Megan Crum – General Manager

Megan Crum is the newly appointed General Manager of the Professional Conference Organisers Association (PCOA), bringing a unique blend of Kiwi-Aussie flair and a wealth of experience to the role. While her career began in Australia, Megan has spent the majority of her professional life championing the business events sector in New Zealand – most notably as a PCO and, more recently, as Head of Business Events in Christchurch.

With over 1,000 events delivered and clients from every sector and corner of the globe, Megan brings deep insight and empathy for event professionals and the vital ecosystem that supports them.

Outside of work, Megan is mostly at home in or by the ocean, or enjoying quality time with friends, her husband David, and their five adult daughters along with their partners and families.

Megan is excited to lead the PCOA into its next chapter, strengthening connections across Australasia and helping the business events community continue to thrive.

Kristen Skinner – Member & Partnership Lead

Kristen joins the Professional Conference Organisers Association (PCOA) in a newly created role of Member & Partnership Lead.

With a broad background in sales and marketing, she has spent her career bringing people together through thoughtful partnerships and creative sponsorships in the education and events sectors. Colleagues know her for her ability to truly listen, understand what matters to all stakeholders, and turn that insight into engagement that lasts. Her career began in a five‑star hotel, an experience she credits for shaping her lifelong commitment to quality and exceptional service.

Adding balance to her working life, Kristen is an advocate for healthy, active living and lifelong learning. She remains closely involved in Calisthenics as a coach and adjudicator in Melbourne, and her family’s collective involvement in sport ensures that weekends are full.

Kristen is genuinely energised to support the PCOA community, strengthen relationships, and contribute to the continued growth and success of its members and partners.

Cindy Axisa – Administration Manager

Cindy has worked at the PCO Association for the past four years as the Administration Manager. Prior to this Cindy was an Event Manager at AST Management for four years and managed a number of successful conferences in areas such as Mental Health, Urban Design and Sustainability. Cindy has a consistent record of exceeding personal and corporate objectives with proven customer service achievements.

Cindy has also worked in Meetings & Events roles in a hotel environment for over 12 years. Cindy is focused, dedicated and hands-on with proven customer service achievements, acknowledged by receiving many awards such as Employee of the Year on two occasions for Business Support.

Originally from New Zealand, Cindy has been worked in Australia for over 25 years at beautiful destinations including Hamilton Island and Cradle Mountain Lodge in Tasmania. The Gold Coast being home for the past 20 years.

Sarah Direen – Marketing & Communications Lead

Sarah is a New Zealand-based marketing professional with a background spanning marketing, communications, sponsorship and events. She brings a creative and commercially focused approach to her work, with a passion for building brands and creating communications that connect with people.

As Marketing & Communications Lead for PCOA, Sarah focuses on enhancing the PCOA brand and bringing it to life across a range of communications and touchpoints. She works across content, campaigns, EDMs, social media, website updates and conference promotion, helping ensure PCOA has a strong, consistent and engaging presence.

Sarah enjoys the variety of working across the events industry and is passionate about creating communications that showcase the value of PCOA, celebrate its members and help build a stronger sense of connection across the industry.