Emerald Design Group Announces New Promotion

Emerald, a leading developer of dynamic live events and integrated market platforms, has promoted Keisha Byrd to Vice President and Brand Director.

In her new role, Byrd will manage the overall event strategy for the Hospitality Design Group brands including BDNY and BD’s portfolio of non-tradeshow events, including the BD Forum series, BD Match and Gold Key Awards. She will also oversee the HD Expo + Conference and HD’s networking and awards events, including HD Summit, HD NextGen Forum, the HD Awards, HD Platinum Circle, HD SiteSeeing and CitySCENEs.

“I’m honored to step into this role to help our team usher our hospitality design brands into the next chapter,” Byrd said. “These events are invaluable to the industry, and I am committed to producing engaging, relevant experiences and content that benefits all of our partners and community members.”

For the past 11 years, Byrd has been integral to the success of both Boutique Design- and Hospitality Design-branded conferences and events, according to a news release. Her past roles include Director of Strategic Events for BD and HD, and most recently Brand Leader for BDNY.

These positions give her a unique perspective on both brands, as she played an essential role in overseeing and executing their portfolios of media and networking events, company officials said.

“Keisha has been vital in the evolution of the hospitality design brands at Emerald,” said Kevin Gaffney, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Emerald Design Group. “This important new role allows us to continue to produce exceptional events, elevate the HD and BD brands, and bring the hospitality design community together under the Hospitality Group umbrella.

BDNY is scheduled for Nov. 10-11, 2024, at Javits Center New York, and the HD Expo + Conference is slated for Las Vegas, May 6-8, 2025.