Audra Franks

| A Lifer |
Audra Franks
Senior Director of Meetings, American
Dental Education Association

Washington, D.C.
Age: 35

Audra Franks would have stayed in the hotel industry, where she started her career after earning an undergraduate hospitality degree, if it wasn’t for the long hours. A conversation with a meeting planner convinced her that she’d do well in that field, and she started planning government meetings shortly thereafter. That was six and a half years ago, and in that time, Franks, CMP, has added a stint at SmithBucklin, a Master of Tourism Administration from The George Washington University and planning jobs with two large associations to her resume. She now plans 40 to 50 meetings a year for the ADEA, including an annual session for 2,000 people. In a way, Franks has become what she wanted to be when she was a kid: “I wanted to be a business professional. I had a vision of a padfolio in my hands, wearing heels.” She trades the heels for more comfortable shoes when she’s in the throes of a multi-day meeting, but she has no plans to leave the industry. “I like that we start initiatives, we create initiatives and we keep folks working,” she says.

—L. Hoppe