Through my time in BBYO, I have loved to be involved in the leadership side of planning and programming events. I first started with chapter board, then held regional steering positions, then became chapter president for the largest AZA chapter in Michigan Region, and now, finally, IC steering.

As soon as the steering application came out for IC, I knew I had to be involved in some way, and I knew exactly what I wantd to do: be able to pick and choose what celebrities would be at IC while also having the chance to interview them and show them what BBYO is all about. There was only one application I knew I had to fill out: Talent Team.

As a part of the talent team, the biggest thing is making sure surprises stay surprises. We might know who’s coming before the rest of the convention does, but the most important part of the job is to not let that information slip. On the talent team, you have the opportunity to interview celebrities and be their right-hand man as they get from place to place around conventions. To prepare for the interviews, myself and a partner had to come up with questions that were not only interesting to us but also to the whole convention body, while also trying to tell a story of the celebrity’s life. This is very important because, for someone who may not know the celebrity that is being interviewed, you want them to come out of the session, having known the celebrity for years, keeping the audience entertained and engaged.

I loved my time as a talent steerer so much, and it was cool to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the international convention VIPs are selected and what happens to make IC so special for this centennial year. I can’t wait to show everyone the talent we have selected at IC.

‍