In early 2016, founder of Notary Symposium, Laura Biewer, started wondering how to reach those California notaries who were not able to attend the National Notary Association’s annual conference (or other large organizations). Laura has a successful notary business based in Modesto, and is also a state-certified instructor for providing the 6 hours of required training before notary applicants take the state exam, plus she is a frequent workshop facilitator at the annual NNA conference. Laura feels the NNA conference is a perfect environment for networking and learning from the many workshops the conference provides. However, not everyone can afford to go (it changes locations every year), or they have life situations (children, day-jobs, etc) that make it difficult to attend. So Laura thought, let’s bring the education and networking to the notaries in California. Notary Symposium was born. The first Symposium was in November 2016 - chosen for proximity to honor National Notary Day (which is November 7). In 2019, a second date/location was added to the traditional Northern California location; in Southern California (Orange County area).
After 4 years putting on in-person event, 2020 began our virtual odyssey.
We went virtual starting in 2020 due to Covid. After four years of helping California notaries, going Virtual-Live meant being able to help notaries across the USA. For both 2020 and 2021, notaries from over 35 states were being represented.
Every year, the Symposium gets better. It’s a day filled with 4 to 6 presentations from experts in their field (usually notaries who also do other things). Besides the knowledge gained, there are prizes, swag bags, networking, collaboration, and having made new friends!
The Team
Here's the Team that organizes the annual one-day event known as Notary Symposium.
Laura Biewer
Notary Symposium Founder, NNA Instructor, Owner of CoachMeLaura.com, Laura Biewer Presents Library, and co-founder of Notary Business Builder program
Contact: (209) 606-4938 Biewer@sbcglobal.net
Tasks: find speakers, help design speaker presentations, find sponsors, design Welcome Box (or swag bags for in-person events), venue selection and contract (for in-person events), facebook posts, facebook ads, managing printing of any collateral items (labels, lists) and probably a whole lot more.
Kerri Marvel
Notary Symposium Co-Founder, Owner of Kerri Marvel Services, Website Designer, Notary Signing Agent, LegalShield Associate.
Contact: (925) 858-6220 Kerri@KerriMarvelServices.com
Tasks: Anything that goes on the Notary Symposium website, email blasts, design of all forms (including most internal documents), design and coordination of attendee payment system (and any refunds), caterer selection/contract/place the lunch order (for in-person events), tech support, graphic design, sponsor coordination., and probably a whole lot more.
Bill Soroka
Notary Coach and Notary Business Builder Founder, Symposium Co-Organizer 2021, 2022
Contact: orders@notarycoach.com
Tasks: Find sponsors, help design speaker presentations, marketing
Valerie Barrett - Symposium Co-Organizer for 2019 SoCal Symposium
Owner of Notary Docs, Notary Signing Agent.
Contact: (949) 302-2944 Valerie@Notary-Docs.com
Tasks: Symposium Co-Organizer 2019, most details for the Southern California event, including getting Sponsors, Prizes, caterer selection-contract/placing the lunch order, finding nearby lodging, local Volunteer coordination.
