Congratulations to 2025 SITE Mentee of the Year Riley Allen!
Jose Navarrete connected with Riley through SITE’s 2025 Mentoring Members program, serving as her mentor this year and giving him unique insight into what makes Riley a stellar recipient of this year’s award.
Here are a few of Jose’s reflections on the professional growth he has proudly helped Riley champion and celebrate this year.
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Serving as Riley’s mentor through the SITE Mentoring Members Program has been an enriching experience — one that has allowed me to witness her exceptional commitment to learning, her clarity of purpose, and her remarkable evolution as an emerging leader in the MICE industry.
Initial focus & progress
At the beginning of our mentorship, Riley was eager to deepen her understanding of incentive travel strategy, particularly how to bridge creativity and operational efficiency in program design. She also expressed a desire to grow her global network and gain insight into sustainable practices within the MICE sector.
Throughout the program, Riley returned to these themes with consistency and maturity — using each session to reflect, challenge assumptions, and refine her professional goals. She came prepared with questions, and reflections from her own work and learning experiences.
As a result, our conversations evolved quickly from foundational mentorship to peer-level industry discussions. Her ability to process feedback and turn ideas into actionable steps is remarkable.
Initiative & Drive
Riley consistently demonstrates initiative and dedication. She never missed a meeting, always came well-prepared, and frequently followed up with thoughtful questions or updates on her progress.
Between sessions, she took it upon herself to connect and participate in webinars and explore leadership opportunities within the broader MICE community.
She also brought ideas to our mentorship sessions — such as evaluating the impact of a personal brand creation — that pushed our conversations to a higher strategic level.
Her natural curiosity, combined with a strong sense of responsibility for her own growth, makes her an ideal mentee and future mentor.
Final reflections
Beyond her individual performance, Riley is someone who elevates the people around her. She has a collaborative mindset and a natural ability to connect.
Her positive energy and professionalism reflect the best of what the SITE Young Leaders program represents.
I am confident Riley will continue to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the future of our industry. She exemplifies the kind of talent and leadership we need — not just in the years ahead, but right now.
