Will Counsel Clients on Meeting Strategy and Oversee Event Design and Execution

Virtual, Inc. today announced the appointment of Derrick Johnson II, CMP, DES as Events Director. Virtual provides professional services to associations, standards organizations, consortia, advocacy groups and professional societies. Johnson comes to Virtual with extensive experience in driving successful event strategies and measurement for hybrid and virtual conferences, including city-wide events, seminars and trade shows.

As Events Director based in Virtual’s Reston, VA. office, Johnson will advise clients and develop effective event and meeting strategies and plans.

Prior to joining Virtual, Inc., Johnson founded the Organization for Social Empact, where he developed empathy-driven, effective and measurable solutions for organizations addressing unique diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility challenges. Earlier, Johnson served as Talley Management Group’s chief diversity officer and director of event strategy.

“I’m so pleased to welcome Derrick to our events team,” said Margot Rodger, vice president, Events and Meetings. “In addition to his many certificates and credentials in the field, he has held multiple industry leadership roles. His deep industry engagement, broad knowledge and innovative ideas will be an asset to our clients navigating both a return to in-person events and the continuation of online programs as part of their evolving event strategy.”

A graduate of the University of Florida and a Certified Meeting Professional, Johnson holds a Master of Science degree in Business Leadership and Management from Western Governors University. In addition, he has a certificate in Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workforce Certificate from the University of South Florida; a Sustainability and Social Impact Certificate from the Event Industry Council; and the Digital Event Strategist (DES) Credential from the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA).

“I am excited about the opportunity to put my experience to work on behalf of Virtual clients and lead our event teams down new paths that might not have been considered,” said Johnson. “My goal is for us to deliver successful experiences that not only meet our clients’ expectations, but significantly surpass them.”

Adding to his experience in the field, Johnson has served five years on the PCMA board. He facilitated the organization’s Digital Event Strategist Certification Course in 2020, which guided thousands of business event professionals through an evolved digital mindset at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He currently serves as chair of the board for the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association and recently completed a term on the Lesbian and Gay Band Association Board of Directors.

About Virtual, Inc.

Virtual is a professional services firm that enables organizations to achieve their goals and make their mark on the world. Whether helping an organization go from zero to 800 corporate members in 18 months or extending the reach and impact of an international group dedicated to curing prostate and breast cancer, Virtual provides strategic advisory and execution services that drive real results for technology consortia, standards groups and associations that are forming, growing or changing.

Virtual was recently named again to The Boston Globe’s “Top Places to Work” list, and the firm has been named three times to Inc. Magazine’s list of 5,000 fastest-growing private companies. Virtual is accredited by the AMC Institute, the global trade group that represents the association management industry.

For more information about Virtual, Inc., visit www.virtualinc.com, or call +1 781-246-0500.

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