MElva Lajoy Legrand

As a self-made entrepreneur recognized for her work in the Live Events industry, as well as causes rooted in social equality as it pertains to women, health, and race & identity, Melva LaJoy Legrand is a public speaker, event producer/director, community leader, and storyteller.

As the founder/CEO of LaJoy Plans, an event planning firm she re-launched in 2019, Melva has been recognized as a trailblazer in the events industry receiving the BizBash Top Event Industry Innovator Award and the Events Industry Council, Global Social Impact Award in 2022.

Focused on curating custom events for mission-focused organizations and individuals, Melva and her team have coordinated events for budgets in excess of $1.5M/day, spanning across 38 states and have included notable attendees such as Inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda C. Gorman; gospel legend Yolanda Adams; Former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi; civil rights icon, author, and founder of The National Memorial of Peace and Justice,  Bryan Stevenson; and current U.S Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, among others. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Melva became the forefront of the event industry’s transition to virtual experiences. As the Education Co-Chair of the Live Events Coalition (LEC),  Melva helped design all webinars and online conferences for its 1,500+ members, a position she held until 2022. As of 2023,  Melva has spearheaded two new initiatives, Mondays With Melva; exclusive monthly content for her subscribers, offering career guidance as well as event planning tips and Head Table Talks; an annual luncheon that she co-created as a safe space for event planners.

Recognized nationally for her thought leadership, Melva has lent her expertise to topics surrounding Sexual Assault, Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and Entrepreneurship and is skilled at speaking towards Staying Motivated, Diversity, Leadership, and Work Prioritization. She has spoken on panels for Consciously Unbiased, Tide Risers, RAINN, MPI Chicago, Evolve 2.0, along with being featured in Forbes Magazine, Architectural Digest, BizBash, Connect Magazine, and more.

NOTABLE PRESS

Speaking engagements

2024 - IMEX Frankfurt
2023 - IMEX America - Las Vegas
2023 - PCMA Capital Chapter
2023 - PCMA Northern California Chapter 2022 - One Women’s Summit
2022 - BizBash Detroit
2022 - BizBash Connect Puerto Rico
2022 - BizBash Connect DC
2022 - BizBash ConnectFaith Little Rock 2022 - IBTM Americas
2022 - ALZ Brain Ball
2021 - Tide Risers Summit
2021 - Consciously Unbiased
2021 - MPI Chicago Knowledge Share

Link to EPK