The Road to Oz:
Building an Emerald City for the 55th Matrix Awards
Before a single sparkly heel clicked down the red carpet and the Ziegfeld Ballroom glowed emerald, the real magic was still being made. Only a few hours ahead of the 55th annual Matrix Awards, a crew of behind-the-curtain wizards were busy assembling the evening’s heart, brains, and courage.
The Matrix Awards may sparkle on the surface, but behind the curtain, things run like a finely tuned machine—each person a vital part of its rhythm and reach.
Now, come with me as I skip down the metaphorical yellow brick road to visit some lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!
When I arrive at the Ziegfeld Ballroom at noon, Donna-Jean “DJ” Plante, CAE and her colleague Hannah Cassidy are already many hours into orchestrating the setup for the night. These two ladies are the ones with the vision and who keep the mission at the forefront of every decision they make. To DJ, the Matrix Awards are the most important thing NYWICI does; “It brings together people of all generations to celebrate and empower women.” On the tour of the space, I walk into the ballroom, and I am blown away by the beauty and transformation. Each table is covered with a luxurious Emerald green cloth, and shiny silverware is set for three courses. Dark pink roses and cream candles adorn the center. The art deco aesthetic of The Ziegfeld gives the ballroom an old Hollywood feel. Crystal chandeliers and a geometric floor accent the room. Each sconce is lit with green light, and the New York City skyline is projected on the wall, transforming the iconic view into an Emerald City.
No details are overlooked in coordinating this event. “We start planning more than eight months in advance—booking honorees, securing the Emcee, and coordinating all the attendees,” DJ tells me. “Then there are all the materials: the journal, insert cards, signage, and awards. It’s a huge amount of planning and seeing it all come together is really rewarding.”
Reflecting on the impact of the Matrix Awards, DJ emphasizes, “Our entire community is here to support and listen to the stories and to empower the next generation of women. We ensure that we have our rising stars and scholarship recipients in the room so they can hear the stories and know that it’s not always a straight line to success.” She adds, “It takes a village to get to where you are.”
Though DJ has been managing the annual Matrix Awards for several years now, she still looks forward to seeing the faces of guests and honorees light up. “When people say things like ‘I got goosebumps’ or ‘I’m so inspired to be here,’ those are the moments I look forward to.”
Working alongside DJ is Hannah, an event manager with MCI USA. Hannah focuses on translating vision into reality and managing operational logistics with precision and calmness. On the day of the event, she becomes the point person for all vendor coordination—decorators, producers, venue staff, and more.
When creating an event that feels both elegant and empowering, Hannah focuses on the whole guest experience “from the moment they step out of their car,” she explains. “What do they see, smell, taste? What’s the registration like? It’s top-to-bottom detail.”
This year, Hannah is especially proud of the skyline element in the event design. “It brings in local flavor and ties everything together in this iconic location,” she says. While most guests glide through the evening unaware, every menu, visual cue, and moment has been thoughtfully planned down to the second. Hannah explains, “My goal is for guests to have a seamless experience without noticing the work behind it.”
While DJ and Hannah oversee the larger production, the main event of the evening is choreographed by Kate Villa and Alexandra Eden of Big Wit Productions. From scripting every segment to managing live cues, they give the show its cadence, voice, and rhythm.
Kate writes the entire program—Emcee introductions, presenter remarks, honoree speeches, and Voice of God announcements. “People don’t realize how much writing goes into it,” she says. Kate adds, “This year, instead of giving time limits for speeches, we gave word counts. People think they speak a lot faster than they do, especially when they’re nervous.”
Despite all the structure, live shows can always come with surprises. “The words’ what if’ are like absolute panic,” Kate laughs. “You never know what someone might want to change at the last minute.”
One of Alex and Kate’s favorite creative contributions this year is the scholarship recipient bits. These lighthearted segments showcase them in a more personal way—like humorous PowerPoints or this year’s “Create a PR Crisis” Mad Libs with the audience. “It brings a little bit of levity and reminds everyone what we’re here for,” Alex says.
No event of this size happens without the full support of the venue—and that’s where Nicole Rovine comes in. As Catering Sales Manager at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, she is involved in every aspect, from the earliest planning meetings to the last guest’s departure. “I manage guest flow, ensure registration runs smoothly, coordinate with security, and oversee food and beverage service,” Nicole says. “I make sure everything meets our standards and that guests—including those with dietary needs—are taken care of.”
She estimates about 100 people are needed – from kitchen staff and bartenders to security, servers, the AV team, and management – working behind the scenes to effortlessly pull off an event the size of the Matrix.
During the event, Nicole is focused on monitoring every moving part—from food timing to guest satisfaction—with poise and grace. “Events are living, breathing things,” she says. “Something always comes up. Staying calm helps the whole team navigate it.”
One detail most guests take for granted? “Bar lines,” Nicole says. “We’re very intentional about bar placement. We add things like wine bars and espresso martini stations while having servers pass drinks to avoid long lines.” Her two favorite parts of the evening are after entrees are served and guests are happy. Additionally, when the event concludes and the client declares it their best year ever.
As guests arrive in their fine evening wear, it is the security personnel who quietly keep the entire operation running safely. Pocahontae Nehemiah, the head of security at Ziegfeld, is a steady presence at the front door. On event day, she oversees a team of about five guards, ensuring everything from crowd control to emergency protocols is covered.
Dressed in a sharp black blazer, she is the key communicator between the entrance and the rest of the event team upstairs. She explains, “They’re usually busy prepping, so I’m the bridge—we help each other out.”
A musical artist outside of work, Pocahontae says events like Matrix inspire her. “I love watching events come to life from start to finish. Being around this kind of energy lifts me.”
Back upstairs, I meet Louis, one of the servers. He is quietly folding cream silk napkins for each place setting with precision and grace. He tells me that the setup before each event is his favorite part, as it ensures the whole event goes smoothly.
Louis and his fellow servers follow a regimented routine: welcome guests with wine, offer hors d’oeuvre, clear plates, and reset for each course. While it may seem simple, the execution is exact and thoughtful. “We get to connect with the guests for a moment,” he adds. “It’s nice.”
After our interview, Louis joins the other servers to add the finishing touches to each table with the same care and attention they’d give to guests in their own homes.
Once the event is in full swing, the story doesn’t end there. Behind the scenes, people are shaping how this event will be perceived by the outside world. One of those people is Bridget Reinhart, Account Coordinator at Quarter Horse, the PR agency leading Matrix’s press and media strategy. This year’s theme is Leading Luminaries, which focuses on women who have achieved significant influence and who inspire others in their field. The Quarter Horse team tailors their storytelling strategy each year to align with the theme and honorees. “The theme is our guidepost,” Bridget explains. “Then we take the theme and see how we can incorporate that into storylines with media.” After their research, they craft targeted press lists, build pitches, and coordinate red-carpet coverage—including a new focus on social media engagement.
To ensure the message aligns with Matrix’s mission, the team pairs journalists with honorees whose industries they already cover—whether that’s technology, advertising, journalism, or entertainment. “We prioritize the honorees’ work and why they’re being honored,” she says. “It’s not just about the red carpet.”
According to Bridget, what makes the Matrix Awards stand out is that the women being honored this year come from a wide array of industries, with communications being an integral aspect of their jobs. As she notes, “The communications industry is definitely changing. I think it’s important to have people who are really passionate in the industry, speaking up when others aren’t, and especially not backing down.”
So, what does Bridget hope people will feel after the event? “Empowered,” she says. “I always leave feeling lucky to be in a room full of hardworking women. It’s such a feel-good night—and I think a lot of people leave feeling that way too.”
Just like the magic of Oz brought to life by the man behind the curtain, the sparkle of the Matrix Awards comes together thanks to the many people working behind the scenes.
*The Matrix Awards wouldn’t be possible without the incredible scholarship recipients and their families. Stay tuned for part two, which shines the spotlight on what it took to get each woman where they are today and how they’re feeling in the lead-up to the big night. *
