VILMA VILLAVICENCIO NAMED PREVUE’S INAUGURAL 2026 PLANNER OF THE YEAR

Industry-selected honor recognizes the Checklist Events founder among four exceptional finalists helping shape the future of meetings and events.

LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, November 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Prevue Meetings + Incentives named Vilma Villavicencio, Owner and Founder of Checklist Events, its inaugural 2026 Planner of the Year during a live celebration at IMEX America on October 14, 2026. Presented by Caesars Entertainment as part of Meeting Planner Appreciation Month, the award recognizes the leadership, creativity and impact meeting professionals bring to the industry. Villavicencio was selected by an industry-wide vote from four finalists. She brings more than 20 years of event management experience, building her career in the corporate world before founding her own consultancy, Checklist Events. Throughout her career, she has led domestic and international programs spanning intimate gatherings to large-scale events with up to 37,000 attendees.

“This is a career highlight and a meaningful step in strengthening my personal and professional brand,” said Villavicencio. “More importantly, it shines a light on the talented professionals whose work often happens behind the scenes. Prevue’s recognition sends a powerful message that our creativity, dedication, and expertise matter and deserve to be celebrated.”

“Vilma represents so much of what we hoped to celebrate when we created Meeting Planner Appreciation Month,” said Laurel Herman, President & Editorial Director at Worth International Media, publishers of Prevue Meetings + Incentives. “Experience and expertise certainly matter, but so does passion, resilience, creativity and the ability to bring people together in ways that leave a lasting impact. Seeing our industry participate in selecting our inaugural Planner of the Year made this recognition particularly meaningful.”

The other finalists, also recognized at IMEX America, were Ellie Soucy, President of Incentive Meeting Services, LLC; Jeanette Alston-Watkins, Regional Sale Support Specialist at SOPREMA and Heather Pilcher, CEO and Executive Producer of Blue Spark Event Design. All four planners will be featured in the November/December issue of Prevue Meetings + Incentives.

As the 2026 winner, Villavicencio received a stay at Caesars Palace, courtesy of presenting sponsor Caesars Entertainment, and a custom watch provided by Seiko.

Meeting Planner Appreciation Month, launched by Prevue Meetings + Incentives in 2026, is an annual industry-wide celebration dedicated to recognizing the professionals behind exceptional meetings and events. Rooted in Worth International Media’s corporate mission, “A World Connected,” the initiative brought the industry together to celebrate planners through the Appreciation Yearbook, Thank You Videos, giveaways and the Planner of the Year award. To learn more about Meeting Planner Appreciation Month and its initiatives, visit www.meetingplannerappreciationmonth.com.

About Prevue Meetings + Incentives:
For nearly two decades, Prevue Meetings + Incentives, published by Worth International Media, has served as a trusted resource for meeting and incentive professionals, delivering destination insights, industry news, educational content, research, thought leadership and live experiences that help planners stay ahead in an evolving industry. Rooted in Worth International Media’s corporate mission of A World Connected, Prevue is committed to fostering meaningful connections, advancing the meetings and incentives industry and championing the professionals who bring people together.

Andrea Sper
Worth International Media
+1 305-828-0123 ext. 120
andrea@worthit.com
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Meeting Planner Appreciation Month 2026: Planner of the Year

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