MEET THE TEAM
Catherine Vanderpool
Events Coordinator
Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA)
505-705-3789
cvanderpool@abq.org
Catherine Vanderpool is the Events Coordinator for AREA, responsible for supporting all tasks related to the execution of successful events and programs for AREA from quarterly events to annual dinners and hosting impactful site selector and client visits to the region.
Prior to joining AREA, she served as Program Manager for the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute, the premier training program for economic developers within the industry where she was responsible for all logistics for the Economic Development Institute’s in-person sessions, as well as advising students and recruiting new business. She also oversaw a Planning Program and Local Technical Assistance Grant from the Economic Development Administration for communities effected by natural disasters to improve their economic resiliency in 2017.
An event planner to the core, she began her career in reserving space at community centers for local musicians while she was still in high school and transitioned to managing the El Rey Theater, a 700-person capacity multi-purpose venue in downtown Albuquerque. From there, she started working in events with the University of Oklahoma in 2011, planning meetings and trainings for various state and federal government agencies through the University’s Center of Public Management. During her career in event planning, she has overseen conferences for over 1,000 participants, month-long strategic planning sessions, several weddings and Ska Prom, an all-ages music festival that showcased independent musicians and bands from throughout the Southwest. Catherine has also worked for the New Mexico Legislature and served as a Staff Assistant for US Senator Pete V. Domenici in his Albuquerque field office.
Catherine is a proud graduate of the Film and Media Arts program at the University of New Mexico. In her spare time, she loves to bake biscuits, quilt and chase Guadalupe, her boxer/pit bull. She is an avid sports fan and supports the UNM Lobos, the OU Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Montreal Canadiens. Her biggest accomplishment is backpacking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, twice.