I am honored and humbled to be your 2022 LMA Southwest Region President. Last year, our region was led by two incredible legal marketing professionals, Amy Verhulst and Cecilia Linton. I feel fortunate to be taking the reins of a region that has benefited from steadfast and dedicated leaders. Cecilia will continue to serve the LMASW board as Immediate Past President, and Amy is now serving on the LMA International Board as the Regional Leaders’ Committee (RLC) Chair.
For 2022 we have an incredible Board of Directors and a group of Local Steering Committee leaders who are exceptional and truly live up to our “SouthBEST” battle cry. Collectively, we look forward to providing you with great programming and the opportunity to get to know your LMA colleagues better.
Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, the Southwest Region remains strong. We have grown our membership, attracted stellar leaders to serve, executed top-notch programming and remained laser focused on providing value to our members.
I am excited that we will be holding our 2022 Southwest Region Conference on October 13-14 in Dallas. I am beyond thrilled to announce that our conference co-chairs will be Michael Blachly and Jessica Jaramillo. Michael is the Chief Marketing Officer of Gray Reed in Dallas and served as the LMA Southwest Region’s first president. Jessica is the Marketing Director of Ireland Stapleton in Denver and served as the LMA Southwest Region’s first president-elect. The two of them make a dynamic team and have helped shape our region into the strong community that it is today. They are supported by a terrific group of volunteers. I am eager to learn more about what our Region Conference Committee has planned for our members.
If all of this sounds exciting and you want to be a part of the action, please consider volunteering, especially with our Local Steering Committees. They are always looking for members to provide a helping hand. Or, if volunteering will not fit into your busy schedule, sign up for a program, whether it is in your local city or hosted virtually by other LSC’s in the region. I guarantee you will learn something and have an opportunity to expand your network.
As many of you know, I have a passion for leading with kindness, empathy and compassion. The Southwest Board took time to focus on the importance of these qualities as we lead in 2022 and beyond. Nearly everyone I know has experienced some sort of turbulence during the past two years. I expect you can say the same. Friends and colleagues have persevered through unexpected job loss, juggling childcare challenges, losing a loved one or coping with fear and loneliness. I challenge you to lead your teams, or for those of you without a team, lead your day with kindness, empathy and compassion as we navigate through what will be an alternate normal for some time.
If there is anything you would like to discuss with me, please email me at vpetrea@perkinscoie.com. I always love talking with our members and would be happy to set up a time to chat.
Vanessa V. Petrea
2022 Southwest Region President
LMA 2022 Southwest Regional Conference - Save the Date
With the legal industry at a crossroads amid calls to return to the office, increased burnout, and unprecedented competition over hiring, this year's workshop-driven conference will provide the tools legal marketing and business development professionals need to help navigate the new frontier and shape the future.
Be on the lookout for additional details on the conference, including how to register, in the near future.
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