From Planner to Strategist: An Applied Event Design Course
Instructor-Facilitated
Most event professionals are excellent at execution. This course addresses what happens before execution — the decisions that determine whether an event moves people or just runs on schedule. Taught live by Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED, this cohort-based course is built for real-time discussion, feedback, and application.
CE Hours
Earn 7 continuing education clock hours
Modules
5 modules
Format
Instructor-Facilitated
What You'll Learn
This course is led in real time by Devon M. Pasha, who has spent 20+ years designing high-stakes events for Fortune 500 companies and global associations. You’ll move from planning to strategic design — aligning every event decision to a measurable outcome, understanding your audience beyond demographics, and building experiences that create real alignment, not just engagement.
Because this course is cohort-based and interactive, you’ll work through live exercises, get direct feedback from Devon, and learn alongside peers tackling the same design challenges.
Most of this course happens live. After an on-demand first module covering core concepts and language, the remaining four modules meet live. These dates will be released when the next cohort is available.
If you cannot attend a session, it will be recorded and added to the course, but the value of this format comes from the real-time discussion and feedback, so plan to attend live whenever you can.
Course Outline
The course will cover the following strategic concepts:
Foundations
Learn the language, lens, and mindset shift that sets the foundation for the rest of the course.
The Who and the Why
Transition from a logistics-first approach to an audience-first approach by empathy mapping and taking your first steps in audience-first design.
Content + Experience Architecture
Begin to look at your events through two lenses: first as a content designer, then as an experience architect.
Designing for Impact
Learn to build measurement into the event before it happens — not chase data after.
Impact Storytelling + Capstone
Learn to translate what you’ve measured into a narrative stakeholders can act on.
How This Course Works
This course combines self-paced foundational learning with four live, instructor-led class sessions, delivered across five modules.
Module 1: On-Demand Foundations
Start on your own schedule. Module 1 covers core concepts and course terminology in a fully on-demand format, so you arrive at the first live session ready to apply what you've learned.
Modules 2 Through 5: Live Class Sessions
Each live session runs 90 minutes: 75 minutes of core instruction followed by 15 minutes of optional office hours for questions and discussion. If you can’t make the live class, all are recorded and available for viewing at a later date.
Peer-based Community Forum
Participation in the course discussion forums is expected throughout the program. Use the forums to engage with your instructor and fellow learners between live sessions.
Course Access Window
You'll have access to this course for one year (365 days) from the date of enrollment. Need more time? Extended access is available for an additional fee — just reach out to our team to request an extension.
Counts Toward Your CMP
PCMA Institute is recognized by the Events Industry Council (EIC) as a Preferred Provider of continuing education. Completing this course qualifies for CMP continuing education credit, so every hour you invest moves your certification forward.
Learn from an Industry Expert
Devon Pasha, CMP, CED
DMP Creative
Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED has spent 20+ years designing high-stakes events for Fortune 500 companies and global associations. She’s the creator of the SPARK methodology, a framework that connects audience experience design to measurable strategic outcomes. Devon holds a Master’s in Creativity & Innovation from Drexel University and is a Certified Event Designer (CED). In this course, she brings that same SPARK framework directly to PCMA Institute participants, live.
Get Priority Access to the Next Cohort
The current cohort of From Planner to Strategist has reached capacity. We limit each cohort to keep the live sessions focused and interactive — which means seats go fast.
Want in on the next one? Add your name below and we’ll reach out as soon as the next cohort is scheduled, with first access before it opens to the public.
Satisfaction Guarantee
The PCMA Institute stands behind all of its content. If you feel you didn’t learn what you expected to in this course, just let us know within 30 days of your last lesson and we’ll give you a full refund. Full terms & conditions apply.
