More Than a Booth: The GCC Experience at WCQI 2026

By Natasha Harding-Overton posted an hour ago

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🌍 More Than a Booth: The GCC Experience at WCQI 2026

WCQI 2026 was an incredible opportunity to bring the GCC community to life in a meaningful and engaging way. What we created together went far beyond a traditional booth — it became a space for connection, conversation, and community.

This experience was made possible by the incredible support, energy, and collaboration of GCC Region Directors, Deputy Region Directors, and partners across the Council. Whether through volunteering, stopping by, helping with setup and takedown, or simply being present — every interaction contributed to something special.

🏡 A Space Designed for Connection

This year, we created more than just a booth — we created a welcoming GCC space.

It became a place where Member Leaders and members could connect, have meaningful conversations, regroup, strategize, and even take a moment to relax. Whether it was a quick touchpoint or a longer conversation on the couch, the space felt inviting and purposeful.

It was truly rewarding to see this space come to life, and it’s something worth building on as we continue to evolve the GCC presence at future WCQI events.

🎨 Bringing the Vision to Life

A very special thank you to @Adalyd Oliveras (Ada) for her partnership in bringing this vision to life.

The overall booth concept, engagement strategy, and experience were ideas I was excited to bring forward, and Ada played a key role in designing and executing the visual elements, particularly the beautifully crafted card that highlighted all Region Directors, aligned by color‑coded Regions.

She was incredibly patient and collaborative as the ideas continued to evolve, and her ability to translate those concepts into a polished, engaging design truly elevated the experience for attendees.

📱 A Simple Idea That Became a Big Win

The QR codes were a huge success — and yes, I’ll admit, I kept saying “we need more QR codes!” 😊

They truly paid off, giving Member Leaders and members instant access to:

Locate their Section
Explore volunteer pathways
Learn about membership upgrades
Connect to GCC resources and LinkedIn
Access the Engagement Playbook

This made it easier than ever for attendees to navigate myASQ and connect with their communities in real time — turning curiosity into action.

🌍 A Visual Reminder of Our Global Community

Another highlight was the world map engagement, where attendees could pinpoint where they were from.

It was a simple but powerful activity — one that visually reinforced the global reach of ASQ and the connections that bring us together.

🤝 Driving Engagement Through myASQ

A big thank you to @Eduardo Vega Pineda for taking the lead in navigating myASQ at the booth.

His support was instrumental in helping both Member Leaders and members better understand how to access the platform, explore features, and connect with their communities. As we continue to push for stronger engagement through myASQ, having real-time guidance made a meaningful impact.

🌍 A Moment That Truly Stood Out

And to @Giorgio Mannelli, who had the opportunity to connect with multiple members from his Region — it was wonderful to see those real, meaningful connections happening.

It was especially exciting to see so many members from the Europe, Middle East, and Africa Region, and Giorgio’s presence — having traveled the furthest and giving well beyond his volunteer time — made those connections possible.

Watching members actively seek him out and engage with him in real time was truly priceless.

📚 Sharing Knowledge, One Book at a Time

The “Bring a Book, Share a Story” initiative added a thoughtful and meaningful dimension to the GCC space.

Creating a shared “Giving Shelf” where attendees could contribute books that shaped their careers — and in turn explore books shared by others — fostered connection in a unique and personal way.

The addition of the seed bookmark gifts was a creative and memorable touch, and a special thank you to GCC Chair @Richard Herczeg and ASQ Fellow @Donald Brecken for supporting and helping bring this idea to life. It was very well received.

🎁 A Small Giveaway with a Big Meaning

We are also incredibly grateful for the generous support behind the giveaways — the luggage tags turned out to be one of the most popular items at the GCC booth.

Inspired by ASQ’s travel‑themed conference messaging and the incredible journeys our members take to connect, learn, and serve, this was something I personally felt strongly about creating. We wanted to offer something meaningful and useful that attendees could continue to enjoy well beyond WCQI 2026.

Seeing members pick them up and immediately smile made the idea even more special.

Wherever these tags travel next, they carry a reminder that we’re all connected through ASQ.

🙌 A Collective Effort

This experience would not have been possible without the leadership and support of so many. A heartfelt thank you to @Richard Herczeg, @Christopher DeMartino, @Mary Baierl, @Hilary Werner, @Adalyd Oliveras, and @Monica Rynders for your collaboration, guidance, and commitment to bringing this vision to life.