At Overland Park Convention Center, we believe great ideas come from a variety of perspectives.
We welcome people from all walks of life and strive to make every guest feel comfortable, seen and respected. Just as we host a wide range of events and audiences, we also believe in building a diverse team with a variety of perspectives and strengths. When we have a team that contains unique worldviews, we can foster the creation of unique ideas.
One example: women hold key leadership roles across our organization, shaping strategy, guest experience, and innovation. Their voices–and the insight they bring–play an essential role in our continued success.
Highlighting Women’s Voices
At OPCC, we believe innovation starts with perspective. When leadership includes a range of voices, it brings fresh ideas, stronger collaboration, and more creative solutions. That’s why we value the role of women in leadership and the impact their insights have across our organization.
Women in leadership help shape decisions that elevate both our team and our guest experience.
Many of our women leaders are behind the signature experiences OPCC is known for—from high-level strategic planning to the thoughtful details planners notice on-site. Their leadership helps ensure OPCC stands out as a top-tier venue for events of all types.
Female Leadership at OPCC
At OPCC, we walk the walk. Women make up half of our current director leadership team, oversee Sales, Events, and Food & Beverage—departments that play a pivotal role in every successful event we host.
These departments help every event occur without a hitch—OPCC wouldn’t function without the help of our talented team of female directors.
We also actively support professional development, and it shows—six of the seven CMP-certified staff members at OPCC are women. CMP or Certified Meeting Professional, is a prestigious distinction in the events industry, and we proudly fund the training and exam process for team members pursuing this credential. The current CMPs at OPCC include:
- Barb Silin, CMP, CVP, CTA – Senior Sales Manager
- Ashley Flagler, CMP – Director of Events
- Jessica Corona, CMP – Director of Food & Beverage
- Amber Pietenpol, CMP – Event Manager
- Jordan Brehmer, CMP – Event Manager
- Allie Glidwell, CMP – Event Manager
- Scott Riesterer, CMP – Director of Finance
OPCC funds the CMP training process, because we believe in helping our employees become the most successful versions of themselves. When we uplift our team, we uplift the people of our community.
Oak View Group
The Overland Park Convention Center is owned by the City of Overland Park and professionally managed by Oak View Group (OVG), a global leader in venue management. While the City retains ownership, OVG oversees the day-to-day operations of OPCC, bringing deep expertise in hospitality, live events, and client experience.
OVG is also known for promoting women in leadership across its organization. Of the company’s 16 executive leadership roles, seven are held by women—a strong representation that reflects OVG’s broader commitment to diversity in the workplace.
Within the facility, OVG District Marketing Director, Britaney Wehrmeister, works on-site at OPCC, supporting not only our venue but also other convention centers in the region. Her leadership and insight help shape the marketing strategy that sets OPCC apart as a premier destination for meetings, conferences, and special events.
The City of Overland Park
The Overland Park Convention Center is proudly owned by the City of Overland Park, a community that leads by example when it comes to inclusive leadership.
The city’s executive team is notably diverse—four of the seven top leadership positions are held by women. City Manager Laurie Luther leads the municipality with dedication and vision , while Assistant City Manager Kate Gunja serves as our primary point of contact within the city’s leadership team..
We’re proud to operate in a city where women have a strong presence at the highest levels of government. This spirit of leadership and representation echoes throughout OPCC, shaping a culture that values equity, expertise, and collaboration.
Accommodating All Guests
While we’re proud to highlight women’s voices in leadership, our commitment to inclusion goes beyond gender. We strive to ensure that every guest feels welcome and supported when they walk through our doors.
Overland Park hosts a variety of different people with their own preferences and needs. Part of being an inclusive space means understanding what makes people different and structuring our venue and our events to make them feel comfortable, heard, and seen.
Our team at Overland Park Convention Center often takes steps to improve our venue, so we have made adjustments to accommodate differently abled and sensory-sensitive guests. No matter who you are, you should be able to enjoy your event at OPCC.
Training the Team
To make Overland Park Convention Center an inclusive place, we started by educating our team. Even in the modern age, we’re still learning about certain conditions and sensitivities. Sensory-related sensitivities are an evolving area of awareness, but we keep our team up to date with specialized training from KultureCity.
KultureCity is a nonprofit organization that educates people all over the world about sensory conditions like PTSD, dementia, autism, and more.
Through their training and consultation, we were able to create a welcoming, supportive environment—including the development of our sensory room and sensory bags—for guests who need them most.
And with KultureCity’s help, we continue to retrain our staff on sensory accommodations. Each year, the curriculum evolves to catch up with the scientific community’s understanding of sensory-related conditions, so our training is always relevant and comprehensive.
View Or Download Our 2025 Certificate
Many people don’t understand the full extent of how their actions can affect the people around them. But by providing training to our employees, we can inform them of how to best respond when they encounter guests who may be sensitive to loud sounds or overwhelming environments.
When you plan an event at our venue, you can look to any of our certified team members if a sensitive guest needs assistance. We can take the necessary steps to help them feel comfortable during the event.
A Compliant Space
At Overland Park Convention Center, we believe everyone deserves to enjoy an event with comfort and ease. That’s why our space was designed to be ADA-compliant and accessible for people with mobility needs.
While we do not provide wheelchairs, our facility includes elevators, ramps, and accessible routes so every attendee can move through the space with confidence.
A Reprieve From the Action
Large-scale events can be overwhelming for guests with sensory sensitivities, but our sensory room offers a private, calming retreat when things feel too intense.
This low-light sound reduced space is available by request to ensure privacy and comfort. This means no one will walk in without warning while a guest is using the space. Inside the sensory room guests will find a number of interactive, tactile and visual features designed to help them reset and rejoin the event when ready.
The Tools Your Guests Need
The sensory room isn’t the only resource we can provide to guests with sensory sensitivities. We also offer sensory bags that contain beneficial tools. Available by request at no extra cost, these bags include:
- Multiple fidget tools
- A weighted lap pad
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Verbal cue cards
These items are sanitized after each use and are available to anyone who may benefit from additional support during their visit. Clear signage throughout our facility also identifies quiet zones and high-sensory areas, helping guests move through the space with confidence. These small touches can make OPCC the perfect event venue for anyone and everyone.
Learn More About Our Inclusivity and Diversity Initiatives
If you want to host an event in Overland Park, you have no better option than the Overland Park Convention Center.
At OPCC, we strive to innovate at every opportunity possible. By highlighting diversity in the workplace and providing tools for guests with sensory conditions, we’ve made our event space a more accepting place for everyone.To learn more about our inclusivity practices, take a look at our educational blog.
This blog contains all the information you need to know about how we prioritize diversity in the workplace. But that’s not all. We also have information about our many event spaces, our team, and our event planning resources.
We update this blog with new content every month, so it offers you the most up-to-date resources on everything going on at our event center.
Schedule Your Event at a Venue for Everyone
As you plan your next event, choose a venue that welcomes every guest and values every perspective.
You can take the first steps in the event planning process online.
Use our virtual event planning tool and get a free estimate based on your specific needs. If you’d rather talk to an expert, reach out to our team online, and a member of our team will respond as soon as possible.
When you organize an event, you want a team with varied knowledge and expertise, so you can see the best possible results. Meet with the experts at Overland Park Convention Center, and host your next get-together at a venue that everyone can enjoy.
