Team Bios

Desiree Hanson became captivated with the event industry in 2000 and her passion for creating experiences that surprise, delight and foster new connections and business opportunities for her customers continues to drive her success as she has expanded her horizon working across diverse industries. She first joined Clarion Events (then Urban Expositions) in 2017 as Vice President of Fashion Events and has continually focused on building powerful brands and teams that propel businesses forward through her inherent ability to connect with people since. Today, Desiree leads strategy and commercial development in her role as Chief Commercial Officer – Energy, Gaming, Gift & Souvenir, Food & Beverage, Fashion and Airport.

Desiree’s career started at Reed Exhibitions where she was directly involved in the development of the JCK brand and building relationships and year-round content for retailers. Eventually she focused on creating exclusive experiences for her customers in unique and sophisticated environments for the boutique LUXURY, and LUXURY Prive events. Prior to joining Clarion, Desiree served as Director of Client Services at Circana (formerly NPD Group), a global market research company. 

Desiree is a graduate of Roger Williams University, in Rhode Island and she now lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons.