As NVC continues to advance the NOVA Roadmap through its four bold goals, we’re expanding the impact of our programs and signature events. To help lead this effort, we’re thrilled to welcome Tracy MacDonald as our new Director of Programs and Events.
Working alongside Programs and Events Manager Rhea Ambanta, Tracy will help shape the experiences that bring Northern Virginia’s business community together. From leadership forums to signature programs like The Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards®, NVC events are designed to spark conversations, build relationships, and move our region forward.
Tracy has more than two decades of experience in association management, event strategy, and member engagement. Most recently, she served as Director of Administration and Meetings at the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), where she led conferences, education initiatives, and membership programs. Her career also includes leadership roles with COMPTEL (now INCOMPAS) and the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
Prior to joining NVC, she participated in volunteer activities with the Annapolis Film Festival, Middleburg Film Festival, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
We recently sat down with Tracy to discuss her new role and vision for advancing NVC’s events and programming.
Q: How has your previous experience shaped your approach to creating meaningful events and programs, and what excites you most about joining NVC?
“I really enjoy getting to know our members and hearing their feedback. Their insights help shape our programs, events, and overall attendee experience. My goal is to create events that serve our business community in meaningful ways, ensuring attendees leave with valuable insights, new perspectives, and lasting connections they can attribute to NVC. What excites me most about joining NVC is the strength of the organization’s brand and the loyalty of its members. There is tremendous opportunity to build on that foundation by creating new and innovative programs that deliver value to the Northern Virginia business community. I see significant potential for growth, and I look forward to developing events that reflect our members’ evolving needs while getting to know the people and organizations that make this community so strong.”
Q: Looking at NVC’s NOVA Roadmap priorities, where do you see the greatest opportunity for events and programming to foster meaningful connections and drive impact?
“I’ve lived in this region for a long time, so I have a lot of investment in NOVA Roadmap’s policy priorities. As a resident, I see firsthand how important it is to focus on having a diversified economy that provides opportunities to both younger people who have just graduated from college and are job hunting, and seasoned professionals looking for their next opportunity. There’s so much opportunity for our business community in the region with booming industries like tech, space innovation, energy, and more. These are all sectors that the NOVA Roadmap is producing event content for, and they’ll help guide our programming now and for years to come. I see tremendous opportunities for our events to bring people together around these priorities, foster meaningful connections, and contribute to the region’s continued growth.”
Q: What do you want the region’s business community to walk away with after attending our events this year, and why?
“I want attendees to leave with greater insight and valuable, long-lasting connections. My goal is for people to feel that they gained something meaningful from the experience, whether that’s a new perspective, a new relationship, or a new opportunity. More broadly, I hope our events help people see the possibilities ahead for Northern Virginia. How amazing would it be to be able to say we finally solved the affordability issue in Northern Virginia and were part of the solution? By bringing people together around the region’s biggest opportunities and challenges, we can help create the conversations and connections that move those efforts forward.”
We encourage the NVC business community to give Tracy a warm welcome at our upcoming events. To learn more about how you can get involved, visit our events page. Not a member? Become one today!
Learn more about the newest additions to NVCs team: Tia Jackson, Austin Vitale, and Jocelyn Park.
