In 2020, I partnered with Looker’s executive leadership committee to deliver CSS20, the company’s annual Customer Success Group Summit in Orlando, Florida. This three-day internal event brought together more than 200 employees during a pivotal moment, the organization was preparing for a major transition while navigating the early days of remote work. The goal was to align strategy, showcase customer success, and reinforce culture through an engaging, cohesive experience.

I owned end-to-end program management, from agenda design to vendor coordination, while ensuring content reflected leadership priorities. Working across operations, communications, and design teams, I helped create a balance of deep work and cultural connection. Attendees engaged in workshops and brainstorming sessions by day, then recharged with special touches like event swag, a team night at Harry Potter World, and a talent show dinner. These details made the summit feel bigger than meetings, rather, they reinforced culture and strengthened bonds across teams.

When the pandemic disrupted in-person events, I quickly adapted CSS20 for distributed delivery, enabling remote access to live sessions, breakout workshops, and networking. To support planning, I introduced structured workflows for proposals, speaker prep, and communications, creating reusable templates that informed future internal events.

The summit was described by participants as “energizing,” “well organized,” and “essential for team alignment.” For me, CSS20 demonstrated that successful events require more than logistics. They demand foresight, empathy, and adaptability. The project reinforced how cultural details and moments of connection can be as critical as strategy in uniting teams during times of change.