Lida Peterson, CPPM, CDMP, CTA is the current President of the Connected International Meeting Professionals Association (CIMPA).  Before taking over the reigns of CIMPA, she worked as the IT Manager of a Land Development company in Fairfax, VA.  For 12 years before that, she worked as the Senior Network Administrator for the International Monetary Fund and participated in their Joint Annual Meetings with the World Bank.  She has been an IT Professional for most of her 25 year career starting as a Software Trainer.  She has been helping plan events and meetings for CIMPA since its inception (including conferences, meetings, fundraisers, sporting events and galas) so the torch was passed to her upon the passing of the CIMPA founder. She has planned and coordinated events in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Morocco, Greece and the US.

Ms. Peterson holds a bachelors degree, married and has two daughters.  She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Pan Pacific American Leaders and Mentors (PPALM) and Advisory Board of  Devotion to Children.  She does a lot of volunteer work and has planned and coordinated various dinner charity auctions, fundraisers and events for several worthwhile charities in her community.