Jennifer D. Collins is privileged to hold a front-row seat in the lives of people enjoying memorable and often life-changing experiences.  Whether it’s a company celebration, promotion of products or messages, acquiring new skills or receiving awards, she produces meetings and events that impact, engage and inspire.   She’s come a long way from her beginning roots of independently planning family reunions and other social events. And it was because of these experiences that she channelled her love for planning by launching The Event Planning Group, LLC in 1997.   Twelve years later after opening with one account, Jennifer has built an award-winning, event management company that delivers success for corporate, non-profit and government clients – many of whom have been with the company for a number of years. Having produced programs on a domestic and international level, The Event Planning Group is known for consistently delivering exceptional strategic and logistical execution.   As an active industry spokesperson and entrepreneurial advocate, Jennifer serves on the education and training committee of the Maryland/DC Minority Supplier Development Council; she is an advocate for the Women Presidents’ Educational Organization (WPEO-DC); and is Past President of the Greater DC Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).   Jennifer’s dynamic business acumen has been recognized nationally.  She received the 2009 Outstanding Women’s Business Enterprise Award for the DC region from the Women Presidents’ Educational Organization.  For the third consecutive year, the Washington Business Journal has named The Event Planning Group one of the Top 25 Meeting and Event Planning companies in the Washington, D.C. region.  The State of Maryland has named the company one of the Top 100 Minority Business Enterprises.  In 2008, Enterprising Women Magazine also recognized The Event Planning Group with its 2008 Enterprising Women of the Year Award.  Jennifer now is an advisory board member of Enterprising Women Magazine and also serves on the board of NAWBO-Greater DC.   She is active in her community as a speaker and mentor for communications students at her alma mater The American University.  Jennifer also remains active with public service organizations Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and Girls, Inc. of Washington, DC – an organization providing educational programs to young girls in high risk, underserved areas.   Jennifer is an alumna of the 2007 TUCK-Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) Executive Exchange Program at Dartmouth and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from The American University in Washington, DC.