Melis Feingold, DES

Melis Feingold is a creative force at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and experiential design. With more than two decades in the live events and destination management industry, she has built a career defined by one consistent belief: the best experiences aren't stumbled upon — they're built, intentionally, through the right partnerships.  

Currently serving as Senior Director of Creative Partnerships at Cohera — the industry-leading DMC formed through the merger of CSI DMC and 360 Destination Group — Melis leads creative vision and experiential strategy across multiple U.S. markets. She designs immersive programs for Fortune 500 brands, luxury incentive groups, and global conferences, and is known for negotiating strategic vendor partnerships that drive innovation while maximizing ROI.  

What sets Melis apart is her process. She maintains a personally curated innovation pipeline — drawing inspiration from global design, fashion, food, and technology — and translates those ideas into scalable, budget-conscious event concepts. From sourcing a bioelectric music technology vendor in France for an award-winning sensory dinner to deploying drones and daytime pyrotechnics for an RFID-powered team-building experience at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, her events are consistently first-of-their-kind.  

Her career path is equally unconventional. Starting in advertising at ELLE Magazine in New York City, she transitioned into marketing and event management before joining CSI DMC in South Florida in 2016. She rose quickly through the ranks — from Coordinator to Senior Manager to Associate Director to Vice President — and eventually led national programming across the US and Internationally.  

Melis's work has been recognized by some of the industry's most prestigious organizations, including ILEA (2x Esprit Award Winner), ADMEI (Excellence in Technology Integration), NACE (Culinary Innovation Award), BizBash (Best Incentive Program), and Eventex (Global Award Nominee, multiple categories).  

In addition to her corporate leadership, Melis serves as a Director on ILEA's International Board of Governors, where she helped spearhead a 38% increase in international membership in her first year, expanding ILEA's reach to Australia, Spain, the UAE, and beyond. She also hosts ILEA's bi-monthly virtual global meetups and has served as an Esprit Awards Judge and Nominations Committee member.  

She speaks with the authority of someone who has built the ecosystem she's describing — and the humility of someone who knows great events are never made alone.