Ryan O'Connell

I am currently working as an event manager and adviser in the department of Major Events & Programs at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey and am one of five advisers managing the Rutgers University Programming Association, a board of current students tasked with programming events on the five campuses of Rutgers University. I also serve as an Event Manager for Student Affairs-sponsored events at the University, specializing in creating meaningful and community-building events for Rutgers students such as the Involvement Fair, Homecoming Bed Races, New Student Carnivale and the Senior Days Luau.

I have over ten years of professional event management experience in both the profit and non-profit world. During that time I have produced and contributed to events in a variety of locations with varying budgets, complex timelines and extenuating circumstances. In addition, I have over fifteen years of experience managing and leading others in roles that included hiring and firing both salaried and non-salaried employees, training employees, and creating and implementing work place policies and procedures.

I have done event work of varying degrees for Red Bull Energy Drink, Burton Snowboards, Shiseido Cosmetics, and Subaru.

I received master's degree in writing studies from Saint Joseph's University in May 2008 with a 3.8 GPA- studying non-fiction and fiction writing, journalism, and editing and am an experienced freelance journalist. I was a contributor to UPROXX prior to joining Heavy.com in June.

Specialties: Communication, Brand Management, Community Liason, Working with Local Governments and Community Organizations, Scheduling, Volunteer Recruitment and Organization, Crew Management, Budget construction & management, Hiring- both salaried & non-salaried employees.