Cecilia "Cele" A. Fogarty
June 9, 1959 - March 30, 2021
Cecilia "Cele" Agnes Fogarty was a leading executive in event management and member services for decades, advancing the work of several major organizations in health care, medicine, science, and other areas. Ms. Fogarty was renowned for her ability to manage the most complex meeting logistics, anticipate challenges, and meet the unexpected crises—large and small—with aplomb and sometimes magic. Throughout her career, she mentored countless meeting and event professionals as well as other staff from not-for-profit organizations and the hospitality industry.
Ms. Fogarty most recently served as Vice President for Meetings and Member Experience for the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). She and her team were responsible for managing the logistics for ASN Kidney Week (the largest nephrology meeting in the world), the society's other national and international events, and related activities. Starting with the ASN Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX, in 1988, she oversaw logistics for every conference through ASN Kidney Week 2020 Reimagined.
Prior to joining ASN in 2013 as a full-time member of its staff, Ms. Fogarty was Vice President of Event Services for SmithBucklin. In addition to her management responsibilities for ASN, she worked closely with other client organizations, including the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research and the Rehabilitation, Engineering and Assistive Technology Society (RESNA). In her role with RESNA, she became a leading industry expert in the implementation of the then newly enacted Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. She worked passionately to ensure that hotels and convention facilities accommodated people with disabilities. She also led the teams for the 2006 Joint Conference, A Campus of the Future: A Meeting of the Minds. The latter was a first-of-its-kind joint conference of three leading associations that serve higher education: The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, National Association of College and University Business Officers, and Society for College and University Planning.
Ms. Fogarty served on numerous city, hotel, and vendor hospitality advisory boards as well as participated in panels, forums, and presentations. She earned a Master of Arts degree in business administration and management from Webster University in St. Louis, MO, and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and sociology from the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, KS.
Ms. Fogarty enjoyed travel—especially her visits to the beaches of Virginia and Delaware—and her many fun adventures on "Sister Trips" with her female siblings. She had a unique sense of humor, with animated faces that could put anybody's side in stitches.
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