316: Two Moms, Countless Events: Lessons on Food Safety & Hospitality

How does being a food allergy mom change how you plan an event menu?

This week, I’m talking with two powerhouse planners—Colleen M. Earley, CMP, HMCC and Jessica Hiemenz-Woodbury, CMP, CMM, DES—who are blending personal experience with professional expertise to reshape how we think about food at events.

Both are long-time event pros. Both are moms. Both know what it’s like to sit at a banquet table hoping the kitchen gets it right—because their children’s safety (and their own, in Jessica’s case) depends on it.

Together, we talk about: • Planning with intention when food allergies are part of your family • Why checklists and contracts aren’t enough • What inclusive F&B really means from both sides of the table • How planners can lead change—even when they don’t control the kitchen

Jessica brings her insight as a mom of two kids with multiple food allergies— dairy, eggs, sesame, pea protein, lentils, and all nuts—an event strategist, a vegan, and past PCMA New England president who’s led major conferences and embraced digital innovation. Colleen shares how her daughter’s nut allergy journey has inspired her legislative advocacy and shaped how she builds safer dining experiences at the events she plans for clients.

Their stories are a must-hear for anyone in the hospitality and events world who wants to stop treating food as just a checkbox—and start making it a tool for belonging.

Join us for a heartfelt, practical conversation that just might change how you see the next plated meal at your event. What steps have you taken to ensure your F&B is inclusive?