As Director of Onsite Services, Registration, James Mendoza plays a crucial role in ensuring smooth onsite experiences for MCI USA’s biggest and most complex events. Based in Hagerstown, Maryland, James has spent the past five years at MCI USA balancing onsite leadership, client onboarding, staff training and event staffing logistics. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, James built his career in the events industry while calling Maryland home, where he enjoys its signature crab cakes and football culture. “It’s what we do!” he says.

James draws inspiration from other industries like sports and amusement parks to efficiently refine crowd management strategies. His dedication to innovation and teamwork has led to significant improvements in the registration experience, earning him recognition as an MCI USA Blooming Talent. Outside of work, James has even helped set a Guinness World Record — but more on that below!

1. What’s the most rewarding part about your role at MCI USA?

The best part has been growing. From improving my own skills to learning how to manage and teach a team, it’s been a constant process of honing various abilities. Having a manager who believes in you and helps you grow into your role is invaluable. Plus, working with my fellow onsite director, Matthew Lattanzio, and our amazing team that’s eager to learn and perform has been fantastic.

2. What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?

A surprising accomplishment was winning the Blooming Talent award last December. I was on PTO getting ready for my family vacation when James Kelley called, telling me to make sure I was at the end-of-year town hall meeting. I thought that was strange. When Shawn called my name for SEM&I, I was totally taken aback and didn’t expect it at all. It made me really proud of the work I do and gave me some perspective on how far my skills have come. Years ago, I would have never thought I could pull off planning and managing two new events with just eight days to plan the onsite deployment from scratch, while also working on two of my established clients’ events.

None of it would have been possible without the amazing team we have here to pull that together: the AEs who quickly put together working reg sites, IT and R&D building API integrations in record time, and our onsite team being able to pick up some of my slack and assist me where possible.

3. What emerging industry trends are you paying attention to right now?

I believe the best registration experience is one you don’t even remember because it was so quick and smooth. You get your badge and can immediately start enjoying the conference and all the programming. I like to see what other industries are doing with technologies and methods for handling large crowds like concerts, sporting events and amusement parks. We’re all trying to move lots of people quickly, safely and efficiently. Observing how these industries manage traffic flow helps us advise our clients and make significant improvements to wait times. A great example is the ANCC Magnet Pathway event; we reduced line times in 2022-23 from around an hour or more to less than five minutes at peak in 2024.

4. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Tone and word choice matter. While you may naturally be blunt and direct, sometimes people need to be communicated with differently. Also to log off, have fun and spend time with your family.

5. What’s something surprising many people may not know about you?

In 2019, my friends and I put together the Guinness World Record for “largest gathering of people dressed as wizards” party at an event called MAGFest at the Gaylord at National Harbor. Nothing like 440 video game nerds having a good party and raising money for the charity Child’s Play, which donates toys and games to children’s hospitals worldwide.