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About Us

Valerie McSorley | Our Team | Partners & Affiliates | Contact Us | Connect with Us!

Valerie McSorley

President & Founder of Avant Garde Events, Inc. and The NorthEast Sponsorship Network

Valerie McSorley has produced special events for over fifteen years. Her background is very diverse and includes conference producing, meeting planning, trade show coordination, golf tournaments, fundraising galas, corporate and non-profit events. She launched Avant Garde Events, Inc. in 2002 and most recently the NorthEast Sponsorship Network.

Valerie has sat on both sides of the sponsorship fence by selling and purchasing sponsorship rights for well over a decade. She has a keen understanding of what sponsors expect through their involvement with events and recognizes the value of working with event sponsors as true partners. She also has an in-depth appreciation for what event properties need to provide in order to develop strong relationships with sponsors. When leveraged correctly, this allows event properties to increase loyalty year after year, further financial support and work strategically to develop fully integrated marketing campaigns.

She recognized the underserved needs of this segment of the event industry and decided to launch the NorthEast Sponsorship Network in 2010. This unique network serves both sponsorship seekers and sellers and provides them with tactical insight, practical advice and a platform to form powerful connections.

Throughout her career, she has developed events with a variety of high-level organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, as well as designing an exhibit booth which was used for promotion at Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow and The Dave Matthews Band concerts. Valerie was the Special Events Manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. She also produced the official Oscar Night events for the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island as sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.

Additionally, one of her conferences was a featured segment on NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. Valerie’s events have also been mentioned in numerous industry publications as well as the Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, Boston Common Magazine, Fashion Boston, Improper Bostonian, Stuff at Night, Metro Boston, and Boston Magazine. Valerie was also a contributing writer to New England Corporate Events magazine and had several published articles.

Her innovative approach was also highlighted in a spotlight feature in the Boston Business Journal.

Valerie was also named one of the Top 10 Event Planners in Boston for 2006 by Women’s Business Boston and was nominated for a Mompreneur Award in 2009. Event planning and production is her true passion and she brings a fresh approach to every project she chooses to collaborate on. Valerie holds two BA’s from Binghamton University in Economics and Sociology.

She is currently a member of the Boston Women’s Network and the National Association of Female Executives. She is also a past member of the International Special Events Society, ISES and a past President of the Downtown Boston Chapter of Business Network International, BNI.

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Our Team

We work with a team of talented professionals. Our seasoned event staff has the core values and qualities that we credit to our success. We are dedicated, polished and professional at all times. We are the eyes and ears of your event. We are experts at keeping guests happy while quietly putting out fires and addressing unexpected issues that may arise behind the scenes. We work collectively to ensure that your vision unfolds on-site just as you expect.

Our goal is simple and our mission is clear, we want you to feel like a guest at your next event. Contact us today and get ready to expect the unexpected.

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Partners & Affiliates

Wild Apricot
Get your free trial account with Wild Apricot today and discover how easy it is to use! This integrated, web-based membership, event and web site management system for associations and non-profit organizations features automated emails, online registration and payments and donations, and much more.

My Event Guru
My Event Guru is an interactive portal that provides local business event listings, event tools and solutions, and networking & career opportunities. Manage and sell your events online, promote events, process RSVPs, get feedback and offer content. Get started today!

Bidding For Good
Bidding For Good is a community that brings together cause-conscious consumers and organizations looking to raise funds to support their missions. They the leading online charity auction platform that connects you to non-profit fundraising auction events.

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