced a large uptick in requests for meeting space in the past few years from some of the other organizations attending the Annual Meeting. I think attendees would be surprised to know that presently there are 160-plus meeting space requests pending for the 2019 Annual Meeting, and this certainly adds to the challenge of the ever-changing pre-planning for the Annual Meeting.
The 2020 meeting takes place in Toronto. What can we expect?
I’m looking forward for us to hold the meeting in Toronto. It’s exciting to be located in a city outside the United States for the first time. Toronto is a very urban environment, and TropMed attendees will find many opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in surrounding venues. The Annual Meeting will be held in the city’s convention center as well as utilizing hotels within walking distance of the center. As always, it will be another memorable experience for everyone joining us.