Camarillo to Direct New Covenant Events Office

Post a Comment » Written on January 16th, 2009     
Filed under: News
CHICAGO, IL (January 16, 2009) – A new office to manage major events on behalf of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) is now operational under the leadership of Celina Camarillo, who assumed her new responsibilities earlier this month.

Camarillo brings considerable experience to events management, having served in a similar role with Urban Youth Workers Institute where she led a team of 18 staff and 80 volunteers. She will work closely with Luke Palmerlee, who already has been working with planning for the upcoming pre-Midwinter Conference “Connection” events and this summer’s CHIC 2009 gathering at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in July.

Camarillo“We are very pleased about this strategic move to the consolidation of our events under one events office,” says Donn Engebretson, ECC executive vice president. “This new office will allow for savings from economies of scale, for best practice and specific expertise to be applied equally to our events, and for consistency of protocols from event to event.”

However, he stresses, an equally important outcome is “the best possible service for our member churches, affiliates, and ministries in producing events that consistently bring excellence to the support of the mission and ministry that we all do together.”

Four key Covenant events will command Camarillo’s early attention, including the upcoming Midwinter Conference in February, the Annual Meeting in Portland in June, this summer’s CHIC gathering and the next scheduled Feast event. She will be involved in a variety of other event planning work throughout the year as well, Engebretson notes.

“Celina brings a combination of experience, high level of skills, and deep commitment to the mission of the Covenant that we believe will be a great gift to our shared ministry,” says Engebretson, who oversees both the Midwinter Pastors Conference and the ECC Annual Meeting. “Together with Luke Palmerlee, who is an outstanding events coordinator, we believe this will be a very strong office serving the ministry of the Covenant Church.”

That sentiment is echoed by Doreen Olson, who provides oversight for three other major Covenant events – the pre-Midwinter “Connection,” the triennial CHIC gathering, and The Feast.

“Celina articulated from our first conversation that she desires to use her God-given gifts for Jesus,” Olson observes. “Her passion for bringing organizational and planning excellence to events will serve us very well. She did that with Urban Youth Workers Institute – that’s no small task. I’m impressed with her self-awareness and maturity. She tells us that she thrives in a work environment that is ‘dynamic, fast-paced and occasionally hectic.’ That sounds like life in an events office to me.”

The partnership with Palmerlee is another one of the strengths Olson sees in the new events office structure. “What Luke brings to the team is essential,” Olson says. “His familiarity with Covenant theology adds an important dimension to the skills he’s bringing to the events office. Bringing together all the details for the ‘Connection’ preceding Midwinter, as well as for CHIC ’09, is a significant task, and Luke fills that role with passion and strength.”

Camarillo is a graduate of Vanguard University of Southern California where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration and a Master of Arts degree in business and organizational leadership. She has received a number of awards and is a member of a variety of professional associations, including the National Honor Society of Hispanic MBAs.

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