Purdue Conferences and Event Design manager to lead international collegiate events board of directors
Kathy Walters, fourth from the left, pointing at a hot air balloon siting from the ACCED-I’s 45th Annual Conference this past March in Albuquerque, New Mexico with other attendees and board members. Photo provided by Kathy Walters.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. —
The Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors–International (ACCED-I), a professional association for collegiate events and conference professionals, has elected Kathy Walters with Purdue Conferences and Event Design (PCED) to its executive committee. ACCED-I brings together more than 1,100 campus professionals from about 370 institutions worldwide who design, market, coordinate and plan conferences and events on university campuses.
Beginning in March 2026, Walters will serve as president-elect of the ACCED-I Board of Directors, with her term officially starting at the association’s 46th Annual Conference. She will assume the role of board president in 2027, following ACCED-I’s leadership succession process. Walters currently serves on the board and has been a member of the organization for more than 20 years.
Walters is the systems and scheduling manager for PCED and recently celebrated her 30th year as a Purdue employee, a milestone year of service. She leads scheduling systems and logistics for events at the West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations, supporting student life, hospitality and campus programming through coordination and collaboration.
I am honored to be a 20+ year member of ACCED-I and the work it does for our industry. Now I have the privilege of being elected president-elect for the 2027 year. Thank you to the amazing board members I serve with and have entrusted this position to me.
Kathy Walters
Manager, Scheduling & Systems for Purdue Conferences and Event Design
Nick Bonora, director of Conferences and Event Design, added:
“Kathy’s election to president-elect is a testament to her expertise and commitment to the events profession. Her leadership at Purdue has elevated operations and inspires excellence across the Purdue Conferences and Event Design team. We are proud to see her recognized on an international level.”
About Purdue Conferences and Event Design
Conferences and Event Design is a department within Purdue Memorial Union, part of the Auxiliary Services unit in Purdue’s Administrative Operations organization. Administrative Operations supports the university through safe, reliable and transformative services. Coordinating campus events that foster student engagement, academic collaboration and community connection is just one of the many ways the organization helps power Purdue.
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