Christopher Katsares
Assistant Director of Sales

Chris has more than 20 years of combined sales and catering experience throughout the convention, hotel and casino industries. In this new role with the OCCC, he will work with the Senior Director of Sales to develop strategies that create new business opportunities. Chris will also assume the daily operations and oversight of the Sales Division. His history with Orange County begins before the turn of the millennium, as he worked at the Parks and Recreation Division from 1998 to 1999. A fun fact about Chris is that he was born and raised in Ohio, went to Ohio State University and is, of course a huge fan of the Buckeyes.

Kathy Hogan
National Sales Manager

Kathy Hogan joined the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in June 2002. She is responsible for the West Coast region and works exclusively with Informa and Emerald X events, in addition to managing legacy accounts in the New York, Atlanta, and D.C. areas. Hogan collaborates with Visit Orlando to develop and execute strategies to attract and retain conventions and trade shows that create a large economic impact for Orange County.

Kathy enjoys working for the nation’s premier convention center because of the staff camaraderie and its relationships with clients. Kathy is proud of the commitment of the OCCC team and their ability to provide the best service possible. She enjoys becoming a part of the client’s team and learns something new every day.

Kathy says what sets the OCCC apart from competitors is its beauty, flexibility of space, efficient loading docks, cleanliness, pedestrian bridges to adjoining hotels and easy access to the airport.

Additionally, the OCCC’s 2.1 million square feet of exhibit space, with two ballrooms and a technology supported theatre, provides a blank canvas for clients to build memorable conventions and trade shows.

Through enhanced technology, staff expertise and service partners, the Center of Hospitality’s work ethic and can-do attitude assists with making every client’s event a great success.

Lisa Williams
National Sales Manager

Lisa Williams joined the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in January 1996. Her geographical focus is Washington D.C. and the Northeast region. Lisa is primarily assigned to associations and organizations headquartered in the Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland areas.

She is proud to work for a center where the leadership team values the well-being of its employees and prioritizes innovation, diversity and collaboration.

Williams believes that there are many features that sets the OCCC apart from other conventions centers, including the design and layout of the facility, easy access to loading docks, proximity to hotels, restaurants and entertainment, and most importantly, the exceptional customer service of the OCCC staff.

Kathleen Cotter
National Sales Manager

Kathleen Cotter joined the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in 2011. Her primary focus is the Mid-West Region and she focuses on soliciting opportunities to ensure the OCCC maximizes the use of all its space to achieve the maximum economic impact in Orange County and to support the Convention Center District and Central Florida community. Kathleen strives to provide solution-driven service to our clients.

Kathleen enjoys the diversity of events that select the OCCC for their organization, from corporations and associations to sporting events and social networking. Over the years, she has marveled in the presence of the unique shows and conventions that call the OCCC home – everything from dirt digging, hair styling, house building, barber shopping, MegaCon dressing, brain studying, bone repairing to Star Waring, sports fishing and wood and tile selling. She appreciates the work that conventioneers put into bringing like-minded individuals together and she is proud of the many benefits that meeting in Orlando at the OCCC brings to clients.

In addition to the OCCC’s wonderful weather, service partners, world-class entertainment and theme parks, Kathleen believes that the Center of Hospitality culture sets the OCCC apart from competitors.

Shellie Spear
National Sales Manager

Shellie Spear joined the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in October 2014. She is responsible for Southeast market, as well as accounts within the Mid-Atlantic region. The Southeast area includes repeat clients headquartered in Florida that meet annually at the OCCC. She also works with a combination of corporate, association and pharmaceutical organizations in the Northeast. Spear works to establish long-term connections with clients to generate repeat business for many years.

Shellie partners with Visit Orlando to develop and execute strategies to attract and retain conventions and trade shows that create economic impact for Orange County. Shellie enjoys making a difference in the community with every event she books and knows how important sustaining and creating jobs in Orange County is because it keeps the community moving forward.

“My first a-ha moment was when I watched the move-in process for an Orgill Spring Dealer Market show years ago. There were contractors literally building shelving units on-site for exhibitors to display their merchandise in preparation for the show. These are the jobs created because Orgill committed to holding their event in Orlando,” she said.

Shellie believes that the OCCC, Visit Orlando, the hotels, attractions and service partners represent the Orlando destination very well and always puts the client first. She is proud to be part of a collective team that works hard to find solutions to create memorable events in Orlando.

Steve Johnson
National Sales Manager

Steve Johnson has worked at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) since 2017 and manages accounts for the Central Florida region and the Western half of the country. He specializes in direct sales companies, as well as, sporting, dance and cheer events.

Johnson spent the majority of his sales career in hotels, but has always enjoyed working with large groups that require the expansive space of a large convention center.

Steve believes that the OCCC is desirable to prospective clients because of how easy it is to get in and out of Orlando. The Center of Hospitality culture is shared by the entire team at the OCCC and is what brings back clients to the center year after year.

Additionally, the expertise and work ethic of the sales team, service partners, connected and nearby hotels and Visit Orlando makes the OCCC the premier convention center destination in North America.

Karen Fleming
Sales Manager

Karen Fleming brings more than 12 years experience as a sales manager to the Orange County Convention Center, currently covering the mid-west association, corporate meetings and trade show market, as well as, national and local consumer and theatre events. Karen also works closely with her partners at Visit Orlando and surrounding hoteliers.

She has a unique perspective, having originally worked for the OCCC in the early 1990’s and returning in the 2000s to witness the expansions that established the OCCC as North America’s premier world-class convention venue.

“We enjoy a great working relationship and collaborate closely to bring the finest experience to our clients and their event attendees,” Fleming said. “Together, we see each new client as an opportunity to create long-lasting professional relationships, as well as friendships. These are the greatest rewards of working in this exciting and ever-changing industry.”

As a native Floridian, Karen was born and raised in Miami and graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts. Karen is also a plein-air painter and artist with work showcased in galleries throughout the southeast.

Darrin King
Sales Manager

Darrin brings 28 years of hospitality and tourism experience to the OCCC. He has previously worked for Norwegian Cruise Lines, InterContinental Hotels Group and as a general manager for several area hotels. Darrin has his Bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Recreation from Montclair State University, and he is also an alumnus of the Walt Disney World College Program. Darrin enjoys traveling to unique places around the world and recently went on safari in Tanzania for the Great Migration of the Serengeti