Young Stars Program

The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) supports and nurtures the growth and development of the industry’s future leaders through its Young Stars Program.

Young Stars Program

The EEAA Young Stars Program gives the Association’s youngest members a platform to share their views, ideas and experiences, as well as to have a bigger voice in the work of the Association. Launched in 2012, the program offers a tier of activities tailored specifically to engage under 35-year-olds within the Association’s membership with the aim of building a strong community, ensuring the sustainability of the Association, as well as for nurturing young talent in the world of exhibitions and events.

The Young Stars Program is generously supported by Tourism Australia, which became the program’s inaugural Platinum Partner in mid-2016, and Ungerboeck Software International as the program’s Gold Partner.

Upcoming EEAA Young Stars Events

Click here to view the upcoming EEAA events including any scheduled Young Stars events.

Meet the EEAA Young Stars Committee

The EEAA Young Stars Program has a dedicated volunteer committee of Young Stars at the helm to assist the Association with creating opportunities for younger workers in exhibitions and events to learn and develop.

If you would like to apart of the committee and help steer the Young Stars Program, email Joyce DiMascio on jdimascio@eeaa.com.au or Emily Leung on eleung@eeaa.com.au.

Chair of the Committee

Vice Chair of the Committee

Committee members

Meet the EEAA Young Stars mentors 

Since the launch of the Young Stars Program in July 2012, EEAA has provided exclusive opportunities for our young members to be mentored by industry leaders. They include:

Recognising the industry’s young achievers

The EEAA is dedicated to recognising and celebrating excellence in the industry. This commitment extends to honouring the industry’s rising stars as part of its annual Awards for Excellence program. The Richard Geddes Young Achiever Award acknowledges and rewards young employees who have excelled in their work, attitude, leadership and commitment – in other words our industry’s future leaders.

In 2018, the winner of the annual Richard Geddes Young Achiever Award received a major scholarship, sponsored by Tourism Australia, to attend the Asia-Pacific Conference of The Global Association for the Exhibition Industry (UFI), held in Tokyo in March 2019.

The winner was rising star, Georgie Chapman-Burgess, Operations Manager, Exhibitions and Trade Fairs (ETF). Ms Chapman-Burgess traveled in Tokyo in March, 2019. About the experience attending the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference, Ms Chapman-Burgess said, “The experience was insightful. UFI is not just an Association, but a community that supports and collaborates with its Members together to achieve their goals.

“The biggest take-outs of the conference were, the war on talent development, the message being to hire potential over experience, the importance to build and establish relationships with international contractors and suppliers and joining the discussion on current industry challenges and recognising industry achievements.” Ms Chapman-Burgess said.

Ms Chapman-Burgess joined a panel of young leaders at the EEAA 2019 Leaders Forum, discussing industry challenges and opportunities and what she learnt in Tokyo on 5 June 2019.

The scholarship is part of an expanded partnership between Tourism Australia and the Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) to support the careers of young people working in our industry.

“I feel extremely honoured to have an opportunity to meet  industry professionals that are supportive and encouraging in developing young leaders. Thank you EEAA, Tourism Australia and Ungerboeck for your continual investment  and support for the young leaders of this industry.” Ms Chapman-Burgess said.

2018 award recipient

2017 award recipient

2016 award recipients

2015 award recipients