Matt Coffindaffer
Executive Director
(240) 760-2492
Matt Coffindaffer brings over 17 years of association and nonprofit industry experience to AWT. His broad and diverse skillset includes expertise in strategic planning, governance, business development, member and volunteer engagement, financial management, and government affairs. Matt has served as executive director for several organizations, including the National Tax Association, the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association, and the OpenTravel Alliance. He has also held leadership and management positions with the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare, the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the National Pest Management Association, and the National Council of Agricultural Employers. In addition to his considerable experience in the association industry, Matt has worked as an artist for the Juilliard School, the Metropolitan Opera, and other distinguished arts organizations within the United States and abroad.
Matt holds a BFA from West Virginia University and an MBA from the John Chambers College of Business & Economics of WVU. He received his Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2015. As an active member of ASAE, he currently serves on the ASAE Research Foundation’s Development Committee and is past chair of the Foundation Subcommittee on the Young Professionals Committee. He has also served on the Higher Logic Product Advisory Council and the EveryAction Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
Matt has been recognized by his peers in the association industry as a recipient of the Association Forum/USAE Forty Under 40 Award and an ASAE NextGen scholar.
Sara Wood
Deputy Executive Director
(240) 702-1671
Sara L. Wood joined AWT in 2016 after spending more than a decade at the National Court Reporters Association, where she most recently served as the director of membership and marketing. Throughout her association career she has gained a wide range of experience with multiple areas of association management, and her professional passions include strategic planning, leadership development, and digital marketing. Sara received her Certified Association Executive (CAE) certification in 2012. An active member with the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), she is the Education Subcommittee chair on the Membership Section Council. Additionally, she was selected to be part of ASAE's NextGen class of 2016. Sara holds a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Mary Washington and an MBA from the Saunders College of Business of Rochester Institute of Technology.
Angela Pike
Senior Member Services/Certification Manager
(240) 404-6477
Angela Pike, our Scottish import on staff, is the Senior Member Services Manager for the Association of Water Technologies (AWT). She is responsible for membership promotion and retention, committee management, the certification program, and is the day-to-day "face" of AWT. Her organizational skills, "can-do" attitude and terrific sense of humor make her a great addition to AWT. Prior to joining AWT, Angela worked as an Executive Officer at The Registers of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland where she was responsible for ensuring that title deeds to land and real estate were probative before being registered in the Scottish Land Registry. After moving to the U.S. in 1985, she went to work for the UK Ministry of Defence at the British Embassy in Washington, DC. As Head of the Visit Clearance and Industrial Security Office, she served as the day-to-day liaison between the U.S. Department of Defense and the UK Ministry of Defence on government and industry security matters.
Lauren Peffers
Member Services Specialist
(240) 859-1029
Lauren Peffers serves as a member services and meetings specialist and is responsible for the planning and implementation of conventions, meetings, and educational activities of client associations.
Lauren is a member services coordinator on the Member Services Team at MSP. Lauren attended Towson University, where she received B.S. in human services and community development. She has a background in social work and truly enjoys helping others. Lauren’s interests include baseball, art, and film photography.
Tina Schneider
Senior Vice President, Meetings
(240) 404-6479
Tina Schneider leads the meeting, expo, and sponsorship team as Senior Vice President. She joined MSP in September 2022, bringing over 25 years of conference management experience. Tina’s background includes successfully managing various events and conferences for numerous associations and organizations, including Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors, the US Embassy in London, ConferenceDirect, and the National Hydrogen Association—where she handled national and international conferences. Tina is well-connected and highly respected within the meetings industry. She is a tough but fair negotiator who understands the value client meetings bring to the hospitality industry, and she takes care to learn each client association’s culture to tailor meetings to fit their unique needs. She values the differences and applies that knowledge—providing stellar service for each client meeting. Tina received her CMP in 2003.
Caroline Bentley
Meetings Coordinator
(240) 332-3150
Caroline Bentley graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and joins AWT as a meetings coordinator. Prior to joining AWT, Caroline worked at WorldStrides, a leading educational student travel organization, where she managed contracts for university group flights traveling to over 105 countries. In addition to also being an avid traveler herself, Caroline regularly volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and loves to spend time hiking on the Appalachian Trail, located just minutes from her home.
Jessica Martin
Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales Manager
(240) 801-3749
Jessica Martin serves as a meetings and exhibits manager for MSP. She is responsible for developing, selling, and fulfilling exhibit space and sponsorships for various MSP clients. She comes to MSP with over five years of exhibit and sponsorship experience. With her strong networking and interpersonal skills, as well as a friendly demeanor, she is known for making sponsors and exhibitors extremely happy with their investment in an event. Prior to joining MSP, Jessica spent over 20 years working with nonprofits in varying roles from IT to office administration to project management. She is passionate about nonprofits and enjoys working with them to achieve their event goals. Jessica lives in Bel Air, MD, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two kids, and two dogs. She loves to travel and enjoys live music of all types.
Carol Nettles
National Advertising Director
(404) 347-1755
Carol has over 20 years advertising sales experience with a background in selling print & digital ads across various industries. Carol takes great pride in her work at developing winning ad campaigns that meet client’s sales and marketing objectives. In addition to her primary job functions as Advertising Sales Manager, she has been recognized by colleagues for her commitment to customer service. Carol has a degree in marketing from Kennesaw State University. In her free time, she enjoys working with local animal rescue groups and volunteers at an equestrian therapy center helping special needs children through horses. Carol is based out of Atlanta, GA.
Melissa Graham
Director of Marketing
(240) 404-6474
Melissa Graham leads the MSP Marketing Team as Director of Marketing. She joined MSP in 2023, bringing 20 years of experience in marketing and event management for healthcare IT, UI/UX research, and SaaS companies. She specializes in full scale, multi-channel marketing strategy and campaign execution.
Melissa earned her BA in mass communications with a focus on advertising from Towson and a global MBA specializing in international marketing from the University of Maryland. She believes in facilitating a collaborative and positive team environment where integrity and transparency take the lead. Her organizational skills and incredible attention to detail, along with an ability to create and maintain successful relationships provide a solid foundation for client projects.
Taylor Adelsperger
Marketing Manager
(240) 404-6489
Taylor Adelsperger brings a wealth of well-rounded experience in marketing and human services. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology from Louisiana Tech University. Having served small businesses, digital communities, and independent organizations, Taylor specializes in a human approach to copywriting, design, and marketing strategy. Taylor is a storyteller and creative with an insatiable curiosity. She is dedicated to serving the needs of people and communities and has a passion for making a positive impact. With her diverse background and skillset, Taylor is well-positioned to help AWT grow and serve their members in a meaningful way.
Heather Rigby
Technical Writer/Copy Editor
(240) 404-6488
Heather joined MSP in December 2022 as the Communication Team’s technical editor. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a concentration in writing and a minor in organizational communication; she is completing a Master of Arts in writing. Over the past decade, Heather has been in nonprofit organizations focused on local media, government transparency, and constitutional rights as a communications powerhouse responsible for all aspects of outreach, marketing, and fundraising. Additionally, she is a published TTRPG editor with nearly a dozen titles to her name. Her passion for the written word ensures clients have polished messaging and publications.
Dawn Rosenfeld
Accountant
(240) 404-6476
Dawn Rosenfeld serves as accountant for all clients under the MSP umbrella. She processes payments and invoices on a daily basis, troubleshoots and provides analysis to keep all accounts running smoothly. Dawn brings 16 years of financial experience to the job. She previously worked as an analyst in the billing department of GE Information Services/GXS, analyzing billing data and running the department's billing programs. Dawn pays keen attention to detail and brings a high level of integrity to her daily job functions. When not working with the accounts at MSP, she volunteers for many activities related to her three children. Dawn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from The American University.
