Strengthen your leadership approach through greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence and intentional decision-making. Explore practical strategies for leading teams, clients and stakeholders more effectively in high-pressure event environments.Strengthen your leadership approach through greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence and intentional decision-making. Explore practical strategies for leading teams, clients and stakeholders more effectively in high-pressure event environments.
Registration required: https://meetingprofessionals.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3xhDPgWpNnJgTLU
Learning outcomes:
Define conscious leadership and emotional intelligence in events
Assess personal responses and leadership behaviors under pressure
Apply conscious leadership strategies to complex event challenges
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 4.00 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Devon PashaEmcee and CEO, DMP Creative
Caitlin HawekotteCareer & Leadership Development Coach, MPI Speaker
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Executive Meeting Forum
● Leadership and culture
📍 External Event, Wynn Hotel Las Vegas
The Executive Meeting Forum is shaped by input from past, potential and registered attendees. It focuses on topics such as working effectively with stakeholders, managing teams and the events they produce, and event
management tools.The Executive Meeting Forum is shaped by input from past, potential and registered attendees. It focuses on topics such as working effectively with stakeholders, managing teams and the events they produce, and event
management tools. Each Forum reflects the current challenges facing the industry and the input we receive. Here’s a snapshot from the 2025 program.read more · Original Link ↗
Terri BreiningPresident, Breining Group, Inc.
After many years managing events in-house and then creating a successful event management firm, I moved into a different phase of my...After many years managing events in-house and then creating a successful event management firm, I moved into a different phase of my mission of "Connecting People to Opportunities." My work is focused on facilitating the conversations of others. By managing customer advisory boards, strategy sessions, executive retreats, I focus on bringing out the best ideas, collaboration and leadership for those responsible to lead their organizations in a paid or volunteer capacity.
My work in this area took a big leap in January 2023, when I assumed the role of Director of the Meeting & Event Management Master's Degree program at San Diego State University.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Group Sales Contract Specialty Certificate
● Advanced event logistics
📍 North Convention Center, Islander C
Build confidence in group sales conversations and strengthen partnerships with hotels and venues. Explore pricing, concessions, profitability and stakeholder needs while gaining a deeper understanding of group sales strategy. Clock Hours: 4
This course is $399.Build confidence in group sales conversations and strengthen partnerships with hotels and venues. Explore pricing, concessions, profitability and stakeholder needs while gaining a deeper understanding of group sales strategy.
Clock Hours: 4
This course is $399. Register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/111eb916-4804-4156-a2a2-be5297bf8a16/regPage:0e7c4bad-e892-430c-a9ab-eabd94cda78b
Learning outcomes:
Explain key business drivers behind group sales decisions
Assess how value, risk and stakeholder needs influence outcomes
Apply strategies to strengthen collaboration throughout the sales process
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Melia PreedyAttorney, Foster Garvey
Melia’s practice focuses on advising hospitality and travelclients on transactional, regulatory and operational matters.Melia’s practice focuses on advising hospitality and travelclients on transactional, regulatory and operational matters.
Melia represents businesses and organizations across the hospitality industry in the negotiation of a wide range of contracts, including group and event sales agreements, vendor services and consulting agreements, sales and marketing agreements, spa and restaurant third-party management agreements, and corporate rate agreements.
Her clients include owners, operators of hotels and resorts, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators and restaurants. She regularly advises her hospitality clients in matters involving general operations, sales and marketing, legal issues and dispute resolution. Melia also assists her firm’s nationwide cannabis and alcoholic beverage clients with navigating state licensing issues and regulatory requirements.
Her passion for the hospitality industry traces back to her roots and continues to the present day, with grandparents who were founders and operators of a winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and great grandparents who were hotel developers in Seattle and Hawaii. She enjoys helping hospitality businesses thrive, as they help enrich people’s experiences and lives, by bringing togetherness and exposing people to new cuisines, places and cultures.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Meeting Professional Audio Visual Certificate (MPAC)
● Advanced event logistics
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds CD
Build confidence in audiovisual planning and supplier collaboration. Explore core AV technologies, terminology, budgeting considerations and sourcing best practices to support more informed event decisions. Clock Hours: 4
This course is $455.Build confidence in audiovisual planning and supplier collaboration. Explore core AV technologies, terminology, budgeting considerations and sourcing best practices to support more informed event decisions.
Clock Hours: 4
This course is $455. Registration required: https://web.cvent.com/event/67b01f20-e8a3-4d1a-8d94-656ce6cd5dd8/regPage:0e7c4bad-e892-430c-a9ab-eabd94cda78b
Learning outcomes:
Identify core audiovisual technologies and event equipment requirements
Evaluate AV needs, budgets and supporting event technologies
Apply best practices when working with AV providers
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 4.00 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Scott FrankelPresident, Animatic Media, LLC.
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
Stage management and show calling: how live shows run
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, Coral AB
o Build a clearer understanding of stage management and show calling, from production terminology and team roles to load-in, rehearsal and live delivery. Learn what technical teams need, why timelines matter and how planning decisions affect quality and budget.o Build a clearer understanding of stage management and show calling, from production terminology and team roles to load-in, rehearsal and live delivery. Learn what technical teams need, why timelines matter and how planning decisions affect quality and budget. Put your learning into practice by taking on a production role and turning a client-style run of show into a functional cue sheet. Leave ready to work more confidently and collaboratively with your technical partners.
A two-part certificate program - complete Step 1 online, then Step 2 in person at IMEX America.
Step 1: Online (choose one date): live Zoom session on Monday, Sep 28 or Monday, Oct 5
Step 2: In-person Monday, Oct 12, 8:15 - 9:15am
This course is $399. Register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/0907a013-7b59-4fe0-a9bd-ab2be840da57/regPage:0e7c4bad-e892-430c-a9ab-eabd94cda78b
Learning outcomes:
Identify event production terminology, stage management functions and show calling processes
Analyze how production timelines, technical requirements and planning decisions affect event quality, team coordination and budgets
Develop a functional cue sheet from a run of show by applying production planning principles and collaborating with technical teams and event partnersread more · Original Link ↗
10 ways to make your meeting memorable: show production and environmental design
● Design matters
📍 North Convention Center, Islander G
Explore 10 ways to create a memorable meeting through show production and environmental design. Consider every touchpoint, from registration and shared spaces to the main ballroom and breakout rooms.Explore 10 ways to create a memorable meeting through show production and environmental design. Consider every touchpoint, from registration and shared spaces to the main ballroom and breakout rooms. Using practical examples, discover how creative media, event technology and often-overlooked details can shape a cohesive attendee experience. Leave with a clear framework and practical techniques to give your next event an edge, not just an agenda.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the touchpoints across your event that shape attendee perception and engagement
Use creative media and event technology to create a cohesive experience across different spaces
Evaluate your event design and identify one overlooked opportunity for improvementread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
A global perspective on inclusion
● Designing for human needs
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific J
Design more inclusive international meetings. Explore how inclusion is experienced across different regions and cultures. Gain insights to create events that are more welcoming, accessible and globally relevant.Design more inclusive international meetings. Explore how inclusion is experienced across different regions and cultures. Gain insights to create events that are more welcoming, accessible and globally relevant.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how inclusion varies across global contexts
Identify diverse attendee needs and expectations
Apply practical steps to design more inclusive events
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Maeva HagumaDeputy CEO, Rwanda Convention Bureau
Maëva Haguma is the Deputy CEO of the Rwanda Convention Bureau.Maëva Haguma is the Deputy CEO of the Rwanda Convention Bureau. Her career spans roles in major media groups in Paris and senior positions within the Government of Rwanda.full bio
Carrie KwikSingapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau
Manuel WrobelDeputy Dir, visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office
Loren ChristieManaging Dir, BestCities Global Alliance
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Beyond the headlines: unlocking opportunity in the Caribbean and Latin America
● Impact
📍 North Convention Center, Islander H
Explore the opportunities the Caribbean and Latin America offer for meetings, conferences and incentive programs. Hear practical insights and real examples that address common concerns about security, accessibility, infrastructure and stakeholder perceptions.Explore the opportunities the Caribbean and Latin America offer for meetings, conferences and incentive programs. Hear practical insights and real examples that address common concerns about security, accessibility, infrastructure and stakeholder perceptions. Discover how strong hotel, destination and DMC partnerships can simplify planning, manage perceived risks and strengthen your business case for choosing the region.
Learning outcomes:
Identify ways to address misconceptions about safety, infrastructure and business readiness across the Caribbean and Latin America
Use hotel, destination and DMC partnerships to simplify planning and support event success
Build a persuasive business case for recommending Caribbean and Latin American destinations to stakeholdersread more · Original Link ↗
Explore the forces reshaping the events industry in this workshop. Step back from day-to-day delivery, take part in honest conversations and work with your peers to consider how leadership can respond to a changing workplace.Explore the forces reshaping the events industry in this workshop. Step back from day-to-day delivery, take part in honest conversations and work with your peers to consider how leadership can respond to a changing workplace.
Examine three connected areas: generational change and succession planning, human-centered digital transformation and experience design for business impact. Consider how to preserve valuable knowledge, support emerging leaders, use AI and digital-first practices thoughtfully and connect event design with measurable organizational goals.
Take part in an experiential journey designed to help you lead with greater awareness, flexibility and confidence.
Registration required: https://signup.zone/signup/a3da74b5-28e1-46c1-bff8-f6ef7017c01f
Learning outcomes:
Analyze generational changes in the workforce and develop inclusive leadership and succession strategies
Evaluate how AI and digital-first strategies can improve team collaboration, planning and event delivery
Design experience-led event models that align with organizational objectives and measurable business outcomes
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 5.0 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Ryan HillCo-Founder and COO, Strategy Table Pathways
Lisa SchulteisFounder, Event Strategist & Consultant, ElectraLime Marketing
Connect with me on LinkedIn! https://LinkedIn.com/in/lisamschulteis.Connect with me on LinkedIn! https://LinkedIn.com/in/lisamschulteis.
Lisa Schulteis, the founder and owner of ElectraLime Marketing and YourEventMarketplace, as well as the Executive Director of the Northwest Event Show in Seattle, brings a wealth of experience in both live and virtual events. Throughout her career, Lisa has been a trusted partner for Fortune 500 companies, organizations, and associations, assisting them in achieving business growth and scalability through the strategic incorporation of events within their marketing plans.
Leveraging her systematic processes and digital marketing expertise, Lisa provides end-to-end event customization and management services. As a seasoned event producer and manager, she specializes in creating captivating live, hybrid, and virtual experiences, from dynamic virtual summits to large-scale corporate events and conferences.full bio
Anthony VadeChief Innovation Officer, Strategy Table Pathways
REGISTER FOR THE SMART MONDAY CATALYST LAB TODAY!REGISTER FOR THE SMART MONDAY CATALYST LAB TODAY!
https://signup.zone/signup/a3da74b5-28e1-46c1-bff8-f6ef7017c01f
Anthony’s consultative and collaborative approach to customer engagement has resulted in thousands of successful events traversing four continents.
An innovative and engaging facilitator he is globally renowned for catalysing improvement and innovation through experience design. He has impacted hundreds of teams, traversing four continents, from small start-ups to Fortune 50 organisations. He empowers corporations, associations, and non-profits to flourish by engaging customers and crafting immersive experiences that captivate audiences and drive positive change. Anthony is an inspiring instigator working to drive transformation and a passionate advocate for applying a structured and strategic approach to purposeful innovation.full bio
Adam FillaryExecutive Managing Dir, Professional Association of Networking (PAN)
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
EIC Futures Landscape Study: A deep dive into equity and inclusion
● Impact
📍 North Convention Center, Coral AB
Explore findings from qualitative interviews with business events professionals who design and deliver equity-related initiatives around the world.Explore findings from qualitative interviews with business events professionals who design and deliver equity-related initiatives around the world. Hear how the industry has progressed since the Events Industry Council launched its Equity Task Force in 2020 and consider short-term recommendations for turning vision into action. Discover current challenges and practical opportunities to advance workforce development, stakeholder engagement and business outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Apply insights from industry leaders and practitioners to support progress toward meaningful equity outcomes
Identify opportunities and challenges for the sector, and improvements to workforce development
Use findings from the EIC study to review and advance stakeholder engagement and business outcomes
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Rory ArchibaldHead of Associations & Sectors, VisitScotland
Rory looks after international associations and conferences that link directly to Scottish growth sectors.Rory looks after international associations and conferences that link directly to Scottish growth sectors. Rory's team connect you into Scottish academia, innovation centres, research centres and the knowledge economy to maximise the potential of your event.
Rory can advise on the environmental and social sustainability efforts of the Scottish business events industry and advice on incorporating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in your events.full bio
Amy CalvertPresident and CEO, Events Industry Council
Genevieve LimAssistant VP, MICE & Sales, Marina Bay Sands
Ms Genevieve Lim serves as the Assistant Vice President of MICE & Sales at Marina Bay Sands.Ms Genevieve Lim serves as the Assistant Vice President of MICE & Sales at Marina Bay Sands.
As Assistant Vice President of MICE & Sales, Genevieve is responsible for the strategic planning, development, and optimization of commercial opportunities for Sands Expo & Convention Centre. She also leads special projects to drive innovation and operational efficiencies.
Genevieve joined Marina Bay Sands in 2009 as Associate Director of Sales where she drove the overall association sales strategy for Marina Bay Sands. She was one of the key leads responsible for Singapore’s successful bids in numerous global wins such as Rotary International Convention, Lions International Convention and The Million Dollar Round Table, further elevating the Republic’s position as a preferred destination for international business events.
Genevieve graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Marketing and Economics from Monash University. She also holds a CMP certification from the Convention Industry Council as well as a CEM certification from the International Association of Exhibition and Events (IAEE), and is an active member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). Genevieve is the first Singaporean graduate from the AIPC’s (Association of International Convention Centres) inaugural Future Shapers Programme, an accelerated leadership and talent development programme. Genevieve also serves on the faculty of the AIPC Academy focusing on business models and innovation.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Rising Talent: Own your edge: understand and embrace your strengths
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific C
What if understanding how you naturally think, work and contribute could help you make more intentional career and team decisions? Explore the CliftonStrengths® framework, the research behind it and the value of a strengths-based approach.What if understanding how you naturally think, work and contribute could help you make more intentional career and team decisions?
Explore the CliftonStrengths® framework, the research behind it and the value of a strengths-based approach. Use relatable personas and meetings industry examples to understand how different strengths can shape roles, contributions and collaboration.
Take away a complimentary code to discover your Top 5 CliftonStrengths® and start exploring how to apply them to your career and future opportunities.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the CliftonStrengths® framework and the value of a strengths-based approach
Explore how different strengths can influence roles, contributions and collaboration in the events industry
Appreciate the unique talents and perspectives people bring to teams and projectsread more · Original Link ↗
Howard ClevelandWorkforce Consultant & Leadership Coach, Soundings
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Arriving at an event isn't always the same as being ready to participate fully. Through breathwork, gentle movement and focused attention, this guided reset helps you move from travel and task mode into a state of presence, connection and readiness.Arriving at an event isn't always the same as being ready to participate fully.
Through breathwork, gentle movement and focused attention, this guided reset helps you move from travel and task mode into a state of presence, connection and readiness. Leave feeling grounded, energized and prepared to make the most of every conversation and learning opportunity.
Learning outcomes:
Experience an arrival practice that supports attention, participation and connection
Discover science-backed techniques that encourage a more receptive learning state
Gain a framework you can adapt to help attendees arrive with greater focus, energy and intentionread more · Original Link ↗
Megan NolanEvent Energy Facilitator, Vitality Wellness
This year at IMEX join me for: ✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm) ⚡️Reset...This year at IMEX join me for:
✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm)
⚡️Reset The Room: To experience energy & engagement in real time (10/13 @10am at the Inspiration Hub: Wellbeing Wheel 1)
☺️Calm On Command: Give yourself a much needed time out (10/13 at 11:00 am in the Circadian Cove)
😁Neck & Shoulder Reset: Take the weight of the world off your shoulders (10/13 @2pm in the Circadian Cove)
🌬️Deep Breaths For Less Stress: Learn to use breath like to the powerful tool that it is (10/14 @1pm in the Circadian Cove)
🦚Plus some pop up Power Pauses on the floor to prime audiences for the upcoming speakers!full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Big data and why you should ask your production partner for it
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific D
Discover what data your production partners can capture and how it can support smarter decisions for your next event.Discover what data your production partners can capture and how it can support smarter decisions for your next event. Explore what partners should track, what planners should ask for and how the right information can improve engagement, efficiency and event strategy.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize the data you can collect from your production partners
Make better use of the data available from your events
Create a list of useful data points to support the growth of your eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Zak RobyVP - Growth & Strategy, Show Gear Productions
Vice President of Strategy and Growth, I lead the global commercial direction of the business, overseeing sales, marketing, creative, and innovation and...Vice President of Strategy and Growth, I lead the global commercial direction of the business, overseeing sales, marketing, creative, and innovation and AI teams. I focus on building clear strategies, setting KPI frameworks, and driving sustainable growth through both long-term planning and measurable results.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zak-robyfull bio
Vamshi VelmajalaCEO and Co-founder, Snapsight
Vamshi Velmajala builds AI that listens to events.Vamshi Velmajala builds AI that listens to events. He's obsessed with a simple question: what happens to everything that gets said at a conference after the lights go down? Snapsight is his answer. The platform captures live event content and turns it into intelligence that keeps working for months. Before Snapsight, Vamshi spent years deep in event technology, figuring out where AI could do more than automate and actually create new value. He holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate refresh
● Health and well-being
📍 North Convention Center, Tropics AB
Refresh your Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate and strengthen your understanding of regulatory topics affecting medical meetings. Through case studies, business simulations, discussion and active exercises, build the practical knowledge needed to support compliant event planning.Refresh your Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate and strengthen your understanding of regulatory topics affecting medical meetings. Through case studies, business simulations, discussion and active exercises, build the practical knowledge needed to support compliant event planning.
Clock Hours: 1.5
This course is $199. Registration: https://web.cvent.com/event/7ce5bab3-d7fc-41d8-aa07-07c765aafbd2/regPage:0e7c4bad-e892-430c-a9ab-eabd94cda78b
Learning outcomes:
Identify current healthcare compliance requirements, regulations and industry standards that affect medical meetings and events
Apply compliance principles to real-world scenarios through case studies, business simulations and interactive exercises
Evaluate event planning decisions to support compliant practices and reduce risk when working with healthcare industry stakeholders
* CMP/CEU Approved: Risk Management, 1.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Capacity under pressure: Events, AI and the resilience we build outside our comfort zone
● Designing for human needs
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds E
Event professionals are being asked to adapt to AI, move faster and make better decisions while managing increasing demands. Explore the relationship between resilience, cognitive load and performance under pressure.Event professionals are being asked to adapt to AI, move faster and make better decisions while managing increasing demands.
Explore the relationship between resilience, cognitive load and performance under pressure. Discover how stress affects decision-making, communication and creativity, and learn practical approaches for building capacity before pressure turns into burnout.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how cognitive load influences judgment, communication, creativity and leadership
Identify the relationship between resilience, performance and adaptability in rapidly changing environments
Learn practical ways to build recovery, steadiness and resilience before pressure leads to burnout
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 0.50 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Anca Platon TrifanAI-Native CEO | Speaker, Tree-Fan Events Productions LLC
Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit...Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit Mindful Mavens, and Founder of Women BTS in Events (tech + prod). Recognized as a trailblazer, Anca has received numerous accolades: 2024 Best of the Stage: Smart Speaker Award, 2024 #empowerHERaccess Finalist Award in the B2B Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year Category, 2023 Smart Woman in Meetings and Catalyst Quantum Leap Award by Smart Meetings, 2022’s “40 under 40” by BizBash+Connect Meetings, and the 2021 #womentowatch award by Meetings Today.
Under her leadership, Tree-Fan Events is pioneering the #FIT4Events framework, integrating Futuristic AV Production, Innovative AI Technology, Thriving Audiences, and Empowered Teams to transform event experiences. Anca’s commitment to merging event production with wellness and technology has set new industry standards. Additionally, Anca has excelled in the fitness world, claiming the 2023 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Wellness Masters and the 2022 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Bikini Competitor. Her multifaceted career showcases her dedication to innovation, wellness, and empowering women in tech and production.
https://treefanevents.com/about-anca-platon-trifan/full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Corporate Focus Part one
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific B
Join peers in an open, collaborative setting designed for conversation, networking and learning. Taking place on Smart Monday, it gives you time to step back, reflect and connect with others in similar roles across different organizations.Join peers in an open, collaborative setting designed for conversation, networking and learning. Taking place on Smart Monday, it gives you time to step back, reflect and connect with others in similar roles across different organizations. Meet like-minded people facing similar challenges and discover new perspectives from different industries.read more · Original Link ↗
Megan MartinFounder, M Squared Dynamics
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Convention center KPIs: measuring performance and benchmarking success
● Trends and research
📍 North Convention Center, Coral AB
How do convention centers measure success? Explore the sales and performance KPIs used by convention centers, how they benchmark results and how those metrics influence future business decisions.How do convention centers measure success? Explore the sales and performance KPIs used by convention centers, how they benchmark results and how those metrics influence future business decisions. Compare perspectives with panelists and fellow attendees to better understand what drives successful convention center performance.
Learning outcomes:
Identify key convention center KPIs used to measure sales and performance
Understand how convention centers benchmark performance across different facilities and markets
Use KPI insights to strengthen convention center and meeting planner partnershipsread more · Original Link ↗
Juan LopezSales & Marketing Manager, Tampa Convention Center
Juan Lopez, CMP is the Tampa Convention Center Sales & Marketing Manager.Juan Lopez, CMP is the Tampa Convention Center Sales & Marketing Manager. As a member of the Executive Team, Lopez oversees all of the marketing, selling and booking of events for TCC. With over 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Lopez has previously held venue management roles at the Yuengling Center at the University of South Florida and the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. Lopez graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Administration and also from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. Lopez is a member of several industry associations including Convention Sales Professional International (CSPI), where he currently serves on the Board of Directors as Past President, and as Florida State Representative for Region V of International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).full bio
Michael McQuadeSr Advisor, Commercial Strategy, Seattle Convention Center
Greg PepitoneAssociate Dir, Tourism Economics
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Designed for the world: a design workshop for international meetings
● Design matters
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific J
Explore the realities of designing international meetings in partnership with local experts. Hear how association planners tackle real-world design challenges, then work through the same challenge yourself.Explore the realities of designing international meetings in partnership with local experts. Hear how association planners tackle real-world design challenges, then work through the same challenge yourself.
Discover where planner intent and local delivery can become disconnected, and learn practical ways to build stronger collaboration, better communication and more adaptable event designs. Leave with fresh ideas and a repeatable design-thinking approach you can apply to future programs.
Learning outcomes:
Identify where planner intent and local delivery can diverge
Build stronger collaboration with local destination partners
Apply design-thinking techniques to future meetings
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 creditread more · Original Link ↗
Shawn ChengRegional Director North America, ICCA
Regional Director of North America at ICCA | Championing Growth, Innovation, and Collaboration in the Global Meetings Industry | Technology Enthusiast |...Regional Director of North America at ICCA |
Championing Growth, Innovation, and Collaboration in the Global Meetings Industry |
Technology Enthusiast |
Effective Storytelling |
Always Curious, Always Learningfull bio
Ariella FongSr Mgr, Operations and Procurement, International Conference Services
Ksenija Polla, CEF-IFDirector International Development, Talley Management Group
Award-winning professional with experience in promoting organizational excellence through multi-cultural event management, while ensuring commitment to company’s core values and achievement of...Award-winning professional with experience in promoting organizational excellence through multi-cultural event management, while ensuring commitment to company’s core values and achievement of challenging objectives.
Notable success in coordinating and implementing on-time completion of assigned corporate projects in line with company brand, commitments, service, and financial requirements. Skilled in developing strategic frameworks and supporting events to increase ROI and deliver new revenue streams, while keeping sustainability and DEI principles at the forefront. Proven track record of excellence overseeing operations, including resources, staffing, marketing, sales, and communications activities. Recognized for fostering strong relationships with business leaders to offer resources/support and connect relevant categories across portfolios. Prudent at leveraging strong leadership skills, developing, and nurturing talent to train and empower high- performance teams for organizational growth.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Host the world's most welcoming events: creating live experiences everyone loves
● Experiential event design
📍 North Convention Center, Islander G
Attendees have never valued face-to-face events more, yet many arrive feeling overwhelmed, uncertain and underprepared.Attendees have never valued face-to-face events more, yet many arrive feeling overwhelmed, uncertain and underprepared. Concerns about networking, fitting in, what to wear, navigating busy agendas and finding time to recharge can create barriers to engagement before an event even begins.
In this hands-on, interactive workshop, explore how Hilton's World's Most Welcoming Events research uncovered the hidden anxieties shaping attendee behavior and what planners can do about them. Through practical exercises, games and real-world examples, discover proven strategies to reduce stress, increase connection and design experiences that help attendees feel confident, comfortable and genuinely glad they attended.
Backed by global research, the World's Most Welcoming Events program provides practical tools and tactics to improve the attendee experience, drive stronger engagement and encourage repeat attendance.
Learning outcomes:
Learn tactics to boost attendee preparedness and confidence before the event
Discover strategies to reduce stress around networking, dining and what to wear
Design experiences that increase satisfaction and inspire attendees to return
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Kelly KnowlenVP Sales Engagement & Special Events, Hilton
Toni ZoblotskyDir, B2B Engagement & Event Marketing, Hilton
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Magic in the details: How Disney designs meetings that matter
● Design matters
📍 North Convention Center, Islander F
Discover how Disney Event Architects use five design principles to create meaningful meetings and experiences. Explore practical examples of storytelling, collaboration, and guest-centered design, and gain ideas you can apply to strengthen engagement and improve return on experience.Discover how Disney Event Architects use five design principles to create meaningful meetings and experiences. Explore practical examples of storytelling, collaboration, and guest-centered design, and gain ideas you can apply to strengthen engagement and improve return on experience.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how Disney Meetings & Events uses design principles
Learn how intentional design strengthens attendee engagement
Apply practical techniques used by Disney Event Architects
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Robby BrileySenior Event Consultant, Disney Meetings & Events
A senior event consultant at Disney Meetings & Events, Robby has a BFA in Theater/Arts Administration and an MBA from Rollins.A senior event consultant at Disney Meetings & Events, Robby has a BFA in Theater/Arts Administration and an MBA from Rollins. His experience includes both the “show” and the “business” of events. For over 12 years Robby has leveraged the talents of the Disney Creative Studio to design transformational experiences for corporate and association clients from as small as 10 guests to over 10,000 guests.full bio
Ken MalquistCreative Director Disney Meetings & Events, Disney Meetings & Events
Ken’s a creative catalyst who thrives on inspiring innovative ideas and delivering solutions for world-class entertainment, experiences, and events.Ken’s a creative catalyst who thrives on inspiring innovative ideas and delivering solutions for world-class entertainment, experiences, and events. He brings a background in film and television production, as well as live entertainment, along with his years designing and directing immersive events and experiences to Disney Meetings & Events.
As the Creative Director at Disney’s Creative Studio, Ken leads a talented team of show directors, writers, and art directors, fostering a creative culture that permeates all aspects of the division at the Walt Disney World Resort. In addition to his leadership role, Ken serves as a mentor to students, guiding future industry professionals through sessions for the Experience Design and Management Master’s Program at the Marriott School of Business, Brigham Young University. His dedication to innovation and mentorship continues to shape the future of immersive entertainment and event design.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Playful by design, powerful by experience
● Design matters
📍 North Convention Center, Islander H
Create events that engage attendees through playfulness, personalization, purposeful space planning and thoughtful design. Explore how these elements work together to create memorable experiences that support both attendee satisfaction and event objectives.Create events that engage attendees through playfulness, personalization, purposeful space planning and thoughtful design. Explore how these elements work together to create memorable experiences that support both attendee satisfaction and event objectives.
Gain practical ideas for using interactive activations, attendee-centered environments and emerging design trends to strengthen connections and increase participation.
Learning outcomes:
Apply design strategies that increase attendee participation through play, gamification and interactive experiences
Create more inclusive environments through intentional seating, layout and sensory-conscious planning
Use personalization and experiential design trends to strengthen connections and support event goals
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 creditread more · Original Link ↗
Stephanie ByrdMarketing Manager, CORT Events
Katrina HawthorneCORT Events
Looking to increase the "wow" factor at your next event?Looking to increase the "wow" factor at your next event? CORT Events delivers premium event furnishings, lounge furniture, pipe and drape, and custom event solutions that transform ordinary venues into extraordinary experiences. Whether you're planning a conference, gala, or corporate event, let's meet to discuss innovative ways to elevate your attendee experience while making your event planning easier. I look forward to connecting with you at IMEX!full bio
Jack ScafideStrategic Business Development Executive, CORT Events
Jack has been in the Events and Meeting industry for 23 years.Jack has been in the Events and Meeting industry for 23 years. He prides himself on the customer experience and regularly donates his time to industry associations. In 2011 Jack was awarded the NICE Lifetime Achievement Award presented by The International Live Events Association (ILEA) and The National Association for Catering and Events (NACE). He currently serves on the International Board of Governors for the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI). Jack is a former Midwest Vice President and Director on the international board of governors for the International Live Events Association (ILEA). When Jack isn’t working he’s spending time with his son Nicholas who he and his wife adopted in 2019.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Rising Talent: The remix mindset: reinventing yourself before the industry does it for you
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific C
As a DJ, USA Today best-selling author and music business professor, Amani Roberts has reinvented his career more times than most professionals do in a lifetime.As a DJ, USA Today best-selling author and music business professor, Amani Roberts has reinvented his career more times than most professionals do in a lifetime. Explore how creative risks, meaningful collaborations and continual learning can help you stay adaptable and relevant. Leave with a practical framework for navigating the early years of your career with confidence.
Learning outcomes:
Test new ideas in small, manageable steps rather than waiting for permission to make a major move
Identify the relationships that matter most
Build a rhythm of reinvention by creating checkpoints that help you adapt, grow and stay relevantread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Straight talk: inside the direct selling incentive
● Trends and research
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific I
Direct selling companies invest billions in incentive travel each year, yet the sector rarely receives dedicated industry education.Direct selling companies invest billions in incentive travel each year, yet the sector rarely receives dedicated industry education. Drawing on original research conducted by SITE with senior incentive buyers from major direct selling companies, this panel explores how these programs are designed, what buyers look for in destinations and how expectations are evolving. Gain practical, buyer-led insights into a high-value market segment and discover how to position your destination or offering more effectively.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how direct selling incentive programs differ from traditional corporate incentive travel
Apply destination selection criteria used by direct selling buyers to strengthen destination positioning
Identify emerging trends shaping direct selling incentive travelread more · Original Link ↗
Padraic GilliganConsultancy & Research, SITE
I have been in the Business Events industry since the early 1990s and have worked across all sectors on the spectrum.I have been in the Business Events industry since the early 1990s and have worked across all sectors on the spectrum. I'm proud to bring my life long experience of the transformational power of live meetings and events to my work as CMO at SITE, the only global association dedicated exclusively to the art and science of incentive travel.full bio
Gregory YapVP, Americas, Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Working alongside fellow event professionals and sponsorship experts, identify an untapped opportunity, design a concept, test it against real-world constraints and receive live feedback to strengthen it further.Working alongside fellow event professionals and sponsorship experts, identify an untapped opportunity, design a concept, test it against real-world constraints and receive live feedback to strengthen it further.
Learning outcomes:
Identify sponsorable moments across the full attendee journey, not just the show floor
Balance attendee needs, sponsor objectives and organizer goals to create value for all interested parties
Turn shared interests into sponsorship experiences attendees, sponsors and organizers want to engage withread more · Original Link ↗
Karen DanieleVP Strategic Services, Invnt
Jill JohnsonDir, Events and Engagement Mobile B2B, Samsung Electronics America
Sara TaylorSr Dir of Conference Operations, Viticus Group
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
The human activation: where ancestral intelligence meets the science of human potential
● Health and well-being
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds F
Explore how ancestral Persian wisdom and modern neuroscience can help you regulate, adapt, connect, lead and perform. Experience practical shifts through conscious breathing and nervous system regulation, moving beyond what you know to what you embody.Explore how ancestral Persian wisdom and modern neuroscience can help you regulate, adapt, connect, lead and perform. Experience practical shifts through conscious breathing and nervous system regulation, moving beyond what you know to what you embody. Discover how consistent practice can support greater self-awareness, resilience, conscious leadership and human connection. Come curious and leave ready to make more intentional choices.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how ancestral intelligence and modern neuroscience connect the brain, body and our capacity to change
Experience how conscious breathing and nervous system regulation can shift your attention and response in real time
Apply consistent practices to strengthen self-awareness, resilience, conscious leadership and human connectionread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
Mark GuadagnoliSenior Associate Dean (Faculty), Professor of Neuroscience, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, UNLV
Why leadership mental health is a strategic imperative
● Health and well-being
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds E
Gain insight into the silent crisis of leadership mental health and why it’s a growing business risk. Explore how workplace norms that dehumanize leaders fuel burnout and impact organizational performance.Gain insight into the silent crisis of leadership mental health and why it’s a growing business risk. Explore how workplace norms that dehumanize leaders fuel burnout and impact organizational performance. Learn how to make leadership mental health a non-negotiable priority and support long-term success.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why leadership mental health is a critical business priority
Construct leadership mental health upskilling programs
Create sustainable leadership mental health structures
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 0.50 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Melissa Doman, MAOrgal Psychologist, Author, & Founder, The Workplace Mental Health Method™
Anca Platon TrifanAI-Native CEO | Speaker, Tree-Fan Events Productions LLC
Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit...Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit Mindful Mavens, and Founder of Women BTS in Events (tech + prod). Recognized as a trailblazer, Anca has received numerous accolades: 2024 Best of the Stage: Smart Speaker Award, 2024 #empowerHERaccess Finalist Award in the B2B Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year Category, 2023 Smart Woman in Meetings and Catalyst Quantum Leap Award by Smart Meetings, 2022’s “40 under 40” by BizBash+Connect Meetings, and the 2021 #womentowatch award by Meetings Today.
Under her leadership, Tree-Fan Events is pioneering the #FIT4Events framework, integrating Futuristic AV Production, Innovative AI Technology, Thriving Audiences, and Empowered Teams to transform event experiences. Anca’s commitment to merging event production with wellness and technology has set new industry standards. Additionally, Anca has excelled in the fitness world, claiming the 2023 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Wellness Masters and the 2022 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Bikini Competitor. Her multifaceted career showcases her dedication to innovation, wellness, and empowering women in tech and production.
https://treefanevents.com/about-anca-platon-trifan/full bio
Hear fresh perspectives from international and US-based speakers as you explore leadership, resilience, communication, human behavior and the future of work. Examine audience engagement, speaker collaboration, narrative-driven programming and evolving conference design practices.Hear fresh perspectives from international and US-based speakers as you explore leadership, resilience, communication, human behavior and the future of work.
Examine audience engagement, speaker collaboration, narrative-driven programming and evolving conference design practices. Discover practical ideas for creating more engaging and collaborative conference experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Explore global perspectives on leadership and change
Evaluate audience engagement and speaker collaboration approaches
Apply strategies for more collaborative conferences
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 creditread more · Original Link ↗
Robin BanksOwner, Robin Banks and Associates
PETER JAEHNEGlobal Keynote Speaker, UNIQUE SPEAKER BUREAU INTERNATIONAL
Hablo espanol, spreche deutsch ...Hablo espanol, spreche deutsch ... I have pioneered the adaptation of neuro-behavior science into all aspects of the path of a professional from profiling for natural job selection, to accelerated development for leadership for operational excellence and extraordinary competitive strategic actions, globally. I apply neuro-plasticity coaching and my speeches are the parallel to any other topic presentation: I will give the brain-behavior dimension crossing cultural and other differential boundaries. More than remembering, is missing something. I go there, with you!
My passion for Latin music, flying single engine aircrafts, artistic woodwork and a coach for para-athletes, former sniper mental assessor, I thrive on adventure and learning from the new, complex, unexpected and unknown. Next: playing the guitar, kite surfing, ...full bio
Eytan SegevInternational Profiler & Human Intelligence Expert, Profiler Academy
Nomalanga SitoleFounder, The Voice Within International
Gia LeveKeynote Concert Speaker, Gia Levé Keynote Concerts
Carolyn StraussKeynote Speaker and Reinvention Strategist, Reinvention Expert
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
ITI 2026: The global pulse of incentive travel
● Trends and research
📍 North Convention Center, Islander H
SITE and the Incentive Research Foundation unveil the seventh edition of the Incentive Travel Index (ITI), the meetings industry's leading global study of incentive travel.SITE and the Incentive Research Foundation unveil the seventh edition of the Incentive Travel Index (ITI), the meetings industry's leading global study of incentive travel.
Explore the latest findings across budgets, benefits, program design and destination selection, alongside new insights into geopolitical risk, qualifier expectations, AI in practice, the future of DMCs and evolving budget considerations. Leave with a clearer understanding of the trends shaping incentive travel and practical ideas to help inform future planning.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the key global trends and tensions shaping incentive travel in 2026
Explore how risk, AI, qualifier expectations and DMC evolution are reshaping program and destination decisions
Identify practical actions to future-proof your incentive travel strategy using ITI insights
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Virginie De VisscherExecutive Dir, Business Events, Destination Canada
Leading Destination Canada's sector strategy for associations and corporations looking to know more about Canada's options for meetings and events. Sustainability lead.
Padraic GilliganConsultancy & Research, SITE
I have been in the Business Events industry since the early 1990s and have worked across all sectors on the spectrum.I have been in the Business Events industry since the early 1990s and have worked across all sectors on the spectrum. I'm proud to bring my life long experience of the transformational power of live meetings and events to my work as CMO at SITE, the only global association dedicated exclusively to the art and science of incentive travel.full bio
Justin MyersVP, Marketing, Industry & Partner Relations, Bishop-McCann
Justin Myers is a strategic business leader with more than 20 years of experience helping global organizations leverage meetings, events, and incentive...Justin Myers is a strategic business leader with more than 20 years of experience helping global organizations leverage meetings, events, and incentive travel to drive business performance. As Vice President of Marketing, Industry & Partner Relations at Bishop-McCann he leads brand and marketing strategy, strategic partnerships and vendor relationships, and the agency's presence across the meetings, incentives and events industry.
Combining commercial strategy with creative thinking, Justin helps organizations design experiences that strengthen culture, accelerate sales performance, build loyalty, and deliver measurable outcomes. His expertise spans incentive travel, global meetings, executive events, product launches, user conferences, and corporate hospitality across technology, healthcare, financial services, franchise, and consumer sectors.
Prior to Bishop-McCann, Justin held strategic marketing and event leadership roles at a Fortune 500 technology company, developing award-winning brand campaigns and live experiences. An active industry thought leader, he contributes to publications, podcasts, and speaking engagements focused on incentive travel, experience design, and business growth.full bio
Kim NapolitanoExecutive Dir, Global Industry Relations, Hilton Worldwide Sales
Andy SchwarzVP, Content & Communications, Incentive Research Foundation
Abby ShermanAssistant VP - Sales, ITA Group
I have been with ITA Group for 12 years.I have been with ITA Group for 12 years. I started in our event operations department managing a team of Event Registration Managers and have since transitioned to the Assistant Vice President of Sales. I am based out of our West Des Moines office. I am looking forward to making any connections!full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Redefining luxury: insights and trends shaping global meetings and incentives
● Trends and research
📍 North Convention Center, Islander G
Explore how planners are redefining luxury meetings and incentives as expectations, budgets, destination choices and supplier relationships evolve.Explore how planners are redefining luxury meetings and incentives as expectations, budgets, destination choices and supplier relationships evolve.
Compare your views with wider industry data through live polling, then examine where investment is growing, which regions are gaining attention and what makes sourcing and delivery more challenging. Take away practical insights to help you strengthen your events and partnerships in the global luxury market.
Learning outcomes:
Define what luxury means in global meetings and incentives using current planner insights
Identify the trends shaping demand, budgets and investment priorities
Recognize common challenges in sourcing luxury programs and explore how planners respond to them
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Erin DonohueCEO, Monarch Global Meetings & Incentives
My professional experience has primarily been in Global Sales with leading hotel companies, including Rosewood, Omni Hotels & Resorts, and Trump Hotels.My professional experience has primarily been in Global Sales with leading hotel companies, including Rosewood, Omni Hotels & Resorts, and Trump Hotels. Through these roles, I have developed extensive expertise in identifying, evaluating, and negotiating venues that align with my clients’ specific needs and objectives. This experience has given me a strong understanding of the hospitality industry, as well as the ability to secure the right venue and negotiate favorable terms on behalf of my customers.full bio
Travis PhamManaging Partner, ENGAGE Business Events
Travis Pham is Managing Partner of ENGAGE Business Events, an agency focused on bringing events, travel and technology together into a seamless...Travis Pham is Managing Partner of ENGAGE Business Events, an agency focused on bringing events, travel and technology together into a seamless experience for clients.
With more than 20 years of experience spanning destination management, luxury hospitality and enterprise-level programs, Travis has worked across a wide range of meetings and events. His work explores the role of meaningful connection and experience design in business events.
Travis serves on the board of SITE Northeast and is an active member of MPI and FICP.full bio
Mario ThompsonLos Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Show me the data: proof that belonging moves numbers
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds CD
Move beyond assumptions and learn how to measure belonging in a meaningful way.Move beyond assumptions and learn how to measure belonging in a meaningful way. Explore which signals are worth tracking, how to connect belonging to existing metrics and how to build an evidence-based case that demonstrates impact without adding complex reporting processes.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the signals that credibly indicate belonging and the metrics that already capture them
Construct a simple measurement plan that isolates belonging’s impact without new tools or budget
Translate results into an evidence-based business case
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Evaluation Process, 1 credit
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Gary MurakamiVP of Global Sales & Industry Relations, Teneo Hospitality Group
I collaboratively manage and represent more than 350 portfolio of distinguished hotels and resorts that are independent and chain managed.I collaboratively manage and represent more than 350 portfolio of distinguished hotels and resorts that are independent and chain managed. Valued as a true business partner and a trusted advisor in today’s business climate, I work on a global basis with clients to provide solutions and consulting for events/meetings/conferences which are complemented with my tenured experience in the leisure and business travel industry.full bio
EJ CorporanHead of Growth, Research, & Marketing, Ansera
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Visioneering the future of meetings with IACC
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, Islander F
Join IACC for an insight-led look at key findings from the 2026 Meeting Room of the Future report. Explore how meeting spaces, technology, service expectations and buyer needs are evolving across the global meetings industry.Join IACC for an insight-led look at key findings from the 2026 Meeting Room of the Future report.
Explore how meeting spaces, technology, service expectations and buyer needs are evolving across the global meetings industry. Gain practical ideas to help your venue, conference center or organization respond to emerging trends and prepare for what comes next.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the key trends and findings from the 2026 Meeting Room of the Future report
Recognize how evolving expectations, tech and meeting formats influence venue design and service delivery
Consider practical ways your organization can respond to emerging opportunities
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Why every show floor should be designed as a learning environment
● Experiential event design
📍 North Convention Center, Tropics AB
Trade shows are often designed to showcase products, facilitate meetings and generate leads. But what if their greatest value lies in learning? Every attendee arrives looking for new ideas, solutions, connections and insights.Trade shows are often designed to showcase products, facilitate meetings and generate leads. But what if their greatest value lies in learning?
Every attendee arrives looking for new ideas, solutions, connections and insights. Yet many show floors are designed to deliver information rather than create meaningful learning experiences.
Discover how experiential learning, cognitive science and experience design can help transform your exhibition into a dynamic learning environment. Through interactive activities, collaborative exercises and real-world examples, you'll gain practical tools to create more engaging, memorable and impactful exhibition experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Design exhibition experiences that increase engagement, knowledge retention and meaningful interactions
Evaluate show floor touchpoints to identify opportunities for intentional learning experiences
Design a learning-centered exhibition strategy that encourages curiosity, participation and reflection
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Christine CleaverClinical Assistant Professor of Events Management, NYU
Dr. Christine Cleaver is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Event Management at New York University's Jonathan M.Dr. Christine Cleaver is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Event Management at New York University's Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, where she prepares the next generation of event leaders through immersive, industry-connected learning experiences. With more than 20 years of experience spanning higher education, association leadership, and the business events industry, she specializes in designing experiences that bridge education and professional practice.
Christine's research explores how experiential learning develops career readiness and transforms participant outcomes, providing a unique perspective on how meetings, exhibitions, and live events can become intentional environments for learning and behavior change. She is an active leader within IAEE, PCMA, PRLA, and other industry organizations, regularly presenting on experience design, experiential learning, attendee engagement, and innovation in business events.
Recognized for her highly interactive presentation style, Christine challenges audiences to think differently about the purpose of live events - not simply as places where information is shared, but as environments intentionally designed to inspire discovery, foster connection, and create lasting impact.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 12:05 PM - 12:50 PM
Best in sales: maximizing your IMEX experience
● Exhibitor event
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific C
Turn your IMEX experience into a targeted sales campaign in this three-part workshop. Build a strategy, prioritize your meeting list, plan your at-show engagement and create a follow-up system that turns conversations into business.Turn your IMEX experience into a targeted sales campaign in this three-part workshop. Build a strategy, prioritize your meeting list, plan your at-show engagement and create a follow-up system that turns conversations into business. Take away a repeatable process designed to support measurable ROI.
Learning outcomes:
Create a strategy to maximize your IMEX experience
Use connection, engagement and proactive outreach to make the most of your time at IMEX
Create a follow-up plan that turns your IMEX conversations into results
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75read more · Original Link ↗
Tracey HirschFounder/CEO, Amplifying Effect
Mark HunterThe Sales Hunter, The Sales Hunter
Meridith Elliott PowellHall of Fame Speaker, MotionFirst
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Developed by IAEE, MPI and SITE, this certificate course provides an introduction to the meetings industry and the knowledge needed to deliver conferences, exhibitions and incentive travel programs.Developed by IAEE, MPI and SITE, this certificate course provides an introduction to the meetings industry and the knowledge needed to deliver conferences, exhibitions and incentive travel programs.
Explore event design, event execution, incentive travel and the unique value of exhibitions. Leave with practical insight into the three core event types that support a global industry and the best practices behind successful event experiences.
Register here: https://cvent.me/Zmv2vEread more · Original Link ↗
Karen GonzalesDir, Global Business Development, International Association of Exhibitions and Events |IAEE
Karen joined International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) at the end of 2017.Karen joined International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) at the end of 2017. As Director, Global Business Development, Karen works closely with new and existing partners, sponsors, and exhibitors on showcasing their brand to the exhibition and events industry.
Prior to joining IAEE, Karen was with Association Forum, followed by Destinations International for eight years in various leadership roles; most recently as Executive Vice President of Sales & Business Development. Ms. Gonzales has worked for Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and started her career with Visit Denver as a senior city-wide sales manager.
Ms. Gonzales is past chair for The Meetings Industry Fund, the Events Industry Council’s Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Governance Committee and is active in several industry related organizations. Karen has been accepted into the CMP Fellows Program and is a recognized tenured CMP who has made significant advancements in her career, as well as significant contributions through service and education to the meetings, exhibitions, and events industry.full bio
I believe the best incentives should make people say, “How on earth did they do that?” Watch my video @ https://lnkd.in/p/dQRR5hdN I’m...I believe the best incentives should make people say, “How on earth did they do that?” Watch my video @ https://lnkd.in/p/dQRR5hdN
I’m Rajeev Kohli, second-generation owner of Creative Travel, a family-owned DMC that has been creating extraordinary journeys across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives since 1977.
I’ve spent more than 30 years in this industry, and incentives remain my passion. I love the challenge of taking an idea that sounds difficult, ambitious - or occasionally slightly crazy - and finding a way to make it happen. Because great incentive travel isn’t about moving people from one beautiful hotel to another. It’s about creating moments, emotions and stories they will still be talking about years later.
That philosophy has helped Creative Travel become one of South Asia’s most globally awarded DMCs, with 103 international recognitions, including 10 SITE Crystal Awards. But the awards matter less to me than what they represent: creativity, innovation, flawless execution and the courage to keep pushing boundaries.
Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of serving as Global President of SITE, President of euromic, being inducted into the Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders, receiving the IMEX Academy Award, and speaking around the world about the industry I love.
If you are considering India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal or The Maldives for an incentive, meeting or special project, come and talk to me. Bring me the brief that needs imagination. Bring me the challenge others say is too complicated. Bring me the idea that hasn’t quite been invented yet.
The greater the challenge, the more the fun.
Find me with Creative Travel at the euromic stand F845.
Creative Travel. A family story since 1977.full bio
Lori PughMeeting Professionals International
Lori Pugh has 20 years of experience in the meetings and events industry on both the planner and supplier sides of the...Lori Pugh has 20 years of experience in the meetings and events industry on both the planner and supplier sides of the business. Lori is the Vice President of the MPI Academy for Meeting Professionals International, where she leads and advances MPI’s professional development strategy, developing and managing MPI’s portfolio of education including live and digital events, knowledge experiences, professional certificate programs and educational partnerships. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science focused in Advertising from the University of North Florida and a Master’s Degree in Meeting and Event Management from San Diego State University. Lori was honored as one of Eventex's 2022 Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry, MeetingsNet’s 2021 Changemakers and Meetings and Conventions Magazine’s 22 Millennials to Watch in 2016.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Mind your capacity: navigate IMEX with intention
● Health and well-being
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds E
No two people experience IMEX in the same way. Use a practical framework to recognize how your personal circumstances, the demands of the show and your available capacity shape what you can access from the experience.No two people experience IMEX in the same way. Use a practical framework to recognize how your personal circumstances, the demands of the show and your available capacity shape what you can access from the experience. Make intentional choices about learning, connection, opportunity and recovery based on what matters most to you. Take away ideas you can apply to your own IMEX experience and the events you design for others.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how personal conditions, event demands and available capacity shape your IMEX experience
Make intentional choices about learning, connection, opportunity and recovery based on the value you want to access
Examine how capacity-informed design can improve access to an event’s intended value for more peopleread more · Original Link ↗
Yush SztalkoperCreator, Human Capacity Design™, Human Capacity Design LLC
Yush Sztalkoper is the creator of Human Capacity Design™, a discipline focused on designing high-demand environments around real human capacity.Yush Sztalkoper is the creator of Human Capacity Design™, a discipline focused on designing high-demand environments around real human capacity.
With 20+ years designing large-scale experiences for Fortune 500 organizations, she helps leaders, event teams, and organizations identify where demand exceeds human capacity and redesign conditions so learning, trust, decision-making, alignment, and business outcomes can actually carry forward.
Her work sits upstream of engagement, adoption, and ROI - making visible the often-missed relationship between demand, capacity, and what people can realistically receive, integrate, and act on under modern conditions.
Speaker at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, MPI WEC, and PCMA Convening Leaders. Recipient of the Smart Women in Meetings Innovator Award and named one of the 2026 Women to Watch.full bio
MPI keynote: Empowered connection in a digitally layered landscape
● Experiential event design
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific EF
Explore how AI, immersive media and digital habits are reshaping human connection. Examine how a human-first approach can support meaningful engagement, well-being and stronger communities in an increasingly connected world.Explore how AI, immersive media and digital habits are reshaping human connection. Examine how a human-first approach can support meaningful engagement, well-being and stronger communities in an increasingly connected world.
Gain practical ideas for designing experiences that balance technology with presence, attention and authentic connection.
Learning outcomes:
Explore technology's influence on human connection
Apply well-being principles to experience design
Adopt a human-first approach to engagementread more · Original Link ↗
Join peers in an open, collaborative setting designed for conversation, networking and learning. Taking place on Smart Monday, it gives you time to step back, reflect and connect with others in similar roles across different organizations.Join peers in an open, collaborative setting designed for conversation, networking and learning. Taking place on Smart Monday, it gives you time to step back, reflect and connect with others in similar roles across different organizations. Meet like-minded people facing similar challenges and discover new perspectives from different industries.read more · Original Link ↗
Leading with truth, trust and curiosity in dynamic times: In collaboration with ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership In an era of polarization, misinformation and rapid change, associations play a vital role as trusted sources of knowledge for their professions...Leading with truth, trust and curiosity in dynamic times: In collaboration with ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
In an era of polarization, misinformation and rapid change, associations play a vital role as trusted sources of knowledge for their professions and industries. Explore how you can strengthen trust and curiosity in your association while helping your community navigate complexity with confidence.
Share perspectives through facilitated discussion and reflection. Identify leadership behaviors that build trust, encourage productive dialogue and support the role of associations in contributing to informed decision-making and societal progress.
Learning outcomes:
Explore the association's role as a trusted source of knowledge in a changing world
Strengthen your ability to communicate with transparency, clarity and empathy
Identify leadership behaviors that build trust and encourage curiosity. Commit to one practical action to apply at your association
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Monica CohenMonica Cohen - Speaker
Michelle MasonPresident & CEO, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, serves as the President and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where she is focused...Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, serves as the President and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where she is focused on advancing the professional practice of association management. Prior to ASAE, Michelle served as the President and CEO of Association Forum for seven years; as Managing Director of Strategy and Innovation at the American Society for Quality (ASQ); and Vice President of Strategic and Future Focused Research Programs at ASAE.
Michelle currently serves on the Board of Directors for Destinations International and the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter. Michelle is a Chicago Business Journal Women of Influence Honoree 2019; Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Honoree 2019; the CEO Update Professional Society CEO of the Year 2020; and Smart Women in Meetings Hall of Fame inductee 2022. Michelle also received the 2024 John H. Graham IV Association Executive Award from the Boy Scouts of America National Capital Area Council, the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association Vision Gala Association Honoree, and the 2025 Marin Bright Legacy Award from Smart Meetings. Michelle is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and an ASAE Fellow (FASAE).full bio
Shawn O'BrienPresident & CEO, NABCEP
Cornell ThomasInternational Speaker, Author, Corporate Trainer, Cornell Thomas LLC
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 2:55 PM
Brilliant, not complicated: Making high-stakes events feel effortless
● Marketing and engagement
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific I
Discover the design discipline behind complex events that feel calm, confident and effortless. Explore how creative vision and production delivery can work as one continuous process, hiding operational complexity without limiting ambition.Discover the design discipline behind complex events that feel calm, confident and effortless. Explore how creative vision and production delivery can work as one continuous process, hiding operational complexity without limiting ambition. Leave with practical principles you can apply to your own high-stakes events, whatever your scale or budget.
Learning outcomes:
Discover design principles for making complex, high-stakes events feel effortlessread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Demo or deliverable? Where AI is working across six event workflows
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds CD
Cut through the AI hype and assess where technology is delivering real value. Explore key event workflows, compare tools against practical requirements and decide where to buy, build, wait or refocus your attention.Cut through the AI hype and assess where technology is delivering real value. Explore key event workflows, compare tools against practical requirements and decide where to buy, build, wait or refocus your attention.
Learning outcomes:
Define success before evaluating AI tools and workflows
Assess where event technology fully or partially delivers value
Apply buy, build or wait decisions to event workflows
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Trevor SookrajAI Educator, Trevor's Tech Talk
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Europe unfolded: conversations beyond the destination
● Impact
📍 North Convention Center, Islander C
Connect with European destination partners through shared experiences, facilitated conversations and cultural activities. Exchange ideas, explore the trends shaping future events and discover destinations through the people, stories and perspectives behind them.Connect with European destination partners through shared experiences, facilitated conversations and cultural activities. Exchange ideas, explore the trends shaping future events and discover destinations through the people, stories and perspectives behind them.
Learning outcomes:
Build meaningful new relationships through shared experiences and conversation
Identify emerging priorities, challenges and opportunities shaping future events
Exchange practical ideas and perspectives with peers and destination partners
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 2.25
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Ciara FeelyAuthor on Sales Leadership, Commercial Capability Strategist🏆
Building a sense of community is really important to me while sharing a connection with people.Building a sense of community is really important to me while sharing a connection with people. My work involves transforming sales teams into Trusted Advisors - sharpening their listening, communication, and empathy skills. I inspire sales teams to think more like their clients and build relationships that WIN more business.
I work with hospitality, event and tech companies globally. My signature Steps to WIN™ Program is an accredited Sales Leadership Program that transforms sales results.
I have served on 2 international MPI boards, holding a role in Education, Community and Engagement.
I live in a tiny village in the south of Ireland with my husband and twin boys. I enjoy foraging, dabbling in gardening and getting involved in our local community.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Less mindless, more meaningful: what AI is actually taking from event work
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, Islander H
Explore how AI is changing event work, task by task. Using research from the Cvent Center for Event Insights, examine five levels of AI involvement, from work that remains fully human to work that can run without supervision.Explore how AI is changing event work, task by task. Using research from the Cvent Center for Event Insights, examine five levels of AI involvement, from work that remains fully human to work that can run without supervision. Hear how a global events team is using the model to decide what to automate first, including what they got wrong. Map your own role, identify the tasks most likely to change and focus on the skills that will become more valuable as routine work is automated.
Learning outcomes:
Map your event activities against a five-level ownership model, from work that stays fully human to work that can run without supervision
Identify which team tasks are most open to automation in the next 12 months and which are likely to remain human-led
Build a skills plan focused on the capabilities that become more valuable as routine event work is automatedread more · Original Link ↗
Courtney StanleyCEO, Courtney Stanley Consulting, LLC
Courtney Stanley is recognized globally as an award-winning keynote speaker, leadership coach, and host of the podcast for women in events, Dare...Courtney Stanley is recognized globally as an award-winning keynote speaker, leadership coach, and host of the podcast for women in events, Dare to Interrupt. Courtney has spent more than 15 years engaging professionals, entrepreneurs and organizations in game-changing, impactful conversations that empower individuals to tap into their true potential, improve team and culture dynamics, and drive meaningful change.
Courtney is the youngest member to have ever been elected to Meeting Professionals International's (MPI) International Board of Directors, and is recognized as one of the event and hospitality industry’s most impactful change-makers. Courtney is a Meetings Mean Business Ambassador and is the co-founder of the award-winning movement to prevent sexual misconduct at events, #MeetingsToo.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Live event trends in 2026: what’s changing, and what actually matters
● Trends and research
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific D
Explore the cultural, creative and technological forces shaping live events in 2026. David examines how changing client expectations, audience behavior and global influences are redefining meaningful experiences.Explore the cultural, creative and technological forces shaping live events in 2026. David examines how changing client expectations, audience behavior and global influences are redefining meaningful experiences. Challenge conventional thinking and consider how flexibility, relevance and authenticity can inform creative direction and strategic decisions. Leave with practical insights and fresh inspiration to help you design purposeful events that connect with your audience.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the cultural, behavioral, design and technology trends influencing live events in 2026
Recognize how shifting audience expectations are changing the way successful events are designed, produced and experienced
Apply emerging trends with purpose to create more relevant, engaging and memorable attendee experiencesread more · Original Link ↗
Dave MerrellCEO, AOO Events, Inc.
AOO Events is a Events Design/Production Agency based in Southern California, producing events all of the United States and abroad.AOO Events is a Events Design/Production Agency based in Southern California, producing events all of the United States and abroad. Over 35 years of experience, AOO Events has won over 30 awards for event design and production nationally and internationally.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 4:45 PM
MPI Chapter Leader Forum
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, Coral AB
Connect with chapter leaders from across the MPI community to exchange ideas, share successes and discuss common challenges. Explore practical approaches to leadership, chapter engagement and member experiences.Connect with chapter leaders from across the MPI community to exchange ideas, share successes and discuss common challenges. Explore practical approaches to leadership, chapter engagement and member experiences.
Gain fresh perspectives from peers and discover new ways to strengthen chapter programs and activities.
Registration: https://cvent.me/YxQ4yq
Learning outcomes:
Understand current MPI priorities and resources
Share best practices with fellow chapter leaders
Develop solutions to chapter event challengesread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Reimagining engagement with purpose
● Impact
📍 North Convention Center, Tropics AB
Use social impact to create stronger human connection at your events. Explore a practical five-part framework that helps you design meaningful experiences, build community and create engagement that resonates long after the event ends.Use social impact to create stronger human connection at your events. Explore a practical five-part framework that helps you design meaningful experiences, build community and create engagement that resonates long after the event ends.
Learning outcomes:
Apply a five-part framework for embedding social impact into event design
Design authentic community-driven event experiences
Use social impact to strengthen engagement and stakeholder relationships
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact Plan, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Catherine McGuireFounder | Social Impact Strategist, WholeHearted
With a career rooted in hospitality, tourism, and events, it's incredibly rewarding to now be in a position where I can support...With a career rooted in hospitality, tourism, and events, it's incredibly rewarding to now be in a position where I can support business events in making a greater impact. I'm attending IMEX to connect with industry partners, learn from others, and share insights during an exciting panel discussion with two like-minded women and founders.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Rhythm, design and dialogue: redefining inclusion in modern meetings
● Designing for human needs
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific F
Presented by Damon Brooks & Associates Speakers Bureau
Explore how music, design and dialogue can support more inclusive communication at work and at events.Presented by Damon Brooks & Associates Speakers Bureau
Explore how music, design and dialogue can support more inclusive communication at work and at events. Hear authentic lived experiences and discover how creative approaches such as drumming and design can encourage connection, enrich problem-solving and inspire meaningful change. Take away practical ideas for making meetings, presentations and group interactions more accessible to people with different abilities, communication preferences and ways of learning.
Learning outcomes:
Analyze how creative approaches can support inclusive communication, storytelling and professional engagement
Apply insights to create more accessible and equitable workplaces and events
Use universal design principles to make meetings, presentation materials and group interactions more accessible
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Lori BeckerCEO, Starkloff Disability Institute
Ruth RathblottUNHIDING
Mike VenyCEO, Lovely Refinement
Mike Veny is a globally recognized mental health speaker and Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® who has made it his mission to transform...Mike Veny is a globally recognized mental health speaker and Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® who has made it his mission to transform stigma into strength through rhythm and story. Known for his electrifying drumming keynotes and raw, real talk, Mike helps organizations create emotionally healthy cultures. His work bridges inclusive excellence, mental health, and professional development - and is known for producing measurable change. He has been booked by NAMI, Microsoft, Merck, and hundreds more. Mike is also the CEO of Lovely Refinement, a women's mental health and wellness brand, which owns the Training Refinery, a continuing education powerhouse.full bio
Lynne WellishDir of Engagement, Damon Brooks & Associates
Lynne Wellish CMP CHSE CHO is the Director of Engagement for Damon Brooks & Associates, a unique boutique speakers bureau.Lynne Wellish CMP CHSE CHO is the Director of Engagement for Damon Brooks & Associates, a unique boutique speakers bureau. All of our speakers are living with a disability. A graduate of the University of Nevada in Hotel Administration, Lynne has been a Hospitality Educator for 20 years and an MPI member for 32 years.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Scars to stars
● Health and well-being
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds E
Explore how vulnerability, lived experience and authentic storytelling can build trust, strengthen human connection and create lasting impact. Discover practical ways to share personal stories with purpose, inspire resilience and encourage meaningful conversations.Explore how vulnerability, lived experience and authentic storytelling can build trust, strengthen human connection and create lasting impact. Discover practical ways to share personal stories with purpose, inspire resilience and encourage meaningful conversations.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how authentic storytelling builds trust and strengthens relationships
Identify the elements of personal stories that inspire hope, resilience and meaningful conversations
Apply practical techniques to share personal experiences with authenticity and purpose
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Deana Brown MitchellSpeaker - Entrepreneur - Consultant, Genius & Sanity
Deana Brown Mitchell is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and lifelong believer that our experiences are never wasted.Deana Brown Mitchell is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and lifelong believer that our experiences are never wasted.
For more than three decades, she has built businesses, led teams, created experiences, mentored entrepreneurs, and helped people navigate seasons of change. But some of the most important lessons of her life were not learned through achievement. They came through loss, starting over, unexpected detours, and the moments that forced her to question who she was when the titles, accomplishments, and expectations were stripped away.
Those experiences eventually led Deana to a realization that changed the way she saw transformation:
Maybe we were never the problem.
Today, her work centers on helping people uncover who they are beneath the expectations, roles, beliefs, and stories they have learned to carry.
She is also the founder of the Realize Foundation and the creator of the Scars to Stars® initiative, where lived experiences become stories of hope, connection, and life-saving conversations.
Deana has always found perspective in the mountains. She has lived in mountain communities throughout Colorado, taught skiing, guided whitewater rafting, and spent years calling the high-country home. The mountains have taught her something she now carries into her work: sometimes we don't need another answer. We need enough quiet and perspective to recognize what was there all along.
She lives in Colorado with her husband, Michael, and continues to write, speak, mentor, and create spaces where people are given permission to stop proving, stop performing, and start uncovering.
Because the greatest transformation of your life won't come from becoming someone new.
It will come from uncovering who you've been all along.
Continue the journey with Deana:
https://deanabrownmitchell.comfull bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
The mirror image: digital twins and the future of event planning
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific J
Explore how digital twins can help you visualize venues, test technical designs, predict risks and improve the attendee experience before your event begins.Explore how digital twins can help you visualize venues, test technical designs, predict risks and improve the attendee experience before your event begins. Demystify this emerging technology and discover how to use it throughout your planning process, from initial concept to post-production.
Learning outcomes:
Understand your target audience and engage them before the event begins
Design experiences that create meaningful impact and deliver measurable return on investment
Use AI-powered innovation to strengthen your event planning and prepare for future opportunitiesread more · Original Link ↗
Corvin DamsProject Managment, VOK DAMS
Zak RobyVP - Growth & Strategy, Show Gear Productions
Vice President of Strategy and Growth, I lead the global commercial direction of the business, overseeing sales, marketing, creative, and innovation and...Vice President of Strategy and Growth, I lead the global commercial direction of the business, overseeing sales, marketing, creative, and innovation and AI teams. I focus on building clear strategies, setting KPI frameworks, and driving sustainable growth through both long-term planning and measurable results.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zak-robyfull bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
The RFP is broken - and we all did it
● Advanced event logistics
📍 North Convention Center, Islander F
Explore what planners and suppliers can stop doing, and start doing, to create a more effective RFP process.Explore what planners and suppliers can stop doing, and start doing, to create a more effective RFP process. From budget transparency to the right level of detail, discover practical ways to improve communication, reduce wasted time and achieve better outcomes for everyone involved.
Join an open and honest discussion about the habits that create friction in the RFP process and the approaches that lead to stronger partnerships. Leave with practical ideas to improve both your RFPs and proposal responses.
Learning outcomes:
Identify common RFP practices that create unnecessary delays and inefficiencies
Apply a practical framework for creating and responding to detailed, transparent RFPs
Recognize the difference between a transactional exchange and a collaborative partnership
* CMP/CEU Approved: Stakeholder Management, 1.0 creditread more · Original Link ↗
Troy AndersonSr. Dir of Sales, Visit Seattle
I’m a lifelong Western Washington native with a deep love for my hometown of Seattle.I’m a lifelong Western Washington native with a deep love for my hometown of Seattle. When I’m not championing the destination, you’ll find me coaching my kids’ sports teams, cheering at a game, or camping and exploring the great outdoors. I’m always working on my guitar skills and have a true passion for travel. If you’re considering Seattle for your next meeting or convention, I’d love to connect.full bio
Michelle CulpepperDir of Partnerships, edgefactory CReATIVE WORKS!
I'm Director of Partnerships at edgefactory, a boutique agency specializing in show production and environmental design.I'm Director of Partnerships at edgefactory, a boutique agency specializing in show production and environmental design. Over my 2.5 years here, I've worked closely with clients across every stage of their events and tradeshows, helping bring their vision to life from concept through execution. I've never met a stranger, and I genuinely love the people side of this industry, if I see two people in a room who ought to know each other, I can't resist making the introduction. At IMEX, I'm looking to build relationships with partners who share that same instinct: people who see a good match and want to make it happen.full bio
Kristina OumedlouzDir, Global Sales, MGM Resorts | Global Sales
Kristina Oumedlouz is a Global Sales Director with MGM Resorts International and a proven hospitality leader with more than three decades of...Kristina Oumedlouz is a Global Sales Director with MGM Resorts International and a proven hospitality leader with more than three decades of sales experience. During her nearly 10 years with MGM Resorts, she has cultivated strategic partnerships, generated significant revenue, and connected customers with the company’s portfolio of world-class destinations and experiences.
Kristina has built her career on authentic relationships, thoughtful collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to the customer experience. She brings a candid hotel-supplier perspective shaped by her experience navigating an increasingly complex sourcing environment and advocating for a more effective, transparent, and relationship-driven approach to the RFP process.
A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Kristina is equally passionate about mentoring others, encouraging innovation, and helping sales professionals communicate with purpose and authenticity. Based in Orlando, Florida, she also serves on the board of Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation and is committed to making a meaningful impact within the hospitality industry and her community.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
The senior planner advantage: sustaining the human, leveraging the expertise
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific C
Explore how experienced planners can sustain their impact, influence and relevance as the industry evolves. Examine how personal capacity, resilience, boundaries and presence affect leadership, decision-making and performance.Explore how experienced planners can sustain their impact, influence and relevance as the industry evolves. Examine how personal capacity, resilience, boundaries and presence affect leadership, decision-making and performance.
Shift from personal sustainability to professional sustainability by considering how experience, curiosity, strategic thinking and business acumen can create greater organizational value. Leave with practical insights to help shape the next stage of your career.
Learning outcomes:
Evaluate personal capacity as a strategic leadership resource
Strengthen influence through curiosity and continuous learning
Connect event expertise to measurable organizational value
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 1 credit
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Monica Graves GarciaFounder, Soulbare Wellness
Monica Graves García is a speaker, experiential educator, and founder of Soulbare Wellness.Monica Graves García is a speaker, experiential educator, and founder of Soulbare Wellness. For nearly 20 years, she has explored one enduring question: What allows a human being to truly flourish?
That question has taken her from the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, where she served as a Vedic Master Educator and Workplace Wellbeing Program Manager, to corporate conference rooms, international retreats, Indigenous communities, universities, festivals, and stages around the world.
Drawing from timeless wisdom, human behavior, storytelling, and lived experience, Monica creates experiences that help people see clearly, think expansively, and reconnect to themselves, one another, and the lives they’re actually living.
Her work is grounded in a simple belief: our greatest potential isn’t something we have to force into existence. Much of it is already here, just below the surface. But like anything alive... we need the right conditions for it to emerge.full bio
Carolynn SantosExecutive Dir, SPIN Association
SPIN Association (now a 501.c.6) is moving forward! SPINCon 2026 is on the calendar and we are excited for our growth.SPIN Association (now a 501.c.6) is moving forward! SPINCon 2026 is on the calendar and we are excited for our growth. Join Us!
I am excited to attend my 2nd IMEX and wanted to play a game with my fellow attendees. Where's Carolynn?
Find me on the show floor and get a $25.00 discount on your SPINCon 2026 registration.
If you are a sponsor, find me and get a 20% discount off our 2027 Sponsorship program, and enjoy the benefits 3 months early (beginning in October 2026).
You will find a community of support with your peers who are there to cheer you on or lift you up. And, there are discussions on industry happenings, open discussions on matters of importance to you and other planners in North America.
In SPIN you are allowed to share, vent, celebrate, and be the amazing you. Authenticity and real conversations are encouraged, and asking for help is a sign of strength.
It is FREE to be a member of SPIN. Join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SPINprofs
BONUS!
Set a meeting and join me for a conversation, and get a discount on SPINCon 2026.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Upselling for busy event professionals: unlocking greater value to achieve maximum ROI
● Marketing and engagement
📍 North Convention Center, Islander G
Discover how to grow revenue from existing client relationships without relying on aggressive sales tactics. Learn practical approaches to uncover opportunities, create relevant offers and strengthen long-term client partnerships.Discover how to grow revenue from existing client relationships without relying on aggressive sales tactics. Learn practical approaches to uncover opportunities, create relevant offers and strengthen long-term client partnerships.
Learning outcomes:
Identify high-value growth opportunities across existing client accounts
Introduce upsell conversations that focus on client value
Build a repeatable plan for long-term account growth
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Marketing and Communication, 1.0 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Stephen SteersPresident, Steers Consulting Group
Howdy! Sales coaching, Sales training, Sales consulting and keynote speaking by day.Howdy!
Sales coaching, Sales training, Sales consulting and keynote speaking by day.
Amateur chef, standup comedian and producer of the first English-Comedy Festival in Mexico City by night.
If you're in town for Smart Monday, come see my talk: Upselling for the Busy Event Professional and learn how to unlock an additional $250k inside of your business with 0 new customers!
https://america.imexevents.com/sessions/92024
Big Hair helps you get bigger profits.
Come and say hi!full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
The human activation: where ancestral intelligence meets the science of human potential
● Health and well-being
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds F
Explore how ancestral Persian wisdom and modern neuroscience can help you regulate, adapt, connect, lead and perform. Experience practical shifts through conscious breathing and nervous system regulation, moving beyond what you know to what you embody.Explore how ancestral Persian wisdom and modern neuroscience can help you regulate, adapt, connect, lead and perform. Experience practical shifts through conscious breathing and nervous system regulation, moving beyond what you know to what you embody. Discover how consistent practice can support greater self-awareness, resilience, conscious leadership and human connection. Come curious and leave ready to make more intentional choices.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how ancestral intelligence and modern neuroscience connect the brain, body and our capacity to change
Experience how conscious breathing and nervous system regulation can shift your attention and response in real time
Apply consistent practices to strengthen self-awareness, resilience, conscious leadership and human connectionread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
Mark GuadagnoliSenior Associate Dean (Faculty), Professor of Neuroscience, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, UNLV
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
The tactile advantage: designing tangible interfaces for the AI era
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific I
Discover how physical design and cognitive science can make abstract ideas feel real and memorable. Explore how physical-digital interfaces can reduce AI overload and learn why tangible user interfaces may improve memory recall and emotional resonance.Discover how physical design and cognitive science can make abstract ideas feel real and memorable. Explore how physical-digital interfaces can reduce AI overload and learn why tangible user interfaces may improve memory recall and emotional resonance. See how physical mechanics, from nostalgic triggers to oversized tactile objects, can lower cognitive load, clarify complex product stories and turn passive attendees into active participants.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how the brain processes information differently through tangible interfaces and screen-only interactions
Explore how play and physical mechanics can reduce fatigue, create flow and support deeper product understanding
See how brands use tangible interactions to simplify product stories and strengthen learning and advocacyread more · Original Link ↗
Look beyond wellness activities and explore how event design can support mental health across the entire event lifecycle. Examine the pressures facing event professionals and consider how planning, delivery and recovery can influence well-being.Look beyond wellness activities and explore how event design can support mental health across the entire event lifecycle. Examine the pressures facing event professionals and consider how planning, delivery and recovery can influence well-being.
Discover practical opportunities to embed mental health into organizational practice and create healthier experiences for attendees and the people who deliver events.
Learning outcomes:
Differentiate wellness initiatives from mentally healthy event environments
Identify mental health opportunities throughout the event lifecycle
Recognize leadership's role in mental health practices
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Ferron GrayPresident, Grae Matta Foundation
I am the founder and president of Grae Matta Group, a social enterprise that specializes in developing and implementing mental health policies...I am the founder and president of Grae Matta Group, a social enterprise that specializes in developing and implementing mental health policies and standards for higher education and the workplace. With over 15 years of experience in Forensic Psychology, I have a deep understanding of the psychological and social factors that affect human behavior and well-being, as well as the skills and tools to design and deliver effective interventions and programs.
For the purpose of this tradeshow I am working on behalf of the Grae Matta Foundation, an association that is committed to revolutionizing mental health policies and practices in higher education and the workplace. Our members form a global community dedicated to fostering positive change and advancing mental well-being worldwide. Whether you are an organization, an affiliate, an individual, or seeking lifetime membership, there are numerous benefits to aligning with us
Connections are very important to me and I value my business relationships equally so. I am at IMEX to find venues for Summits & Conferences, Resorts for Experiences, and partnerships for the Association.
We are in the process of developing an International Mental Health Standard for the Events Industry. If this is something you are interested in being a part of feel free to contact me.
We have a moral obligation to make the world a better place, and we can do this together.full bio
Authentically social: keep attendees connected before, during and after every event
● Marketing and engagement
📍 North Convention Center, Islander G
Build stronger connections with attendees before, during and after your events through intentional social media strategies. Discover practical ways to create anticipation, encourage participation and keep conversations going throughout the year.Build stronger connections with attendees before, during and after your events through intentional social media strategies. Discover practical ways to create anticipation, encourage participation and keep conversations going throughout the year.
Learn how to turn your events, people and ideas into content that strengthens community and supports year-round engagement.
Learning outcomes:
Focus efforts on high-value social channels
Create content that supports attendee connection
Extend community engagement beyond live events
* CMP/CEU Approved: Marketing and Communications, 1.0 creditread more · Original Link ↗
Corey PerlmanSpeaker, Impact Social Media
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
Build your business with medical meetings
● Marketing and engagement
📍 North Convention Center, Tropics AB
Unlock the potential of medical meetings to grow your business. Gain practical insight into planner expectations around food and beverage compliance, contracting, marketing, pricing and proposal development. Leave with strategies to position your organization for success in this specialized market.Unlock the potential of medical meetings to grow your business. Gain practical insight into planner expectations around food and beverage compliance, contracting, marketing, pricing and proposal development. Leave with strategies to position your organization for success in this specialized market.
Learning outcomes:
Explore the range of medical meeting formats and identify opportunities that align with your business goals
Discover marketing strategies that help attract medical meetings, including stronger RFP responses
Understand how flexible contracting terms can help win and retain business
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Stakeholder Management, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Kate BowersSr Mgr, Pharma Client Engagement & Strategy, ITA Group
Deborah HinsonPartner, The Hinson Group, LLC
Eric KreinsAsst. Managing Dir of Sales, Hilton Worldwide Sales
A 30+ year veteran in the hotel business in both sales and sales leadership.A 30+ year veteran in the hotel business in both sales and sales leadership. In my present position, I lead the Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences vertical segment for Hilton Worldwide Sales, in the Americas.full bio
Michael MahoneyGenentech
Rita LopezNational Sales Dir, Discover Puerto Rico
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Every piece of your event is under contract: red lines, algorithms, now and next
● Trends and research
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds CD
Look beyond hotel contracts to examine the agreements you make with venues, production partners, general service contractors and event technology providers. Explore the clauses, risks and areas of leverage that matter across these relationships.Look beyond hotel contracts to examine the agreements you make with venues, production partners, general service contractors and event technology providers. Explore the clauses, risks and areas of leverage that matter across these relationships.
Compare the priorities of corporate planners, association planners and suppliers. Discover what vendors consider when red lines come back and how AI is changing RFPs, contract review and negotiation. Leave with practical tactics to use in your next contract, whichever side of the table you’re on.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the clauses, risks and changing terms that matter in contracts
Compare how corporate planners, association planners and suppliers approach priorities, leverage and risk
Recognize how AI is changing RFPs, contract review and negotiationread more · Original Link ↗
With over 15 years of luxury hotel sales and event planning experience across the country, I specialize in helping organizations bring their...With over 15 years of luxury hotel sales and event planning experience across the country, I specialize in helping organizations bring their vision to life through seamless corporate meeting planning and expert venue sourcing. Leveraging insider sales knowledge to negotiate the best deals and ROI for each client.full bio
Melia PreedyAttorney, Foster Garvey
Melia’s practice focuses on advising hospitality and travelclients on transactional, regulatory and operational matters.Melia’s practice focuses on advising hospitality and travelclients on transactional, regulatory and operational matters.
Melia represents businesses and organizations across the hospitality industry in the negotiation of a wide range of contracts, including group and event sales agreements, vendor services and consulting agreements, sales and marketing agreements, spa and restaurant third-party management agreements, and corporate rate agreements.
Her clients include owners, operators of hotels and resorts, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators and restaurants. She regularly advises her hospitality clients in matters involving general operations, sales and marketing, legal issues and dispute resolution. Melia also assists her firm’s nationwide cannabis and alcoholic beverage clients with navigating state licensing issues and regulatory requirements.
Her passion for the hospitality industry traces back to her roots and continues to the present day, with grandparents who were founders and operators of a winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and great grandparents who were hotel developers in Seattle and Hawaii. She enjoys helping hospitality businesses thrive, as they help enrich people’s experiences and lives, by bringing togetherness and exposing people to new cuisines, places and cultures.full bio
Sam RichterCEO, SBR Worldwide
Lindsay Martin-BilbreyEvent Lead | Assistant Professor, Nifty Method | Temple University
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Feed the experience: what event planners need to know about food and beverage
● Trends and research
📍 North Convention Center, Islander H
Explore the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping event food and beverage. Hear perspectives on changing attendee expectations, wellness-led menus, sustainability, labor, beverage innovation, technology and budget pressures.Explore the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping event food and beverage. Hear perspectives on changing attendee expectations, wellness-led menus, sustainability, labor, beverage innovation, technology and budget pressures.
Discover what’s influencing decisions behind the scenes and take away practical ideas for creating memorable food and beverage experiences that balance creativity, attendee satisfaction and business objectives.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the trends, challenges and innovations shaping food and beverage experiences in the events industry
Evaluate how attendee expectations, sustainability goals, labor, technology and budget pressures influence food and beverage
Apply practical strategies that balance creativity, attendee satisfaction and business objectives
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 creditread more · Original Link ↗
HARLEY CARBERYFOUNDER, HARLEYWINE.COM
David TapperExecutive Dir of Catering & Conference Management, Resorts World Las Vegas
David Tapper, CMP, CPCE, is an award-winning hospitality and events executive with more than 25 years of experience leading teams and creating...David Tapper, CMP, CPCE, is an award-winning hospitality and events executive with more than 25 years of experience leading teams and creating distinctive experiences for luxury hotels and resorts. As Executive Director of Catering & Conference Management at Resorts World Las Vegas, he works at the intersection of leadership, hospitality, experiential event design, culinary innovation and operations, bringing together clients, planners and creative teams to transform ambitious ideas into memorable experiences.
Named the 2023 NACE Las Vegas Event Professional of the Year, David has served on the boards of NACE Las Vegas, ILEA and Nevada School of the Arts, and events he has overseen or contributed to have earned five Special Events Gala Awards. His leadership philosophy centers on listening, developing people and empowering teams to challenge convention - while his approach to events focuses on pushing beyond traditional formats to create experiences where place, culinary, service, creativity and storytelling come together with purpose.full bio
Eric VaughnExecutive Dir of Culinary Operations Las Vegas Region, Caesars Entertainment
Eric Vaughn is the Executive Director of Banquet Culinary Operations for Caesars Entertainment in the Las Vegas region, is a seasoned professional...Eric Vaughn is the Executive Director of Banquet Culinary Operations for
Caesars Entertainment in the Las Vegas region, is a seasoned professional with
over 25 years of culinary expertise with Caesars Entertainment. In this pivotal
role, he is tasked with overseeing banquet and culinary operations across the
$500 Million Caesars Entertainment meetings and events business in Las Vegas,
showcasing his proficiency in delivering elevated culinary experiences, menu
planning, team development, kitchen management, and collaboration with a
multitude of restaurants.
Chef Eric’s journey within Caesars Entertainment has been marked by notable
achievements, including his contributions to the openings of CAESARS FORUM,
Harrah’s Southern California, and Harrah’s Bossier City as well as holding
various other chef positions in the company in Nevada, Illinois, and Missouri.
His impressive background extends to partnering in the creation of celebrity
chef restaurants, with chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Steve Martorano.
He participated in chef demos, collaboration dinners and events with Emeril
Lagasse, Robert Irvine, Anne Burell, Rick Moonen, Guy Fieri, Giada De
Laurentiis and Norman Van Aken.
Before assuming his current role, Chef Eric held key positions such as the
Director of Culinary Operations at Paris Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas, and
Planet Hollywood. His journey also includes the role of Executive Sous Chef at
Flamingo Las Vegas, showcasing his versatility and leadership across various
culinary domains.
A graduate of Washburne Culinary Institute in Chicago, Eric Vaughn holds a
Degree in Culinary Arts. Eric’s dedication to culinary excellence and operational
prowess continues to shape the dining experiences at Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegasfull bio
Sara TaylorSr Dir of Conference Operations, Viticus Group
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Magic in the details: How Disney designs meetings that matter
● Design matters
📍 North Convention Center, Islander F
Discover how Disney Event Architects use five design principles to create meaningful meetings and experiences. Explore practical examples of storytelling, collaboration, and guest-centered design, and gain ideas you can apply to strengthen engagement and improve return on experience.Discover how Disney Event Architects use five design principles to create meaningful meetings and experiences. Explore practical examples of storytelling, collaboration, and guest-centered design, and gain ideas you can apply to strengthen engagement and improve return on experience.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how Disney Meetings & Events uses design principles
Learn how intentional design strengthens attendee engagement
Apply practical techniques used by Disney Event Architects
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 1.0 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Robby BrileySenior Event Consultant, Disney Meetings & Events
A senior event consultant at Disney Meetings & Events, Robby has a BFA in Theater/Arts Administration and an MBA from Rollins.A senior event consultant at Disney Meetings & Events, Robby has a BFA in Theater/Arts Administration and an MBA from Rollins. His experience includes both the “show” and the “business” of events. For over 12 years Robby has leveraged the talents of the Disney Creative Studio to design transformational experiences for corporate and association clients from as small as 10 guests to over 10,000 guests.full bio
Ken MalquistCreative Director Disney Meetings & Events, Disney Meetings & Events
Ken’s a creative catalyst who thrives on inspiring innovative ideas and delivering solutions for world-class entertainment, experiences, and events.Ken’s a creative catalyst who thrives on inspiring innovative ideas and delivering solutions for world-class entertainment, experiences, and events. He brings a background in film and television production, as well as live entertainment, along with his years designing and directing immersive events and experiences to Disney Meetings & Events.
As the Creative Director at Disney’s Creative Studio, Ken leads a talented team of show directors, writers, and art directors, fostering a creative culture that permeates all aspects of the division at the Walt Disney World Resort. In addition to his leadership role, Ken serves as a mentor to students, guiding future industry professionals through sessions for the Experience Design and Management Master’s Program at the Marriott School of Business, Brigham Young University. His dedication to innovation and mentorship continues to shape the future of immersive entertainment and event design.full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Scams and deepfakes 2.0: building trust protocols before they break
● Tech enabled futures
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific I
Experience a live voice clone and manipulated video used to fake online interviews, revealing how quickly trust can be distorted.Experience a live voice clone and manipulated video used to fake online interviews, revealing how quickly trust can be distorted. Hear a personal story of a sophisticated scam before connecting it to event risks, including fake RFPs, cloned identities, deepfake communications and payment fraud. Explore how you can decide what, and who, to trust as the industry considers AI ethics.
Learning outcomes:
Identify emotional and AI-driven scams in event workflows, including fake RFPs, cloned identities and fraudulent payments
Spot red flags including urgency, channel changes, false proof, altered media and unusual requests
Create simple trust protocols that protect people, payments, platforms and information without slowing collaborationread more · Original Link ↗
Thomas MauchSenior International Sales Manager, Bella Center Copenhagen
Senior International Sales Manager at Bella Center Copenhagen, with 20+ years’ experience across the global business events industry, including roles at QEII...Senior International Sales Manager at Bella Center Copenhagen, with 20+ years’ experience across the global business events industry, including roles at QEII Centre London, RAI Amsterdam, Marriott, and ICCA. Originally German - South African, I bring a strong international perspective to building partnerships and attracting global events.
Attending IMEX to connect with clients and partners and position Copenhagen as a leading destination for international meetings and congresses.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Most of us arrive at events still carrying the demands of travel, workArriving at an event isn't always the same as being ready to participate fully.Most of us arrive at events still carrying the demands of travel, workArriving at an event isn't always the same as being ready to participate fully.
Through breathwork, gentle movement and focused attention, this guided reset helps you move from travel and task mode into a state of presence, connection and readiness. Leave feeling grounded, energized and prepared to make the most of every conversation and learning opportunity., and life. But arriving isn't the same as being ready to participate fully. This collective reset helps you shift from arrival mode into a state of presence, connection, and openness to learning in just 15 minutes. Through breath, gentle movement, and focused attention, you'll leave feeling grounded yet energized, ready to engage with every conversation, session, and opportunity IMEX has to offer.
Learning outcomes:
Experience an arrival practice that supports attention, participation and connection
Discover science-backed techniques that encourage a more receptive learning state
Gain a framework you can adapt to help attendees arrive with greater focus, energy and intentionread more · Original Link ↗
Megan NolanEvent Energy Facilitator, Vitality Wellness
This year at IMEX join me for: ✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm) ⚡️Reset...This year at IMEX join me for:
✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm)
⚡️Reset The Room: To experience energy & engagement in real time (10/13 @10am at the Inspiration Hub: Wellbeing Wheel 1)
☺️Calm On Command: Give yourself a much needed time out (10/13 at 11:00 am in the Circadian Cove)
😁Neck & Shoulder Reset: Take the weight of the world off your shoulders (10/13 @2pm in the Circadian Cove)
🌬️Deep Breaths For Less Stress: Learn to use breath like to the powerful tool that it is (10/14 @1pm in the Circadian Cove)
🦚Plus some pop up Power Pauses on the floor to prime audiences for the upcoming speakers!full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
First timers: learn how to navigate IMEX with confidence
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific EF
Make the most of your first IMEX America 2026 experience and connect with other first timers.Make the most of your first IMEX America 2026 experience and connect with other first timers. Get practical tips from the IMEX team to help you navigate the show with confidence, then take part in a fun connection experience using guided prompts, movement and intentional conversations.
Learning outcomes:
Leave with new connections, a shared language and a fresh perspective
Use a simple, repeatable framework you can apply in meetings, decisions and high-pressure moments
Build confidence to navigate IMEX America 2026 with greater easeread more · Original Link ↗
Doris JunglingRelationship Manager, IMEX Group
Kelly MaguireIMEX Group
Andrea ParkerKeynote Speaker, Andrea Parker Coaching
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Why leadership mental health is a strategic imperative
● Health and well-being
📍 North Convention Center, Tradewinds E
Gain insight into the silent crisis of leadership mental health and why it’s a growing business risk. Explore how workplace norms that dehumanize leaders fuel burnout and impact organizational performance.Gain insight into the silent crisis of leadership mental health and why it’s a growing business risk. Explore how workplace norms that dehumanize leaders fuel burnout and impact organizational performance. Learn how to make leadership mental health a non-negotiable priority and support long-term success.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why leadership mental health is a critical business priority
Construct leadership mental health upskilling programs
Create sustainable leadership mental health structures
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 0.50 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Melissa Doman, MAOrgal Psychologist, Author, & Founder, The Workplace Mental Health Method™
Anca Platon TrifanAI-Native CEO | Speaker, Tree-Fan Events Productions LLC
Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit...Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit Mindful Mavens, and Founder of Women BTS in Events (tech + prod). Recognized as a trailblazer, Anca has received numerous accolades: 2024 Best of the Stage: Smart Speaker Award, 2024 #empowerHERaccess Finalist Award in the B2B Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year Category, 2023 Smart Woman in Meetings and Catalyst Quantum Leap Award by Smart Meetings, 2022’s “40 under 40” by BizBash+Connect Meetings, and the 2021 #womentowatch award by Meetings Today.
Under her leadership, Tree-Fan Events is pioneering the #FIT4Events framework, integrating Futuristic AV Production, Innovative AI Technology, Thriving Audiences, and Empowered Teams to transform event experiences. Anca’s commitment to merging event production with wellness and technology has set new industry standards. Additionally, Anca has excelled in the fitness world, claiming the 2023 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Wellness Masters and the 2022 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Bikini Competitor. Her multifaceted career showcases her dedication to innovation, wellness, and empowering women in tech and production.
https://treefanevents.com/about-anca-platon-trifan/full bio
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 4:20 PM - 7:30 PM
IMEX Lip Smacking Tour (Arts District)
● Activities
Room not listed on conference website
Exclusive to IMEX attendees, this guided food tour showcases the creative energy of Las Vegas' Arts District. Enjoy signature dishes at three standout restaurants while exploring colorful murals, public art and local culture along the way.Exclusive to IMEX attendees, this guided food tour showcases the creative energy of Las Vegas' Arts District. Enjoy signature dishes at three standout restaurants while exploring colorful murals, public art and local culture along the way.
Connect with industry peers in a relaxed setting, with food and drinks served directly to your table so you can focus on conversation, networking and discovery.
Limited to the first 50 reservations. Price: $150 per person including guide, 12 signature dishes, shuttle pickup from Mandalay Bay and gratuities.
Optional beverage package: $60 per person. Includes one pre-selected signature cocktail at three stops. We highly recommend purchasing the beverage package in advance, so your drink is ready on arrival, helping you avoid potential wait. To keep the experience running smoothly, individual beverage orders aren’t permitted for groups of more than 15 guests.
Complimentary transportation:
Shuttle departs promptly at 4:20pm outside the Mandalay Bay Convention by Shark Reef Aquarium shuttle pick up area. Transportation Sponsored by Canyon Coach Lines.
Arriving independently?
Time: 4:45pm sharp
Location: Esther's Kitchen restaurant. 1131 S. Main St. Las Vegas, NV 89104. Your guide will be wearing a Lip Smacking Foodie Tours shirt.
Book your place: https://lipsmackingfoodietours.rezdy.com/772281/imex-lip-smacking-tour-arts-district-10-12-26read more · Original Link ↗
Exclusive to IMEX attendees, this guided evening food tour takes you to some of the city's most sought-after restaurants. Enjoy VIP seating and signature dishes at each stop.Exclusive to IMEX attendees, this guided evening food tour takes you to some of the city's most sought-after restaurants. Enjoy VIP seating and signature dishes at each stop.
Between restaurants, hear insider stories about Las Vegas while connecting with fellow industry professionals. At every venue, you'll be seated with different IMEX contacts, creating opportunities to network in a relaxed setting.
Limited to the first 50 reservations. Price: $150 per person including guide, 12 signature dishes, shuttle pickup from Mandalay Bay and gratuities.
Optional beverage package: $60 per person. Includes one pre-selected signature cocktail at three stops. We highly recommend purchasing the beverage package in advance, so your drink is ready on arrival, helping you avoid potential wait. To keep the experience running smoothly, individual beverage orders aren’t permitted for groups of more than 15 guests.
Complimentary transportation:
Shuttle departs promptly at 4:30pm outside the Mandalay Bay Convention by Shark Reef Aquarium shuttle pick up area. Transportation Sponsored by Canyon Coach Lines.
Arriving independently?
Promptly at 4:45pm alongside “The Globe” inside Resorts World, an LED video globe measuring 50 feet in diameter and 40 feet high. PHOTO Your tour guide will be wearing a Lip Smacking Foodie Tours shirt.
Book your place: https://lipsmackingfoodietours.rezdy.com/772278/imex-lip-smacking-tour-strip-10-12-26read more · Original Link ↗
Registration and payment required: https://web.cvent.com/event/83ff9c6c-fa3d-4cc4-ab5a-94f60bfb5f02/summary Join leaders from across the global business events community for a celebration to welcome the newest members of the Hall of Leaders and honor the recipients of the Global Awards, recognizing exceptional leadership, innovation and...Registration and payment required: https://web.cvent.com/event/83ff9c6c-fa3d-4cc4-ab5a-94f60bfb5f02/summary
Join leaders from across the global business events community for a celebration to welcome the newest members of the Hall of Leaders and honor the recipients of the Global Awards, recognizing exceptional leadership, innovation and impact across the industry.
The evening includes a reception, sit-down dinner and entertainment, with a portion of the proceeds supporting the EIC Foundation.read more · Original Link ↗
☆
Mon Oct 12 · 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Go! Running Tours brisk walking tour
● Activities
Room not listed on conference website
Explore Las Vegas on foot with Go! Running Tours on a 3K brisk walking tour along the Strip. Take in iconic views, connect with others and enjoy an active way to experience the city between sessions.
Sign up here: https://gorunningtours.com/imex-las-vegas-2026/ · Original Link ↗
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Join a tour to Altair Sky Lounge, Universal Horror Unleashed, Museum of Ice Cream, House Rules and more, with food, drinks and activities throughout the evening.
Pre-booking essential
Book here · Original Link ↗
Join the global incentive travel community for an evening of networking, industry celebration and memorable experiences in Las Vegas.
Registration and payment required. Please click here. · Original Link ↗
Prioritize your well-being throughout IMEX America while taking part in friendly individual and team competition. Connect with peers, track your progress and discover opportunities to support healthy habits during the show.
Learn more and join the challenge at hekahealth.com/imexamerica26. · Original Link ↗
Explore Las Vegas on foot with Go! Running Tours on a 3K brisk walking tour along the Strip. Take in iconic views, connect with others and enjoy an active way to experience the city between sessions.
Sign up here: https://gorunningtours.com/imex-las-vegas-2026/ · Original Link ↗
Christian meeting professionals fourth annual hospitality breakfast
● Activities
📍 South Convention Center, Lagoon DEJK, 2nd floor
Kick off your IMEX experience with fellow Christians from the meetings and incentives industry. Enjoy a breakfast buffet while listening to an inspirational Christian message from Horst Schulze, one of the founding members of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.Kick off your IMEX experience with fellow Christians from the meetings and incentives industry. Enjoy a breakfast buffet while listening to an inspirational Christian message from Horst Schulze, one of the founding members of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Register here: https://thecmps.com/read more · Original Link ↗
Kemmons Wilson, JrHotelier and Investor, Kemmons Wilson Companies
Navigate IMEX with clearer purpose, not by chance. Gain a practical framework to focus your attention, make intentional decisions and get more value from every conversation, session and opportunity.Navigate IMEX with clearer purpose, not by chance. Gain a practical framework to focus your attention, make intentional decisions and get more value from every conversation, session and opportunity.
Learning outcomes:
Apply strategies to maximize opportunities
Discover how focused attention improves decision making
Create a plan for intentional engagementread more · Original Link ↗
Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it.Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it. She is a TED speaker with over 1.9 million views, founder of Legacy Mindset, and an internationally recognized authority in cognitive performance. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Garza has trained over 15,000 high-stakes professionals - from special forces and senior military leaders to Olympic athletes and Fortune 500 executives. Known for her immersive, scenario-based approach, she equips people to master mental readiness, emotional agility, and peak performance under pressure.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Brain performance lab
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience a physician-led brain performance assessment and discover how cognitive function, stress resilience, focus and recovery influence overall performance. Gain practical insight into strategies that can help support brain health and mental resilience.Experience a physician-led brain performance assessment and discover how cognitive function, stress resilience, focus and recovery influence overall performance. Gain practical insight into strategies that can help support brain health and mental resilience.
Learning outcomes:
Discover factors that influence cognitive performance
Understand how brain assessments can support well-being
Explore strategies to improve focus and resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Sat RandhawaOlympian Meeting
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Event Leadership Strategist Certificate
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, Tropics AB
Strengthen your leadership approach through greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence and intentional decision-making. Explore practical strategies for leading teams, clients and stakeholders more effectively in high-pressure event environments.Strengthen your leadership approach through greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence and intentional decision-making. Explore practical strategies for leading teams, clients and stakeholders more effectively in high-pressure event environments.
Registration required: https://meetingprofessionals.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3xhDPgWpNnJgTLU
Learning outcomes:
Define conscious leadership and emotional intelligence in events
Assess personal responses and leadership behaviors under pressure
Apply conscious leadership strategies to complex event challengesread more · Original Link ↗
Devon PashaEmcee and CEO, DMP Creative
Caitlin HawekotteCareer & Leadership Development Coach, MPI Speaker
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
InBody body composition lab
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover what your body composition reveals beyond the number on the scale. Explore how muscle mass, body fat, hydration and cellular health can provide insight into healthy aging, fitness and personalized wellness planning.Discover what your body composition reveals beyond the number on the scale. Explore how muscle mass, body fat, hydration and cellular health can provide insight into healthy aging, fitness and personalized wellness planning.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why body composition matters
Discover key indicators of healthy aging
Apply body composition insights to wellnessread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Metabolic performance lab
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how your body produces energy, uses oxygen, burns fat and responds to exercise. Explore how metabolic testing can provide personalized insights to help improve performance, recovery and long-term health.Discover how your body produces energy, uses oxygen, burns fat and responds to exercise. Explore how metabolic testing can provide personalized insights to help improve performance, recovery and long-term health.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how metabolism influences performance
Understand the value of metabolic testing
Apply metabolic insights to optimize recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 8:00 AM - 3:45 PM
The science of slime
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Explore the science behind slime and discover how tactile experiences can positively influence the brain. Learn how sensory play can support attention, reduce cognitive overload, encourage creativity and help create moments of calm in busy event environments.Explore the science behind slime and discover how tactile experiences can positively influence the brain. Learn how sensory play can support attention, reduce cognitive overload, encourage creativity and help create moments of calm in busy event environments.
Learning outcomes:
Define the connection between touch and brain function
Discover how sensory play supports creativity and focus
Apply sensory strategies to manage cognitive overloadread more · Original Link ↗
Jason VelezDir of Sales & Customer Service, Sloomoo
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Create your ideal IMEX: a guided visualization experience
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Start IMEX with clarity, confidence and purpose. Through guided relaxation, visualization and mindful reflection, strengthen your focus, align your actions with your goals and prepare to make the most of every opportunity.Start IMEX with clarity, confidence and purpose. Through guided relaxation, visualization and mindful reflection, strengthen your focus, align your actions with your goals and prepare to make the most of every opportunity.
Learning outcomes:
Apply body scan techniques to increase present-moment awareness
Visualize a successful IMEX experience aligned with your goals
Prepare to navigate the event with confidence and intentionread more · Original Link ↗
Carla CallawayVP, Global Talent and Culture, HPN Global
As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional...As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional hospitality professionals and building the next generation of HPN Global associates as the company continues its intentional global growth. She is also the Founder of Convergence with Carla; which combines sound healing, EFT, and clinical hypnosis techniques and focuses on subconscious reprogramming and nervous system integration to help individuals live their most aligned lives. She has also brought these techniques to the Hospitality Industry, helping Meeting and Event Planners encourage more mindfulness, presence and intention to their events.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
MPI keynote: The winner's mindset
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific EF
Adopt a proactive approach to business when the market feels uncertain. Explore how a growth mindset can help you, your organization and your team adapt to challenges, uncover opportunities and keep moving forward.Adopt a proactive approach to business when the market feels uncertain. Explore how a growth mindset can help you, your organization and your team adapt to challenges, uncover opportunities and keep moving forward.
Discover practical ways to complement effective design with business practices that encourage ownership, innovation and momentum, even when conditions are challenging.
Learning outcomes:
Navigate change and uncertainty with greater confidence
Build a team that takes ownership and pride in delivering proactive solutions
Curate a culture that replaces fear with innovation and momentum
* CMP/CEU Approved: Domain F: Talent Management, 1.0 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Shawn HarperCorporate Keynote Speaker Author, Bridgebuilders International
Agentic AI in events: what's here, what's next and how to prepare
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Explore how agentic AI is already supporting chatbots, registration, marketing, learning and facial-recognition check-in. Understand where the technology is heading and how clean data, secure systems and human oversight can help you prepare before giving AI agents greater responsibility.Explore how agentic AI is already supporting chatbots, registration, marketing, learning and facial-recognition check-in. Understand where the technology is heading and how clean data, secure systems and human oversight can help you prepare before giving AI agents greater responsibility. Discover how AI can handle routine tasks while keeping human connection at the heart of your events.
Learning outcomes:
Identify where agentic AI is already reshaping event management
Assess the data quality and system security your team needs
Apply a human-oversight approach that keeps relationship building centralread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 9:30 AM - 9:55 AM
First timers: Top 10 practical tips for confident, easy event networking
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Build confidence and feel more comfortable in networking environments. Discover practical techniques that help you connect with others in a way that feels authentic, overcome common barriers and make the most of every networking opportunity.Build confidence and feel more comfortable in networking environments. Discover practical techniques that help you connect with others in a way that feels authentic, overcome common barriers and make the most of every networking opportunity.
Learning outcomes:
Become a more confident and effective representative in networking situations
Overcome real or perceived barriers to networking success
Apply practical networking techniques while staying true to your natural style
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Nick BramleyClient Relationship Dir, World Wide Group
As Client Relationship Director at a truly Global Live Event Production & Streaming Company, I am always seeking collaboration opportunities with potential...As Client Relationship Director at a truly Global Live Event Production & Streaming Company, I am always seeking collaboration opportunities with potential suppliers and partners such as Event Planners, Event Managers, Other Event Production Companies, DMC's, Internal Comms & External Comms Professionals, Technical Teams and "different or unusual" corporate event venues requiring specialist in-room technical production delivery beyond the normal capability.
I have a genuine interest in, and passion for sharing - believing the mantra that "together we are stronger", allows us to build key partnerships of genuine mutual benefit and advantage.
I am attending IMEX for the first time with a definite plan to open new doors to new partnerships and relationships, and we have a global black book that we are often happy to share too.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 9:30 AM - 9:50 AM
Glow strong: three secrets to skin-powered immune resilience
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how healthy skin can help support your whole body. Explore three science-backed strategies to strengthen the skin barrier, reduce inflammation and support immune resilience through targeted skincare, nutrition and daily habits.Discover how healthy skin can help support your whole body. Explore three science-backed strategies to strengthen the skin barrier, reduce inflammation and support immune resilience through targeted skincare, nutrition and daily habits.
Learning outcomes:
Discover three ways to strengthen skin’s immune defenses
Explore habits that reduce inflammation and stress
Apply topical products that build resilient, healthy skinread more · Original Link ↗
Celeste HillingCEO, Skin Authority
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Opening ritual: find your profile
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Pull one of six Tech Event Prof archetype cards at the door, from the Shiny Object Chaser to the Burnt Match. Pick up your matching sticker, find people with the same profile and use the conversation prompts to start connecting.Pull one of six Tech Event Prof archetype cards at the door, from the Shiny Object Chaser to the Burnt Match. Pick up your matching sticker, find people with the same profile and use the conversation prompts to start connecting. There are no tables or assigned seats, so you can get involved straight away.
Learning outcomes:
Discover your Tech Event Prof archetyperead more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Build Lab
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Build Lab, B4686
Got something you've been wanting to build? Build it at IMEX. Bring an idea from your head, your Notes app or a half-finished doc. It could be an app, website, dashboard, workflow, presentation, tool or something completely unexpected.Got something you've been wanting to build? Build it at IMEX.
Bring an idea from your head, your Notes app or a half-finished doc. It could be an app, website, dashboard, workflow, presentation, tool or something completely unexpected.
The Build Lab is a hands-on space where event profs can turn ideas into reality. No coding experience required. No perfect plan needed.
Build your own project, solve a challenge, collaborate with others or help bring someone else's idea to life. Build coaches will be on hand to help you get started, choose the right tools and keep moving.read more · Original Link ↗
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 9:55 AM - 10:20 AM
Sell without selling: live vote
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Watch three exhibitors deliver a three-minute pitch, then vote for the one that connects best with the audience. If you’re working on a booth, discover what captures buyers’ attention and what misses the mark.Watch three exhibitors deliver a three-minute pitch, then vote for the one that connects best with the audience. If you’re working on a booth, discover what captures buyers’ attention and what misses the mark. If you’re an organizer, explore how you can help sponsors and exhibitors sell more effectively without relying on a hard sell.
Learning outcomes:
Identify what connects with buyers
Apply practical techniques to improve your booth pitchread more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
AI and I: Innovating with intelligent audience engagement
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Explore the latest audience engagement tech with Nick and look at what’s coming next. Discover how AI can amplify human understanding, personalize experiences and turn audience data into clearer, more meaningful engagement.Explore the latest audience engagement tech with Nick and look at what’s coming next. Discover how AI can amplify human understanding, personalize experiences and turn audience data into clearer, more meaningful engagement.
Learning outcomes:
Use AI to amplify human understanding, not replace it
Explore how personalization can shape audience experiences around individual needs
Turn audience data into practical insights that create meaningful engagement
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Nick FaganCreative Technologist, DRPG
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Glow break
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Drop in for a guided skin recovery experience designed to ease the effects of travel fatigue, environmental stress and digital overload. Discover simple wellness practices that support skin resilience and help you recharge during a busy show day.Drop in for a guided skin recovery experience designed to ease the effects of travel fatigue, environmental stress and digital overload. Discover simple wellness practices that support skin resilience and help you recharge during a busy show day.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how stress impacts skin health and recovery
Learn simple wellness practices that support skin resilience
Experience a restorative wellness activation suitable for eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Celeste HillingCEO, Skin Authority
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Reset the room: restore energy and boost engagement in real time
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Experience how simple, science-backed techniques can reduce fatigue, sharpen focus and improve presence. Identify energy gaps in your agenda and apply practical resets you can use immediately - no equipment needed.Experience how simple, science-backed techniques can reduce fatigue, sharpen focus and improve presence. Identify energy gaps in your agenda and apply practical resets you can use immediately - no equipment needed.
Learning outcomes:
Experience how small resets improve focus and mental clarity
Identify energy drop-off points in event agendas
Apply simple techniques to re-energize audiences in real time
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Megan NolanEvent Energy Facilitator, Vitality Wellness
This year at IMEX join me for: ✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm) ⚡️Reset...This year at IMEX join me for:
✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm)
⚡️Reset The Room: To experience energy & engagement in real time (10/13 @10am at the Inspiration Hub: Wellbeing Wheel 1)
☺️Calm On Command: Give yourself a much needed time out (10/13 at 11:00 am in the Circadian Cove)
😁Neck & Shoulder Reset: Take the weight of the world off your shoulders (10/13 @2pm in the Circadian Cove)
🌬️Deep Breaths For Less Stress: Learn to use breath like to the powerful tool that it is (10/14 @1pm in the Circadian Cove)
🦚Plus some pop up Power Pauses on the floor to prime audiences for the upcoming speakers!full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:00 AM - 10:20 AM
The art of getting over yourself: belonging hacks for the modern world
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover practical ways to build belonging through play, presence and connection. Explore simple techniques that help you move beyond autopilot, deepen relationships and create stronger links between self-care and community care.Discover practical ways to build belonging through play, presence and connection. Explore simple techniques that help you move beyond autopilot, deepen relationships and create stronger links between self-care and community care.
Learning outcomes:
Define belonging as a skill you build, not a feeling you find
Apply playful and embodied tools that support connection and presence
Explore ways to bridge self-care and community care in meetings and eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Eli WalkerSpeaker, Belonging Designer & Founder, The Uplift Center
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Unhide and thrive: what are we hiding and what is it costing us?
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Explore how hiding parts of ourselves at work can affect trust, connection and performance. Draw on research and lived experience to understand why employees often focus on managing perceptions rather than contributing at their full potential.Explore how hiding parts of ourselves at work can affect trust, connection and performance. Draw on research and lived experience to understand why employees often focus on managing perceptions rather than contributing at their full potential.
Gain a practical framework for recognizing where hiding occurs and take away one action you can implement immediately to encourage greater belonging and openness.
This session is brought to you by Damon Brooks & Associates
Learning outcomes:
Recognize common forms of hiding at work
Understand how hiding affects trust and performance
Apply a practical first step toward greater opennessread more · Original Link ↗
Ruth RathblottUNHIDING
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Who owns mega event legacy? A cross-sector conversation
● Impact
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Mega events leave lasting impacts, but who is responsible for what comes next? Explore how destinations, organizers, venues, communities and industry partners can share responsibility for an event’s legacy, turning short-term moments into lasting social, economic and community value.Mega events leave lasting impacts, but who is responsible for what comes next? Explore how destinations, organizers, venues, communities and industry partners can share responsibility for an event’s legacy, turning short-term moments into lasting social, economic and community value.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how different sectors can share responsibility for creating and sustaining a meaningful mega event legacy
Identify opportunities to unite organizers, destinations, venues, communities and partners around long-term outcomes
Apply cross-sector perspectives to strengthen the social, economic and community impact of future eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Sharifa WilkinsonAssistant Teaching Professor & Dir of Event Management Education, Florida International University
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
What PCMA Outlook 2026 means for corporate and association planners
● Trends and research
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Explore findings from the PCMA Outlook 2026 research with MCI and discover how planners are responding to volatility, readiness gaps, changing event formats and measurement challenges.Explore findings from the PCMA Outlook 2026 research with MCI and discover how planners are responding to volatility, readiness gaps, changing event formats and measurement challenges. Use the plan, design, grow and lead smarter framework to identify practical actions for your events.
Learning outcomes:
Identify readiness gaps affecting corporate and association planners
Apply the plan, design, grow and lead smarter framework
Use four guiding questions to support team decisionsread more · Original Link ↗
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:10 AM - 10:55 AM
AMEX 2027 Global Meetings & Events Forecast
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore the trends shaping meetings and events in 2027. Gain insight into changing attendee expectations, emerging business priorities and the strategies organizations are using to build resilience and create greater value.Explore the trends shaping meetings and events in 2027. Gain insight into changing attendee expectations, emerging business priorities and the strategies organizations are using to build resilience and create greater value.
Learning outcomes:
Identify key trends shaping meetings and events in 2027
Explore changing attendee expectations and drivers of event success
Examine strategies for resilient and future-focused meetings programs
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Paul McDonnoughSenior Strategic Account Manager, Operations and Client Management, American Express Global Business Travel
Tammy MorganVP, Sales and Account Management, Strategic Meetings, American Express Global Business Travel
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:10 AM - 10:35 AM
Beyond tomorrow: thriving in the workplace of the future
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Technology is advancing rapidly, client expectations are evolving and workplace norms continue to shift. Gain practical strategies to navigate change, challenge outdated assumptions and build the confidence, resilience and adaptability needed to thrive in the workplace of the future.Technology is advancing rapidly, client expectations are evolving and workplace norms continue to shift. Gain practical strategies to navigate change, challenge outdated assumptions and build the confidence, resilience and adaptability needed to thrive in the workplace of the future.
Learning outcomes:
Examine today's evolving workplace and its impact on teamwork and collaboration
Use strategies and resources to navigate the workplace of tomorrow
Build resilience techniques to manage change more effectively
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Summer JelinekThe Brain Capital Institute
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Accessibility Is hospitality: the joy of designing events where everyone belongs
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Reframe accessibility as an essential part of hospitality and event design. Explore how planning for accessibility from the beginning can create more comfortable, inclusive and enjoyable experiences for everyone.Reframe accessibility as an essential part of hospitality and event design. Explore how planning for accessibility from the beginning can create more comfortable, inclusive and enjoyable experiences for everyone.
Examine the attendee journey from registration to celebration, and discover how thoughtful design can increase choice, independence, participation and connection without limiting creativity.
This session is brought to you by Damon Brooks & Associates
Learning outcomes:
Differentiate accessibility, accommodations and compliance requirements
Assess attendee journeys through an inclusive design lens
Apply accessibility principles to event planning decisionsread more · Original Link ↗
Lori BeckerCEO, Starkloff Disability Institute
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Brain break: stress and focus reset
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Start your day with greater clarity and focus. Combine breathing techniques, gentle movement and simple brain exercises to release stress, sharpen attention and support nervous system regulation. Leave with practical tools you can use throughout IMEX and beyond.Start your day with greater clarity and focus. Combine breathing techniques, gentle movement and simple brain exercises to release stress, sharpen attention and support nervous system regulation. Leave with practical tools you can use throughout IMEX and beyond.
Learning outcomes:
Apply a breathing technique that helps calm the nervous system
Discover how short movement breaks can restore attention and mental clarity
Practice a quick stress-release exercise you can use between meetings and sessionsread more · Original Link ↗
Dami KimExecutive Dir, Body & Brain Wellness
Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.
A keynote speaker for the meetings and events industry, Kim leads a national team of 200 experts across 18 major U.S. cities, delivering immersive wellness activations - including Brain Breaks, Energy Decoder Wellness Assessments, Stress-Reset sessions, and leadership programs - at events and in workplaces for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kestra, Assa Abloy, Caesars Entertainment, and SITE.
Recognized as a 2024 Trendsetter on Innovation by Meetings Today, Kim designs programs that deliver measurable impact - helping organizations transform stress into resilience, disengagement into connection, and cost into return on wellness.
With more than 27 years' experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, associations, and hospitality leaders to integrate wellness into conferences, incentive trips, and corporate gatherings.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:30 AM - 10:55 AM
What the $900 billion wellness tourism economy means for meetings and events
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Explore how changing expectations around health, recovery, food, movement and connection are influencing meetings and events. Examine the growing impact of wellness tourism and what it means for attendee experience design.Explore how changing expectations around health, recovery, food, movement and connection are influencing meetings and events. Examine the growing impact of wellness tourism and what it means for attendee experience design.
Move beyond standalone wellness activities and discover how intentional, evidence-informed wellness strategies can support learning, engagement and attendee value.
Learning outcomes:
Identify wellness trends influencing attendee expectations
Differentiate wellness activities from wellness strategy
Apply wellness principles to event design decisions
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Lisa StarrWynne Business
David T Stevens WITT-APWellness Architect, Olympian Meeting
David T.David T. Stevens is the Co-Founder of Olympian Meeting, helping organizations design meetings, incentives, and retreats that use wellness as a strategy for human performance, engagement, and measurable impact. He serves as Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Meetings & Events Initiative, is President of PCMA Northern California, and is a founding member of the WITT Standards Advisory Committee. David is also a certified WITT Wellness Specialist, Harvard Medical School lifestyle medicine and wellness coach, Delos-certified wellness for meetings professional, and host of Return on Wellness.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
Defibrillate your life to reinvigorate your career
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Gain practical strategies to stay effective during high-pressure periods. Explore self-awareness, emotional intelligence and leadership techniques that help you maintain focus, build resilience, and support long-term performance without sacrificing well-being.Gain practical strategies to stay effective during high-pressure periods. Explore self-awareness, emotional intelligence and leadership techniques that help you maintain focus, build resilience, and support long-term performance without sacrificing well-being.
Learning outcomes:
Develop the self-awareness needed to navigate high-pressure periods effectively
Prioritize high-impact activities without burning out
Maintain productivity and resilience while leading with intention
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Vanessa ZamyPresident, LiberationX Solutions
LiberationX Contracts addresses the pervasive issue of employee burnout and disengagement in today's demanding work environments.LiberationX Contracts addresses the pervasive issue of employee burnout and disengagement in today's demanding work environments. This problem leads to decreased productivity, strained workplace relationships, and high turnover rates, ultimately impacting organizations' financial results. Some of our most asked for services include Leadership Retreats, Executive Coaching, and Wellness Experiences. Our services are designed to reverse these negative trends and create a more harmonious and productive workplace culture.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
A spectrum of strengths: unlock neurodivergent potential
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Unlock the potential of neurodivergent employees. Explore how different ways of thinking and working can strengthen teams, improve outcomes and enhance workplace culture. Learn practical approaches to support and amplify neurodivergent strengths across your organization.Unlock the potential of neurodivergent employees. Explore how different ways of thinking and working can strengthen teams, improve outcomes and enhance workplace culture. Learn practical approaches to support and amplify neurodivergent strengths across your organization.
Learning outcomes:
Differentiate between neurodivergent and neurotypical needs and behaviors
Design more inclusive and accessible workplace practices
Identify and remove barriers to engagement and performance
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25read more · Original Link ↗
Matthew ZakreskiClinical Psychologist, The Neurodiversity Collective
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
Sales redefined: dominate, differentiate, deliver
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Strengthen your sales approach in uncertain markets by focusing on trust, relevance and consistency. Explore how to establish credibility, stand out from competitors and create stronger client relationships.Strengthen your sales approach in uncertain markets by focusing on trust, relevance and consistency. Explore how to establish credibility, stand out from competitors and create stronger client relationships.
Discover practical strategies that help convert uncertainty into opportunity and long-term competitive advantage.
Learning outcomes:
Position yourself as a trusted market resource
Differentiate your offering in competitive markets
Strengthen relationships and create new opportunitiesread more · Original Link ↗
Meridith Elliott PowellHall of Fame Speaker, MotionFirst
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
You get the proposals you request: what to ask before writing the RFP
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
It's simple, better questions can lead to stronger, more relevant proposals. Use a four-question framework inspired by consultative selling to clarify stakeholder needs, define your event’s purpose and strengthen your RFP before it reaches suppliers.It's simple, better questions can lead to stronger, more relevant proposals. Use a four-question framework inspired by consultative selling to clarify stakeholder needs, define your event’s purpose and strengthen your RFP before it reaches suppliers.
Learning outcomes:
Identify four questions to ask stakeholders before writing an RFP
Draft a clear statement of purpose for your next RFP
Apply a practical framework to your next sourcing projectread more · Original Link ↗
Tammy MooreVP, Learning & Professional Development, PCMA
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 10:50 AM - 11:20 AM
Swipe right: the event tech dating game
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Hear tech companies answer the questions planners actually ask, rather than repeat what’s on the sales deck. If you work on a booth, discover what buyers want to know. If you’re a planner, hear direct answers to challenging questions.Hear tech companies answer the questions planners actually ask, rather than repeat what’s on the sales deck. If you work on a booth, discover what buyers want to know. If you’re a planner, hear direct answers to challenging questions. The audience decides which companies make a strong connection, round by round.
Learning outcomes:
Hear the questions planners ask tech companies
Identify the elements of a strong pitch
Develop more effective questions for tech suppliersread more · Original Link ↗
Vinnu DeshettySpeaker/Instructor, Event ROI Coach
Max GabrielMARKUS AI
After spending over a decade at Informa, we started Markus AI in 2024 to help organizers super charge their events using AI...After spending over a decade at Informa, we started Markus AI in 2024 to help organizers super charge their events using AI Agents.full bio
Cecilia LavinEnterprise Account Executive, Voxo AI
With 20 years' experience in the global events industry, Cecilia has worked across venues, catering and event production, and ran her own...With 20 years' experience in the global events industry, Cecilia has worked across venues, catering and event production, and ran her own events consultancy, before moving into event technology in 2020. She is now the Enterprise Account Executive at Voxo, a Swedish based company using AI to turn conference and events content into real-time summaries, insights and reports, helping organizers extend the reach and lifespan of their content. Her varied experience across sectors and markets gives her a solid foundation for helping clients deliver innovative, creative and efficient events on a global scale.full bio
Johnny MartinezHead of Events and Partnerships, CrowdComms
Johnny is the Head of Events Partnerships at CrowdComms and has an impressive 14-year track record in events and technology.Johnny is the Head of Events Partnerships at CrowdComms and has an impressive 14-year track record in events and technology. His journey began as an Events Coordinator at the Global Poverty Project, followed by a stint as Partnerships Coordinator at One Young World. Johnny's expertise extends to prominent contributions in event publications like Exhibition News, Conference News and Convene Magazine.
Additionally, he adeptly moderates diverse discussions on social media on behalf of numerous organisations. Notably, he has served as EventWell's Business Development Manager and as part of the Board of Trustees.
Johnny became Chair of the Event Industry Council's APEX Commission in 2024 after volunteering with the organisation since 2020. Johnny contributed to the creation of the EIC’s Digital and Hybrid Events Guidebook as well as the Technology Section in the CMP exam.
Recognised for his talent and impact, Johnny earned a spot in the prestigious PCMA '20 in Their Twenties' class and the EN '30 Under Thirty' class in 2017.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Learn practical breathing and movement techniques that can help regulate stress, improve focus and build composure throughout the day. Leave with simple tools you can use in high-pressure situations at work, while traveling or during events.Learn practical breathing and movement techniques that can help regulate stress, improve focus and build composure throughout the day. Leave with simple tools you can use in high-pressure situations at work, while traveling or during events.
Learning outcomes:
Practice evidence-informed stress management techniques
Learn portable tools for nervous system regulation
Improve focus during high-pressure situationsread more · Original Link ↗
Megan NolanEvent Energy Facilitator, Vitality Wellness
This year at IMEX join me for: ✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm) ⚡️Reset...This year at IMEX join me for:
✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm)
⚡️Reset The Room: To experience energy & engagement in real time (10/13 @10am at the Inspiration Hub: Wellbeing Wheel 1)
☺️Calm On Command: Give yourself a much needed time out (10/13 at 11:00 am in the Circadian Cove)
😁Neck & Shoulder Reset: Take the weight of the world off your shoulders (10/13 @2pm in the Circadian Cove)
🌬️Deep Breaths For Less Stress: Learn to use breath like to the powerful tool that it is (10/14 @1pm in the Circadian Cove)
🦚Plus some pop up Power Pauses on the floor to prime audiences for the upcoming speakers!full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
CMM: get your seat at the table
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Strategic influence doesn’t happen by accident. The Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) helps meeting professionals develop from event delivery specialists into business leaders.Strategic influence doesn’t happen by accident. The Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) helps meeting professionals develop from event delivery specialists into business leaders. Hear from CMM graduates and industry leaders about how the program builds strategic thinking, executive presence and business knowledge, helping you contribute at a more influential level in your organization.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the leadership and business skills developed through the CMM program
Recognize how strategic thinking can elevate the role of meeting professionals in their organizations
Evaluate whether CMM aligns with your leadership and career goalsread more · Original Link ↗
Lori PughMeeting Professionals International
Lori Pugh has 20 years of experience in the meetings and events industry on both the planner and supplier sides of the...Lori Pugh has 20 years of experience in the meetings and events industry on both the planner and supplier sides of the business. Lori is the Vice President of the MPI Academy for Meeting Professionals International, where she leads and advances MPI’s professional development strategy, developing and managing MPI’s portfolio of education including live and digital events, knowledge experiences, professional certificate programs and educational partnerships. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science focused in Advertising from the University of North Florida and a Master’s Degree in Meeting and Event Management from San Diego State University. Lori was honored as one of Eventex's 2022 Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry, MeetingsNet’s 2021 Changemakers and Meetings and Conventions Magazine’s 22 Millennials to Watch in 2016.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Experience the future of body optimization
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Explore physician-led performance technologies designed to support recovery, cognitive function, muscle health and overall well-being. Discover how emerging wellness technologies are shaping approaches to preventive health and performance.Explore physician-led performance technologies designed to support recovery, cognitive function, muscle health and overall well-being. Discover how emerging wellness technologies are shaping approaches to preventive health and performance.
Learning outcomes:
Discover innovative performance technologies
Understand the role technology can play in preventive health
Explore tools that support human performance and recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:00 AM - 11:25 AM
Multi-sensory immersion experience
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience a guided sensory wellness journey that combines binaural audio and aromatherapy. Explore how sound and scent can influence stress levels, support relaxation and understand the potential of immersive wellness design in events.Experience a guided sensory wellness journey that combines binaural audio and aromatherapy. Explore how sound and scent can influence stress levels, support relaxation and understand the potential of immersive wellness design in events.
Learning outcomes:
Understand multisensory approaches to well-being
Explore how sound and scent influence stress levels
Experience immersive wellness design in practiceread more · Original Link ↗
Kristine IversonCEO, CROW Practice
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Nervous system reset lounge
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how regulating the nervous system can support stress reduction, mental clarity, recovery and resilience. Explore practical approaches that may help improve well-being and support sustainable performance in demanding environments.Discover how regulating the nervous system can support stress reduction, mental clarity, recovery and resilience. Explore practical approaches that may help improve well-being and support sustainable performance in demanding environments.
Learning outcomes:
Understand nervous system regulation
Discover techniques that reduce stress
Explore recovery strategies that support resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Ashley RodriguezCo - Founder Carbon World Health, Carbon World Health
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Trust in comms: How events will win
● Impact
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
In a world of increasing digital noise and growing concerns about trust, face-to-face experiences offer a powerful way to build credibility and connection.In a world of increasing digital noise and growing concerns about trust, face-to-face experiences offer a powerful way to build credibility and connection. Explore how live events can strengthen audience trust, demonstrate value and help secure greater investment in event programs.
Learning outcomes:
Explore case studies showing how events have driven measurable business outcomes
Position the value of face-to-face experiences with stakeholders
Demonstrate audience engagement compared with other communication channels
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Evaluation Process, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Matt FranksCEO, DRPG America Inc, DRPG America Inc
Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the...Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the Special Event Company in North Carolina.
With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years, Matt has honed his expertise in live events and communications, working with renowned brands worldwide. Matt leads teams in delivering award-winning live events, pioneering experiential activations, and cutting-edge virtual and hybrid offerings. Providing a fully in-house solution from strategic planning and creative ideation to seamless logistics and flawless production execution, delivered across diverse industry sectors.
Matt's industry influence extends far and wide, earning him prestigious accolades such as inclusion in the Eventex Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry list and recognition as an esteemed member of the Conference & Incentive Travel magazine’s A-List Alumni. His reputation as a respected industry luminary precedes him.
DRPG stands as a beacon of excellence in the global creative communications realm, boasting a fully integrated in-house service solution. With a strategic footprint spanning Cologne, Ireland, the USA, and upcoming expansion plans in the APAC regions by 2025.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
A conversation with the creators of #EventCanvas
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
oin the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for an interactive conversation about designing for change. Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners.oin the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for an interactive conversation about designing for change.
Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners. Explore how stronger design conversations can help organizations look beyond immediate challenges and focus on lasting outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value by understanding the horizons of change
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:05 AM - 11:35 AM
Connection is the goal: here’s how to get there
● Experiential event design
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Turn connection from an aspiration into an intentional event outcome. Explore how personalization, experience design and purposeful innovation can create more engaging attendee journeys and stronger event impact.Turn connection from an aspiration into an intentional event outcome. Explore how personalization, experience design and purposeful innovation can create more engaging attendee journeys and stronger event impact.
Take away practical ideas for designing conferences, corporate meetings and association events that feel relevant, memorable and human, even as you balance competing priorities, diverse audiences and rising expectations.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how connection supports attendee experience and event success
Use personalization and purposeful innovation to create more relevant attendee journeys without adding unnecessary complexity
Apply a framework for designing events that encourage participation, belonging and long-term engagement
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.50 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Jill HuntVP, Customer Experience & Insights, Encore Global
Jill Hunt is the Vice President, Customer Experience & Insights.Jill Hunt is the Vice President, Customer Experience & Insights. She is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and driving Encores’ enterprise-wide customer experience vision. She oversees the development and execution of customer experience strategies, voice-of-customer programs, and data-driven insights to enhance satisfaction, loyalty, and business performance. Under her guidance, Encore’s proprietary Event Pulse program gathers and analyzes over 30,000 customer surveys annually, providing real-time insights that allow onsite teams to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences aligned with the company’s Service Excellence blueprint.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:05 AM - 11:45 AM
Event design to optimize experience for neurodivergent participants
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
As understanding of neurodiversity grows, event professionals have an opportunity - and a responsibility - to put that knowledge into practice. Unpack how event design and technology can affect people in different ways.As understanding of neurodiversity grows, event professionals have an opportunity - and a responsibility - to put that knowledge into practice.
Unpack how event design and technology can affect people in different ways. Discover how to create more inclusive, accessible and engaging experiences that support a wide range of needs and preferences, helping every participant take part more fully.
Learning outcomes:
Troubleshoot aspects of experiential design and styles that interfere with neurodivergent participants engaging with those services
Examine how experiential design can affect neurodivergent and neurotypical participants differently and how universal design can support a wider range of needs
Revise event technology products to be more neuroinclusive while meeting expectations across neurodiverse participant groups
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Summer JelinekThe Brain Capital Institute
Yush SztalkoperCreator, Human Capacity Design™, Human Capacity Design LLC
Yush Sztalkoper is the creator of Human Capacity Design™, a discipline focused on designing high-demand environments around real human capacity.Yush Sztalkoper is the creator of Human Capacity Design™, a discipline focused on designing high-demand environments around real human capacity.
With 20+ years designing large-scale experiences for Fortune 500 organizations, she helps leaders, event teams, and organizations identify where demand exceeds human capacity and redesign conditions so learning, trust, decision-making, alignment, and business outcomes can actually carry forward.
Her work sits upstream of engagement, adoption, and ROI - making visible the often-missed relationship between demand, capacity, and what people can realistically receive, integrate, and act on under modern conditions.
Speaker at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, MPI WEC, and PCMA Convening Leaders. Recipient of the Smart Women in Meetings Innovator Award and named one of the 2026 Women to Watch.full bio
Matthew ZakreskiClinical Psychologist, The Neurodiversity Collective
Anthony VadeChief Innovation Officer, Strategy Table Pathways
REGISTER FOR THE SMART MONDAY CATALYST LAB TODAY!REGISTER FOR THE SMART MONDAY CATALYST LAB TODAY!
https://signup.zone/signup/a3da74b5-28e1-46c1-bff8-f6ef7017c01f
Anthony’s consultative and collaborative approach to customer engagement has resulted in thousands of successful events traversing four continents.
An innovative and engaging facilitator he is globally renowned for catalysing improvement and innovation through experience design. He has impacted hundreds of teams, traversing four continents, from small start-ups to Fortune 50 organisations. He empowers corporations, associations, and non-profits to flourish by engaging customers and crafting immersive experiences that captivate audiences and drive positive change. Anthony is an inspiring instigator working to drive transformation and a passionate advocate for applying a structured and strategic approach to purposeful innovation.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Five steps to turn roadblocks into runways for success!
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Turn challenges into momentum and progress. Apply a proven five-step framework to overcome obstacles, clarify your vision and achieve meaningful goals - individually or as a team.Turn challenges into momentum and progress. Apply a proven five-step framework to overcome obstacles, clarify your vision and achieve meaningful goals - individually or as a team.
Learning outcomes:
Clarify personal and professional goals
Build actionable plans for long-term success
Apply strategies to overcome obstacles and stay resilient
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Mitch Savoie HillCEO, SavHill Consulting Group
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:05 AM - 11:25 AM
Generate creative new ways to win more business: lessons from top producers
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Discover what business professionals can learn from top producers, championship teams and elite performers. Drawing on decades of research into high-performing athletes and organizations, Ross shares practical lessons on building trust, strengthening relationships and creating exceptional client experiences.Discover what business professionals can learn from top producers, championship teams and elite performers. Drawing on decades of research into high-performing athletes and organizations, Ross shares practical lessons on building trust, strengthening relationships and creating exceptional client experiences.
Leave with fresh ideas to help you win business, think differently and position yourself as a trusted advisor.
Learning outcomes:
Explore creative approaches to sales presentations and business development
Use LinkedIn to strengthen relationships and support new business opportunities
Build trust as a foundation for long-term business growthread more · Original Link ↗
Ross BernsteinKeynote Speaker, Ross Bernstein Speaking
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:05 AM - 11:50 AM
The power of fun and its role in building creativity
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Discover the science behind fun as a driver of connection, creativity and engagement. Gain practical tools to build shared experiences into your event design and create more memorable outcomes for attendees.Discover the science behind fun as a driver of connection, creativity and engagement. Gain practical tools to build shared experiences into your event design and create more memorable outcomes for attendees.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why fun is an important part of event design
Integrate shared experiences into event agendas
Build trust, empathy and stronger relationships through shared experiences
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Kelsey ConnorsExperience Designer, Firefly Team Events
Kelsey partners with executive leaders and meeting planners to design high-impact events that prioritize connection over content.Kelsey partners with executive leaders and meeting planners to design high-impact events that prioritize connection over content. Blending experience design, large-scale production, and a touch of mischief, Kelsey creates moments that spark trust, creativity, and collaboration - proving play might be the most productive strategy of all.full bio
Shelley WilliamsVP of Sales- United States, F1 ® Arcade
Leading the Charge for F1 Arcade bringing high energy racing venues across the U.S. - where competitive socializing meets high-octane fun.Leading the Charge for F1 Arcade bringing high energy racing venues across the U.S. - where competitive socializing meets high-octane fun. Perfect for unforgettable events, team building, and full-throttle experiences that leave guests cheering from the podium. 🏁 Let’s bring your next event into pole position! Representing Boston, DC, Philly, Denver and Las Vegas.full bio
JT LongVP and Editorial Dir, Smart Meetings
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:10 AM - 11:50 AM
The Freeman Trends Report: understanding the participant journey
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore findings from the latest Freeman Trends Report and discover what drives people to sign up, show up and engage more deeply with events. Examine how attendees and exhibitors discover events, compare options and decide whether to attend.Explore findings from the latest Freeman Trends Report and discover what drives people to sign up, show up and engage more deeply with events. Examine how attendees and exhibitors discover events, compare options and decide whether to attend.
Gain practical insights into participant motivations, evolving expectations, perceived value, AI's influence and the role of experiences beyond the official agenda. Leave with ideas to strengthen event marketing, communicate value more effectively and support better pre-event engagement
Learning outcomes:
Explain factors influencing participant decision-making
Identify successful attendee acquisition strategies
Improve the pre-event planning experience
* CMP/CEU Approved: Marketing and Communications, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Ken HolsingerEVP Industry Research & Insights, Freeman
Ken has over 25 years of experience in technology, media, and event production as a lead executive, consultant, and speaker.Ken has over 25 years of experience in technology, media, and event production as a lead executive, consultant, and speaker. He has served on the executive team in various roles for several different organizations. In addition, he has a background in event management, facility design, and start-up operations.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Ctrl Alt Delete: rebooting the first blended event 10 years later
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
10 years ago, Ctrl Alt Del became one of the industry’s first blended events. It was conceived, built and tested in four weeks, with Corbin as the keynote speaker.10 years ago, Ctrl Alt Del became one of the industry’s first blended events. It was conceived, built and tested in four weeks, with Corbin as the keynote speaker. Now Corbin joins Dahlia to revisit his predictions, explore what proved accurate and consider what the industry still needs to address.
Learning outcomes:
Revisit one of the industry’s first blended event experiments
Explore which event technology predictions became reality
Identify areas of event technology that are ready for changeread more · Original Link ↗
Corbin BallOwner, Corbin Ball & Co.
Corbin Ball, CSP, CMP, DES, MS is an international speaker, consultant and writer helping clients worldwide use technology to improve the business...Corbin Ball, CSP, CMP, DES, MS is an international speaker, consultant and writer helping clients worldwide use technology to improve the business process of events and exhibitions while enhancing the attendee experience. After 18 years running international city-wide technology meetings, Corbin transitioned in 1997 to become a highly acclaimed speaker with the ability to make complex subjects understandable and fun. Corbin is a 2018 inductee into the Event Industry Council's Hall of Leaders, the most prestigious honor in the meetings, conventions, exhibitions and events industry. He is the only person to have received both the MPI International Supplier of the Year and the MPI International Chapter Leader of the Year awards. Corbin has been named as one of "The 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry" five times by Successful Meetings/MeetingNews magazines.full bio
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:30 AM - 11:50 AM
Humanizing events in an AI world: turn attention into attendance
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Learn how to use social media to make your event more human in an increasingly automated world. Explore practical approaches to storytelling, content creation and audience engagement while maintaining an authentic brand voice.Learn how to use social media to make your event more human in an increasingly automated world. Explore practical approaches to storytelling, content creation and audience engagement while maintaining an authentic brand voice.
Learning outcomes:
Apply a people-first social media strategy to increase attendance
Create authentic content that connects with global audiences
Balance AI efficiency with a human brand voice
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Corey PerlmanSpeaker, Impact Social Media
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:30 AM - 11:45 AM
When life happens: how SEARCH Foundation supports our industry
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how the SEARCH Foundation provides support for meetings and events professionals facing illness, injury, natural disasters and unexpected hardship. Learn why community matters and explore ways to support colleagues when life takes an unexpected turn.Discover how the SEARCH Foundation provides support for meetings and events professionals facing illness, injury, natural disasters and unexpected hardship. Learn why community matters and explore ways to support colleagues when life takes an unexpected turn.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how SEARCH Foundation supports professionals in crisis
Understand the mission and impact of the organization
Identify ways to support colleagues through SEARCH Foundationread more · Original Link ↗
Kate PatayVP, Global Engagement
Kate Patay, CPCE, vice president of engagement at Terramar, a DMC Network Company, is a prominent industry professional known globally for unique...Kate Patay, CPCE, vice president of engagement at Terramar, a DMC Network Company, is a prominent industry professional known globally for unique events, strategic partnerships and impactful experiences. She speaks internationally on an array of topics, serves as the chair of the SEARCH Foundation, and is obsessed with Taylor Swift and getting a poodle.
Her list of achievements and recognition is immense, but some highlights are: The coveted Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council, the 2023 Richard Carbotti Humanitarian Award and the honor of producing the surprise and delight elements of Dreamforce.
In 2024 she was named as one of the Top 18 Most Influential Event Industry Pros in the US and received the Steve Kemble Leadership Award, while in 2023 she was awarded the Eventex Top 50 Global Event Professionals and Smart Speaker Keynote Award. 2022 brought her recognition as one of the #WomenToWatch and Influential Event Planners You Should Know.
She has also been recognized as one of the Top 25 Women Who Run Events by Eventcombo, Most Inspiring #EventProf by Untethered and a Top 20 #EventProfs by Cvent; 2020 brought her praise as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Global Events by Eventex, one of the Top 14 Global Changemakers by Meetings Today and a Top 99 Keynote Speaker by Hubilo. Smart Meetings named her as one of the Top 25 Industry Professionals in 2017, a Top Visionary in 2018, and added her to their Hall of Fame in 2019.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Future-proofing your career in a world with AI
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Explore how AI is changing daily workflows and what this means for your career. Discuss the realities of automation and identify the human skills that remain essential across content, experience design and the wider meetings industry.Explore how AI is changing daily workflows and what this means for your career. Discuss the realities of automation and identify the human skills that remain essential across content, experience design and the wider meetings industry.
Learning outcomes:
Review how AI is reshaping meetings industry roles
Distinguish human strengths from tasks AI can perform
Identify practical ways to strengthen your roleread more · Original Link ↗
Nick BorelliDir of Marketing, Zenus
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
Designing calm: create meetings that energize
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Explore practical ways to manage stress, build resilience and maintain energy in demanding event environments. Gain tools that help you respond more effectively to pressure, uncertainty and change.Explore practical ways to manage stress, build resilience and maintain energy in demanding event environments. Gain tools that help you respond more effectively to pressure, uncertainty and change.
Discover how intentional meeting design can balance content, engagement and recovery, creating experiences that support participation, connection and well-being.
This session is brought to you by Damon Brooks & Associates
Learning outcomes:
Manage personal energy during event planning and delivery
Design agendas that balance engagement and recovery
Create meeting experiences that support belongingread more · Original Link ↗
Mike VenyCEO, Lovely Refinement
Mike Veny is a globally recognized mental health speaker and Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® who has made it his mission to transform...Mike Veny is a globally recognized mental health speaker and Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® who has made it his mission to transform stigma into strength through rhythm and story. Known for his electrifying drumming keynotes and raw, real talk, Mike helps organizations create emotionally healthy cultures. His work bridges inclusive excellence, mental health, and professional development - and is known for producing measurable change. He has been booked by NAMI, Microsoft, Merck, and hundreds more. Mike is also the CEO of Lovely Refinement, a women's mental health and wellness brand, which owns the Training Refinery, a continuing education powerhouse.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:35 AM - 12:30 PM
Event design using the #EventCanvas methodology: Case study
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.
Guided by an Event Design Collective trainer, you'll explore the Event Canvas Methodology and gain practical experience using event design tools to create stronger event outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes
Build confidence in securing a place for event design in strategic decision-making
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Challenge the beliefs that may be holding you back and explore a different perspective on personal growth and leadership. Through psychology, storytelling and practical insight, discover how greater self-awareness can support clearer thinking, stronger leadership and lasting transformation.Challenge the beliefs that may be holding you back and explore a different perspective on personal growth and leadership. Through psychology, storytelling and practical insight, discover how greater self-awareness can support clearer thinking, stronger leadership and lasting transformation.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how limiting beliefs and external expectations can influence decisions, leadership and confidence
Identify practical strategies to reconnect with authentic strengths and lead with greater clarity and intention
Apply a simple framework to challenge unhelpful narratives and build resilience
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Deana Brown MitchellSpeaker - Entrepreneur - Consultant, Genius & Sanity
Deana Brown Mitchell is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and lifelong believer that our experiences are never wasted.Deana Brown Mitchell is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and lifelong believer that our experiences are never wasted.
For more than three decades, she has built businesses, led teams, created experiences, mentored entrepreneurs, and helped people navigate seasons of change. But some of the most important lessons of her life were not learned through achievement. They came through loss, starting over, unexpected detours, and the moments that forced her to question who she was when the titles, accomplishments, and expectations were stripped away.
Those experiences eventually led Deana to a realization that changed the way she saw transformation:
Maybe we were never the problem.
Today, her work centers on helping people uncover who they are beneath the expectations, roles, beliefs, and stories they have learned to carry.
She is also the founder of the Realize Foundation and the creator of the Scars to Stars® initiative, where lived experiences become stories of hope, connection, and life-saving conversations.
Deana has always found perspective in the mountains. She has lived in mountain communities throughout Colorado, taught skiing, guided whitewater rafting, and spent years calling the high-country home. The mountains have taught her something she now carries into her work: sometimes we don't need another answer. We need enough quiet and perspective to recognize what was there all along.
She lives in Colorado with her husband, Michael, and continues to write, speak, mentor, and create spaces where people are given permission to stop proving, stop performing, and start uncovering.
Because the greatest transformation of your life won't come from becoming someone new.
It will come from uncovering who you've been all along.
Continue the journey with Deana:
https://deanabrownmitchell.comfull bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:45 AM - 12:10 PM
Innovation isn’t an idea problem. It’s a conditions problem.
● Impact
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Every brief asks for breakthrough thinking, yet many event experiences still feel familiar. The challenge often isn't creativity - it's the conditions surrounding it.Every brief asks for breakthrough thinking, yet many event experiences still feel familiar. The challenge often isn't creativity - it's the conditions surrounding it.
Explore how timelines, budgets, approvals and attitudes to risk influence innovation long before an event reaches the show floor. Discover how curiosity, collaboration, permission and space can create the conditions needed for more original and impactful experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Reframe innovation as a function of organizational conditions rather than idea quality
Identify how timelines, approvals and risk structures can limit breakthrough thinking
Apply four key conditions to create more impactful event experiences
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Damian FerrarEVP, Global Innovation Dir, Jack Morton Worldwide
Meet the speakers: event design to optimize for neurodivergent attendees
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Continue the conversation in an informal discussion focused on designing events for neurodivergent attendees. Explore practical approaches, personal insights and real-world examples that support more inclusive participation and engagement. · Original Link ↗
Summer JelinekThe Brain Capital Institute
Yush SztalkoperCreator, Human Capacity Design™, Human Capacity Design LLC
Yush Sztalkoper is the creator of Human Capacity Design™, a discipline focused on designing high-demand environments around real human capacity.Yush Sztalkoper is the creator of Human Capacity Design™, a discipline focused on designing high-demand environments around real human capacity.
With 20+ years designing large-scale experiences for Fortune 500 organizations, she helps leaders, event teams, and organizations identify where demand exceeds human capacity and redesign conditions so learning, trust, decision-making, alignment, and business outcomes can actually carry forward.
Her work sits upstream of engagement, adoption, and ROI - making visible the often-missed relationship between demand, capacity, and what people can realistically receive, integrate, and act on under modern conditions.
Speaker at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, MPI WEC, and PCMA Convening Leaders. Recipient of the Smart Women in Meetings Innovator Award and named one of the 2026 Women to Watch.full bio
Matthew ZakreskiClinical Psychologist, The Neurodiversity Collective
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 11:55 AM - 12:15 PM
Mindset shift: AI secrets every meeting planner needs now
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
The biggest advantage in AI comes from knowing how to use it effectively. Discover how to turn generic AI responses into practical insights through stronger prompting, better preparation and smarter research techniques.The biggest advantage in AI comes from knowing how to use it effectively. Discover how to turn generic AI responses into practical insights through stronger prompting, better preparation and smarter research techniques.
Take away tools and ideas that can save time, improve meeting preparation and create more space for strategic thinking and human connection.
Learning outcomes:
Create stronger AI prompts that improve the quality and relevance of responses
Prepare more effectively for meetings using AI-driven research
Identify ways to save time and focus on strategic thinking and relationship buildingread more · Original Link ↗
Sam RichterCEO, SBR Worldwide
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Experience a personalized aromatherapy ritual designed to support your energy and well-being. Explore how scent, breathing techniques and simple somatic practices can influence mood, support nervous system regulation and create moments of recovery during a busy event day.Experience a personalized aromatherapy ritual designed to support your energy and well-being. Explore how scent, breathing techniques and simple somatic practices can influence mood, support nervous system regulation and create moments of recovery during a busy event day.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how scent influences mood and cognitive performance
Explore aromatherapy as a practical tool for nervous system regulation
Experience a sensory wellness protocol and leave with a simple somatic practiceread more · Original Link ↗
Rachel MilfordManaging Dir, PNEUMA
I’m an Aussie living in Las Vegas, and I love the sharp contrast between the Strip’s energy and the tranquility of the...I’m an Aussie living in Las Vegas, and I love the sharp contrast between the Strip’s energy and the tranquility of the desert.
As the founder of Pneuma Lab, I bring 20+ years of event management expertise together with a passion for wellness to help transform meetings into more human, engaging, and impactful experiences.
This year at IMEX America, I’m excited to be speaking at the Circadian Cove about the power of aromatherapy in events, and to be partnering with Caesars Entertainment to feature our signature Apothecary Bar. Come by for a refresh and reset - and experience wellness that’s designed to leave a lasting impact.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Meetings outlook
● Trends and research
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Making informed decisions can be difficult when business events continue to evolve. What could conditions look like over the next year, and how are other meeting professionals responding to current challenges?Making informed decisions can be difficult when business events continue to evolve. What could conditions look like over the next year, and how are other meeting professionals responding to current challenges? Explore the latest MPI Meetings Outlook research and consider the economic, workforce, technology and attendee experience trends shaping the industry.
Learning outcomes:
Analyze key findings and forecasts from the latest MPI Meetings Outlook research
Evaluate the economic, workforce, technology and attendee experience factors creating challenges and opportunities
Identify practical strategies for adapting to industry change, overcoming obstacles and supporting business growthread more · Original Link ↗
Tim LuepkeDir of Education, MPI
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Movement is the new meeting amenity
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Today's attendees are looking for meaningful ways to move, connect and recharge throughout an event.Today's attendees are looking for meaningful ways to move, connect and recharge throughout an event. Discover why movement has become a competitive advantage for meetings, conferences and hotels, and learn how simple programs can elevate the attendee experience while supporting well-being.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why movement is becoming an attendee expectation
Design simple movement experiences that build connection
Integrate active wellness into meetings and hospitality programs
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25read more · Original Link ↗
Dena LewisFounder/CEO, Running Mate
As a long-distance runner and triathlete, I have survived two assaults while running alone.As a long-distance runner and triathlete, I have survived two assaults while running alone. This inspired me to create Running Mate, a real-time, on-demand app that matches verified safe mates with runners when the runner is ready to go.
I have spent 20 years in medical device sales and management, and I also have a background in owning an event planning business.
Our goal is to provide a safe walking or running partner to event attendees on their own time.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Rethinking networking
● Experiential event design
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Design networking with intention rather than leaving it to chance. Explore low-pressure, inclusive approaches grounded in the science of human connection and discover how existing event touchpoints can spark meaningful interactions.Design networking with intention rather than leaving it to chance. Explore low-pressure, inclusive approaches grounded in the science of human connection and discover how existing event touchpoints can spark meaningful interactions.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the conditions that enable meaningful human connection
Shift from managing networking to designing connection experiences
Identify opportunities to build connection into event touchpoints
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.50 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Claire LesterSenior Design Strategist, Maritz
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:05 PM - 12:30 PM
Running on empty: building resilience without burnout
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Build resilience and sustain performance without burnout. Explore practical, science-backed strategies to manage energy, maintain productivity and perform at your best - without compromising well-being.Build resilience and sustain performance without burnout. Explore practical, science-backed strategies to manage energy, maintain productivity and perform at your best - without compromising well-being.
Learning outcomes:
Identify personal burnout triggers and manage energy more effectively
Use communication strategies to protect time and productivity
Build a system for sustainable performance in high-pressure roles
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
High performers don't succeed by doing more. They succeed by focusing on what matters most, learning quickly and taking action despite uncertainty. Discover practical tools that can help you prioritize effectively, strengthen team performance and build confidence in challenging situations.High performers don't succeed by doing more. They succeed by focusing on what matters most, learning quickly and taking action despite uncertainty. Discover practical tools that can help you prioritize effectively, strengthen team performance and build confidence in challenging situations.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the highest-impact priorities that deserve your attention
Use structured debriefing techniques to accelerate learning and strengthen team performance
Turn uncertainty and setbacks into opportunities for growth and progress
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Sarah FurnessEx combat helicopter pilot, Motivational speaker
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:10 PM - 12:35 PM
Build your own table
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Learn from Monica’s experience of leading at the highest level while championing women in the meetings industry. Discover how to speak with authority in high-stakes conversations, negotiate confidently and navigate power dynamics in environments where women are still underrepresented.Learn from Monica’s experience of leading at the highest level while championing women in the meetings industry. Discover how to speak with authority in high-stakes conversations, negotiate confidently and navigate power dynamics in environments where women are still underrepresented. Take away practical tools to advocate for your value, build influence and create meaningful change, wherever you sit in your organization.
Learning outcomes:
Apply strategies to advocate for yourself, speak with authority, set boundaries and negotiate for your value
Use a practical framework to build influence, lead confidently and create meaningful change
Build an action plan you can put into practice immediately
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Monica CohenMonica Cohen - Speaker
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
The agentic planner: what AI does independently and where you’re still needed
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Watch an AI agent use a real event brief to create a destination shortlist, RFP draft, budget and run of show.Watch an AI agent use a real event brief to create a destination shortlist, RFP draft, budget and run of show. See how it responds when the audience changes the brief and discover which planning tasks you can confidently hand over to AI.
Learning outcomes:
Watch an AI agent complete an event-planning task
Identify tasks AI can manage and where planners add value
Understand how an AI agent responds to changing constraintsread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:20 PM - 12:45 PM
The great data duel: a quiz show showdown
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Watch two contestants compete across four categories: engagement engine, ROI rewards, AI advantage and activation action. See them race against the clock to turn a single data point into a practical event strategy.Watch two contestants compete across four categories: engagement engine, ROI rewards, AI advantage and activation action. See them race against the clock to turn a single data point into a practical event strategy.
Learning outcomes:
Turn raw data into a practical strategy
Explore useful techniques through a competitive format
Apply successful data-led tactics to your eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Vinnu DeshettySpeaker/Instructor, Event ROI Coach
Joe FederbushCEO, EVOLIO Marketing
Anupam PalitCEO, Stova
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
The authentic impact workshop is designed to provide planners with an opportunity to explore purpose in self discovery and workplace alignment.The authentic impact workshop is designed to provide planners with an opportunity to explore purpose in self discovery and workplace alignment. Led by social impact strategist Cat McGuire, this engaging session will introduce the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its role in supporting corporate objectives. Participants will partake in an interactive Ikigai-inspired exercise to uncover their values and strengths, and learn how to maximize them for buy in on more meaningful programming. The workshop ends in a collaborative think tank session, where we will brainstorm and develop innovative ideas, leaving attendees inspired with actionable strategies to enhance business events with social care as a mechanism for change, and engagementgives planners an opportunity to explore purpose, self-discovery and workplace alignment. Led by social impact strategist Cat McGuire, this interactive session introduces corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its role in supporting business objectives. Through an Ikigai-inspired exercise, you'll uncover your values and strengths and learn how to use them to gain support for more meaningful programming. The workshop concludes with a collaborative think tank where participants develop innovative ideas and leave with practical strategies to enhance business events through social impact and community engagement.
Learning outcomes:
Illustrate the role of purpose-driven programs in business events
Explore tools to align your personal purpose with your professional role
Create experiences that matter to you, your organization and the wider community
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact Plan, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Catherine McGuireFounder | Social Impact Strategist, WholeHearted
With a career rooted in hospitality, tourism, and events, it's incredibly rewarding to now be in a position where I can support...With a career rooted in hospitality, tourism, and events, it's incredibly rewarding to now be in a position where I can support business events in making a greater impact. I'm attending IMEX to connect with industry partners, learn from others, and share insights during an exciting panel discussion with two like-minded women and founders.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:30 PM - 12:55 PM
Embodiment for wonder: Designing conditions for presence, creativity and connection
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Explore how constant stimulation changes the way you pay attention, connect and participate, and why presence is an essential part of experience design.Explore how constant stimulation changes the way you pay attention, connect and participate, and why presence is an essential part of experience design.
Use simple practices focused on attention, awareness, movement and play to experience how small changes in the body and environment can improve engagement. Take away practical ways to create events and experiences that invite greater presence, curiosity, participation and connection.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how stimulation and pressure affect attention, presence, imagination and connection
Practice simple embodied techniques that encourage curiosity and wonder
Apply the IntentionxAttention™ Framework to design experiences that support presence, participation, wonder and meaningful connectionread more · Original Link ↗
Caitlin KrauseMindWise: Experience by Design
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM
The sky is the limit: ask a female pilot
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Join a conversation with two pilots who share a passion for flying and very different paths to success. Explore lessons in resilience, confidence and overcoming self-doubt, and discover how embracing opportunity can help you reach your full potential.Join a conversation with two pilots who share a passion for flying and very different paths to success. Explore lessons in resilience, confidence and overcoming self-doubt, and discover how embracing opportunity can help you reach your full potential.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how to build confidence and claim your space in challenging environments
Discover strategies for building mental resilience under pressure
Gain inspiration from personal stories of perseverance and opportunity
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25read more · Original Link ↗
Claudine BloomEntrepreneur, IMEX Group
Sarah FurnessEx combat helicopter pilot, Motivational speaker
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:35 PM - 1:00 PM
A conversation with the creators of #EventCanvas
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for an interactive conversation about designing for change. Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners.Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for an interactive conversation about designing for change.
Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners. Explore how stronger design conversations can help organizations look beyond immediate challenges and focus on lasting outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Explore why being together in the same room becomes more valuable as AI makes digital experiences more convincing. Discover the science of co-presence and how event design can strengthen or suppress human connection.Explore why being together in the same room becomes more valuable as AI makes digital experiences more convincing. Discover the science of co-presence and how event design can strengthen or suppress human connection. Leave with practical ways to design for synchrony, create more meaningful moments and decide what to cut from your agenda.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why co-presence and human connection are increasingly valuable in an AI-driven world
Recognize how room design, technology and programming can strengthen or suppress connection
Use a practical framework to decide what to keep, change or cut from your event agendaread more · Original Link ↗
Liz HuntDir, Learning & Development / EI Trainer, Unbridled
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:35 PM - 1:05 PM
Solo, but not alone: building community as an independent event professional
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Build a supportive professional community that makes independent work more connected and sustainable. Stephanie shares practical insights from creating a business and peer network from the ground up.Build a supportive professional community that makes independent work more connected and sustainable. Stephanie shares practical insights from creating a business and peer network from the ground up. You’ll explore how to recognize professional isolation, find people who understand the realities of independent work and develop relationships that offer genuine support. Norbert joins the conversation to share an international perspective on building community across borders. Leave with realistic ways to strengthen your network and make connection part of your working life.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize early signs of professional isolation before they affect your well-being or business decisions
Identify practical ways to find and build a supportive peer community
Adopt two simple habits that strengthen connection throughout your independent careerread more · Original Link ↗
Stephanie JaykoPresident, IC - International Consultants
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
Authentic integrity is the new AI in today's world
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Explore why trust remains your greatest advantage in an AI-driven world. Learn how authenticity, integrity and human connection help build stronger relationships, increase influence and create better business results while using AI as a tool, not a replacement.Explore why trust remains your greatest advantage in an AI-driven world. Learn how authenticity, integrity and human connection help build stronger relationships, increase influence and create better business results while using AI as a tool, not a replacement.
Learning outcomes:
Understand integrity's role in building trusted professional relationships
Identify the elements of an integrity-centered business model
Define personal integrity and its impact on decision-making
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Mark HunterThe Sales Hunter, The Sales Hunter
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 12:45 PM - 1:30 PM
Same but different: How do we create engaging hybrid experiences?
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
With constant pressures to expand the reach of events and experiences, learn how the hybrid format plays a key role in achieving this.With constant pressures to expand the reach of events and experiences, learn how the hybrid format plays a key role in achieving this. An effective hybrid experience cannot be achieved by simply streaming an event of experience, there's a lot more to it.
Explore the considerations and the different approaches available to create an engaging hybrid experience that returns value.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the value a hybrid experience can create
Understand the considerations when designing a hybrid experience
Learn about the benefits that a hybrid event offersread more · Original Link ↗
Matt FranksCEO, DRPG America Inc, DRPG America Inc
Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the...Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the Special Event Company in North Carolina.
With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years, Matt has honed his expertise in live events and communications, working with renowned brands worldwide. Matt leads teams in delivering award-winning live events, pioneering experiential activations, and cutting-edge virtual and hybrid offerings. Providing a fully in-house solution from strategic planning and creative ideation to seamless logistics and flawless production execution, delivered across diverse industry sectors.
Matt's industry influence extends far and wide, earning him prestigious accolades such as inclusion in the Eventex Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry list and recognition as an esteemed member of the Conference & Incentive Travel magazine’s A-List Alumni. His reputation as a respected industry luminary precedes him.
DRPG stands as a beacon of excellence in the global creative communications realm, boasting a fully integrated in-house service solution. With a strategic footprint spanning Cologne, Ireland, the USA, and upcoming expansion plans in the APAC regions by 2025.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Beyond the acronyms: exploring industry designations
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
CMP, CMM, DES, HMCC, CTS and more. Professional designations can help you build expertise, credibility and career momentum, but choosing where to start can feel overwhelming.CMP, CMM, DES, HMCC, CTS and more. Professional designations can help you build expertise, credibility and career momentum, but choosing where to start can feel overwhelming. Explore the value of leading industry credentials and discover how to choose a pathway that suits your career stage and goals.
Learning outcomes:
Differentiate between major professional designations and certificates in the meetings and events industry
Assess how professional credentials can support career growth and industry credibility
Develop a personalized plan for pursuing a certification or designation that aligns with your goalsread more · Original Link ↗
Tim LuepkeDir of Education, MPI
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:00 PM - 1:25 PM
The end of sit and listen conferences
● Experiential event design
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Traditional conference formats often leave attendees overwhelmed and disengaged. Explore practical alternatives that encourage participation, increase movement and create more meaningful dialogue. Leave with ideas you can use to design more engaging conference experiences.Traditional conference formats often leave attendees overwhelmed and disengaged. Explore practical alternatives that encourage participation, increase movement and create more meaningful dialogue. Leave with ideas you can use to design more engaging conference experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Test formats that drive engagement
Design conferences that amplify dialogue
Increase movement to support participation and productivity
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Jenny Sauer KleinFounder + Dir, The Conference for Conferences
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:00 PM - 1:20 PM
The new science of longevity: why your numbers matter
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover why some of the most important indicators of healthy aging are often invisible until they are measured. Explore how health assessments and key metrics can provide a personalized roadmap for supporting longevity, preventing illness and optimizing performance.Discover why some of the most important indicators of healthy aging are often invisible until they are measured. Explore how health assessments and key metrics can provide a personalized roadmap for supporting longevity, preventing illness and optimizing performance.
Learning outcomes:
Discover the health metrics linked to longevity and performance
Understand how assessments support proactive health decisions
Apply objective health data to support long-term well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Push the faders: an audio experience for nontechnical event professionals
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Explore what the knobs and faders on an audio console do in this friendly, practical 30-minute introduction for event professionals with no technical background.Explore what the knobs and faders on an audio console do in this friendly, practical 30-minute introduction for event professionals with no technical background. Learn how each channel works, how audio sources are balanced and sent into the room and what causes feedback. Build your confidence when working with an audio engineer and leave with access to a live 16-channel console simulator.
Learning outcomes:
Understand what each channel on an audio console does
Understand how microphones and other audio sources are balanced and sent into the room
Identify the causes of audio feedback and communicate confidently with an audio engineerread more · Original Link ↗
Brian MonahanVP of Sales and Business Development, Prestige AV & Creative Services
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:05 PM - 1:30 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:05 PM - 2:00 PM
Event design using the #EventCanvas methodology: Case study
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.
Guided by an Event Design Collective trainer, you'll explore the Event Canvas Methodology and gain practical experience using event design tools to create stronger event outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value through a real event design case study
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives and stakeholders
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda and demonstrating progress over time
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Fast attack leadership: how nuclear submariners lead under pressure
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Discover leadership lessons from high-pressure environments where trust, alignment and adaptability are essential. Explore practical frameworks that can help you build resilient teams, strengthen performance and lead with confidence when the stakes are high.Discover leadership lessons from high-pressure environments where trust, alignment and adaptability are essential. Explore practical frameworks that can help you build resilient teams, strengthen performance and lead with confidence when the stakes are high.
Learning outcomes:
Strengthen team trust, resilience and adaptability
Apply frameworks that improve alignment and productivity
Use practical leadership strategies in high-pressure environments
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Marc KoehlerKeynote Speaker, Marc Koehler Speaks
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:05 PM - 1:30 PM
From volume to value: designing for what matters
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Look beyond attendance, room nights, spend and economic impact to explore the wider value an event can create. Consider the knowledge shared, connections made, talent attracted, sectors strengthened and communities engaged.Look beyond attendance, room nights, spend and economic impact to explore the wider value an event can create. Consider the knowledge shared, connections made, talent attracted, sectors strengthened and communities engaged.
Discover how measuring different outcomes can change what you design for. Rethink what success means and identify opportunities to create value that continues after the closing session.
Learning outcomes:
Rethink how you define success beyond attendance, spend and economic impact
Recognize the wider value conferences and events can create for people, communities and sectors
Identify the outcomes that matter most and design events around themread more · Original Link ↗
Virginie De VisscherExecutive Dir, Business Events, Destination Canada
Leading Destination Canada's sector strategy for associations and corporations looking to know more about Canada's options for meetings and events. Sustainability lead.
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:05 PM - 1:50 PM
The force of flying: The integral role of airlines in event planning
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Explore how airline partnerships can help make your meetings, conventions and incentives a success. Airlines may need to prepare for hundreds or thousands of additional travelers attending a single event, so early collaboration matters.Explore how airline partnerships can help make your meetings, conventions and incentives a success. Airlines may need to prepare for hundreds or thousands of additional travelers attending a single event, so early collaboration matters. Hear how carriers work with destinations and event organizers to create smooth travel experiences and get attendees where they need to be. Bring your questions and join the conversation.
Learning outcomes:
Learn how to secure the best value when booking air travel for meetings and events
Understand the current challenges affecting airlines and what they mean for event planners
Discover new routes, cabin classes and other developments shaping event travelread more · Original Link ↗
Gregory MooreDir of Sales, United Airlines Inc
Brad SutherlandDir, Business Development, Air Canada
Lisa GrimaldiEditor, Northstar Meetings Group
Lisa Grimaldi is the editor, Incentives & Destinations, for the Northstar Meetings Group.Lisa Grimaldi is the editor, Incentives & Destinations, for the Northstar Meetings Group. In her role, the award-winning journalist develops content incentives, destinations, meetings and events for NMG’s print, digital and social media outlets, as well content for Northstar’s events and webinars. She is an executive board member of the Incentive Federation and the Incentive Travel Council, a member of the Society for Incentive Excellence and Incentive Marketing Association and serves on Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals’ education committee. Lisa also serves as a judge for industry awards, including the IMA Summit Awards and ADMEI Awards and is a frequent speaker at events industry conferences and events.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-grimaldi-b57110a/full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:10 PM - 1:35 PM
Leading with intention: strengthen your impact
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Strengthen your leadership impact by focusing on what matters most. Explore how building a strong workplace culture drives growth, retention and performance. Apply a proven framework to lead with clarity, purpose and energy.Strengthen your leadership impact by focusing on what matters most. Explore how building a strong workplace culture drives growth, retention and performance. Apply a proven framework to lead with clarity, purpose and energy.
Learning outcomes:
Identify leadership behaviors that drive high-performing teams
Apply a decision-making framework for stronger leadership impact
Build a culture that supports engagement and long-term growth
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Anthony LambatosThe Coach, MIBE and Footers Catering
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:20 PM - 1:45 PM
Build a custom workshop live
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Watch a custom workshop take shape in real time while exploring the complexities of technology adoption and user experience design. Discover how structure, rhythm and pacing can keep stakeholders involved throughout a complex digital design process.Watch a custom workshop take shape in real time while exploring the complexities of technology adoption and user experience design. Discover how structure, rhythm and pacing can keep stakeholders involved throughout a complex digital design process.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how to structure a workshop around participant and stakeholder needs
Discover user experience design methods in an event-specific context
Understand the role of AI in workshop design and the transition to project managementread more · Original Link ↗
Anthony VadeChief Innovation Officer, Strategy Table Pathways
REGISTER FOR THE SMART MONDAY CATALYST LAB TODAY!REGISTER FOR THE SMART MONDAY CATALYST LAB TODAY!
https://signup.zone/signup/a3da74b5-28e1-46c1-bff8-f6ef7017c01f
Anthony’s consultative and collaborative approach to customer engagement has resulted in thousands of successful events traversing four continents.
An innovative and engaging facilitator he is globally renowned for catalysing improvement and innovation through experience design. He has impacted hundreds of teams, traversing four continents, from small start-ups to Fortune 50 organisations. He empowers corporations, associations, and non-profits to flourish by engaging customers and crafting immersive experiences that captivate audiences and drive positive change. Anthony is an inspiring instigator working to drive transformation and a passionate advocate for applying a structured and strategic approach to purposeful innovation.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Know them, grow them: From audience acquisition to event advocacy
● Experiential event design
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Grow your event by understanding the audiences who matter most. Explore how audience insights, experience design and marketing strategy work together to drive engagement, retention, loyalty and long-term advocacy.Grow your event by understanding the audiences who matter most. Explore how audience insights, experience design and marketing strategy work together to drive engagement, retention, loyalty and long-term advocacy.
Learning outcomes:
Reframe growth beyond attendance and acquisition metrics
Apply the Audience Growth Blueprint to audience planning
Make more confident growth decisions using audience insights
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.50 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Jennifer O'GradyBusiness Strategist, Design Studio, Maritz
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:30 PM - 1:45 PM
Mental reset for the event athlete
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Conferences demand more than physical stamina. They require mental endurance too. Discover practical techniques to recharge your attention, restore mental energy and stay fully present as you move between learning, networking and decision-making throughout the day.Conferences demand more than physical stamina. They require mental endurance too. Discover practical techniques to recharge your attention, restore mental energy and stay fully present as you move between learning, networking and decision-making throughout the day.
Learning outcomes:
Apply techniques that restore mental energy
Discover how mental fatigue impacts performance
Create a personal reset between sessions and meetingsread more · Original Link ↗
Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it.Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it. She is a TED speaker with over 1.9 million views, founder of Legacy Mindset, and an internationally recognized authority in cognitive performance. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Garza has trained over 15,000 high-stakes professionals - from special forces and senior military leaders to Olympic athletes and Fortune 500 executives. Known for her immersive, scenario-based approach, she equips people to master mental readiness, emotional agility, and peak performance under pressure.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:30 PM - 1:55 PM
Where's the fun?!
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Fun isn't a perk, it's a performance strategy. Discover practical ways to use fun as a real-time tool to interrupt pressure, unlock new possibilities and strengthen collaboration.Fun isn't a perk, it's a performance strategy. Discover practical ways to use fun as a real-time tool to interrupt pressure, unlock new possibilities and strengthen collaboration. Leave with ideas that can help improve decision-making, increase engagement and bring more enjoyment to work and life.
Learning outcomes:
Use fun as a strategic tool to unlock momentum, creativity and sustainable performance
Apply the W the Fun framework as a real-time reset during meetings, decisions and challenging moments
Lead with a renewed perspective that creates greater fulfillment, impact and enjoyment
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Andrea ParkerKeynote Speaker, Andrea Parker Coaching
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:35 PM - 2:15 PM
31 event sustainability excuses and how to deal with them
● Regenerative design
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Tackle common sustainability objections with confidence. Explore evidence-based responses to concerns about cost, time, attendee expectations and leadership support, then identify practical actions you can apply at your next event.Tackle common sustainability objections with confidence. Explore evidence-based responses to concerns about cost, time, attendee expectations and leadership support, then identify practical actions you can apply at your next event.
Learning outcomes:
Respond to sustainability objections using evidence and industry data
Reframe sustainability as a business and risk conversation
Identify and measure one practical event sustainability improvement
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact Plan, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Anna AbdelnoorCEO, TRACE by isla
Anna is a recognised leader in sustainable events and the founder of isla and TRACE by isla - two pioneering initiatives driving...Anna is a recognised leader in sustainable events and the founder of isla and TRACE by isla - two pioneering initiatives driving climate action across the events industry.
As the head of the leading event sustainability body, isla, Anna works across the stakeholder ecosystem to take action on climate through evidence-led sharp insights, bold thinking and collaborative action, with the end goal of embedding meaningful, measurable change.
With deep expertise in carbon measurement, circularity, and systems design, Anna brings strategic insight and a future-focused lens. She speaks on the intersection of personal and systemic transformation, delivering keynotes that inspire action and hosting dialogues that spark new ideas.
Anna believes that with the right education and resources in hand, eventprofs have the power to be a collective force for good, driving the industry and planet towards a more vibrant future.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:35 PM - 2:00 PM
A conversation with the creators of #EventCanvas
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change. Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners.Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change.
Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners. Explore how stronger design conversations can help organizations look beyond immediate challenges and focus on lasting outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:35 PM - 2:15 PM
Sea, sky and everything between: Strengthening leadership to withstand the elements
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
As event professionals, we make decisions every day that shape the attendee experience. But what can we learn from leaders working in situations where every decision carries significant consequences?As event professionals, we make decisions every day that shape the attendee experience. But what can we learn from leaders working in situations where every decision carries significant consequences?
Join Sarah, Marc and Claudine as they explore the parallels between high-pressure environments and effective business leadership. Discover practical strategies for bringing teams together, making sound decisions under pressure and adapting when conditions change.
Learning outcomes:
Define key leadership principles and explore how they apply in high-stakes environments
Apply strategies to improve collaboration, alignment and team performance
Build resilience by learning how to adapt, recover and change course when needed
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25read more · Original Link ↗
Claudine BloomEntrepreneur, IMEX Group
Sarah FurnessEx combat helicopter pilot, Motivational speaker
Marc KoehlerKeynote Speaker, Marc Koehler Speaks
Ryan HillCo-Founder and COO, Strategy Table Pathways
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:45 PM - 2:30 PM
Implementing the global mental health standard
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Shape how mental health is applied across the events industry. Test the practical application of the Global Mental Health Standard, explore implementation pathways and contribute to a collective roadmap for adoption.Shape how mental health is applied across the events industry. Test the practical application of the Global Mental Health Standard, explore implementation pathways and contribute to a collective roadmap for adoption.
Learning outcomes:
Identify practical approaches to applying the Mental Health Standard
Compare readiness across different organizations
Contribute to a roadmap for industry-wide adoption
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Ferron GrayPresident, Grae Matta Foundation
I am the founder and president of Grae Matta Group, a social enterprise that specializes in developing and implementing mental health policies...I am the founder and president of Grae Matta Group, a social enterprise that specializes in developing and implementing mental health policies and standards for higher education and the workplace. With over 15 years of experience in Forensic Psychology, I have a deep understanding of the psychological and social factors that affect human behavior and well-being, as well as the skills and tools to design and deliver effective interventions and programs.
For the purpose of this tradeshow I am working on behalf of the Grae Matta Foundation, an association that is committed to revolutionizing mental health policies and practices in higher education and the workplace. Our members form a global community dedicated to fostering positive change and advancing mental well-being worldwide. Whether you are an organization, an affiliate, an individual, or seeking lifetime membership, there are numerous benefits to aligning with us
Connections are very important to me and I value my business relationships equally so. I am at IMEX to find venues for Summits & Conferences, Resorts for Experiences, and partnerships for the Association.
We are in the process of developing an International Mental Health Standard for the Events Industry. If this is something you are interested in being a part of feel free to contact me.
We have a moral obligation to make the world a better place, and we can do this together.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Shape the future: leadership in the generative AI economy
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Discover five human capabilities that technology can’t replace, based on new PCMA Insights research scheduled for publication in 2027. Preview the findings, assess your capabilities and identify one practical area to strengthen.Discover five human capabilities that technology can’t replace, based on new PCMA Insights research scheduled for publication in 2027. Preview the findings, assess your capabilities and identify one practical area to strengthen.
Learning outcomes:
Name five capabilities that remain essential alongside AI
Assess your strengths and identify a capability gap
Choose one practice to strengthen a priority capabilityread more · Original Link ↗
Amy BlackmanFruition Co.
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 1:55 PM - 2:25 PM
Live toolbox: tools that deliver results
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
See productivity tools demonstrated live. Discover what could be worth adding to your technology toolkit, then vote for the tool you’re most likely to use.
Learning outcomes:
Discover new productivity tools · Original Link ↗
Sam RichterCEO, SBR Worldwide
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Experience dynamic compression therapy designed to improve circulation, reduce muscle fatigue and support recovery. Discover how compression therapy can help active travelers and busy professionals recover, recharge and perform at their best.Experience dynamic compression therapy designed to improve circulation, reduce muscle fatigue and support recovery. Discover how compression therapy can help active travelers and busy professionals recover, recharge and perform at their best.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how compression therapy can support recovery
Understand the role of circulation in performance
Explore recovery strategies that reduce fatigueread more · Original Link ↗
Ashley RodriguezCo - Founder Carbon World Health, Carbon World Health
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:00 PM - 2:25 PM
Designing sustainable events you can deliver
● Regenerative design
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Build sustainability into your event design from the start without adding unnecessary complexity or diminishing the attendee experience. Explore practical strategies that can work across different event sizes, budgets and levels of organizational maturity.Build sustainability into your event design from the start without adding unnecessary complexity or diminishing the attendee experience. Explore practical strategies that can work across different event sizes, budgets and levels of organizational maturity.
Learn from real examples and open conversations about priorities and trade-offs. Identify where responsible event design can create the greatest environmental, social and business value, then leave with a framework you can apply to your events.
Learning outcomes:
Evaluate the business case for sustainability and responsible business in meetings and events
Identify the planning decisions with the greatest influence on environmental, social and business impact
Apply practical approaches that integrate sustainability and social impact into event strategies without adding unnecessary complexity
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Venetia CampbellDir of Brand & Impact, Eclipse Global
Venetia is a sustainability-driven event strategist and creative producer, specialising in delivering high-impact experiences that balance commercial success with environmental and social...Venetia is a sustainability-driven event strategist and creative producer, specialising in delivering high-impact experiences that balance commercial success with environmental and social responsibility. As a senior leader at Eclipse Global, she plays a key role in shaping integrated event strategies across global portfolios, working with leading brands to design experiences that are both innovative and measurable.
With a strong focus on embedding sustainability into decision-making, Venetia has been instrumental in advancing carbon measurement, circular production practices, and supplier accountability within the events industry. She has contributed to major milestones including SBTi alignment and EcoVadis recognition, while also developing internal frameworks and training programmes to drive long-term behavioural change across teams.
Passionate about moving the industry beyond reporting to real action, Venetia champions a more transparent, collaborative, and commercially viable approach to sustainable events.full bio
Patrick SullivanDir, Sustainability & Social Impact, Encore
Patrick leads global sustainable strategy and programs with Encore, a leading global event production and experience Company.Patrick leads global sustainable strategy and programs with Encore, a leading global event production and experience Company. With a focus on environmental stewardship and integrating sustainable practices within every aspect of event design, he is committed to collaborating with industry partners to elevate event experiences that create positive impact, and supporting education and awareness to shape the future of sustainable event production.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:00 PM - 2:25 PM
Mindful designs can change the world
● Design matters
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Busy, high-pressure lives in the events industry can make it hard to find balance between work and fun. But what if the two could work together?Busy, high-pressure lives in the events industry can make it hard to find balance between work and fun. But what if the two could work together?
Explore how experiential design can blur the lines between work and play, helping to boost creativity, productivity and connection. Discover how joy, thoughtful learning design and culture can help teams perform at their best.
Learning outcomes:
Identify what mindful design is and how enjoyment can support productivity
Recognize the value of mindful fun and creativity in high-performing teams
Build a play-forward mindset to engage your team in learning experiences
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Caitlin KrauseMindWise: Experience by Design
Andrea ParkerKeynote Speaker, Andrea Parker Coaching
Jenny Sauer KleinFounder + Dir, The Conference for Conferences
Andrea DoyleExecutive Editor, Skift Meetings
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:00 PM - 2:20 PM
Neck and shoulder reset
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Release tension and improve posture through targeted mobility and breathing exercises. Discover practical recovery techniques that can help reduce the physical effects of travel, long days on your feet and back-to-back meetings.Release tension and improve posture through targeted mobility and breathing exercises. Discover practical recovery techniques that can help reduce the physical effects of travel, long days on your feet and back-to-back meetings.
Learning outcomes:
Reduce physical tension caused by travel and meetings
Improve posture and mobility
Learn practical recovery techniquesread more · Original Link ↗
Megan NolanEvent Energy Facilitator, Vitality Wellness
This year at IMEX join me for: ✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm) ⚡️Reset...This year at IMEX join me for:
✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm)
⚡️Reset The Room: To experience energy & engagement in real time (10/13 @10am at the Inspiration Hub: Wellbeing Wheel 1)
☺️Calm On Command: Give yourself a much needed time out (10/13 at 11:00 am in the Circadian Cove)
😁Neck & Shoulder Reset: Take the weight of the world off your shoulders (10/13 @2pm in the Circadian Cove)
🌬️Deep Breaths For Less Stress: Learn to use breath like to the powerful tool that it is (10/14 @1pm in the Circadian Cove)
🦚Plus some pop up Power Pauses on the floor to prime audiences for the upcoming speakers!full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
The 15-minute learning experiment: turn experiences into learning
● Experiential event design
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
What if 15 minutes could transform an experience into meaningful learning? Explore a simple approach to reflection that helps you pause, make sense of what happened and turn experience into insight.What if 15 minutes could transform an experience into meaningful learning? Explore a simple approach to reflection that helps you pause, make sense of what happened and turn experience into insight. Discover how short, intentional learning moments can deepen engagement, reinforce key takeaways and make events more memorable.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how short, intentional reflection can transform an event experience into meaningful learning
Apply a simple 15-minute approach to help participants process experiences and identify key takeaways
Create learning moments that deepen engagement, reinforce insights and extend the value of an event experienceread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:00 PM - 2:25 PM
The art of pivoting
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Adapt with confidence and turn uncertainty into opportunity. Explore how mindset shapes your ability to respond to change. Through personal stories and practical insights, discover how to reframe challenges and use adversity as a catalyst for growth.Adapt with confidence and turn uncertainty into opportunity. Explore how mindset shapes your ability to respond to change. Through personal stories and practical insights, discover how to reframe challenges and use adversity as a catalyst for growth.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how mindset influences responses to uncertainty
Reframe challenges into opportunities for growth
Apply practical strategies to adapt in everyday situations
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Cornell ThomasInternational Speaker, Author, Corporate Trainer, Cornell Thomas LLC
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:00 PM - 2:25 PM
The force of flying: Meet the speakers
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Meet the speakers for an informal conversation about how airline partnerships can support successful international events. Ask questions, explore their experiences at major North American airlines and discover how thoughtful planning can improve an attendee’s journey from the airport gate. · Original Link ↗
Lisa GrimaldiEditor, Northstar Meetings Group
Lisa Grimaldi is the editor, Incentives & Destinations, for the Northstar Meetings Group.Lisa Grimaldi is the editor, Incentives & Destinations, for the Northstar Meetings Group. In her role, the award-winning journalist develops content incentives, destinations, meetings and events for NMG’s print, digital and social media outlets, as well content for Northstar’s events and webinars. She is an executive board member of the Incentive Federation and the Incentive Travel Council, a member of the Society for Incentive Excellence and Incentive Marketing Association and serves on Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals’ education committee. Lisa also serves as a judge for industry awards, including the IMA Summit Awards and ADMEI Awards and is a frequent speaker at events industry conferences and events.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-grimaldi-b57110a/full bio
Gregory MooreDir of Sales, United Airlines Inc
Brad SutherlandDir, Business Development, Air Canada
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
VR therapy showcase
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience immersive virtual environments designed to support stress reduction, focus and recovery. Explore how emerging technologies are being used to create wellness experiences that help attendees recharge and build resilience.Experience immersive virtual environments designed to support stress reduction, focus and recovery. Explore how emerging technologies are being used to create wellness experiences that help attendees recharge and build resilience.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the role of immersive technology in well-being
Explore innovative approaches to stress management
Experience emerging wellness technology applicationsread more · Original Link ↗
Ariadni PereiraCo-Founder, Olympian Meeting
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:05 PM - 2:30 PM
A conversation with the creators of #EventCanvas
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
A great conversation can shape the direction of change. This is your opportunity to engage directly with the creators of Event Canvas and authors of DESIGN to CHANGE.A great conversation can shape the direction of change. This is your opportunity to engage directly with the creators of Event Canvas and authors of DESIGN to CHANGE.
Explore how stronger event design conversations can help drive meaningful change, strengthen stakeholder relationships and elevate your impact as an event professional.
Learning outcomes:
Explore the difference between the process and outcomes of conversations
Discover how to position yourself as a trusted advisor through stronger event design conversations
Identify the elements of trusted advisor relationships and how they contribute to greater impact
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:05 PM - 2:30 PM
What makes work win: Webby Awards behind the scenes
● Design matters
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Discover what separates standout work from the rest. Explore how ideas are designed, built and experienced using behind-the-scenes insights from the Webby Awards.Discover what separates standout work from the rest. Explore how ideas are designed, built and experienced using behind-the-scenes insights from the Webby Awards. Review real examples, uncover where execution breaks down, and learn how design thinking turns strong concepts into memorable experience.
Learning outcomes:
Identify where ideas break down during production and how to prevent it
Align creative vision with delivery using practical planning frameworks
Design experiences audiences remember through intentional execution
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Emma LarsonManaging Dir, Production & Operations, The Webby Awards
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Be the first: why being bold builds the strongest version of you
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Turn uncertainty into a catalyst for growth and leadership. Explore how taking bold first steps builds resilience, confidence and innovation. Gain practical tools to reframe failure and lead effectively through uncertainty.Turn uncertainty into a catalyst for growth and leadership. Explore how taking bold first steps builds resilience, confidence and innovation. Gain practical tools to reframe failure and lead effectively through uncertainty.
Learning outcomes:
Apply strategies to navigate fear, failure, and uncertainty
Reframe setbacks as opportunities for growth
Build momentum through decisive, confident action
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Beyond compliance: how the travel industry can help prevent human trafficking
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Explore how human trafficking intersects with the travel and tourism industry and the role organizations can play in prevention and response.Explore how human trafficking intersects with the travel and tourism industry and the role organizations can play in prevention and response. Learn to recognize potential indicators, understand appropriate response steps and strengthen organizational readiness through policies, reporting procedures, leadership, partnerships and continuous improvement.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how human trafficking intersects with the travel industry and the role organizations play in prevention and response
Identify indicators of potential human trafficking and appropriate actions when concerns arise
Understand the elements of organizational readiness that strengthen prevention and response efforts
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Hayley ElliottPACT (Protect All Children from Trafficking)
Hayley Elliott is a Private Sector Engagement Manager at Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT), where she partners with global businesses to...Hayley Elliott is a Private Sector Engagement Manager at Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT), where she partners with global businesses to strengthen efforts to prevent human trafficking and protect children. She manages a diverse portfolio of private-sector partners, developing tailored engagement strategies and leading training sessions that equip companies to identify risks and implement effective, ethical practices.
With experience spanning both direct service with survivors and private-sector partnership development, Hayley brings a unique, trauma-informed perspective to engaging the travel and tourism industry in prevention efforts. She is particularly passionate about leveraging corporate influence to drive sustainable, systems-level change.
Hayley holds a BA in International Studies and a BS in Sociology from the University of Evansville, as well as an M.Ed. in Nonprofit Leadership from Belmont University.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Brain break: energy reset with tai chi
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Step away from the IMEX buzz and reconnect with your body. Through gentle tai chi movement, breathing and posture alignment, release tension, restore circulation and recharge your energy. Leave feeling refreshed, focused and ready for your next conversation or session.Step away from the IMEX buzz and reconnect with your body. Through gentle tai chi movement, breathing and posture alignment, release tension, restore circulation and recharge your energy. Leave feeling refreshed, focused and ready for your next conversation or session.
Learning outcomes:
Apply simple tai chi movements to release tension and restore energy
Discover how posture and breath influence energy and focus
Practice a short reset you can use at your desk or on the goread more · Original Link ↗
Dami KimExecutive Dir, Body & Brain Wellness
Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.
A keynote speaker for the meetings and events industry, Kim leads a national team of 200 experts across 18 major U.S. cities, delivering immersive wellness activations - including Brain Breaks, Energy Decoder Wellness Assessments, Stress-Reset sessions, and leadership programs - at events and in workplaces for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kestra, Assa Abloy, Caesars Entertainment, and SITE.
Recognized as a 2024 Trendsetter on Innovation by Meetings Today, Kim designs programs that deliver measurable impact - helping organizations transform stress into resilience, disengagement into connection, and cost into return on wellness.
With more than 27 years' experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, associations, and hospitality leaders to integrate wellness into conferences, incentive trips, and corporate gatherings.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Motivating Gen Z: The new rules for designing incentives
● Trends and research
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Explore new research into what motivates different generations and how those insights apply to incentive travel. Join an interactive conversation with the researchers behind the data and gain practical ideas for designing rewards that resonate with today's audiences.Explore new research into what motivates different generations and how those insights apply to incentive travel. Join an interactive conversation with the researchers behind the data and gain practical ideas for designing rewards that resonate with today's audiences.
Learning outcomes:
Understand key findings from the SITE/Maritz motivation study
Identify generational trends influencing incentive travel and rewards
Interpret research findings and apply them to future programs
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Claire LesterSenior Design Strategist, Maritz
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:35 PM - 3:00 PM
AI meets the show floor: Transforming events
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Discover how connectivity, AI and production come together to create seamless event experiences. Explore real-world examples and learn why network planning is becoming an essential part of modern event design.Discover how connectivity, AI and production come together to create seamless event experiences. Explore real-world examples and learn why network planning is becoming an essential part of modern event design.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how AI is changing event connectivity requirements
Identify practical AI applications improving events today
Design events where technology and production work together
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Alex WedeskyVP, Internet Services, Encore
Alex began his Encore career in the warehouse loading trucks with AV equipment for events as a summer job in high school.Alex began his Encore career in the warehouse loading trucks with AV equipment for events as a summer job in high school. After graduating college, Alex returned to Encore as a Network Manager for the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX where he eventually became the Regional IS Manager for the South Central market.
Leading into the pandemic Alex was one of Encore’s Field Operations Engineers supporting Encore’s clients from an IT perspective nationwide. Since the pandemic Alex has been the Director of Field Operations and most recently the VP of Internet Services, helping to increase customer service, integration, and Encore’s influence around Internet Services in the industry. With 20 years of experience in the industry Alex has since helped to shape the Internet Services department of Encore and spearheaded Encore’s Internet Everywhere program.
Alex graduated magna cum laude from the University of Texas at Dallas with a bachelor’s in Business Administration and currently resides in Dallas, TX. Alex enjoys spending time with his two kids and dog who all do an excellent job of keeping him busy when he’s not in the office or on the road.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:35 PM - 3:00 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:35 PM - 2:55 PM
Fix your reels in 20 minutes
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Watch Soraya edit a reel from start to finish in 20 minutes. Explore the cuts, transitions and opening hooks that can capture attention, then discover a process you can apply to your own content.Watch Soraya edit a reel from start to finish in 20 minutes. Explore the cuts, transitions and opening hooks that can capture attention, then discover a process you can apply to your own content.
Learning outcomes:
Edit reels that capture attention
Apply professional transition techniques
Build a repeatable editing processread more · Original Link ↗
Soraya Herbert-MolinaSoraya Janae Strategies
Soraya Herbert is a seasoned digital media strategist, resident social media marketing expert, and dynamic speaker who helps brands and professionals unlock...Soraya Herbert is a seasoned digital media strategist, resident social media marketing expert, and dynamic speaker who helps brands and professionals unlock their full potential. With more than a decade of experience across various industries, she combines creativity, creative storytelling, data-driven insights, and cutting-edge technology to design bold campaigns and impactful strategies.
In addition to her work in digital strategy, Soraya has a strong background in event production and community engagement. As Director of Marketing and Communications for Lake Conroe Beach Park, she has led large-scale events, brand transformations, and innovative campaigns that bring people together and create memorable experiences.
She is known for setting marketing trends, innovating with AI tools, and teaching actionable habits that stick. Soraya is passionate about digital wellness and helps audiences develop healthier, more intentional relationships with technology and social media marketing. She blends her creativity, love of tech, and deep cultural insight to coach and empower leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs to thrive in fast-changing environments. She also brings a real-world perspective, showing audiences how to manage their lives in this ever-changing landscape and find balance in reasonable and realistic ways amid the digital craziness.
Whether she is developing a social media playbook, producing impactful events, reimagining LinkedIn strategies, or coaching professionals on their digital presence, her focus is on building sustainable impact and not just short-term buzz.
With an energetic and relatable style, Soraya covers topics ranging from marketing trends, AI integration, and digital wellness to future-proof habit building, leadership development, creativity in strategy, and cultivating community. Her sessions go beyond theory to give audiences practical tools they can immediately apply.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:35 PM - 3:15 PM
From kudos to culture, building strong teams through recognition
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
In today's fast-paced work environment, a simple "thank you" can go a long way. But how do you transform occasional praise into a culture of recognition?In today's fast-paced work environment, a simple "thank you" can go a long way. But how do you transform occasional praise into a culture of recognition? Explore the science and strategy behind workplace appreciation and learn how meaningful recognition can create stronger, more engaged teams. Discover practical techniques for fostering a culture where people feel valued, motivated and inspired to do their best work. Whether you're a leader looking to boost morale or a team member seeking stronger collaboration, you'll leave with tools to turn recognition into a powerful driver of success
Learning outcomes:
Practice one meaningful recognition habit that can be implemented immediately to create positive ripple effects across a team
Recognize the moments that matter most, including challenges, setbacks and unseen efforts, to deepen trust, connection and engagement
Build a strategic recognition framework that drives stronger culture, higher moral and better business outcomes
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Carrie CampbellSVP, Evergreen, Boston Red Sox, Boston Red Sox - Evergreen
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:35 PM - 3:05 PM
Meet the author: Digital well-being
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Meet Caitlin for an informal conversation and signing of Digital Wellbeing: Empowering Connection with Wonder and Imagination in the Age of AI.Meet Caitlin for an informal conversation and signing of Digital Wellbeing: Empowering Connection with Wonder and Imagination in the Age of AI. Explore how we can build more intentional, creative and human-centered relationships with technology while strengthening well-being, connection, imagination and wonder. Continue the conversation from the day’s education, share your ideas for the future of events and bring along your questions and curiosity.read more · Original Link ↗
Caitlin KrauseMindWise: Experience by Design
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:35 PM - 3:00 PM
Meetup for CEDs with the Event Design Collective team
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Join fellow Certified Event Designers and professionals interested in pursuing CED certification for an informal community meetup.Join fellow Certified Event Designers and professionals interested in pursuing CED certification for an informal community meetup.
Connect with members of the Event Design Collective team, learn more about the CED community and hear about the latest developments in the EDC Trusted Advisor Program.
Learning outcomes:
Learn what it takes to become a Certified Event Designer (CED)
Explore the pathway to becoming an EDC Trusted Advisor
Connect with the CED community and Event Design Collective team
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Reclaiming your energy: control your chaos and build resilience
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Explore the difference between time management and energy management, and discover practical ways to reduce overwhelm and prevent burnout.Explore the difference between time management and energy management, and discover practical ways to reduce overwhelm and prevent burnout. Identify the habits that drain your energy, learn how to regain control of your priorities and leave with strategies that help you focus on what matters most.
Learning outcomes:
Explore the difference between time management and energy management
Identify personal “time vacuums” and practical ways to reduce them
Use strategies that help prevent constant firefighting and create more time for meaningful work
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Summer JelinekThe Brain Capital Institute
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:35 PM - 3:15 PM
Strategy drives creativity… or does it?
● Experiential event design
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore the relationship between creativity and strategy, where bold ideas meet business objectives. Does creativity drive strategy, or does strategy unlock creativity? Hear three industry perspectives on how these forces interact, influence decision-making and shape the creative process.Explore the relationship between creativity and strategy, where bold ideas meet business objectives. Does creativity drive strategy, or does strategy unlock creativity?
Hear three industry perspectives on how these forces interact, influence decision-making and shape the creative process. Take away ideas for bringing strategic thinking and creativity closer together in your work.
Learning outcomes:
Combine logic and imagination to support high-performing, people-centered organizations
Use technology strategy to bring creative, connected experiences to life
Bring creative thinking into your everyday business strategy
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Nir Hindie is an international keynote speaker specializing in creativity and leadership.Nir Hindie is an international keynote speaker specializing in creativity and leadership. He champions "Business Artistry" - a mindset that fuses business strategy with artistic intuition, creativity, and human connection. As the founder of The Artian, Hindie partners with global companies like Google, SAP, and TikTok to bridge the gap between humanities and technology, helping build organizations that are both high-performing and deeply human.
An adjunct professor at IE Business School and mentor at Harvard Innovation Labs and MIT, Hindie shapes the next generation of creative leaders by bringing real-world insights into academia. His expertise has earned him recognition among Spain's 100 Experts on Innovation and membership in the World Economic Forum's Cultural Leaders Network.full bio
Leigh TidwellVP of Special Event Sales, AFR
As Vice President of Event Sales at AFR Furniture Rental, I bring 20+ years of experience helping clients transform spaces into unforgettable...As Vice President of Event Sales at AFR Furniture Rental, I bring 20+ years of experience helping clients transform spaces into unforgettable experiences. I specialize in building strong partnerships and delivering creative, tailored solutions that make events stand out.
I’ve proudly served as President of both ILEA Dallas and NACE Dallas - Fort Worth, and continue to support the industry through national committee roles with NACE and Les Dames d'Escoffier.
Known for my energy, humor, and straightforward style, I believe the best results come from authentic relationships and a shared commitment to success.
Outside of work, I’m passionate about travel, wellness, and history. I recharge through reading, trying new things, and adventures with my three grown children and lively pack of fur-babies.
Let’s connect - I’d love to explore how AFR and I can help bring your next vision to life.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM
Branded merchandise that sticks: Turning meetings into memories
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Discover how branded merchandise can extend the impact of your event long after attendees leave. Explore trends, examples and practical planning ideas that reinforce memories, create everyday value and turn attendees into enthusiastic advocates.Discover how branded merchandise can extend the impact of your event long after attendees leave. Explore trends, examples and practical planning ideas that reinforce memories, create everyday value and turn attendees into enthusiastic advocates.
Learning outcomes:
Use branded merchandise to extend the event experience
Avoid planning and logistics mistakes that reduce impact
Turn attendees into advocates through useful branded merchandise
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Marketing and Communication, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Drew HolmgreenPresident & CEO, PPAI
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Experience a guided 9D breathwork journey using intentional breathing and immersive audio to help regulate your nervous system, reduce stress, restore focus and support recovery.Experience a guided 9D breathwork journey using intentional breathing and immersive audio to help regulate your nervous system, reduce stress, restore focus and support recovery. Leave with practical insight into how breathwork can help you reset and recharge during a busy show day.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how intentional breathing can support stress reduction, focus and recovery
Understand how breathing patterns influence nervous system regulation
Explore neuroscience-led wellness experiences that support attendee well-being and event engagementread more · Original Link ↗
Johnvir Dela CruzBreathwork coach, Entrelier 9D Breathwork
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
EMP: your guide to launching a meetings industry career
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Whether you’re new to the industry or mentoring the next generation of talent, the Emerging Meeting Professional (EMP) program provides a roadmap for success.Whether you’re new to the industry or mentoring the next generation of talent, the Emerging Meeting Professional (EMP) program provides a roadmap for success. Explore the skills, connections and career development opportunities that can help emerging professionals thrive in today’s meetings and events industry.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the foundational skills needed for success in the meetings and events industry
Explore resources, networks and development opportunities available through the EMP program
Create a roadmap for professional growth during the early years of an events industry careerread more · Original Link ↗
Lexi RobertsManager, Educational Experiences, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Meeting Professionals International- Sourcing concurrent education for IMEX America Smart Monday.
Come find us at the MPI Booth!
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Mindset shakeup: The power of positivity
● Design matters
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Uncertainty won’t disappear, but you can learn how to respond to it differently. Explore how fear, doubt and everyday obstacles can become opportunities for fresh thinking and growth.Uncertainty won’t disappear, but you can learn how to respond to it differently. Explore how fear, doubt and everyday obstacles can become opportunities for fresh thinking and growth.
Join Angela and Cornell for a mindset shakeup that challenges how you view hardship. Discover how obstacles can become stepping stones and how “firsts” can lay the groundwork for transformation, momentum and leadership in your events career.
Learning outcomes:
Reframe fear of failure as an opportunity for new ideas
Recognize how risk can support stronger leadership, particularly in events
Identify the positive aspects of fast-paced events work and how to thrive in uncertain, demanding environments
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.50 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Cornell ThomasInternational Speaker, Author, Corporate Trainer, Cornell Thomas LLC
Rachel BenedickChief Revenue Officer, MPI
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:05 PM - 3:30 PM
Design your career. Protect your energy
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Take control of your career with clarity, purpose and boundaries. Use a simple framework to design a more sustainable and fulfilling career in events. Identify what’s draining your energy and take practical steps to build a career that lasts.Take control of your career with clarity, purpose and boundaries. Use a simple framework to design a more sustainable and fulfilling career in events. Identify what’s draining your energy and take practical steps to build a career that lasts.
Learning outcomes:
Identify habits and patterns that drain energy and limit growth
Apply a framework to align values, boundaries and purpose
Make immediate changes to improve career sustainability
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Naomi TuckerFounder & High-Performance Coach, Planners on Purpose
Business Coach & Strategist empowering event professionals to stress less and live more through the power of self-discovery.Business Coach & Strategist empowering event professionals to stress less and live more through the power of self-discovery.
To learn more about Planners on Purpose, visit: www.plannersonpurpose.comfull bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:05 PM - 3:30 PM
Why you need a creator strategy now
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Getting creators to attend is only the beginning. Explore how events, hospitality brands and destinations can build creator strategies that deliver measurable results.Getting creators to attend is only the beginning. Explore how events, hospitality brands and destinations can build creator strategies that deliver measurable results.
Discover how to identify the right partners, create offers that benefit everyone and turn authentic storytelling into attendance, destination interest and business outcomes. Explore tools for finding and managing creators, tracking content performance and connecting results to bookings and revenue.
Learn how to measure conversions, bookings, audience growth and ROI, rather than relying only on likes and impressions. Take away a practical plan for adding a creator strategy to your next event or destination campaign.
Learning outcomes:
Identify creator partners who align with your objectives
Build a practical creator content plan
Measure the business impact of creator partnershipsread more · Original Link ↗
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Move from why belonging matters to how you can name it, design it and measure it. Explore practical levers across agendas, speakers, room setup, networking and codes of conduct, then connect belonging to the metrics you already report.Move from why belonging matters to how you can name it, design it and measure it. Explore practical levers across agendas, speakers, room setup, networking and codes of conduct, then connect belonging to the metrics you already report.
Learning outcomes:
Tell belonging apart from inclusion and describe its value in language leaders fund
Use stage-by-stage design choices to create stronger belonging
Connect belonging to existing engagement, participation, satisfaction and revenue metrics
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Charles BelloSr VP & Team Dir, ConferenceDirect
Father, partner, consultant, pickleballer, cyclist, gaymer, enthusiast of life.
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Meet the speaker: Sarah Furness, combat helicopter pilot
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Meet Sarah and ask about her 21 years as a combat helicopter pilot, her transition to speaking and her experiences of leadership, teamwork and performing under pressure.Meet Sarah and ask about her 21 years as a combat helicopter pilot, her transition to speaking and her experiences of leadership, teamwork and performing under pressure. Sarah is presenting several sessions at IMEX America, covering lessons from the frontline, women in aviation and leadership during challenging situations. Bring your questions about her career, her work with organizations and the experiences that have shaped her approach. From an early interest in flying to speaking on global stages, Sarah is ready to continue the conversation with you.read more · Original Link ↗
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Beyond the spotlight: Rethinking mega event legacy for host communities
● Design for spectacle
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Mega events can bring economic growth, global visibility and long-term benefits, but their legacy can vary widely.Mega events can bring economic growth, global visibility and long-term benefits, but their legacy can vary widely.
Explore what mega event legacy and impact really mean, with examples from communities that have created lasting benefits and others that have faced challenges. Hear different perspectives from across the mega event value chain and examine practical strategies for more inclusive, measurable and community-led legacies.
Learning outcomes:
Define mega event legacy and distinguish between short-term event impacts and long-term community outcomes.
Identify practical strategies that event organizers, governments and stakeholders can implement
Evaluate examples of host communities that have used mega events for economic, social and cultural benefits
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Wendy MeadleyCEO / Board Chair, Expo 2031 Minnesota USA
Jennifer RocheDir of Community & Legacy, FWC26 Miami
Mario ThompsonLos Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Aubrey WaltonExecutive Dir of Host Cities, FIFA World Cup 2026
Sharifa WilkinsonAssistant Teaching Professor & Dir of Event Management Education, Florida International University
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM
Designing meetings for neuroinclusion
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Explore new research on neuroinclusion and discover how meeting design can better support neurodivergent attendees. Examine where traditional event practices may create barriers and identify practical ways to foster more meaningful participation.Explore new research on neuroinclusion and discover how meeting design can better support neurodivergent attendees. Examine where traditional event practices may create barriers and identify practical ways to foster more meaningful participation.
Gain insights from industry leaders and discover how neuroinclusive thinking can strengthen planning, communication, programming and attendee experiences.
Moderated by PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat and featuring Michelle Mason of ASAE and Paul Van Deventer of MPI as panelists, the discussion will draw on research findings and real-world experiences to explore practical ways to incorporate neuroinclusive thinking into planning, programming, communication, and the attendee experience - creating better meetings for everyone.
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Michelle MasonPresident & CEO, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, serves as the President and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where she is focused...Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, serves as the President and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where she is focused on advancing the professional practice of association management. Prior to ASAE, Michelle served as the President and CEO of Association Forum for seven years; as Managing Director of Strategy and Innovation at the American Society for Quality (ASQ); and Vice President of Strategic and Future Focused Research Programs at ASAE.
Michelle currently serves on the Board of Directors for Destinations International and the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter. Michelle is a Chicago Business Journal Women of Influence Honoree 2019; Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Honoree 2019; the CEO Update Professional Society CEO of the Year 2020; and Smart Women in Meetings Hall of Fame inductee 2022. Michelle also received the 2024 John H. Graham IV Association Executive Award from the Boy Scouts of America National Capital Area Council, the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association Vision Gala Association Honoree, and the 2025 Marin Bright Legacy Award from Smart Meetings. Michelle is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and an ASAE Fellow (FASAE).full bio
Paul Van DeventerMPI
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:35 PM - 4:00 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:35 PM - 4:00 PM
Renaissance thinking: Why business needs artistry
● Impact
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Most leaders understand the value of creativity. Fewer know how to build an environment where it can thrive. Explore lessons from business leaders, innovators and historical figures who combined artistic thinking with strategic decision-making.Most leaders understand the value of creativity. Fewer know how to build an environment where it can thrive.
Explore lessons from business leaders, innovators and historical figures who combined artistic thinking with strategic decision-making. Discover why creativity isn't something leaders delegate and how it can become a practical leadership capability that shapes culture, innovation and business success.
Learning outcomes:
Reconsider your role as a leader and recognize how you influence creativity across your organization
Explore examples of how artistic and strategic thinking have worked together to drive innovation
Identify practical ways to advocate for creativity as a core business capability
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Nir Hindie is an international keynote speaker specializing in creativity and leadership.Nir Hindie is an international keynote speaker specializing in creativity and leadership. He champions "Business Artistry" - a mindset that fuses business strategy with artistic intuition, creativity, and human connection. As the founder of The Artian, Hindie partners with global companies like Google, SAP, and TikTok to bridge the gap between humanities and technology, helping build organizations that are both high-performing and deeply human.
An adjunct professor at IE Business School and mentor at Harvard Innovation Labs and MIT, Hindie shapes the next generation of creative leaders by bringing real-world insights into academia. His expertise has earned him recognition among Spain's 100 Experts on Innovation and membership in the World Economic Forum's Cultural Leaders Network.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:35 PM - 4:00 PM
The smallest celebration: honor your littlest moves, create your biggest success
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Big goals are built through small actions. Explore how recognizing and celebrating everyday progress can help build confidence, maintain momentum and support long-term success.Big goals are built through small actions. Explore how recognizing and celebrating everyday progress can help build confidence, maintain momentum and support long-term success.
Discover practical ways to notice your achievements, strengthen connections with others and develop a mindset that helps you focus on progress rather than perfection.
Learning outcomes:
Practice recognizing and appreciating small actions that contribute to success
Share experiences with peers and explore ways to celebrate progress within your team
Develop a mindset that supports positive connections and continued growthread more · Original Link ↗
Barbara Ann MichaelsFounder & Artistic Dir, Jester Of The Peace
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:40 PM - 4:05 PM
White space
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Find people with the same sticker color and start a conversation about what’s on your mind, from a challenging tool to an achievement you’d like to share.Find people with the same sticker color and start a conversation about what’s on your mind, from a challenging tool to an achievement you’d like to share. Ask the facilitator for a prompt if your group needs help getting started, or simply make the conversation your own.read more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Vinnu DeshettySpeaker/Instructor, Event ROI Coach
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Beyond networking: designing moments of human connection
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Go beyond collecting business cards and learn how to create meaningful connections. Discover why play can help break down barriers, reduce loneliness and create the moments that drive collaboration, creativity and memorable event experiences.Go beyond collecting business cards and learn how to create meaningful connections. Discover why play can help break down barriers, reduce loneliness and create the moments that drive collaboration, creativity and memorable event experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Discover why play can accelerate human connection
Explore how loneliness can affect event engagement
Apply playful strategies to create more meaningful networking momentsread more · Original Link ↗
Jason VelezDir of Sales & Customer Service, Sloomoo
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Connect with MPI members from around the world in a relaxed, welcoming setting at IMEX America. Share experiences, enjoy a light reception and build relationships with peers across the MPI community. · Original Link ↗
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 4:05 PM - 4:30 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 4:15 PM - 4:30 PM
Closing dance-out: silent disco
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
End day one with music, a final selfie and a group photo. Celebrate the day’s connections and leave feeling energized. · Original Link ↗
DJ Graffitti
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Look mum, I'm failing podcast recording
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Join a live podcast recording exploring the similarities between creative and entrepreneurial journeys. Hear honest conversations about setbacks, resilience, motivation and the lessons learned through failure.Join a live podcast recording exploring the similarities between creative and entrepreneurial journeys. Hear honest conversations about setbacks, resilience, motivation and the lessons learned through failure.
Discover practical strategies, personal stories and fresh perspectives designed to inspire anyone navigating challenges in business, leadership or creative work.
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Amanda ArmstrongSVP, Encore
She is the Senior Vice President of Industry Relations, where she champions Encore’s strategic partnerships, deepens industry involvement, and leads initiatives that...She is the Senior Vice President of Industry Relations, where she champions Encore’s strategic partnerships, deepens industry involvement, and leads initiatives that elevate customer engagement through events and brand advocacy.
Staying active in our industry is a top priority. She currently serves on the US Travel Association Group Travel Network and is a member of Event Industry Council’s Leadership Council.
Outside the office, she heads off into nature to ski, hike, camp, or surf. She enjoys traveling and sailing with her husband, Jon, who loves to plan travel and culinary adventures.full bio
Sam McNeillGeneral Manager - UK & Europe, SongDivision - 22 years of helping organizations make their values, purpose, and strategy stick through team building, strengthening core values, and improving workplace culture.
Voted as a Top Five Speaker in Spice Magazine’s Hot 100, and one of Eventex’ 100 Most Influence People in the Events...Voted as a Top Five Speaker in Spice Magazine’s Hot 100, and one of Eventex’ 100 Most Influence People in the Events Industry, Sam McNeill is one of the most in-demand Corporate MC’s & Facilitators. Sam has hosted over 700 in-person, virtual and hybrid experiences including musical team building workshops, gala awards events and product launches on five continents.
Sam’s accolades include winning ‘Future Leader’ awards for both Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), as well as being included in Connect Corporate’s esteemed list of ’40 under 40’ industry professionals. Most recently Sam was the recipient of the Prestigious ’David Hackett’ award presented by Meeting Needs, for services to Charity within the events industry.
Sam’s professionalism and energy has made him a favourite among some of the biggest brands in the world including Coca- Cola, Microsoft, SAP, Roche, and BP. However, Sam’s greatest professional moment was performing at a Virgin Airlines event where Sir Richard Branson planted a kiss on Sam’s cheek..... He’s still blushing!
Sam holds a Degree in Classical Music Studies from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is an accredited Wiley DiSC Facilitator.full bio
☆
Tue Oct 13 · 4:15 PM - 4:35 PM
Sound bath recovery
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Unwind through therapeutic sound frequencies designed to encourage relaxation and restoration. Take time to pause, recharge and explore how sound-based wellness experiences can support recovery and overall well-being.Unwind through therapeutic sound frequencies designed to encourage relaxation and restoration. Take time to pause, recharge and explore how sound-based wellness experiences can support recovery and overall well-being.
Learning outcomes:
Understand sound as a wellness modality
Experience practices that support nervous system recovery
Explore restorative experiences that can be incorporated into eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Carla CallawayVP, Global Talent and Culture, HPN Global
As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional...As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional hospitality professionals and building the next generation of HPN Global associates as the company continues its intentional global growth. She is also the Founder of Convergence with Carla; which combines sound healing, EFT, and clinical hypnosis techniques and focuses on subconscious reprogramming and nervous system integration to help individuals live their most aligned lives. She has also brought these techniques to the Hospitality Industry, helping Meeting and Event Planners encourage more mindfulness, presence and intention to their events.full bio
Prioritize your well-being throughout IMEX America while taking part in friendly individual and team competition. Connect with peers, track your progress and discover opportunities to support healthy habits during the show.
Learn more and join the challenge at hekahealth.com/imexamerica26. · Original Link ↗
Join your colleagues for a 5km fun run as dawn breaks over Las Vegas. It’s our way of helping you get the best start to a busy day at the show.Join your colleagues for a 5km fun run as dawn breaks over Las Vegas. It’s our way of helping you get the best start to a busy day at the show. Open to all - whether you’re planning to sprint, jog or walk.
Registration is essential.
By taking part you agree to the IMEXrun rules and regulations.
Register now - https://pra.swoogo.com/imexrun26read more · Original Link ↗
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Experience a physician-led brain performance assessment and discover how cognitive function, stress resilience, focus and recovery influence overall performance. Gain practical insight into strategies that can help support brain health and mental resilience.Experience a physician-led brain performance assessment and discover how cognitive function, stress resilience, focus and recovery influence overall performance. Gain practical insight into strategies that can help support brain health and mental resilience.
Learning outcomes:
Discover factors that influence cognitive performance
Understand how brain assessments can support well-being
Explore strategies to improve focus and resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Sat RandhawaOlympian Meeting
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Conversations people remember
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Great networking starts with meaningful conversations. Discover practical techniques to ask better questions, listen with intention and build genuine rapport so your interactions create lasting connections beyond the event.Great networking starts with meaningful conversations. Discover practical techniques to ask better questions, listen with intention and build genuine rapport so your interactions create lasting connections beyond the event.
Learning outcomes:
Apply strategies that create meaningful conversations
Discover what builds trust in professional relationships
Create memorable networking interactions
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25read more · Original Link ↗
Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it.Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it. She is a TED speaker with over 1.9 million views, founder of Legacy Mindset, and an internationally recognized authority in cognitive performance. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Garza has trained over 15,000 high-stakes professionals - from special forces and senior military leaders to Olympic athletes and Fortune 500 executives. Known for her immersive, scenario-based approach, she equips people to master mental readiness, emotional agility, and peak performance under pressure.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
InBody body composition lab
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover what your body composition reveals beyond the number on the scale. Explore how muscle mass, body fat, hydration and cellular health can provide insight into healthy aging, fitness and personalized wellness planning.Discover what your body composition reveals beyond the number on the scale. Explore how muscle mass, body fat, hydration and cellular health can provide insight into healthy aging, fitness and personalized wellness planning.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why body composition matters
Discover key indicators of healthy aging
Apply body composition insights to wellnessread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Metabolic performance lab
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how your body produces energy, uses oxygen, burns fat and responds to exercise. Explore how metabolic testing can provide personalized insights to help improve performance, recovery and long-term health.Discover how your body produces energy, uses oxygen, burns fat and responds to exercise. Explore how metabolic testing can provide personalized insights to help improve performance, recovery and long-term health.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how metabolism influences performance
Understand the value of metabolic testing
Apply metabolic insights to optimize recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The science of slime
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Explore the science behind slime and discover how tactile experiences can positively influence the brain. Learn how sensory play can support attention, reduce cognitive overload, encourage creativity and help create moments of calm in busy event environments.Explore the science behind slime and discover how tactile experiences can positively influence the brain. Learn how sensory play can support attention, reduce cognitive overload, encourage creativity and help create moments of calm in busy event environments.
Learning outcomes:
Define the connection between touch and brain function
Discover how sensory play supports creativity and focus
Apply sensory strategies to manage cognitive overloadread more · Original Link ↗
Jason VelezDir of Sales & Customer Service, Sloomoo
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 8:20 AM - 8:35 AM
#Fit4Events push-up and squat challenge
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Join an inclusive movement challenge designed to build energy, encourage participation and strengthen community. Choose the movement option that works best for you and discover how wellness activities can create more engaging and accessible event experiences.Join an inclusive movement challenge designed to build energy, encourage participation and strengthen community. Choose the movement option that works best for you and discover how wellness activities can create more engaging and accessible event experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how inclusive movement activities can strengthen connection, participation and energy
Identify practical ways to adapt physical challenges for different fitness levels and mobility needs
Explore how wellness activities can encourage participation without excluding attendeesread more · Original Link ↗
Anca Platon TrifanAI-Native CEO | Speaker, Tree-Fan Events Productions LLC
Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit...Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP is the CEO of Tree-Fan Events LLC, Host of the “Events Demystified Podcast”, Founder of Fit Mindful Mavens, and Founder of Women BTS in Events (tech + prod). Recognized as a trailblazer, Anca has received numerous accolades: 2024 Best of the Stage: Smart Speaker Award, 2024 #empowerHERaccess Finalist Award in the B2B Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year Category, 2023 Smart Woman in Meetings and Catalyst Quantum Leap Award by Smart Meetings, 2022’s “40 under 40” by BizBash+Connect Meetings, and the 2021 #womentowatch award by Meetings Today.
Under her leadership, Tree-Fan Events is pioneering the #FIT4Events framework, integrating Futuristic AV Production, Innovative AI Technology, Thriving Audiences, and Empowered Teams to transform event experiences. Anca’s commitment to merging event production with wellness and technology has set new industry standards. Additionally, Anca has excelled in the fitness world, claiming the 2023 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Wellness Masters and the 2022 First Place in Natural Bodybuilding Bikini Competitor. Her multifaceted career showcases her dedication to innovation, wellness, and empowering women in tech and production.
https://treefanevents.com/about-anca-platon-trifan/full bio
MPI keynote: Exceptional experiences: drive revenue by transforming client relationships
● Experiential event design
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore how memorable client experiences can strengthen relationships and support sustainable business growth. Discover practical approaches to understanding client expectations, anticipating needs and creating lasting value.Explore how memorable client experiences can strengthen relationships and support sustainable business growth. Discover practical approaches to understanding client expectations, anticipating needs and creating lasting value.
Learn how experience-led strategies can help differentiate your business and turn satisfied clients into loyal advocates.
Session sponsored by Visit Walnut Creek
Learning outcomes:
Identify the needs of high-value clients
Develop systems that support consistent excellence
Build stronger client advocacy and loyaltyread more · Original Link ↗
Neen JamesLeadership Strategist, Neen James Inc.
This is my very first IMEX - I couldn't be more excited to be here with ALHI.This is my very first IMEX - I couldn't be more excited to be here with ALHI. I am a leadership strategist and a luxury expert. As the author of Folding TimeTM and Attention PaysTM and a keynote speaker, I have also been named one of the Top 30 Leadership Speakers by Global Guru several years in a row because of my work with companies like Viacom, Comcast, Virtuoso, Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceuticals among others. So cool!
I believe in focusing on systems of attention so everyone can get more done and create more significant moments that matter at work and home.
It is a treat to be part of the ALHI Strategic Advisory Group to provide one-on-one consulting on various leadership topics.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 8:45 AM - 9:00 AM
Recovery stretch and mobility
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Improve flexibility, mobility and recovery through a guided movement session designed to ease physical tension and support overall well-being. Discover practical techniques that can help offset the effects of travel, long days on your feet and busy event schedules.Improve flexibility, mobility and recovery through a guided movement session designed to ease physical tension and support overall well-being. Discover practical techniques that can help offset the effects of travel, long days on your feet and busy event schedules.
Learning outcomes:
Learn techniques that improve mobility and flexibility
Reduce muscle tension associated with travel and meetings
Experience movement as an effective recovery toolread more · Original Link ↗
Connect with fellow faculty teaching events, hospitality or tourism courses at the IMEX-IAEE Faculty Engagement Experience. Share best practices, discuss current trends and compare event management courses with the needs of the industry.Connect with fellow faculty teaching events, hospitality or tourism courses at the IMEX-IAEE Faculty Engagement Experience. Share best practices, discuss current trends and compare event management courses with the needs of the industry. Explore opportunities to develop and update your teaching. Registration is required. Contact bbenbow@iaee.com for more information.read more · Original Link ↗
2036: Meetings of the future - what will make meetings thrive and what will be the hurdles to overcome
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Explore how meetings will evolve long-term and role of each stakeholder in shaping this journey ensuring enhancement of experiences, meeting objectives and driving better results for the clients
Session created by IAPCO.Explore how meetings will evolve long-term and role of each stakeholder in shaping this journey ensuring enhancement of experiences, meeting objectives and driving better results for the clients
Session created by IAPCO. See more about IAPCO at www.iapco.org
Learning outcomes:
Illustrate the future needs of clients in order to lead the discussion and deliverables
Develop your own strategies for delivering to associations and government clientsread more · Original Link ↗
Karina Soraya LanceAssociate VP (AVP) • Business Events, Dubai Business Events
Ajay BhojwaniRegional Managing Dir, MCI Middle East
Amy ButteryHead of Incentives and Destination Experiences, Arinex
Walid MenessiCOO, ICOM Group
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 9:30 AM - 9:50 AM
Digital stress and your skin
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how extended screen time and environmental stressors can affect skin health. Explore ingredients, protection strategies and recovery practices that help support healthy-looking skin in a digitally connected world.Discover how extended screen time and environmental stressors can affect skin health. Explore ingredients, protection strategies and recovery practices that help support healthy-looking skin in a digitally connected world.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how blue light can affect skin health
Explore ingredients that help defend against digital aging
Apply daily strategies that support skin health and recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Celeste HillingCEO, Skin Authority
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Home field advantage: what a destination offers beyond a venue
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Discover the difference between a destination that simply offers a venue and one that opens the door to valuable local networks and connections. Hear from three destinations as they share the opportunities and relationships they provide beyond the expected.Discover the difference between a destination that simply offers a venue and one that opens the door to valuable local networks and connections. Hear from three destinations as they share the opportunities and relationships they provide beyond the expected. Leave with a clearer understanding of what "home field advantage" looks like and the questions to ask when choosing your next destination.
Learning outcomes:
Identify what lies beyond the standard destination pitch
Build a different, better destination checklist
Recognize that home field advantage is a practiceread more · Original Link ↗
Shawn ChengRegional Director North America, ICCA
Regional Director of North America at ICCA | Championing Growth, Innovation, and Collaboration in the Global Meetings Industry | Technology Enthusiast |...Regional Director of North America at ICCA |
Championing Growth, Innovation, and Collaboration in the Global Meetings Industry |
Technology Enthusiast |
Effective Storytelling |
Always Curious, Always Learningfull bio
Miranda JiExecutive VP of Sales, Business Events Victoria
Kirsty WalkerCFO, Business Events Sydney
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Opening ritual: meet new people
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Collect your archetype card and matching sticker. Find someone with a different sticker color and spend five minutes exploring another point of view. Start the day with a new conversation and connection. · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Build Lab
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Build Lab, B4686
Got something you've been wanting to build? Build it at IMEX. Bring an idea from your head, your Notes app or a half-finished doc. It could be an app, website, dashboard, workflow, presentation, tool or something completely unexpected.Got something you've been wanting to build? Build it at IMEX.
Bring an idea from your head, your Notes app or a half-finished doc. It could be an app, website, dashboard, workflow, presentation, tool or something completely unexpected.
The Build Lab is a hands-on space where event profs can turn ideas into reality. No coding experience required. No perfect plan needed.
Build your own project, solve a challenge, collaborate with others or help bring someone else's idea to life. Build coaches will be on hand to help you get started, choose the right tools and keep moving.read more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 9:55 AM - 10:25 AM
Unplugged studio: Tanya Pinchuk and Huong Nguyen
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Join Tanya and Huong for an unscripted conversation about where the industry stands today, changing approaches to leadership and the growing role of automation. Hear their perspectives on emerging opportunities and what could come next for event technology.Join Tanya and Huong for an unscripted conversation about where the industry stands today, changing approaches to leadership and the growing role of automation. Hear their perspectives on emerging opportunities and what could come next for event technology.
Learning outcomes:
Explore different perspectives on the current state of the industry
Consider changing approaches to event technology leadership
Hear predictions about what could come nextread more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
AI and I: Innovating with intelligent audience engagement
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Explore the latest audience engagement tech with Nick and look at what’s coming next. Discover how AI can amplify human understanding, personalize experiences and turn audience data into clearer, more meaningful engagement.Explore the latest audience engagement tech with Nick and look at what’s coming next. Discover how AI can amplify human understanding, personalize experiences and turn audience data into clearer, more meaningful engagement.
Learning outcomes:
Use AI to amplify human understanding, not replace it
Explore how personalization can shape audience experiences around individual needs
Turn audience data into practical insights that create meaningful engagement
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Nick FaganCreative Technologist, DRPG
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
AI skin scan showcase
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience AI-powered skin health assessments and personalized wellness recommendations in a quick drop-in showcase.
Learning outcomes:
Explore emerging applications of AI in wellness
Understand how lifestyle factors can influence skin health
Learn how personalized wellness assessments can support behavior change · Original Link ↗
Celeste HillingCEO, Skin Authority
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 10:40 AM
Association power hour: Part one
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Association leaders are navigating economic uncertainty, evolving member expectations, geopolitical disruption and changing revenue models. These forces are reshaping how associations create value and sustain growth. Explore the latest sector data alongside practical insights from peers who are adapting successfully.Association leaders are navigating economic uncertainty, evolving member expectations, geopolitical disruption and changing revenue models. These forces are reshaping how associations create value and sustain growth.
Explore the latest sector data alongside practical insights from peers who are adapting successfully. Gain ideas to strengthen trust, deepen stakeholder relationships and build resilience while identifying new opportunities for meetings, international engagement and growth.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize the key trends shaping the association sector and their implications for your organization
Evaluate approaches to strengthening value, trust and stakeholder relationships during periods of uncertainty
Identify practical strategies to build resilience and support long-term success
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Meredith EllisonExecutive Dir, AAAI
Giovanni GuizzettiGlobal Conference Manager, ISCT
Global Conference Manager at ISCT, leading the planning and delivery of international conferences for the cell and gene therapy community, from venue...Global Conference Manager at ISCT, leading the planning and delivery of international conferences for the cell and gene therapy community, from venue sourcing and contract negotiations to financial management, stakeholder engagement, and onsite delivery.
I believe successful events are built through collaboration, attention to detail, and a calm approach to solving challenges.full bio
Amy HissrichVP International Affairs, ASAE
Rahul ShahDir, Client Engagement - North America, Business Events Sydney
Rahul Shah has more than 20 years' experience in the global business events industry, helping associations, corporations and incentive organisations deliver successful...Rahul Shah has more than 20 years' experience in the global business events industry, helping associations, corporations and incentive organisations deliver successful events across North America and internationally. His career spans the UK, Canada and Australia, giving him a unique perspective on how organisations evaluate destinations and make international event decisions.
As Director, Client Engagement - North America, Rahul works with associations, corporate organisations and incentive houses to connect their event objectives with Sydney's world-class business events capabilities, research strengths and industry networks. Known for his collaborative approach and global perspective, he helps clients navigate the opportunities of hosting in Australia with confidence.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Cultural defibrillator: a six-step blueprint for workplace well-being
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Build a people-first culture using a practical six-step framework. Learn how to strengthen psychological safety, reduce workplace friction, prevent burnout, and create the conditions for event teams to perform at their best in high-pressure environments.Build a people-first culture using a practical six-step framework. Learn how to strengthen psychological safety, reduce workplace friction, prevent burnout, and create the conditions for event teams to perform at their best in high-pressure environments.
Learning outcomes:
Operationalize belonging and well-being through a six-step strategic framework
Identify friction points and address toxic behaviors before they affect event delivery
Build a sustainable people-first culture that shifts teams from reactive stress management to proactive support
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Vanessa ZamyPresident, LiberationX Solutions
LiberationX Contracts addresses the pervasive issue of employee burnout and disengagement in today's demanding work environments.LiberationX Contracts addresses the pervasive issue of employee burnout and disengagement in today's demanding work environments. This problem leads to decreased productivity, strained workplace relationships, and high turnover rates, ultimately impacting organizations' financial results. Some of our most asked for services include Leadership Retreats, Executive Coaching, and Wellness Experiences. Our services are designed to reverse these negative trends and create a more harmonious and productive workplace culture.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Exceeding expectations in the contemporary culinary experience
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore how changing dietary preferences, growing interest in alcohol-free choices and the use of GLP-1 medications are reshaping food and beverage expectations. Discover practical ways to create more inclusive culinary experiences for a diverse, health-conscious audience.Explore how changing dietary preferences, growing interest in alcohol-free choices and the use of GLP-1 medications are reshaping food and beverage expectations. Discover practical ways to create more inclusive culinary experiences for a diverse, health-conscious audience. When every attendee matters, every meal matters too.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the food and beverage needs of today’s event attendees
Review your culinary strategy to support greater inclusion
Develop practical ideas for your events through an open conversation with experts
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Zena PhillipsSr Dir Catering & Events, Americas, Hilton
Monique RochardHead of Global Commercial Services, Cordis
With over 22 years in strategic experiential marketing, Monique blends visionary strategy with practical execution to drive business growth and ROI.With over 22 years in strategic experiential marketing, Monique blends visionary strategy with practical execution to drive business growth and ROI.
She has led teams in creating memorable events, while securing executive recognition for strategic meeting professionals.
Her credentials include an MBA, CITP, CTSM, CMM, and CMP, with expertise in strategic meetings, team leadership, and customer engagement.
Hailing from the Caribbean, she currently resides in MN with her husband, 3 boys and a Sharpei/beagle furbaby; showing that you can overcome anything - like hating the cold weather but living in it!full bio
Dietary Needs Expert 🍏 Food Safety Trainer 🍏 Certified Special Events Professional 🍏 Founder of thrive!Dietary Needs Expert 🍏 Food Safety Trainer 🍏 Certified Special Events Professional 🍏 Founder of thrive! meetings & events 🍏 Host of Eating at a Meeting podcast 🍏 International Speaker and trainer
➤ Reach me on LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/tracystuckrath
➤ Have ?s, DM your questions to 404-242-0530
Do you have attendees with food allergies and/or other dietary needs? 🥜 🌱
How do we provide accessibility to others with those with disability needs? 👨🦯👨🏾🦽🦮🥕 🥜
I work with organizations worldwide to create safe, sustainable, and inclusive food and beverage events that deliver experiences where everyone feels valued.
#EveryMealMatters #FoodInclusionfull bio
Jen VeralleMindful Drinking Movement
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific GH
If you’re entering your final year of a hospitality, event or tourism management course, the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is a unique and free opportunity for you to gain expert insight into the meetings industry, learning from and connecting with...If you’re entering your final year of a hospitality, event or tourism management course, the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is a unique and free opportunity for you to gain expert insight into the meetings industry, learning from and connecting with inspirational industry experts and fellow students. You'll make valuable industry contacts, benefit from high-quality education and visit the heart of the meetings industry, IMEX.
Full program available here: https://imexamerica.com/newfront/page/imex-mpi-mci-future-leaders-forum
Invitation only - additional registration required.read more · Original Link ↗
Taylor SmithContent Manager, Destinations, Meetings Today
Taylor Smith is content manager, destinations for Meetings Today and the voice behind the publication's column, "The Z: Planning for the Industry's...Taylor Smith is content manager, destinations for Meetings Today and the voice behind the publication's column, "The Z: Planning for the Industry's Next Generation," which explores how to welcome, work with, understand and plan for the industry’s next wave of professionals, Gen Z. In addition to discussing the meetings and events industry’s newest and youngest members, Taylor also oversees Meetings Today's brand-new biannual digital publication, Incentives Today, created in partnership with SITE. In her role, Taylor frequently covers North American destinations and often writes about wellness, sustainability, incentives, new and renovated properties and industry trends for Meetings Today.
Taylor graduated from Ball State University in May 2022 with a bachelor's degree in news and magazine journalism and currently resides in Melrose Park, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. In her free time, she loves to go for walks with her 3-year-old cockapoo, Romeo, peruse local bookstores and cheer on the Cubbies at Wrigley Field!full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
More than a show: how mega events reshape their host cities
● Impact
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Mega events can transform a city long after the crowds leave. Explore how major sporting, cultural and business events influence infrastructure, tourism, economic development, community identity and future opportunities.Mega events can transform a city long after the crowds leave. Explore how major sporting, cultural and business events influence infrastructure, tourism, economic development, community identity and future opportunities. Consider the benefits and challenges for host cities and discover how you can help create positive impacts that last beyond the event.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how mega events can influence a host city’s infrastructure, economy, tourism and community identity
Identify the opportunities and challenges cities face when hosting large-scale events
Apply lessons from mega events to create lasting value for destinations and their communitiesread more · Original Link ↗
Sharifa WilkinsonAssistant Teaching Professor & Dir of Event Management Education, Florida International University
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 10:20 AM
The art of getting over yourself: belonging hacks for the modern world
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover practical ways to build belonging through play, presence and connection. Explore simple techniques that help you move beyond autopilot, deepen relationships and create stronger links between self-care and community care.Discover practical ways to build belonging through play, presence and connection. Explore simple techniques that help you move beyond autopilot, deepen relationships and create stronger links between self-care and community care.
Learning outcomes:
Define belonging as a skill you build, not a feeling you find
Apply playful and embodied tools that support connection and presence
Explore ways to bridge self-care and community care in meetings and eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Eli WalkerSpeaker, Belonging Designer & Founder, The Uplift Center
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Your boss is tracking the wrong number: how to fix it
● Impact
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Move beyond attendance figures and discover metrics that demonstrate your event’s value. Gain strategies on how to ask better questions, strengthen your dashboard and give leaders clearer evidence of impact.Move beyond attendance figures and discover metrics that demonstrate your event’s value. Gain strategies on how to ask better questions, strengthen your dashboard and give leaders clearer evidence of impact.
Learning outcomes:
Illustrate why attendance figures alone don’t demonstrate impact
Ask better questions about what an event dashboard should prove
Choose one stronger metric for your next leadership conversationread more · Original Link ↗
Vinnu DeshettySpeaker/Instructor, Event ROI Coach
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:05 AM - 10:30 AM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:10 AM - 10:50 AM
Shifting generational preferences in incentive design
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Explore new research into how different generations respond to incentive travel and reward strategies. Learn what motivates Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z, and discover how preferences vary across today's multigenerational workforce.Explore new research into how different generations respond to incentive travel and reward strategies. Learn what motivates Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z, and discover how preferences vary across today's multigenerational workforce.
Gain practical insights into designing more meaningful reward experiences, including the growing importance of sustainability and positive destination impact.
Learning outcomes:
Explore what motivates today's incentive travel qualifiers
Match participant values with meaningful reward experiences
Design incentive programs that resonate across generations
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
MaryBeth ReevesDir of Sourcing and Sustainability, MGME
Mary Beth Reeves is an experienced leader in sustainable event strategy, known for her commitment to integrating environmentally conscious practices into event...Mary Beth Reeves is an experienced leader in sustainable event strategy, known for her commitment to integrating environmentally conscious practices into event design and delivery. Appointed MGME’s Director of Event Design and Sustainability in 2024, she has helped develop strategies that reduce environmental impact while enhancing the attendee experience.
With dual certifications as a Sustainable Event Professional and Inclusive Event Strategist, Mary Beth combines sustainability and inclusivity expertise to create thoughtful, forward-looking events. Her work has earned industry recognition, including the Pharma Forum Sustainability Award (2024). She also serves as Chair of the SITE Global Sustainability Community (2025 and 2026) and SITE Southeast VP of Sustainability (2026), helping to influence best practices across the industry.
Under Mary Beth’s guidance, MGME has introduced initiatives to minimize waste, optimize energy use and encourage collaboration among stakeholders, supporting the company’s commitment to responsible event management.
Before joining MGME, Mary Beth built a career of more than 20 years in hospitality, culminating in the role of Corporate Director, Revenue Management Training at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. She later launched her own company, which gained national recognition, including a feature in The Wall Street Journal.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Discover how intentional laughter, breathing and gentle movement can help shift your mindset, ease stress and strengthen connection.Discover how intentional laughter, breathing and gentle movement can help shift your mindset, ease stress and strengthen connection. Explore the science behind laughter and leave with a simple practice you can use to boost energy and well-being during busy event days.
Learning outcomes:
Experience how intentional laughter can shift your mood in minutes
Explore the science linking laughter, stress relief and connection
Create a simple laughter practice to share with your teamread more · Original Link ↗
Dami KimExecutive Dir, Body & Brain Wellness
Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.
A keynote speaker for the meetings and events industry, Kim leads a national team of 200 experts across 18 major U.S. cities, delivering immersive wellness activations - including Brain Breaks, Energy Decoder Wellness Assessments, Stress-Reset sessions, and leadership programs - at events and in workplaces for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kestra, Assa Abloy, Caesars Entertainment, and SITE.
Recognized as a 2024 Trendsetter on Innovation by Meetings Today, Kim designs programs that deliver measurable impact - helping organizations transform stress into resilience, disengagement into connection, and cost into return on wellness.
With more than 27 years' experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, associations, and hospitality leaders to integrate wellness into conferences, incentive trips, and corporate gatherings.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
From sideline to show floor: what sports teaches brands about belief
● Design for spectacle
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
What turns awareness into belief? Explore new Belief Gap™ research with leaders from The Freeman Company, BaAM Productions and Fanatics Fest as they examine what inspires people to show up, engage and become advocates for a brand.What turns awareness into belief? Explore new Belief Gap™ research with leaders from The Freeman Company, BaAM Productions and Fanatics Fest as they examine what inspires people to show up, engage and become advocates for a brand.
Using examples from sports and live events, discover how connection, credibility and conviction help close the gap between awareness and belief, and consider how those lessons can apply to your own events and experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Explore key findings from Belief Gap™ research and how they can help turn awareness into belief
Learn from real-world examples of building trust through sports and live events
Identify practical ways to demonstrate the value of in-person experiences to stakeholdersread more · Original Link ↗
Lance FenstermanCEO, Fanatics Events
Annemarie RoePresident, BaAM
Mickey WilsonCMO, The Freeman Company
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:30 AM - 10:55 AM
Rethinking the pitch: proposal management that drives impact and inclusion
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Rethink proposal management as a leadership opportunity. Discover how inclusive practices, sustainability considerations and people-centered workflows can improve collaboration, reduce unnecessary pressure and deliver better outcomes for clients and suppliers.Rethink proposal management as a leadership opportunity. Discover how inclusive practices, sustainability considerations and people-centered workflows can improve collaboration, reduce unnecessary pressure and deliver better outcomes for clients and suppliers.
Learning outcomes:
Identify carbon hotspots across proposal and pitch processes
Design more inclusive proposal management practices
Apply leadership practices that support well-being and reduce burnout
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Ryan AbneyProposal Manager/Experience Designer, MGME (McVeigh Global Meetings & Events)
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
The connected culture: making values, purpose, and strategy stick
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Build a culture where strategy, purpose and values truly connect. Explore why initiatives fail to stick and how emotional connection drives performance. Gain practical insights to align teams around a shared purpose and create lasting impact.Build a culture where strategy, purpose and values truly connect. Explore why initiatives fail to stick and how emotional connection drives performance. Gain practical insights to align teams around a shared purpose and create lasting impact.
Learning outcomes:
Understanding the relationship between your organization’s values, purpose and strategy.
Evaluate the alignment between your organization’s core values and daily decision-making processes.
Apply the 'Best in the World' filter to your current projects and partnerships to ensure work is meaningful, high-performing, and culturally aligned.
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Andy SharpeFounder & CEO, SongDivision - 22 years of helping organizations make their values, purpose, and strategy stick through team building, strengthening core values, and improving workplace culture.
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
The mindset of influence: leading with flexible focus
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Strengthen your influence by shifting confidently between daily delivery and strategic thinking. Explore practical tools that help you balance data and intuition, communicate ideas to senior leaders and approach challenges from a wider perspective.Strengthen your influence by shifting confidently between daily delivery and strategic thinking. Explore practical tools that help you balance data and intuition, communicate ideas to senior leaders and approach challenges from a wider perspective.
Learning outcomes:
Balance data and intuition when making strategic decisions
Present event concepts in language that resonates with executives
Apply the PDCA cycle or Iceberg Model to a challengeread more · Original Link ↗
Anthony VadeChief Innovation Officer, Strategy Table Pathways
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:50 AM - 11:25 AM
Driving revenue generation and meaningful event experiences
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Explore practical strategies for building stronger revenue streams while delivering meaningful event experiences. Learn how to increase sponsorship value through innovative packaging, audience engagement and smarter partnerships.Explore practical strategies for building stronger revenue streams while delivering meaningful event experiences. Learn how to increase sponsorship value through innovative packaging, audience engagement and smarter partnerships. Gain insights into sustainable revenue generation across events, memberships, sponsorships, education and partnerships while balancing financial resilience with long-term organizational goals.
Learning outcomes:
Design integrated sponsorship bundles that span events, channels and audience segments
Translate sponsorship strategy into scalable offerings that drive measurable outcomes
Gain practical insights into creating a robust revenue model that supports growth, engagement and impactread more · Original Link ↗
Meg FasyFounder & CEO, FazeFWD
We work with organizations to create their sponsorship strategy including developing a robust prospectus and selling sponsorships and exhibits.We work with organizations to create their sponsorship strategy including developing a robust prospectus and selling sponsorships and exhibits.
I also facilitate focus groups and customer advisory boards.full bio
David HarrisonCFO, IMEX Group
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 10:55 AM - 11:25 AM
Tech: whose line is it anyway?
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Watch Tess challenge tech experts with real event disasters and ask them to improvise a solution live, with no preparation. · Original Link ↗
Tyra D.Tyra D. Dyson, CMP, DES, is the founder and CEO of TDC Events and Hospitality, with over two decades of experience producing impactful events across the nonprofit, government, corporate, and now political sectors. Most recently, she served as the Associate Director of Convention Center Experience for the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Tyra is an award-winning event professional, honored with the 2024 PCMA Visionary Award for "Event Designer of the Year" and named among the “Top 100 in Events” by the Blacks in Events Network. Her other accolades include the Smart Women in Meetings Entrepreneurship Award (2019), ASAE’s Meeting Innovator recognition, and Smart Meetings
Magazine’s Event Planner of the Year (2018). She is also a co-author of the Amazon bestseller Dear Fear (2017).
A respected industry leader and mentor, Tyra is known for her extensive expertise and global network. She is frequently invited to speak at industry events and serves on several committees, including the PCMA USAC National Advisory Board, PCMA Capital Chapter Professional
Development and Emerging Professionals committees. Tyra is passionate about advancing the events and hospitality industry through leadership, mentoring, and creating opportunities for others.
As a serial entrepreneur, she co-founded The Brand Xperience Lounge and Boss Up Girl Co. with her daughter. These ventures focus on helping
clients align their businesses with purpose, passion, and profitability. Through signature events like "When Women Win" and "Brunch with Bosses," they empower women to take ownership of their lives, careers, businesses, and relationships, inspiring them to become their own ShEOs. Originally from Washington, DC, Tyra now lives in Alexandria, VA. A lover of fashion, travel, live entertainment, and football, she aspires to travel the world producing events that inspire and empower others. Her personal motto: “In all things RISE (Represent In Style & Excellence).”full bio
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘄 I'm a Fractional Registration CTO: I decide what gets built, on which platform, and why - and then...𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘄
I'm a Fractional Registration CTO: I decide what gets built, on which platform, and why - and then I build it.
Enterprise event teams, associations and agencies bring me in when registration has to do more than collect names. It has to feed the CRM, drive badging and access, hold up when several thousand people arrive at once, and produce reporting someone can use afterward. I design that architecture before anything is configured, because reporting designed at the end is reporting that was never possible.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝗺 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗻 - Enterprise registration builds and rebuilds, currently on Cvent, RainFocus and Swoogo - Platform selection and migration, judged against integration reality rather than feature lists - Attendee journey maps and registration architecture documentation, so your team can see how every piece connects and run it after I hand it off - Housing, CRM and app integrations, and a designed answer for what happens when one of them fails - Testing vendors' AI claims for teams that are choosing a platform
I've built enterprise events end to end on Cvent, RainFocus, Swoogo, InEvent and Entegy. I hold certifications across the platforms I work in and commission relationships with several, and I earned Cvent Power User status at the first-ever Power User Build-Off at Cvent CONNECT 2026. No single platform is mine to defend, and I will tell you which one is wrong for you.
𝗔𝘁 𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗫
Catch me Wednesday at 10:55 in "Tech: Whose Line Is It Anyway?" with Tess Vismale, live event-tech disasters and zero prep, at the IMEX Tech Education stage (B4686, next to the Inspiration Hub in Bayside B). I'll be around that area most of the week.
If you're choosing a platform, fixing one, or wondering why your registration data never makes it into reporting, click Meet. And if you work on the platform side and your clients need someone to design what happens underneath the form, I'd like to meet you too.
The long version of how I got here - audio engineering, then finance, then events, all self-taught - is on my LinkedIn, along with the architecture wireframes I post most Wednesdays.full bio
EMP: your guide to launching a meetings industry career
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Whether you’re new to the industry or mentoring the next generation of talent, the Emerging Meeting Professional (EMP) program provides a roadmap for success.Whether you’re new to the industry or mentoring the next generation of talent, the Emerging Meeting Professional (EMP) program provides a roadmap for success. Explore the skills, connections and career development opportunities that can help emerging professionals thrive in today’s meetings and events industry.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the foundational skills needed for success in the meetings and events industry
Explore resources, networks and development opportunities available through the EMP program
Create a roadmap for professional growth during the early years of an events industry careerread more · Original Link ↗
Lexi RobertsManager, Educational Experiences, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Meeting Professionals International- Sourcing concurrent education for IMEX America Smart Monday.
Come find us at the MPI Booth!
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Experience the future of body optimization
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Explore physician-led performance technologies designed to support recovery, cognitive function, muscle health and overall well-being. Discover how emerging wellness technologies are shaping approaches to preventive health and performance.Explore physician-led performance technologies designed to support recovery, cognitive function, muscle health and overall well-being. Discover how emerging wellness technologies are shaping approaches to preventive health and performance.
Learning outcomes:
Discover innovative performance technologies
Understand the role technology can play in preventive health
Explore tools that support human performance and recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:00 AM - 11:20 AM
Hypnotic stress release: EFT tapping for event resilience
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Restore calm and resilience through a guided experience combining hypnosis, EFT tapping and relaxation techniques. Release mental tension, regulate your nervous system and replace stress with clarity and focus so you can navigate IMEX America 2026 with greater ease.Restore calm and resilience through a guided experience combining hypnosis, EFT tapping and relaxation techniques. Release mental tension, regulate your nervous system and replace stress with clarity and focus so you can navigate IMEX America 2026 with greater ease.
Learning outcomes:
Identify sources of event-related stress and mental fatigue
Apply EFT tapping techniques to regulate the nervous system
Experience guided hypnosis to improve calm, focus and resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Carla CallawayVP, Global Talent and Culture, HPN Global
As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional...As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional hospitality professionals and building the next generation of HPN Global associates as the company continues its intentional global growth. She is also the Founder of Convergence with Carla; which combines sound healing, EFT, and clinical hypnosis techniques and focuses on subconscious reprogramming and nervous system integration to help individuals live their most aligned lives. She has also brought these techniques to the Hospitality Industry, helping Meeting and Event Planners encourage more mindfulness, presence and intention to their events.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:00 AM - 11:40 AM
Maximizing the long haul incentive travel experience
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
How far would you go to create a once-in-a-lifetime incentive travel experience? For today’s well-traveled top performers, long-haul travel can offer the exclusive and culturally immersive experiences that make a program unforgettable.How far would you go to create a once-in-a-lifetime incentive travel experience? For today’s well-traveled top performers, long-haul travel can offer the exclusive and culturally immersive experiences that make a program unforgettable. Explore what gives a distant destination real trophy value, from adventurous itineraries and bespoke access to time for jet lag recovery, relaxation and personal exploration. Consider air travel, time away from the office and pricing, and discover how to make the journey part of the reward.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the characteristics that give long-haul destinations “trophy value”
Evaluate the benefits and practical considerations of planning a long-haul incentive program
Explore strategies for creating memorable, culturally immersive journeys
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Domain I: Site Management, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Tiffany CohenSVP Incentives and Global Sourcing, Opus Agency
Tiffany Cohen is a highly accomplished leader in the events and hospitality industry with over 25 years of expertise in operations, sourcing,...Tiffany Cohen is a highly accomplished leader in the events and hospitality industry with over 25 years of expertise in operations, sourcing, and incentive planning. As Senior Vice President at Opus Agency, Tiffany oversees strategic initiatives and delivers exceptional event experiences for global clients.
Holding both the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Incentive Travel Professional (CITP) designations, Tiffany is recognized for her commitment to excellence in the meetings and incentive travel sectors. She also actively contributes to the industry as a volunteer with the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), a 2025 SITE Mentor, and a member of the Hilton Head Island Advisory Board.full bio
Stephanie HarrisPresident / CEO, Incentive Research Foundation
Andy SchwarzVP, Content & Communications, Incentive Research Foundation
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Meet the speakers: exceeding expectations in the contemporary culinary experience
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Continue the conversation with the speakers and explore how food and beverage expectations are changing. Share questions and discuss practical approaches to more inclusive culinary planning in an informal setting. · Original Link ↗
Zena PhillipsSr Dir Catering & Events, Americas, Hilton
Monique RochardHead of Global Commercial Services, Cordis
With over 22 years in strategic experiential marketing, Monique blends visionary strategy with practical execution to drive business growth and ROI.With over 22 years in strategic experiential marketing, Monique blends visionary strategy with practical execution to drive business growth and ROI.
She has led teams in creating memorable events, while securing executive recognition for strategic meeting professionals.
Her credentials include an MBA, CITP, CTSM, CMM, and CMP, with expertise in strategic meetings, team leadership, and customer engagement.
Hailing from the Caribbean, she currently resides in MN with her husband, 3 boys and a Sharpei/beagle furbaby; showing that you can overcome anything - like hating the cold weather but living in it!full bio
Dietary Needs Expert 🍏 Food Safety Trainer 🍏 Certified Special Events Professional 🍏 Founder of thrive!Dietary Needs Expert 🍏 Food Safety Trainer 🍏 Certified Special Events Professional 🍏 Founder of thrive! meetings & events 🍏 Host of Eating at a Meeting podcast 🍏 International Speaker and trainer
➤ Reach me on LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/tracystuckrath
➤ Have ?s, DM your questions to 404-242-0530
Do you have attendees with food allergies and/or other dietary needs? 🥜 🌱
How do we provide accessibility to others with those with disability needs? 👨🦯👨🏾🦽🦮🥕 🥜
I work with organizations worldwide to create safe, sustainable, and inclusive food and beverage events that deliver experiences where everyone feels valued.
#EveryMealMatters #FoodInclusionfull bio
Jen VeralleMindful Drinking Movement
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Nervous system reset lounge
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how regulating the nervous system can support stress reduction, mental clarity, recovery and resilience. Explore practical approaches that may help improve well-being and support sustainable performance in demanding environments.Discover how regulating the nervous system can support stress reduction, mental clarity, recovery and resilience. Explore practical approaches that may help improve well-being and support sustainable performance in demanding environments.
Learning outcomes:
Understand nervous system regulation
Discover techniques that reduce stress
Explore recovery strategies that support resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Ashley RodriguezCo - Founder Carbon World Health, Carbon World Health
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Trust in comms: How events will win
● Impact
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
In a world of increasing digital noise and growing concerns about trust, face-to-face experiences offer a powerful way to build credibility and connection.In a world of increasing digital noise and growing concerns about trust, face-to-face experiences offer a powerful way to build credibility and connection. Explore how live events can strengthen audience trust, demonstrate value and help secure greater investment in event programs.
Learning outcomes:
Explore case studies showing how events have driven measurable business outcomes
Understand how to position the value of face-to-face experiences with stakeholders
Learn how to demonstrate audience engagement compared with other communication channels
* CMP/CEU Approved: Evaluation Process, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Matt FranksCEO, DRPG America Inc, DRPG America Inc
Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the...Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the Special Event Company in North Carolina.
With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years, Matt has honed his expertise in live events and communications, working with renowned brands worldwide. Matt leads teams in delivering award-winning live events, pioneering experiential activations, and cutting-edge virtual and hybrid offerings. Providing a fully in-house solution from strategic planning and creative ideation to seamless logistics and flawless production execution, delivered across diverse industry sectors.
Matt's industry influence extends far and wide, earning him prestigious accolades such as inclusion in the Eventex Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry list and recognition as an esteemed member of the Conference & Incentive Travel magazine’s A-List Alumni. His reputation as a respected industry luminary precedes him.
DRPG stands as a beacon of excellence in the global creative communications realm, boasting a fully integrated in-house service solution. With a strategic footprint spanning Cologne, Ireland, the USA, and upcoming expansion plans in the APAC regions by 2025.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
A conversation with the creators of #EventCanvas
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change. Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners.Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change.
Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners. Explore how stronger design conversations can help organizations look beyond immediate challenges and focus on lasting outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:05 AM - 11:50 AM
Contracts, disruptions and decisions: A legal conversation for event leaders
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Join Tyra and Jill for a practical conversation on the legal issues shaping meetings and events today. Explore what hotel and vendor performance disruptions - such as cancellations and unavailable facilities - can mean for event delivery.Join Tyra and Jill for a practical conversation on the legal issues shaping meetings and events today. Explore what hotel and vendor performance disruptions - such as cancellations and unavailable facilities - can mean for event delivery.
You’ll also look at emerging considerations in contract language, including AI-specific provisions. Leave with practical tips to help you move quickly, make informed decisions and reduce risk.
Learning outcomes:
Mitigate risks through responsible contract language
Protect your events from performance disruption
Define AI provisions in today's contracts
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Risk Management, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Jill BloodChief Legal Officer, Maritz
Tyra WarnerAttorney & Associate Professor, College of Coastal Georgia
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Leadership isn’t complicated. It’s just hard
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Explore how leadership influences execution, trust and results, and discover how everyday behavior can help people think clearly, make better decisions and take meaningful action. Consider how organizations can adapt their culture, management and development strategies for a multigenerational workforce.Explore how leadership influences execution, trust and results, and discover how everyday behavior can help people think clearly, make better decisions and take meaningful action.
Consider how organizations can adapt their culture, management and development strategies for a multigenerational workforce. Explore how different communication styles, values and expectations can become strengths that support creativity, connection and resilience.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how leadership behavior influences execution, trust and results
Discover how generational differences can support creativity, connection and team strength
Create a team culture built on trust, autonomy and personal growthread more · Original Link ↗
Julia RockAuthor & Keynote Speaker, Rock Career Development
Julia C.Julia C. Rock is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, leadership strategist, and certified executive coach who helps organizations unwind complexity, restore accountability, and eliminate burnout at its source.
As Founder & CEO of Rock Career Development, she partners with companies to improve employee engagement and drive sustainable, profitable performance through practical
leadership development solutions.
Julia delivers keynotes and leadership experiences for Fortune 500 corporations, associations, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations nationwide.
Her work has been featured on platforms including TEDx with a talk garnering ~40,000 views, Fortune, Business Insider, and Entrepreneur.
Her book, Uncomplicated Leadership, released in 2026, and it equips leaders at every level to build cultures that perform whether they are in the room or not.full bio
Helina ThompsonSr Dir of Events, Emota
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Prioritize your joy
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Pressure can pull you away from what matters most. Over time, urgency can replace intention and performance can come at the expense of fulfillment.Pressure can pull you away from what matters most. Over time, urgency can replace intention and performance can come at the expense of fulfillment.
Join Andrea for an interactive workshop designed to help you reconnect with your top priorities and create more joy in the areas that matter most. Through guided reflection and practical exercises, leave with greater clarity, a personalized action plan and useful tools to support fulfillment, sustainable performance and lasting results.
Learning outcomes:
Identify your top three priorities and discover how joy can support focus, engagement and sustainable performance
Use fun as a practical reset to interrupt pressure, restore energy and reconnect with clarity, creativity, alignment and momentum
Align daily actions and decisions with what matters most to create greater fulfillment, impact and lasting results
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Andrea ParkerKeynote Speaker, Andrea Parker Coaching
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:10 AM - 11:55 AM
Beyond legacy: designing and measuring the impact events intend to create
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Why are event organizations and destinations investing in impact strategy and measurement, and how can they put it into practice?Why are event organizations and destinations investing in impact strategy and measurement, and how can they put it into practice?
Singapore Tourism Board, Business Events Montréal and IMEX Group share what motivated their journeys, why measurement matters to their organizations, and what it takes to structure and implement an effective impact approach.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the motivations behind organizations investing in impact strategy and measurement
Describe the value impact measurement brings to destinations and event organizations
Identify the key steps for structuring and implementing an impact approachread more · Original Link ↗
Carrie KwikSingapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau
Geneviève LeclercCEO, #Meet4Impact
With more than 25 years of experience in international congress management and strategic advisory for the business events industry, I have delivered...With more than 25 years of experience in international congress management and strategic advisory for the business events industry, I have delivered conferences across more than 15 countries. As an expert in social impact and sustainability strategy, I help organizations navigate strategic planning and periods of change using participatory evaluation and human-centred design approaches that place stakeholders at the heart of the process.full bio
Andreanne PaquetDir, Business Development and Sports, Business Events Montreal
Passionate about the power of events to drive economic, social, and community impact, I lead business development and sports initiatives for Montréal...Passionate about the power of events to drive economic, social, and community impact, I lead business development and sports initiatives for Montréal as a destination. My interests span business intelligence, market research, artificial intelligence, innovation, and sustainable event impact. Whether you'd like to discuss data and insights, AI applications, destination development, major events, or opportunities to bring your next meeting, convention, or sporting event to Montréal, I'd love to connect and exchange ideas.full bio
Natasha RichardsDir of Impact and Industry Relations, IMEX Group
As Director of Impact & Industry Relations, Natasha leads a dedicated business unit overseeing our industry partnerships, advocacy and advancement and Environmental,...As Director of Impact & Industry Relations, Natasha leads a dedicated business unit overseeing our industry partnerships, advocacy and advancement and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy.
This includes initiatives and charitable endeavours that the IMEX Group either drives or supports. Recognising the collective impact IMEX makes and that lies at the very heart of our altruistic vision of “a thriving global events industry focused on positive change”.
In particular, Natasha plays a key part in business events industry advocacy efforts on behalf of the IMEX Group including the prestigious IMEX Policy Forum. In this capacity she is responsible for bringing together national and city policy makers, association leaders, destination innovators and industry thought-leaders together to discuss and influence the future direction of business events related to policy making and strategic destination management.
Natasha serves on the Board of Directors of the Events Industry Council (EIC) the global voice of the business events industry on advocacy, research, professional recognition, and standards, is a global federation of more than 34 Association Members representing 103,500 individuals and 19,500 entities, and 24 Corporate Members with global operations and event teams in countries around the world.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Leading growth behind the scenes: layout, sponsor strategy and the attendee journey
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Discover how operational strategy and interactive floor plans can support event growth, increase revenue and improve the attendee experience. Hear perspectives from both an event organizer and a technology partner on what happens behind successful international expansion.Discover how operational strategy and interactive floor plans can support event growth, increase revenue and improve the attendee experience. Hear perspectives from both an event organizer and a technology partner on what happens behind successful international expansion.
Explore practical approaches to supplier strategy, sponsorship, budgeting, navigation and attendee engagement, and learn how operational decisions can strengthen long-term growth.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize operations as a driver of sustainable growth
Use interactive floor plans to support revenue and engagement
Align operational strategy with event growth goalsread more · Original Link ↗
Marie OyinlolaHead of Global Operations, Insurtech Insights
Ross SudentasCEO, ExpoFP
Ross Sudentas is the founder and CEO of ExpoFP, a company that creates interactive floor plans for events.Ross Sudentas is the founder and CEO of ExpoFP, a company that creates interactive floor plans for events. ExpoFP gained a prestigious Tech Competition Award from IAEE in 2022. Among ExpoFP clients are leading international trade shows such as IMEX, Money 20/20, GITEX Africa, CWIEME Berlin and event suppliers such as Grip, ExpoPlatform, Swapcard and many others. Ross has more than 20 years of experience in software development and management.
When he’s not working, Ross is usually outdoors - hiking, biking, kayaking, or building something new. Staying still just isn’t his thing.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Workforce powering global events: EIC Economic Significance and Future Landscape Study findings
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Explore findings from the latest Global Economic Significance of Business Events Study and examine how the industry continues to expand its economic and societal impact.Explore findings from the latest Global Economic Significance of Business Events Study and examine how the industry continues to expand its economic and societal impact.
Discover the workforce trends behind that growth, including emerging roles, evolving skills and the industry's contribution to innovation, business success and community development. Gain practical insights to support workforce planning, advocacy and informed decision-making.
Learning outcomes:
Differentiate key economic impact measurements
Explain the wider benefits of business events
Apply findings to workforce and advocacy strategies
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Amy CalvertPresident and CEO, Events Industry Council
Stephanie GlanzerChief Sales Officer/SVP, MGM Resorts | Global Sales
Recognized hospitality sales leader with a passion for advocating the value face-to-face meetings and events to organizations and people.Recognized hospitality sales leader with a passion for advocating the value face-to-face meetings and events to organizations and people. Stephanie is responsible for the overall sales strategy and group operations for MGM Resorts International.
Throughout her 26-year tenure with MGM Resorts, Stephanie has held a variety of sales leadership positions at multiple resorts including Mandalay Bay, Aria Resort & Casino and Bellagio.
Family first, travel lover and give yourself (and others) some grace!full bio
Paul Van DeventerMPI
Oscar CerezalesGlobal President, MCI GROUP
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Push the faders: an audio experience for nontechnical event professionals
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Explore what the knobs and faders on an audio console do in this friendly, practical 30-minute introduction for event professionals with no technical background.Explore what the knobs and faders on an audio console do in this friendly, practical 30-minute introduction for event professionals with no technical background. Learn how each channel works, how audio sources are balanced and sent into the room and what causes feedback. Build your confidence when working with an audio engineer and leave with access to a live 16-channel console simulator.
Learning outcomes:
Understand what each channel on an audio console does
Understand how microphones and other audio sources are balanced and sent into the room
Identify the causes of audio feedback and communicate confidently with an audio engineerread more · Original Link ↗
Brian MonahanVP of Sales and Business Development, Prestige AV & Creative Services
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
A conversation with the creators of #EventCanvas
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change. Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners.Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change.
Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners. Explore how stronger design conversations can help organizations look beyond immediate challenges and focus on lasting outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:35 AM - 12:05 PM
Don’t rush. Don’t wait. Create AI governance for your team
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Some teams adopt AI without a plan, while others are unsure how to move forward. Explore how Ksenija and Dahlia built an AI governance policy from the ground up, including due diligence, internal discussions and rollout.Some teams adopt AI without a plan, while others are unsure how to move forward. Explore how Ksenija and Dahlia built an AI governance policy from the ground up, including due diligence, internal discussions and rollout. Discover how they involved both early adopters and more cautious team members in the process.
Learning outcomes:
Build an AI governance framework for your team
Balance progress with effective safeguards
Engage both early adopters and cautious team membersread more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Ksenija Polla, CEF-IFDirector International Development, Talley Management Group
Award-winning professional with experience in promoting organizational excellence through multi-cultural event management, while ensuring commitment to company’s core values and achievement of...Award-winning professional with experience in promoting organizational excellence through multi-cultural event management, while ensuring commitment to company’s core values and achievement of challenging objectives.
Notable success in coordinating and implementing on-time completion of assigned corporate projects in line with company brand, commitments, service, and financial requirements. Skilled in developing strategic frameworks and supporting events to increase ROI and deliver new revenue streams, while keeping sustainability and DEI principles at the forefront. Proven track record of excellence overseeing operations, including resources, staffing, marketing, sales, and communications activities. Recognized for fostering strong relationships with business leaders to offer resources/support and connect relevant categories across portfolios. Prudent at leveraging strong leadership skills, developing, and nurturing talent to train and empower high- performance teams for organizational growth.full bio
Noelle RussellCEO, AI Leadership Institute
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:35 AM - 12:30 PM
Event design using the #EventCanvas methodology: Case study
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.
Guided by an Event Design Collective trainer, you'll explore the Event Canvas Methodology and gain practical experience using event design tools to create stronger event outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value through a real event design case study
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives and stakeholders
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda and demonstrating progress over time
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Use the access you already have to create opportunities for the next generation of women. Join Sherron and Angie for an interactive action lab exploring how relationships, resources, experiences, exposure and influence can support others.Use the access you already have to create opportunities for the next generation of women. Join Sherron and Angie for an interactive action lab exploring how relationships, resources, experiences, exposure and influence can support others. Through conversation, reflection and shared experiences, identify one practical action you can take, from making an introduction to sharing an opportunity. Access changes lives when we use it.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the access you already have through relationships, resources, experiences, exposure and influence
Explore ways to provide access through invitations, introductions, opportunities, experiences and practical guidance
Choose one intentional action to expand access for the next generation of womenread more · Original Link ↗
Angie SmithCEO, Invision
Angie Smith, CEO of experiential marketing industry leader InVision Communications, is a connector of ideas, a catalyst for conversations, an agent for...Angie Smith, CEO of experiential marketing industry leader InVision Communications, is a connector of ideas, a catalyst for conversations, an agent for growth, and a designer of experiential moments. With over 25 years of experience in the brand experiences space and a background that includes roles at Atlassian, Cisco, and INXPO, Angie brings invaluable expertise in event marketing, program management, and leadership to her role. She is focused on leading InVision into a new era of accelerated growth through a strategic shift in client business that’s rooted in campaign-driven marketing strategies that aim to enhance audience engagement programs and brand experiences for InVision’s Fortune 100 clients.full bio
Sherron WashingtonCEO - Communication Gap Strategist, Trinity Washington University
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Following through on your IMEX intentions
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Pause, reflect and reconnect with the intentions you set for IMEX America 2026. Through mindful breathing, guided visualization and self-reflection, strengthen accountability, move past distractions and mentally rehearse purposeful actions that support meaningful outcomes.Pause, reflect and reconnect with the intentions you set for IMEX America 2026. Through mindful breathing, guided visualization and self-reflection, strengthen accountability, move past distractions and mentally rehearse purposeful actions that support meaningful outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Reconnect with intentions that support a meaningful IMEX experience
Strengthen personal accountability through mindful reflection
Rehearse intentional actions that support your desired outcomesread more · Original Link ↗
Carla CallawayVP, Global Talent and Culture, HPN Global
As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional...As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional hospitality professionals and building the next generation of HPN Global associates as the company continues its intentional global growth. She is also the Founder of Convergence with Carla; which combines sound healing, EFT, and clinical hypnosis techniques and focuses on subconscious reprogramming and nervous system integration to help individuals live their most aligned lives. She has also brought these techniques to the Hospitality Industry, helping Meeting and Event Planners encourage more mindfulness, presence and intention to their events.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
The power of exceptional experiences: designing incentive moments that move people, loyalty and results
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Exceptional experiences are no longer a luxury add-on; they are a strategic advantage. In a world where audiences can personalise almost every part of their lives in minutes, the bar for incentive travel and live events has never been higher.Exceptional experiences are no longer a luxury add-on; they are a strategic advantage. In a world where audiences can personalise almost every part of their lives in minutes, the bar for incentive travel and live events has never been higher. The question is no longer simply how to impress people, but how to design moments that make them feel seen, valued and motivated to act.
This conversation brings together three senior voices with deep authority across luxury experience, incentive travel and the business of human connection: Neen James, Stephanie Harris and Marybeth Reeves. Together, they will unpack what separates a well-run programme from an unforgettable, purpose-led experience - and why getting this right matters for engagement, loyalty, brand differentiation and commercial impact. Through a person-centric lens, attendees will explore how to decode the luxury mindset, balance exclusivity with authenticity, and design experiences that resonate long after the event ends
Use this assessment to learn more about your Luxury Mindset with Neen James: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7716610/Neen-James-Assessment-2024
Learning outcomes:
Reframe luxury in incentive travel as intentional design rather than extravagance
Explore how the five luxury levers can be translated into practical design decisions
Evaluate the role exceptional experiences play in strengthening organizations and incentive programs
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.50 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Stephanie HarrisPresident / CEO, Incentive Research Foundation
Neen JamesLeadership Strategist, Neen James Inc.
This is my very first IMEX - I couldn't be more excited to be here with ALHI.This is my very first IMEX - I couldn't be more excited to be here with ALHI. I am a leadership strategist and a luxury expert. As the author of Folding TimeTM and Attention PaysTM and a keynote speaker, I have also been named one of the Top 30 Leadership Speakers by Global Guru several years in a row because of my work with companies like Viacom, Comcast, Virtuoso, Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceuticals among others. So cool!
I believe in focusing on systems of attention so everyone can get more done and create more significant moments that matter at work and home.
It is a treat to be part of the ALHI Strategic Advisory Group to provide one-on-one consulting on various leadership topics.full bio
MaryBeth ReevesDir of Sourcing and Sustainability, MGME
Mary Beth Reeves is an experienced leader in sustainable event strategy, known for her commitment to integrating environmentally conscious practices into event...Mary Beth Reeves is an experienced leader in sustainable event strategy, known for her commitment to integrating environmentally conscious practices into event design and delivery. Appointed MGME’s Director of Event Design and Sustainability in 2024, she has helped develop strategies that reduce environmental impact while enhancing the attendee experience.
With dual certifications as a Sustainable Event Professional and Inclusive Event Strategist, Mary Beth combines sustainability and inclusivity expertise to create thoughtful, forward-looking events. Her work has earned industry recognition, including the Pharma Forum Sustainability Award (2024). She also serves as Chair of the SITE Global Sustainability Community (2025 and 2026) and SITE Southeast VP of Sustainability (2026), helping to influence best practices across the industry.
Under Mary Beth’s guidance, MGME has introduced initiatives to minimize waste, optimize energy use and encourage collaboration among stakeholders, supporting the company’s commitment to responsible event management.
Before joining MGME, Mary Beth built a career of more than 20 years in hospitality, culminating in the role of Corporate Director, Revenue Management Training at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. She later launched her own company, which gained national recognition, including a feature in The Wall Street Journal.full bio
Colleen ConnorSr Dir, Events, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Experience a personalized aromatherapy ritual designed to support your energy and well-being.Experience a personalized aromatherapy ritual designed to support your energy and well-being. Guided by a wellness specialist, you'll explore how scent, breathing exercises and simple somatic practices can help regulate the nervous system, influence mood and create moments of recovery during a busy event day.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how scent influences mood and cognitive performance
Explore aromatherapy as a practical tool for nervous system regulation
Experience a sensory wellness protocol and leave with a simple somatic practiceread more · Original Link ↗
Rachel MilfordManaging Dir, PNEUMA
I’m an Aussie living in Las Vegas, and I love the sharp contrast between the Strip’s energy and the tranquility of the...I’m an Aussie living in Las Vegas, and I love the sharp contrast between the Strip’s energy and the tranquility of the desert.
As the founder of Pneuma Lab, I bring 20+ years of event management expertise together with a passion for wellness to help transform meetings into more human, engaging, and impactful experiences.
This year at IMEX America, I’m excited to be speaking at the Circadian Cove about the power of aromatherapy in events, and to be partnering with Caesars Entertainment to feature our signature Apothecary Bar. Come by for a refresh and reset - and experience wellness that’s designed to leave a lasting impact.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Beyond the acronyms: exploring industry designations
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
CMP, CMM, DES, HMCC, CTS and more. Professional designations can help you build expertise, credibility and career momentum, but choosing where to start can feel overwhelming.CMP, CMM, DES, HMCC, CTS and more. Professional designations can help you build expertise, credibility and career momentum, but choosing where to start can feel overwhelming. Explore the value of leading industry credentials and discover how to choose a pathway that suits your career stage and goals.
Learning outcomes:
Differentiate between major professional designations and certificates in the meetings and events industry
Assess how professional credentials can support career growth and industry credibility
Develop a personalized plan for pursuing a certification or designation that aligns with your goalsread more · Original Link ↗
Tim LuepkeDir of Education, MPI
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:00 PM - 12:25 PM
Multi-sensory immersion experience
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience a guided sensory wellness journey that combines binaural audio and aromatherapy. Explore how sound and scent can influence stress levels, support relaxation and understand the potential of immersive wellness design in events.Experience a guided sensory wellness journey that combines binaural audio and aromatherapy. Explore how sound and scent can influence stress levels, support relaxation and understand the potential of immersive wellness design in events.
Learning outcomes:
Understand multisensory approaches to well-being
Explore how sound and scent influence stress levels
Experience immersive wellness design in practiceread more · Original Link ↗
Kristine IversonCEO, CROW Practice
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:05 PM - 12:50 PM
State of the industry
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore how changing expectations, new technology and pressure to demonstrate value beyond visitor numbers are reshaping the global business events industry. Join Carina, Kevin, Amanda and Kai for an open conversation about what comes next.Explore how changing expectations, new technology and pressure to demonstrate value beyond visitor numbers are reshaping the global business events industry.
Join Carina, Kevin, Amanda and Kai for an open conversation about what comes next. From growth and innovation to influence and impact, consider how events can remain commercially strong, culturally relevant and valuable in a world of growing digital choice.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the forces reshaping business events and what they mean for future growth
Identify how destinations can demonstrate value beyond visitor numbers
Explore how events can remain relevant, influential and commercially strong in a digital world
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Kevin HintonManaging Dir, Group Travel, U.S. Travel Association
KAI HattendorfPartner, jwc
Kai Hattendorf is one of the most prominent thought leaders in the global business events and exhibition sector, building on a decades-long...Kai Hattendorf is one of the most prominent thought leaders in the global business events and exhibition sector, building on a decades-long legacy of transformation and innovation across the sector.
In his decade-long tenure as CEO of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, he led numerous initiatives and projects aimed at developing the sector, enhancing public awareness, and expanding the association’s reach and significance.
As Chair of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), a global council comprising international and global associations serving the Business Events Industry, Kai championed advocacy efforts such as the “Global Industry Manifesto,” which fosters a unified narrative for the entire events sector.
Collaborating with industry associations and global organisations like UNFCCC, OECD, and ISO, he established and supports initiatives, including the “Net Zero Carbon Events Initiative.”
Kai’s contributions to the events industry have been recognised through numerous awards and accolades worldwide.
Kai currently lives in Oslo, Norwayfull bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:05 PM - 12:30 PM
The application of wellness
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Turn wellness from concept into measurable impact. Explore how to integrate meaningful wellness practices into meetings and events so outcomes are both visible and felt. Gain practical tools to make wellness relevant and effective.Turn wellness from concept into measurable impact. Explore how to integrate meaningful wellness practices into meetings and events so outcomes are both visible and felt. Gain practical tools to make wellness relevant and effective.
Learning outcomes:
Identify what makes wellness meaningful in event design
Select practices suited to different audiences
Experience simple techniques to support personal well-being
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Susie IzzoOwner, Vitality Corporate Wellness
Susie, the owner of Vitality Corporate Wellness, is a seasoned event planner and wellness professional.Susie, the owner of Vitality Corporate Wellness, is a seasoned event planner and wellness professional. After years of managing high-profile events, she combined her events industry experience with her commitment to wellbeing and created Vitality.
Vitality is a wellness-based event planning company, rooted in hospitality, specializing in corporate workplaces, meetings and conventions.
Susie tries to spend her free time with the people and the animals that she loves, doing things that bring her joy.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:10 PM - 12:50 PM
Designed to feel: the neuroaesthetics behind spaces that move people
● Design matters
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
What if the most powerful thing a brand can design for is the nervous system?What if the most powerful thing a brand can design for is the nervous system? Anna Mader and Jessica Weickert unpack the neuroaesthetics behind turning spaces into places and explain why the science of sensory perception, memory and embodied emotion is becoming a strategic advantage in brand experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Discover what neuroaesthetics is, why it matters, and how it reframes what audiences are seeking from brand experiences
Examine real-world case studies and science-meets-soul strategies that apply neuroaesthetics and embodied immersion to build deeper human connection, presence and emotional resonance
Apply the “Form Follows Feeling” framework: a practical tool for designing experiences that prioritize inner transformation, from brief to build
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Anna MaderChief Creative Officer, XD Agency
Jessica WeickertSVP, Strategy, XD Agency
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:10 PM - 12:35 PM
Neurodivergent-inclusive events on any budget: practical actions
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Discover practical, low-cost ways to make your events more accessible for neurodivergent attendees. Explore approaches such as sensory-friendly spaces, communication design and scheduling flexibility, and learn how independent endorsement can help validate your efforts and attract like-minded partners.Discover practical, low-cost ways to make your events more accessible for neurodivergent attendees. Explore approaches such as sensory-friendly spaces, communication design and scheduling flexibility, and learn how independent endorsement can help validate your efforts and attract like-minded partners.
Learning outcomes:
Identify five or more no-cost or low-cost accessibility adjustments you can implement at your next event
Conduct a rapid review of event elements to identify neurodiversity barriers and quick wins
Understand how APS Endorsed status works and why third-party validation matters to sponsors and partners
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Paula RowntreeHead of External Engagement, Australian Psychological Society
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:15 PM - 12:40 PM
White space: reconnect
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
If you attended yesterday's White Space, return to your sticker group for a new conversation. Share what has changed since yesterday, explore a challenge you’re still considering or talk about a connection you’ve made.If you attended yesterday's White Space, return to your sticker group for a new conversation. Share what has changed since yesterday, explore a challenge you’re still considering or talk about a connection you’ve made. Ask the facilitator for a prompt if you need one, or make the conversation your own.read more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Mahoganey JonesFounder & CEO, Event Specialists Inc.
Hi, I’m Mahoganey 👋🏾
I have spent more than 20 years helping executive leaders turn important events into clear, purposeful experiences.Hi, I’m Mahoganey 👋🏾
I have spent more than 20 years helping executive leaders turn important events into clear, purposeful experiences. As Founder and CEO of Event Specialists Inc., I lead a boutique executive event company producing leadership forums, retreats, summits and corporate meetings across North America and beyond.
Since 2004, I have had the privilege of working with major brands and associations, including Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, RSA Insurance Group, YPO and Entrepreneurs’ Organization. We bring strategy, proactive leadership and calm execution to every engagement, so our clients can focus on leading the room, not managing every detail.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
From survey to strategy: using AI to shape next year’s program
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Turn post-event survey and registration data into practical decisions. See how AI can create attendee personas, reveal what worked and test future session titles, formats and pricing. Bring your survey results to explore the process live.Turn post-event survey and registration data into practical decisions. See how AI can create attendee personas, reveal what worked and test future session titles, formats and pricing. Bring your survey results to explore the process live.
Learning outcomes:
Use AI to turn survey data into attendee personas
Identify strengths and opportunities in past event data
Test future titles, formats and pricing against attendee dataread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:25 PM - 12:50 PM
Navigating the next wave: Engaging Gen Z+ in a transforming industry
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Explore how to engage and retain Gen Z+ talent in a rapidly evolving events industry. Move beyond generational stereotypes and understand trends such as quiet quitting and the Great Resignation.Explore how to engage and retain Gen Z+ talent in a rapidly evolving events industry. Move beyond generational stereotypes and understand trends such as quiet quitting and the Great Resignation. Discover practical strategies to build stronger connections and create an inspiring workplace through transparency, mentorship, gamification and flexible work models. Learn how to design experiences that resonate with younger audiences and future-proof your organization.
Learning outcomes:
Define the motivations and expectations of Gen Z event professionals
Create a dynamic and inspiring workplace that attracts top talent
Design future-proof event experiences that resonate with younger audiences
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Luke GoettingLTG Strategy
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Inside your body: what your metabolism and body composition reveal
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Look beyond body weight and explore how metabolism, body composition, breathing efficiency and muscle health influence energy production, exercise response and healthy aging. Gain practical insight to support informed decisions about fitness, nutrition and recovery.Look beyond body weight and explore how metabolism, body composition, breathing efficiency and muscle health influence energy production, exercise response and healthy aging. Gain practical insight to support informed decisions about fitness, nutrition and recovery.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how metabolism influences energy and performance
Understand why body composition matters beyond body weight
Apply personalized data to optimize fitness and recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Meetings outlook
● Trends and research
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Making informed decisions can be difficult when business events continue to evolve. What could conditions look like over the next year, and how are other meeting professionals responding to current challenges?Making informed decisions can be difficult when business events continue to evolve. What could conditions look like over the next year, and how are other meeting professionals responding to current challenges? Explore the latest MPI Meetings Outlook research and consider the economic, workforce, technology and attendee experience trends shaping the industry.
Learning outcomes:
Analyze key findings and forecasts from the latest MPI Meetings Outlook research
Evaluate the economic, workforce, technology and attendee experience factors creating challenges and opportunities
Identify practical strategies for adapting to industry change, overcoming obstacles and supporting business growthread more · Original Link ↗
Tim LuepkeDir of Education, MPI
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Rethinking networking
● Experiential event design
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Design networking with intention rather than leaving it to chance. Explore low-pressure, inclusive approaches grounded in the science of human connection and discover how existing event touchpoints can spark meaningful interactions.Design networking with intention rather than leaving it to chance. Explore low-pressure, inclusive approaches grounded in the science of human connection and discover how existing event touchpoints can spark meaningful interactions.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the conditions that enable meaningful human connection
Shift from managing networking to designing connection experiences
Identify opportunities to build connection into event touchpoints
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Claire LesterSenior Design Strategist, Maritz
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:35 PM - 1:15 PM
AI and events: what happens to the human in the room?
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
As AI becomes part of every stage of event planning, from design and production to decision-making and management, how do we keep people at the center of the experience?As AI becomes part of every stage of event planning, from design and production to decision-making and management, how do we keep people at the center of the experience?
Explore how event leaders are adapting their strategies, integrating AI and measuring success while preserving the human value that makes events meaningful and memorable.
Learning outcomes:
Explore people-centered approaches to event design in an AI-enabled world
Adapt internal strategies to integrate emerging technology
Develop measures that help evaluate human engagement at events
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Patrick BotellHead of Event Management, BMW Northern Europe
Imre DiosiEvent sponsoring manager, MICHELIN
I am a marketing and events professional with extensive international experience at Michelin, where I have been delivering high‑impact MICE, incentive, and...I am a marketing and events professional with extensive international experience at Michelin, where I have been delivering high‑impact MICE, incentive, and product launch projects across Europe and beyond since 2007.
I specialize in translating brand strategy into memorable, value‑driven experiences - working closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure consistency, creativity, and measurable impact. My work spans multi‑country programs, executive‑level events, and large‑scale international gatherings, always with a strong focus on brand strength, innovation, and operational excellence.
I am passionate about building meaningful connections through events that reinforce trust, engagement, and long‑term brand value.full bio
Laurent FuchsUNICEO
Debora Piovesanhead of Events, UNICEO
Head of Events at UNICEO.org Author of UNICEO Elevate 2025- Abu Dhabi About * Freelancer * Expert in Communication & Experiential Marketing...Head of Events at UNICEO.org
Author of UNICEO Elevate 2025- Abu Dhabi
About
* Freelancer
* Expert in Communication & Experiential Marketing
* Project management Lead & COO
* Emcee & Voice artist
I consolidate experiences and human bonds, through Experiential Marketing, targeted Communication strategies and high standard networking practices.
Unlike traditional or online marketing efforts, experiential marketing is a uniquely fast and effective way to build brand awareness through face-to-face connections with consumers or members. It engages all five senses, sparking emotions that form lasting memories which have been shown to drive brand loyalty.
I build trust and loyalty with people thanks to 20 years practice creating interactive experiences in a way you could never do with traditional marketing. Experiential marketing lets you connect with your stakeholders in an authentic and relatable way, while building brand awareness and loyalty.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:35 PM - 1:05 PM
Design phone-free, five-senses events
● Experiential event design
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Create immersive, distraction-free experiences guests remember. Use a five-senses framework to design environments that increase focus, presence and connection. Learn practical ways to shape space, sound and interaction without increasing your budget.Create immersive, distraction-free experiences guests remember. Use a five-senses framework to design environments that increase focus, presence and connection. Learn practical ways to shape space, sound and interaction without increasing your budget.
Learning outcomes:
Design environments that reduce distractions and increase engagement
Apply a five-senses approach to event design
Use structured conversations to deepen participant connection
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.50 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
I create luxury experiential events built around hospitality, connection and the way people actually experience a room.I create luxury experiential events built around hospitality, connection and the way people actually experience a room. My work spans brand activations, corporate gatherings, retreats and destination experiences, and I love bringing together thoughtful design, unexpected details and moments people genuinely remember. I’m always looking to meet great creative partners, destinations, hotels and people doing interesting things in the events world. I’m also speaking at IMEX this year on designing phone free, five senses events.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:35 PM - 1:00 PM
Women, community and the power of shared experience
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Explore how shared experiences build connection, confidence and trust among women. Understand how intentional spaces - through travel or meaningful conversation - create belonging and support growth, resilience and collective empowerment.Explore how shared experiences build connection, confidence and trust among women. Understand how intentional spaces - through travel or meaningful conversation - create belonging and support growth, resilience and collective empowerment.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how shared experiences strengthen connection and belonging among women
Explore the role of community in building confidence and mutual support
Create intentional spaces that encourage collective growth and empowerment
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Sandy CorreaChief Sourcing Officer, Two Peacocks Travel
Sandy Correa is the Co-Founder of Two Peacocks Travel, a women-owned, Latina-owned boutique travel company based in Los Angeles.Sandy Correa is the Co-Founder of Two Peacocks Travel, a women-owned, Latina-owned boutique travel company based in Los Angeles. With more than 25 years of experience in healthcare administration, Sandy brings extensive experience in leadership, operations, logistics, and creating exceptional experiences for people.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and History from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master’s degree in Healthcare Management from California State University, Los Angeles.
Through Two Peacocks Travel, Sandy specializes in curated international group travel for women, creating culturally immersive experiences that connect travelers with local communities, guides, businesses, and authentic experiences. She is particularly interested in building strong B2B partnerships with DMCs, hotels, tour operators, and other travel professionals around the world.
Sandy’s approach to travel is simple: take care of the details, create meaningful connections, and give women the confidence to explore the world.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:45 PM - 1:25 PM
Building neurodivergent-inclusive experiences: let's problem-solve together
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Bring your event accessibility challenges and learn from peers who are testing practical solutions. Share what's working, discover low-cost improvements and explore how third-party endorsement can strengthen credibility, partnerships and stakeholder support.Bring your event accessibility challenges and learn from peers who are testing practical solutions. Share what's working, discover low-cost improvements and explore how third-party endorsement can strengthen credibility, partnerships and stakeholder support.
Learning outcomes:
Connect with peers facing similar accessibility challenges and leave with practical ideas to test
Identify barriers in your own events and prioritize achievable improvements
Understand how APS Endorsed can support credibility, stakeholder engagement and partnerships
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Paula RowntreeHead of External Engagement, Australian Psychological Society
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 12:45 PM - 1:25 PM
Unveiling ELX: professional development for event leaders
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the conversations shaping event leadership in 2026.Get a behind-the-scenes look at the conversations shaping event leadership in 2026. Explore practical insights from executive-level professional development, discover how industry leaders are applying new ideas in their organizations and gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges influencing the future of leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Discover practical leadership insights from an executive-level professional development workshop
Learn how event leaders are applying new ideas to address industry challenges
Gain a deeper understanding of the priorities, pressures and opportunities shaping the ELX community
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Talent Management, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Megan GarrettDir of Travel, Meetings and Events, Mintz
Andrew HoagCategory Manager, Meetings & Events, Biogen
Leveraging my events industry experience as a regional operations leader, a technical production manager, and an entrepreneur, I am now managing the...Leveraging my events industry experience as a regional operations leader, a technical production manager, and an entrepreneur, I am now managing the MICE procurement category (Meetings, Incentives, Congresses, Events) for Biogen. In my role, I collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to lead project scope development, contract negotiations, and supplier management efforts to strengthen Biogen's strategic meetings framework. Through all of this work, I preserve company resources, drive additional supplier value, and support our teams in achieving their objectives below budget and on-time.full bio
Julie LehnisGlobal Strategic Meetings Management, Apple Inc.
I have been in the events industry for over 25 years and I am most excited about experiential and efficiency.I have been in the events industry for over 25 years and I am most excited about experiential and efficiency. I live outside of Austin, TX in Georgetown. I am a native west coaster who found my way to Texas via Arizona and Chicago.full bio
Elena OvertonExecutive Dir, Events Management, Wells Fargo
Executive Director of Events Management (CMP) leading a high-performing team designing and executing high-visibility executive meetings, corporate board sessions, top-tier recognition programs,...Executive Director of Events Management (CMP) leading a high-performing team designing and executing high-visibility executive meetings, corporate board sessions, top-tier recognition programs, and premier high-touch client events.full bio
Chloe RichardsonHead of Content/Emcee, ELX
Hi, I’m Chloe! Head of Content at the wonderful ELX (Event Leaders Exchange) and freelance emcee, speaker, coach and consultant.Hi, I’m Chloe! Head of Content at the wonderful ELX (Event Leaders Exchange) and freelance emcee, speaker, coach and consultant.
Running our ELX forum all day on Tuesday, on Wednesday and Thursday you will find me speaking on various stages across the tradeshow floor.
Looking forward to connecting onsite!full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Explore evidence-informed breathing techniques that can help improve focus, build resilience and support overall well-being. Leave with simple, practical tools you can use throughout busy workdays, events and travel.Explore evidence-informed breathing techniques that can help improve focus, build resilience and support overall well-being. Leave with simple, practical tools you can use throughout busy workdays, events and travel.
Learning outcomes:
Learn a range of breathing techniques
Build greater resilience to stress
Create a portable wellness practice you can use anywhereread more · Original Link ↗
Megan NolanEvent Energy Facilitator, Vitality Wellness
This year at IMEX join me for: ✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm) ⚡️Reset...This year at IMEX join me for:
✨Attentive Arrival: To prime yourself for what’s possible at IMEX (10/12 @10am & 4pm)
⚡️Reset The Room: To experience energy & engagement in real time (10/13 @10am at the Inspiration Hub: Wellbeing Wheel 1)
☺️Calm On Command: Give yourself a much needed time out (10/13 at 11:00 am in the Circadian Cove)
😁Neck & Shoulder Reset: Take the weight of the world off your shoulders (10/13 @2pm in the Circadian Cove)
🌬️Deep Breaths For Less Stress: Learn to use breath like to the powerful tool that it is (10/14 @1pm in the Circadian Cove)
🦚Plus some pop up Power Pauses on the floor to prime audiences for the upcoming speakers!full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Music licensing: unlock your creativity
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Music can shape emotion, energy and connection at an event, but misunderstood licensing rules can limit creativity. Explore how music licensing works and what you need to know to use music confidently and legally.Music can shape emotion, energy and connection at an event, but misunderstood licensing rules can limit creativity. Explore how music licensing works and what you need to know to use music confidently and legally. Discover how the right approach can open up creative possibilities and enhance the attendee experience.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how music licensing requirements affect the use of music in meetings and events
Identify ways to use music legally while maintaining creative freedom
Apply licensing knowledge to create more engaging and memorable attendee experiencesread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Faster, sharper, together: how destinations can succeed
● Trends and research
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Explore findings from the PCMA Outlook 2026 research with MCI and discover four shifts that can help destination organizations demonstrate value. Learn how to navigate uncertainty, improve systems, use intelligence effectively and lead through collaboration.Explore findings from the PCMA Outlook 2026 research with MCI and discover four shifts that can help destination organizations demonstrate value. Learn how to navigate uncertainty, improve systems, use intelligence effectively and lead through collaboration.
Learning outcomes:
Identify pressures affecting how destination organizations demonstrate value
Describe four shifts that can strengthen destination strategies
Prioritize one action to support your organization’s strategyread more · Original Link ↗
Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change. Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners.Join the creators of #EventCanvas and authors of #DESIGNtoCHANGE for a conversation about designing for change.
Bring your questions and learn from their experiences supporting more than 500 Event Canvas practitioners. Explore how stronger design conversations can help organizations look beyond immediate challenges and focus on lasting outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:05 PM - 1:30 PM
Booked, signed, exposed: your events are at risk
● Regenerative design
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Recognize how climate and nature risks can affect your events, from disrupted logistics and rising venue costs to destination resilience. Explore five practical risk lenses to assess exposure, plan ahead, and make more informed decisions about destinations, contracts and operations.Recognize how climate and nature risks can affect your events, from disrupted logistics and rising venue costs to destination resilience. Explore five practical risk lenses to assess exposure, plan ahead, and make more informed decisions about destinations, contracts and operations.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how climate and nature risk affects events
Apply five risk lenses to assess environmental exposure
Trace how risks interact and compound, then use those insights to inform choices
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Anna AbdelnoorCEO, TRACE by isla
Anna is a recognised leader in sustainable events and the founder of isla and TRACE by isla - two pioneering initiatives driving...Anna is a recognised leader in sustainable events and the founder of isla and TRACE by isla - two pioneering initiatives driving climate action across the events industry.
As the head of the leading event sustainability body, isla, Anna works across the stakeholder ecosystem to take action on climate through evidence-led sharp insights, bold thinking and collaborative action, with the end goal of embedding meaningful, measurable change.
With deep expertise in carbon measurement, circularity, and systems design, Anna brings strategic insight and a future-focused lens. She speaks on the intersection of personal and systemic transformation, delivering keynotes that inspire action and hosting dialogues that spark new ideas.
Anna believes that with the right education and resources in hand, eventprofs have the power to be a collective force for good, driving the industry and planet towards a more vibrant future.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:05 PM - 1:50 PM
Creativity meets consistency
● Design for spectacle
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Explore how Las Vegas venues and experience planners are responding to changing client expectations through immersive experiences, personalization and innovative event design. Discover how to create memorable experiences while maintaining the consistent delivery and high-quality service attendees expect.Explore how Las Vegas venues and experience planners are responding to changing client expectations through immersive experiences, personalization and innovative event design. Discover how to create memorable experiences while maintaining the consistent delivery and high-quality service attendees expect.
Learning outcomes:
Develop a service-focused and creative mindset
Explore how to encourage innovative thinking across your team
Create an approach that supports bold ideas and consistent deliveryread more · Original Link ↗
Event design using the #EventCanvas methodology: Case study
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.
Guided by an Event Design Collective trainer, you'll explore the Event Canvas Methodology and gain practical experience using event design tools to create stronger event outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value through a real event design case study
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives and stakeholders
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda and demonstrating progress over time
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Explore how experiences influence what people value, remember and take into their everyday lives. Discover the concept of Storyliving and how intentional design can turn passive audiences into active participants.Explore how experiences influence what people value, remember and take into their everyday lives. Discover the concept of Storyliving and how intentional design can turn passive audiences into active participants.
Consider how the experiences you create can encourage new perspectives, reinforce values and shape lasting cultural impact beyond the event itself.
Learning outcomes:
Design experiences that create meaning and connection
Transform audiences into active participants
Understand how experiences influence cultureread more · Original Link ↗
Jasmin JodryMOTO
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:10 PM - 1:35 PM
Putting wellness on the agenda
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Discover how to integrate wellness into your event strategy while supporting your own professional well-being. Explore how to design immersive, meaningful event experiences that prioritize attendee health, increase engagement and align with your clients’ goals and themes.Discover how to integrate wellness into your event strategy while supporting your own professional well-being. Explore how to design immersive, meaningful event experiences that prioritize attendee health, increase engagement and align with your clients’ goals and themes.
Learning outcomes:
Identify emerging wellness trends and evaluate their relevance to modern event planning
Apply practical wellness strategies to manage stress and strengthen professional resilience
Design event experiences that prioritize attendee well-being while meeting client objectives
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Kristine IversonCEO, CROW Practice
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Vibe eventing: create more engaging events
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Move beyond uninspiring metrics, tired attendees and forgettable formats. Explore seven vibe commandments designed to create visible engagement, energize your audience and help you measure what matters.Move beyond uninspiring metrics, tired attendees and forgettable formats. Explore seven vibe commandments designed to create visible engagement, energize your audience and help you measure what matters.
Learning outcomes:
Apply the seven vibe commandments
Design visible moments of audience engagement
Use measures that reflect attendee energy and involvementread more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Same but different: How do we create engaging hybrid experiences?
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
With constant pressures to expand the reach of events and experiences, learn how the hybrid format plays a key role in achieving this.With constant pressures to expand the reach of events and experiences, learn how the hybrid format plays a key role in achieving this. An effective hybrid experience cannot be achieved by simply streaming an event of experience, there's a lot more to it.
Explore the considerations and the different approaches available to create an engaging hybrid experience that returns value.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the value a hybrid experience can create
Understand the considerations when designing a hybrid experience
Learn about the benefits that a hybrid event offers
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Evaluation Process, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Matt FranksCEO, DRPG America Inc, DRPG America Inc
Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the...Matt is a visionary leader shaping the landscape of events as the Global Director of Events at DRPG and CEO of the Special Event Company in North Carolina.
With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years, Matt has honed his expertise in live events and communications, working with renowned brands worldwide. Matt leads teams in delivering award-winning live events, pioneering experiential activations, and cutting-edge virtual and hybrid offerings. Providing a fully in-house solution from strategic planning and creative ideation to seamless logistics and flawless production execution, delivered across diverse industry sectors.
Matt's industry influence extends far and wide, earning him prestigious accolades such as inclusion in the Eventex Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry list and recognition as an esteemed member of the Conference & Incentive Travel magazine’s A-List Alumni. His reputation as a respected industry luminary precedes him.
DRPG stands as a beacon of excellence in the global creative communications realm, boasting a fully integrated in-house service solution. With a strategic footprint spanning Cologne, Ireland, the USA, and upcoming expansion plans in the APAC regions by 2025.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:30 PM - 1:45 PM
Stories of hope: the impact of SEARCH Foundation
● Impact
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Hear inspiring stories from meetings and event professionals whose lives have been changed through support from the SEARCH Foundation. Explore how compassion, generosity and industry connections can create meaningful impact during life’s most challenging moments.Hear inspiring stories from meetings and event professionals whose lives have been changed through support from the SEARCH Foundation. Explore how compassion, generosity and industry connections can create meaningful impact during life’s most challenging moments.
Learning outcomes:
Explore real examples of SEARCH Foundation's impact
Recognize the value of community support during hardship
Identify opportunities to strengthen industry connectionsread more · Original Link ↗
Kate PatayVP, Global Engagement
Kate Patay, CPCE, vice president of engagement at Terramar, a DMC Network Company, is a prominent industry professional known globally for unique...Kate Patay, CPCE, vice president of engagement at Terramar, a DMC Network Company, is a prominent industry professional known globally for unique events, strategic partnerships and impactful experiences. She speaks internationally on an array of topics, serves as the chair of the SEARCH Foundation, and is obsessed with Taylor Swift and getting a poodle.
Her list of achievements and recognition is immense, but some highlights are: The coveted Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council, the 2023 Richard Carbotti Humanitarian Award and the honor of producing the surprise and delight elements of Dreamforce.
In 2024 she was named as one of the Top 18 Most Influential Event Industry Pros in the US and received the Steve Kemble Leadership Award, while in 2023 she was awarded the Eventex Top 50 Global Event Professionals and Smart Speaker Keynote Award. 2022 brought her recognition as one of the #WomenToWatch and Influential Event Planners You Should Know.
She has also been recognized as one of the Top 25 Women Who Run Events by Eventcombo, Most Inspiring #EventProf by Untethered and a Top 20 #EventProfs by Cvent; 2020 brought her praise as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Global Events by Eventex, one of the Top 14 Global Changemakers by Meetings Today and a Top 99 Keynote Speaker by Hubilo. Smart Meetings named her as one of the Top 25 Industry Professionals in 2017, a Top Visionary in 2018, and added her to their Hall of Fame in 2019.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:30 PM - 1:55 PM
Virtual event playbook: turn registrations into attendance
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Turn virtual event registrations into attendance with a focused promotion strategy. Explore practical tactics that create urgency, build excitement and encourage registrants to take part.Turn virtual event registrations into attendance with a focused promotion strategy. Explore practical tactics that create urgency, build excitement and encourage registrants to take part.
Learning outcomes:
Build a promotion strategy that drives virtual event registrations
Create pre-event excitement around the full attendee experience
Apply practical tactics that encourage registrants to attend
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Stania AntoineDir of Brand Relationships and Events, GURU Media Hub
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:30 PM - 1:55 PM
What attendees really want: Three event strategies that increase engagement and ROI
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Meeting professionals are under constant pressure to do more with less, stretch budgets, prove value and deliver experiences attendees won't forget.Meeting professionals are under constant pressure to do more with less, stretch budgets, prove value and deliver experiences attendees won't forget. Yet new industry research reveals a disconnect: while nearly half of planners say attendee-to-attendee connection is the most important driver of event success, very few intentionally design for it. At the same time, most events still rely on only basic personalization, leaving opportunities to create deeper engagement untapped.
Join a panel discussion for a behind-the-scenes look at the most effective strategies incorporating personalization and connection that delivered greater value while keeping the budget in mind.
Learning outcomes:
Turn attendee research into design decisions that improve engagement
Maximize production and destination investments by designing spaces and experiences for multiple purposes
Partner with suppliers earlier to uncover ideas that increase attendee value and event ROI
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Amanda ArmstrongSVP, Encore
She is the Senior Vice President of Industry Relations, where she champions Encore’s strategic partnerships, deepens industry involvement, and leads initiatives that...She is the Senior Vice President of Industry Relations, where she champions Encore’s strategic partnerships, deepens industry involvement, and leads initiatives that elevate customer engagement through events and brand advocacy.
Staying active in our industry is a top priority. She currently serves on the US Travel Association Group Travel Network and is a member of Event Industry Council’s Leadership Council.
Outside the office, she heads off into nature to ski, hike, camp, or surf. She enjoys traveling and sailing with her husband, Jon, who loves to plan travel and culinary adventures.full bio
I am a creative producer, designer and storyteller for Hello!I am a creative producer, designer and storyteller for Hello! experiences across all thirteen offices, providing creative support for all stages of the production process from ideation to concept development. I'm passionate about inclusive design and always on the hunt for new and innovative ways to tell stories, collaborate and connect the world through the power of live experiences.full bio
Kate WalshRegional VP, Hello! Destination Management
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:35 PM - 2:00 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:45 PM - 2:25 PM
Beyond party planner: from event execution to strategic influence
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Build recognition for the strategic value you bring to your organization. Catherine reveals what separates top performers and how they earn credibility with senior leaders. Learn to discuss ROI in language executives respect, build internal alliances and negotiate stronger budgets.Build recognition for the strategic value you bring to your organization. Catherine reveals what separates top performers and how they earn credibility with senior leaders. Learn to discuss ROI in language executives respect, build internal alliances and negotiate stronger budgets. If you’re a third-party planner, discover how your data, reporting and strategic advice can strengthen your client’s standing while demonstrating your own value. Leave with practical ways to position yourself, gain support and communicate results that inspire action.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how to communicate program value and ROI
Identify internal relationships and strategic alliances that strengthen your influence, credibility and impact
Apply practical strategies to advocate for budgets, negotiate effectively and position yourself as a trusted business partner
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Catherine ChauletCEO, Global DMC Partners
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-chaulet-a4b6736/ Catherine Chaulet is the President and CEO of Global DMC Partners (GDP), the largest global network of independently owned destination management...https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-chaulet-a4b6736/
Catherine Chaulet is the President and CEO of Global DMC Partners (GDP), the largest global network of independently owned destination management companies, representing more than 100 DMCs in 500+ destinations worldwide. Born and educated in France and now residing in the United States, Catherine’s early career included executive roles in international trade and finance, giving her a strong foundation in cross-cultural business and global operations. In 2013, she took the helm of GDP and transformed it from a referral group into a performance-driven, centralized network known for its strategic partnerships, innovation, and global reach. Catherine’s career has reshaped how the global MICE industry sources, delivers, and values services by destination management companies. She redefined the role of DMCs from local vendors to essential strategic partners, elevating their visibility and business potential on a global scale. Her leadership has given independently owned DMCs access to global clients, while showing planners how to rely on local expertise for creative, safe, and culturally relevant events - changing the dynamics of destination sourcing. Catherine’s influence is ongoing through initiatives such as the GDP’s MICE Industry Pulse Surveys and GDP University. Catherine has been honored in Smart Women in Meetings and BizBash’s Top 1,000 People in Events, and under her leadership, GDP has won numerous awards including the Skift IDEA Award, CWT Supplier of the Year, Smart Meetings Smart Stars and many others.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:45 PM - 2:10 PM
Beyond the alcohol-centric bar: the look and taste of inclusive hospitality
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
The room has changed. Your guests and employees are drinking differently and they're noticing how you respond.The room has changed. Your guests and employees are drinking differently and they're noticing how you respond. TEDx speaker Jen Veralle explores the cultural shift redefining hospitality and workplace culture, while nonalcoholic sommelier Juanita Unger shares practical insights into what inclusive, elevated beverage programming looks like. Sample some favorite beverages and leave with the confidence and inspiration to bring nonalcoholic excellence to your events
Learning outcomes:
Identify how changing drinking habits impact event design and guest experience
Recognize what high-quality nonalcoholic programming looks and feels like
Take practical steps to introduce inclusive beverage options into your events
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Juanita UngerFounder, The NA Sommelier
Jen VeralleMindful Drinking Movement
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:45 PM - 2:30 PM
Gendered ageism: The events industry’s chronic issue
● Trends and research
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Explore the impact of gendered ageism on women working in events at different career stages. Share experiences, discuss challenges and identify practical approaches to creating more inclusive workplaces and career pathways.Explore the impact of gendered ageism on women working in events at different career stages. Share experiences, discuss challenges and identify practical approaches to creating more inclusive workplaces and career pathways.
Learning outcomes:
Explore research on gendered ageism and its impact on women in events
Identify examples of gendered ageism experienced across career stages
Discuss practical approaches to addressing gendered ageism at work
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Barbara ScofidioEditor, Skift Meetings
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Digital as the strategy: creating value beyond the event
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, PCMA, B4694
Make digital an integral part of your event strategy. Explore how it can extend content, reach new audiences and maintain engagement before, during and after the live experience, helping you create lasting value beyond the event.Make digital an integral part of your event strategy. Explore how it can extend content, reach new audiences and maintain engagement before, during and after the live experience, helping you create lasting value beyond the event.
Learning outcomes:
Identify where value is lost after a live event
Explore digital approaches that extend content and audience reach
Integrate digital into your wider event strategyread more · Original Link ↗
Brian ZambottiChief Strategy Officer, FirstHand Productions
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 1:55 PM - 2:20 PM
Un-AI your marketing
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Discover how to use AI without losing the human voice that makes your event marketing stand out. Watch Soraya edit an event reel live, from the opening hook to the final cut.Discover how to use AI without losing the human voice that makes your event marketing stand out. Watch Soraya edit an event reel live, from the opening hook to the final cut. You’ll see where AI can speed up the process and where human judgment makes the difference. Vote on alternative hooks, identify the signs of generic machine-made content and help shape the final edit. Leave with a practical process for creating short-form videos that capture attention and encourage action.
Learning outcomes:
Follow a repeatable process for editing short-form videos that capture attention
Test opening hooks and identify generic content before publishing
Decide which editing tasks AI can support and which need human judgmentread more · Original Link ↗
Soraya Herbert-MolinaSoraya Janae Strategies
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Book signing with Luke Goetting: Unlocking next gen talent
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Meet Luke Goetting and pick up a signed copy of Unlocking Next Gen Talent: How to Connect, Engage, and Future-Proof Your Workforce in the Age of Digital Natives & AI.Meet Luke Goetting and pick up a signed copy of Unlocking Next Gen Talent: How to Connect, Engage, and Future-Proof Your Workforce in the Age of Digital Natives & AI. Continue the conversation from Luke’s education session, ask your questions and exchange ideas on building teams where every generation can do its best work.
Learning outcomes:
Explore the VIBES framework and what digital natives expect from work
Discover 10 cross-generational skills that AI can’t replicate
Apply knowledge-transfer techniques that help retain institutional knowledgeread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Compression therapy recovery station
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience dynamic compression therapy designed to improve circulation, reduce muscle fatigue and support recovery. Discover how compression therapy can help active travelers and busy professionals recover, recharge and perform at their best.Experience dynamic compression therapy designed to improve circulation, reduce muscle fatigue and support recovery. Discover how compression therapy can help active travelers and busy professionals recover, recharge and perform at their best.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how compression therapy can support recovery
Understand the role of circulation in performance
Explore recovery strategies that help reduce fatigueread more · Original Link ↗
Ashley RodriguezCo - Founder Carbon World Health, Carbon World Health
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:00 PM - 2:25 PM
Design smarter: Five decisions that save time, money and stress
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Learn which planning decisions have the biggest impact on budget, attendee experience and event success. Discover how earlier collaboration with venues and production partners can reduce risk, control costs and improve outcomes.Learn which planning decisions have the biggest impact on budget, attendee experience and event success. Discover how earlier collaboration with venues and production partners can reduce risk, control costs and improve outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Identify five planning decisions that most influence event success
Engage partners earlier to uncover savings and reduce change
Align budget decisions with engagement and business outcomes
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Michelle BrownExecutive VP, U.S. Commercial, Encore
At Encore, I spend my time helping teams create better experiences for our customers, in turn growing revenue and simplifying how we...At Encore, I spend my time helping teams create better experiences for our customers, in turn growing revenue and simplifying how we work. My career has spanned live events, consulting and aviation, but the common thread has always been finding practical ways to connect strategy, operations, and frontline execution.
Let's connect! I’m always energized by conversations with customers. I’d love to hear what’s working, what challenges you’re navigating, and how Encore can help make your events more impactful for attendees and your business.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Executive presence in every interaction
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Every interaction shapes how others experience you. Discover how body language, self-awareness and emotional regulation can strengthen confidence, credibility and influence, and leave with practical strategies you can apply immediately.Every interaction shapes how others experience you. Discover how body language, self-awareness and emotional regulation can strengthen confidence, credibility and influence, and leave with practical strategies you can apply immediately.
Learning outcomes:
Apply behaviors that strengthen executive presence
Discover how first impressions influence credibility
Build greater confidence in professional interactions
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25read more · Original Link ↗
Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it.Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it. She is a TED speaker with over 1.9 million views, founder of Legacy Mindset, and an internationally recognized authority in cognitive performance. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Garza has trained over 15,000 high-stakes professionals - from special forces and senior military leaders to Olympic athletes and Fortune 500 executives. Known for her immersive, scenario-based approach, she equips people to master mental readiness, emotional agility, and peak performance under pressure.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
MPI 101: advance your career with MPI
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Discover how MPI can support your career, connections and professional development. Explore its education, networking and business opportunities, and learn how to get involved at a local, national or international level.Discover how MPI can support your career, connections and professional development. Explore its education, networking and business opportunities, and learn how to get involved at a local, national or international level. Find practical ways to use your membership and become a stronger meeting and event professional.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the MPI resources, education and networking opportunities that can support you
Explore ways to engage with MPI at a local, national and international level
Use MPI membership benefits to strengthen your skills, expand your industry knowledge and build your networkread more · Original Link ↗
Timothy GunnVP of Community, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
As Vice President of Community at Meeting Professionals International, Timothy is responsible for the overall experience those who engage with MPI through...As Vice President of Community at Meeting Professionals International, Timothy is responsible for the overall experience those who engage with MPI through membership, at any of the associations 70 chapters and clubs, and when volunteering at the association.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
VR therapy showcase
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience immersive virtual environments designed to support stress reduction, focus and recovery. Explore how emerging technologies are being used to create wellness experiences that help attendees recharge and build resilience.Experience immersive virtual environments designed to support stress reduction, focus and recovery. Explore how emerging technologies are being used to create wellness experiences that help attendees recharge and build resilience.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the role of immersive technology in well-being
Explore innovative approaches to stress management
Experience emerging wellness technology applicationsread more · Original Link ↗
Ariadni PereiraCo-Founder, Olympian Meeting
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:05 PM - 2:30 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:05 PM - 2:30 PM
Community first thinking when the world is arriving
● Design for spectacle
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Formula 1 attracts a global audience, but its arrival in a city can disrupt everyday traffic and community life. Explore how one organization involved its community and how you can apply a community-first approach to your own events.Formula 1 attracts a global audience, but its arrival in a city can disrupt everyday traffic and community life. Explore how one organization involved its community and how you can apply a community-first approach to your own events.
Learning outcomes:
Design events that create meaningful benefits for your community
Discover how to bring a community together while managing unavoidable disruption
Consider the wider opportunities that can grow from your main eventread more · Original Link ↗
Lori Nelson-KraftSr VP, Community Affairs, Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Rebecca DeLucaVP of Destination Sales, Las Vegas CVA
Plan for the extraordinary! Our team of experts make your life easier when doing business in Las Vegas.Plan for the extraordinary!
Our team of experts make your life easier when doing business in Las Vegas.
Visit us on the show floor and learn about the latest and greatest in the ever-changing landscape of business events in Las Vegas!full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:05 PM - 2:50 PM
Design matters: human-centered event design
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Draw on Cha’s experience in intercultural facilitation and transformational work to create event experiences that resonate. Explore how every design choice, from agenda flow to room setup, shapes attention, connection and engagement.Draw on Cha’s experience in intercultural facilitation and transformational work to create event experiences that resonate. Explore how every design choice, from agenda flow to room setup, shapes attention, connection and engagement. Discover how human-centered design can support focus, belonging and emotional flow, then apply practical techniques to increase impact without adding cost or complexity.
Learning outcomes:
Apply human-centered design principles to support attention and engagement
Identify how pacing, space and flow influence energy and connection
Redesign agendas to increase retention and impact without adding cost or complexity.
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Cha JonesCEO, Global Bound Consulting
Cha Jones is an author, speaker, global facilitator, and experience designer who works at the intersection of human connection, culture, belonging, and...Cha Jones is an author, speaker, global facilitator, and experience designer who works at the intersection of human connection, culture, belonging, and transformational experiences.
With a background in intercultural communication, leadership development, experiential programming, and community building, Cha has spent more than 15 years creating experiences that bring people together across cultures, industries, and life transitions. Her work has taken her around the world - as a traveler, expatriate, facilitator, retreat curator, educator, and storyteller.
Cha believes the most powerful experiences don't simply inform people - they move them. Her approach to experience design asks a different set of questions: How do we want people to feel? What do we want them to do? What do we want them to remember? And what becomes possible because of the experience?
As the founder of Global Bound Consulting and the creator of transformational experiences and communities, Cha has designed programs, retreats, conversations, and gatherings centered on connection, cultural understanding, belonging, and meaningful change. She brings together strategic thinking and human-centered facilitation to help organizations create experiences that are not only well executed, but deeply felt.
At IMEX America, Cha invites event professionals to move beyond designing what happens and begin intentionally designing what people experience.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:05 PM - 2:30 PM
Five rules of scaling social content
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore five practical principles for growing social media reach and engagement. Learn what contributes to successful content performance and how to focus efforts where they deliver the greatest impact.Explore five practical principles for growing social media reach and engagement. Learn what contributes to successful content performance and how to focus efforts where they deliver the greatest impact.
Take away actionable ideas that can support social strategies regardless of team size or resources.
Learning outcomes:
Apply practical social media strategies
Recognize common social media mistakes
Prioritize content that drives engagement
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Step away from the conference buzz and reconnect with your body. Through gentle tai chi movement, breathing and posture alignment, release tension, restore circulation and recharge your energy. Leave feeling refreshed, focused and ready for your next conversation or session.Step away from the conference buzz and reconnect with your body. Through gentle tai chi movement, breathing and posture alignment, release tension, restore circulation and recharge your energy. Leave feeling refreshed, focused and ready for your next conversation or session.
Learning outcomes:
Apply simple tai chi movements to release tension and restore energy
Discover how posture and breath influence energy and focus
Practice a short reset you can use at your desk or on the goread more · Original Link ↗
Dami KimExecutive Dir, Body & Brain Wellness
Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.
A keynote speaker for the meetings and events industry, Kim leads a national team of 200 experts across 18 major U.S. cities, delivering immersive wellness activations - including Brain Breaks, Energy Decoder Wellness Assessments, Stress-Reset sessions, and leadership programs - at events and in workplaces for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kestra, Assa Abloy, Caesars Entertainment, and SITE.
Recognized as a 2024 Trendsetter on Innovation by Meetings Today, Kim designs programs that deliver measurable impact - helping organizations transform stress into resilience, disengagement into connection, and cost into return on wellness.
With more than 27 years' experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, associations, and hospitality leaders to integrate wellness into conferences, incentive trips, and corporate gatherings.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:30 PM - 2:50 PM
Peer-to-peer campfire: contracts and negotiations
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Join fellow event professionals for a peer-to-peer discussion on contracts and negotiations. Share what's working well for you, exchange practical ideas and learn from the experiences of others navigating an increasingly complex environment.Join fellow event professionals for a peer-to-peer discussion on contracts and negotiations. Share what's working well for you, exchange practical ideas and learn from the experiences of others navigating an increasingly complex environment.
Learning outcomes:
Share peer-to-peer insights on contracts and negotiations
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:35 PM - 3:00 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:35 PM - 3:00 PM
Meetup for CEDs with the Event Design Collective team
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Join fellow Certified Event Designers and professionals interested in pursuing CED certification for an informal community meetup.Join fellow Certified Event Designers and professionals interested in pursuing CED certification for an informal community meetup.
Connect with members of the Event Design Collective team, learn more about the CED community and hear about the latest developments in the EDC Trusted Advisor Program.
Learning outcomes:
Learn what it takes to become a Certified Event Designer (CED)
Explore the pathway to becoming an EDC Trusted Advisor
Connect with the CED community and Event Design Collective teamread more · Original Link ↗
Pouring from an honest cup: rethinking ambition and resilience
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 2, B4100
Rethink ambition, resilience and what it really takes to keep going. Explore how grief, emotional labor and high-performance expectations intersect. Through storytelling and reflection, challenge hustle-driven norms and adopt a healthier, more sustainable approach to leadership and ambition.Rethink ambition, resilience and what it really takes to keep going. Explore how grief, emotional labor and high-performance expectations intersect. Through storytelling and reflection, challenge hustle-driven norms and adopt a healthier, more sustainable approach to leadership and ambition.
Learning outcomes:
Identify how grief and emotional labor impact performance and leadership
Recognize burnout that may be hidden behind resilience
Build healthier boundaries that support sustainable success
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Diandra Ford-WingFounder/Speaker, Diandra Speaks
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:40 PM - 3:20 PM
Build the muscle: practicing cultural fluency under deadline pressure
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Practice cultural fluency under the real pressures of live event production. Learn to recognize assumptions before they influence your decisions, using repetition, feedback and honest self-assessment. Leave with a practical plan to continue strengthening this skill after the session. · Original Link ↗
Zoe MooreStoryteller/Business Development, Unexpected Atlanta
A tour guide/storyteller providing and organizing experiences for guests to enjoy their time in Atlanta, Georgia at the intersection of history, art...A tour guide/storyteller providing and organizing experiences for guests to enjoy their time in Atlanta, Georgia at the intersection of history, art and food.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:40 PM - 3:05 PM
Rapid-fire AI: 20 tools in 20 minutes
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Explore 20 AI tools in 20 minutes. Discover options that could help you increase productivity, simplify workflows and support creative thinking, then leave with practical ideas and a resource list for further exploration.Explore 20 AI tools in 20 minutes. Discover options that could help you increase productivity, simplify workflows and support creative thinking, then leave with practical ideas and a resource list for further exploration.
Learning outcomes:
Identify AI tools that can support productivity, creativity and efficiency
Understand how AI can simplify everyday tasks and workflows
Leave with practical ideas and tools to explore right away
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Eran Ben-ShushanCEO and Co-founder, Bizzabo
I’m the Co-Founder and CEO of Bizzabo, the Event Experience Operating System for modern enterprise organizations.I’m the Co-Founder and CEO of Bizzabo, the Event Experience Operating System for modern enterprise organizations.
I started Bizzabo in 2011 with Alon Alroy and Boaz Katz with a belief that events could be more connected, more intelligent, and ultimately more impactful. More than a decade later, that belief still drives what we’re building.
Today, I work alongside an incredible team helping organizations around the world simplify the complexity of running events at scale, make smarter decisions with unified data, and turn every event into measurable business impact.
I’m especially excited about what comes next. As technology and AI reshape how we work, I believe the best event technology should do more than automate tasks. It should work behind the scenes to give event professionals greater confidence, better intelligence, and more time to focus on what events have always done best: bring people together.full bio
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Johan Wadenholt VrethemCEO, Voxo AI
CEO and Co-Founder of Voxo, a Swedish AI company helping organizations turn live event content and business conversations into real-time, actionable insights.CEO and Co-Founder of Voxo, a Swedish AI company helping organizations turn live event content and business conversations into real-time, actionable insights. I have nearly two decades of experience in emerging technologies and AI, with a focus on how event organizers and enterprise teams can use technology to create connected content experiences that last beyond the room.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:45 PM - 3:10 PM
Before the first word: the creative strategy behind events that connect
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Discover how creative strategy shapes attendee experiences before a speaker takes the stage. Explore the shift from planning event content to intentionally designing how people feel, connect and participate.Discover how creative strategy shapes attendee experiences before a speaker takes the stage. Explore the shift from planning event content to intentionally designing how people feel, connect and participate.
Examine the connections between attendees, speakers and experiences, and leave with practical tools to strengthen engagement throughout your programs.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the three core connections in event design
Create stronger engagement through intentional design
Develop briefs centered on attendee outcomes
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Jorge UrdiainEncore
A strategic creative leader with over 15 years of experience shaping brand vision into story-driven content that builds equity, enhances loyalty, and...A strategic creative leader with over 15 years of experience shaping brand vision into story-driven content that builds equity, enhances loyalty, and drives revenue growth. Experience spans leading high-impact projects and teams for top brands like AT&T, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Frito-Lay, and The White House, delivering content that resonates across channels and forges meaningful connections with audiences.
A background that includes both top advertising agencies and the world’s leading event production company informs a unique approach to creative problem-solving - balancing strategic insight with imaginative execution. Known for fostering collaborative, solutions-oriented environments that align cross-functional teams and consistently drive measurable results, even in high-pressure situations.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:45 PM - 3:25 PM
Building fans, delivering experiences beyond the field
● Design for spectacle
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Large venues welcome competitors and fans from near and far, while dedicated supporters follow their teams from home. Wherever they are, fans expect an outstanding experience on and beyond the field.Large venues welcome competitors and fans from near and far, while dedicated supporters follow their teams from home. Wherever they are, fans expect an outstanding experience on and beyond the field. Explore how industry leaders maintain this focus and apply their thinking to the events you deliver.
Learning outcomes:
Discover what it takes to build an engaging fan experience
Inspire your team through innovative thinking
Apply fresh ideas to create standout event experiencesread more · Original Link ↗
Catherine AkerSr VP, Marketing & Communications, Las Vegas A's
Kristin SanteroVP of Digital Marketing & Fan Development, Vegas Golden Knights
Devon PashaEmcee and CEO, DMP Creative
Tahira EndeanHead of Program, IMEX Group
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:45 PM - 3:20 PM
Instead of this, use this: the great event swap
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Compare six established event tactics with modern alternatives, from a static agenda PDF and AI-personalized content to cold emails and AI-matched introductions. Vote for the upgrades that could add the most value to your events.Compare six established event tactics with modern alternatives, from a static agenda PDF and AI-personalized content to cold emails and AI-matched introductions. Vote for the upgrades that could add the most value to your events.
Learning outcomes:
Identify event tactics that may no longer meet your needs
Compare established approaches with modern alternatives
Evaluate which new tactics are worth adoptingread more · Original Link ↗
Vinnu DeshettySpeaker/Instructor, Event ROI Coach
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 2:50 PM - 3:15 PM
Build confidence with negotiations
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Strengthen your confidence and effectiveness in negotiations. Learn practical strategies to prepare, communicate clearly and manage conversations with ease. Gain the tools to collaborate more effectively and achieve better outcomes in contract discussions.Strengthen your confidence and effectiveness in negotiations. Learn practical strategies to prepare, communicate clearly and manage conversations with ease. Gain the tools to collaborate more effectively and achieve better outcomes in contract discussions.
Learning outcomes:
Identify your default negotiation style
Prepare effectively for upcoming negotiations
Use targeted questioning techniques to improve outcomes
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
I take the Pain out of Procurement for events! Corporations hire me to wrangle their event portfolios and deliver over 100% ROI.I take the Pain out of Procurement for events! Corporations hire me to wrangle their event portfolios and deliver over 100% ROI. Event agencies and suppliers hire me to elevate their RFP responses, negotiate fair rate cards and navigate the mysteries of Procurement.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Experience a guided 9D breathwork journey using intentional breathing and immersive audio to help regulate your nervous system, reduce stress, restore focus and support recovery.Experience a guided 9D breathwork journey using intentional breathing and immersive audio to help regulate your nervous system, reduce stress, restore focus and support recovery. Leave with practical insight into how breathwork can help you reset and recharge during a busy show day.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how intentional breathing can support stress reduction, focus and recovery
Understand how breathing patterns influence nervous system regulation
Explore neuroscience-led wellness experiences that support attendee well-being and event engagementread more · Original Link ↗
Johnvir Dela CruzBreathwork coach, Entrelier 9D Breathwork
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Know them, grow them: From audience acquisition to event advocacy
● Experiential event design
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Grow your event by understanding the audiences who matter most. Explore how audience insights, experience design and marketing strategy work together to drive engagement, retention, loyalty and long-term advocacy.Grow your event by understanding the audiences who matter most. Explore how audience insights, experience design and marketing strategy work together to drive engagement, retention, loyalty and long-term advocacy.
Learning outcomes:
Reframe growth beyond attendance and acquisition metrics
Apply the Audience Growth Blueprint to audience planning
Make more confident growth decisions using audience insights
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Marketing and Communications, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Jennifer O'GradyBusiness Strategist, Design Studio, Maritz
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
The skills gap isn’t going away: rethinking how we develop hospitality talent
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
The hospitality skills gap isn’t going away, so the way we develop talent has to change. Explore new approaches to education, training, mentorship and career development that better prepare people for today’s industry.The hospitality skills gap isn’t going away, so the way we develop talent has to change. Explore new approaches to education, training, mentorship and career development that better prepare people for today’s industry. Discover how employers and educators can work together to strengthen talent pipelines, close critical skills gaps and support long-term workforce growth.
Learning outcomes:
Explore new approaches to education, training, and mentorship that address evolving hospitality workforce needs
Identify opportunities for employers and educators to build stronger talent development pathways together
Apply strategies to close critical skills gaps and support long-term workforce growthread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:05 PM - 3:30 PM
Stop beating yourself up
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Replace self-criticism with a more effective path to performance. Explore how self-compassion improves resilience, productivity and leadership. Learn practical ways to respond to stress and setbacks with greater confidence and clarity.Replace self-criticism with a more effective path to performance. Explore how self-compassion improves resilience, productivity and leadership. Learn practical ways to respond to stress and setbacks with greater confidence and clarity.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize how self-criticism impacts performance and well-being
Respond to stress and setbacks in a healthier, more constructive way
Apply self-awareness to improve focus and effectiveness
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Matt KovatchisMatt Kovatchis Speaks
High-Energy Speakerpreneur | Helping always-on professionals manage stress and build resilience through self-compassion | Ex-Burned Out Corporate Banker | Certified Mindset Coach...High-Energy Speakerpreneur | Helping always-on professionals manage stress and build resilience through self-compassion | Ex-Burned Out Corporate Banker | Certified Mindset Coach | Top 1% Podcast Host
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-kovatchis-1b74b3aa/
Website: https://www.mattkovatchis.comfull bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:05 PM - 3:30 PM
The exchange: Reimagining generational synergy in leadership and communication
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Explore how generational experiences shape communication, trust, collaboration and leadership. Move beyond stereotypes to better understand how different perspectives influence workplace culture.Explore how generational experiences shape communication, trust, collaboration and leadership. Move beyond stereotypes to better understand how different perspectives influence workplace culture. Take part in an interactive lab using discussion, activities, and reflection to strengthen communication, build trust and create meaningful intergenerational collaboration
Learning outcomes:
Explore how generational experiences shape communication, collaboration and leadership in the workplace
Identify communication barriers, assumptions, and workplace tensions that impact intergenerational connection
Discover strategies that strengthen reciprocal learning, trust and generational synergy across teams and organizations
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Sherron WashingtonCEO - Communication Gap Strategist, Trinity Washington University
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:15 PM - 3:40 PM
Five ways to maximize hotel pickup and reduce risk
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Improve hotel pickup and reduce financial risk with five practical planning approaches. Calculate and benchmark capture rates, identify where room nights may be moving outside the official block and tailor your marketing and management strategies to different attendee groups.Improve hotel pickup and reduce financial risk with five practical planning approaches. Calculate and benchmark capture rates, identify where room nights may be moving outside the official block and tailor your marketing and management strategies to different attendee groups.
Explore smarter approaches to hotel selection and contracting, attendee segmentation, targeted communications, registration and housing integration, incentives and booking policies.
Learning outcomes:
Improve room block performance
Reduce attrition exposure and strengthen your negotiating position
Minimize the financial risk associated with your event housing program
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
End day two with music, a final selfie and a group photo. Celebrate the day’s conversations and connections, then leave feeling recharged for tomorrow. · Original Link ↗
DJ Graffitti
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:30 PM - 3:55 PM
Designed for what happens next: turn intentional experiences into lasting value
● Designing for human needs
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Explore how intentional experience design works across two very different event environments: a flagship customer conference and an ongoing workplace events program.Explore how intentional experience design works across two very different event environments: a flagship customer conference and an ongoing workplace events program.
Discover how audience needs and business objectives shape decisions around content, format, attendee journeys, technology and opportunities for connection. Learn how event teams capture insights from each experience and apply them to future programs.
Learning outcomes:
Create consistency while responding to different audience needs and business objectives
Balance technology and innovation with human experience
Design experiences around audience needs and intended outcomesread more · Original Link ↗
Jennifer CoccoNortheast Events Program Manager, Google
Jennifer Cocco is the Northeast Events Program Manager at Google, where she oversees event operations and consults on event space design across...Jennifer Cocco is the Northeast Events Program Manager at Google, where she oversees event operations and consults on event space design across key U.S. markets, such as New York City, Washington, DC, Reston, and Cambridge. Jennifer launched the Google events program in New York City in 2020, which has since expanded globally. She excels at experience driven event space design and led the openings of major Google event hubs, such as Pier 57 and St. John's Terminal, which now host the company's flagship events. She brings expertise in high profile guest management from prior roles in Public Relations at high fashion brands, and spent 7 years on the Global Events and Hospitality teams at Bloomberg LP.
Jennifer earned a bachelor's degree from Northeastern University in Journalism and Business Administration where she graduated with honors.
https://linkedin.com/in/jenniferamontalvofull bio
Maggie ConnollySVP, Client Strategy & Growth, FIRST
Jennifer OliverasSr. Director-Global Experiences and Partnerships, Indeed
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM
Inclusive design: experiences improve when more perspectives shape the solution
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Every event decision shapes the attendee experience differently. Explore event design challenges through multiple perspectives and discover how different barriers, opportunities and lived experiences influence outcomes.Every event decision shapes the attendee experience differently. Explore event design challenges through multiple perspectives and discover how different barriers, opportunities and lived experiences influence outcomes.
From accessible travel and neurodivergence to technology and culture, gain fresh perspectives on inclusive design and understand why there is rarely a single solution that works for everyone.
Learning outcomes:
Identify assumptions in common event design decisions
Explore how accessibility, neurodivergence, technology, culture and lived experience reveal different needs
Leave with three practical questions to use in your next event design discussion
* CMP/CEU Approved: Sustainability and Social Impact, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Marc GhafooriSVP Client Experience, HERITAGE
John SageFounder & CEO, Accessible Travel Solutions
John Sage is the Founder and CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions and Sage Traveling.John Sage is the Founder and CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions and Sage Traveling. Since 2009, he has worked to advance accessibility across travel, tourism, meetings, and events. He has contributed to global accessibility initiatives with the World Travel & Tourism Council, UN Tourism, and the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, where he advised the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. John works with destinations, convention centers, hospitality organizations, cruise lines, and industry associations worldwide to improve accessibility for travelers and event attendees with disabilities.full bio
Aiko ThurlowFounder, Human Connection Strategist
My specialty is designing how attendees relate to one another. I help them have meaningful and memorable interactions.My specialty is designing how attendees relate to one another. I help them have meaningful and memorable interactions.
I design and facilitate the best roundtables you'll ever experience (as sessions or activations), and help organizers intentionally engineer how attendees build relationships throughout their event.
For the past 10 years, I’ve run private executive groups called masterminds and forums. I’ve seen people develop incredible connections in these groups. I now bring that same psychology to events.
I’m also a speaker on human connections: what we usually connect vs. what's possible, and how tapping into deeper relationships can be one of the most transformative experiences we have.full bio
Gain an introduction to the global sustainable events landscape, including key definitions, sustainability frameworks and emerging regulatory considerations. Hear practical examples from SITE sustainability chapter members and discover how they integrate sustainability into their events.Gain an introduction to the global sustainable events landscape, including key definitions, sustainability frameworks and emerging regulatory considerations. Hear practical examples from SITE sustainability chapter members and discover how they integrate sustainability into their events. Bring your questions and leave with actionable ideas you can apply in your own work.
Learning outcomes:
Build confidence in integrating sustainable practices into events
Understand key sustainability definitions and the global sustainability landscape
Recognize how small, practical actions can contribute to meaningful sustainability progressread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:35 PM - 4:00 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:45 PM - 4:10 PM
Alignment under pressure: Unlock the power of your people
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Why do intelligent, capable people interpret the same situation so differently? Why do high-stress environments bring out the best in some people and the worst in others?Why do intelligent, capable people interpret the same situation so differently? Why do high-stress environments bring out the best in some people and the worst in others?
Why can the same communication work brilliantly for one person and fail miserably with another?
It’s because every person has a hidden “stage of development” that drives how they make meaning of events, how they see themselves, and how they view others.
Understanding these stages and knowing how to use them to align your team, especially when pressure is at its highest has never been a more crucial skill for leaders. By the end of this presentation, you will have specific tactics for improving organizational effectiveness, keeping your team rowing in the same direction, and moving your organization forward as one unified team… all while feeling a whole lot less stressed along the way.
Learning outcomes:
Explore the Core Four Stages and how to recognize them in your team members & decision making
Gain a clear, practical framework for unifying your team during times of change
Build language and tools to reduce resistance, increase buy-in, and align people around a shared identity and directionread more · Original Link ↗
Arel MoodieCo-Founder, Talkadot
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Inspiring joy through a playful mindset
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Reconnect with the curiosity, creativity and enjoyment that come with play. Explore how a playful mindset can unlock new possibilities, strengthen connection and help you approach challenges with greater openness, energy and perspective.Reconnect with the curiosity, creativity and enjoyment that come with play. Explore how a playful mindset can unlock new possibilities, strengthen connection and help you approach challenges with greater openness, energy and perspective.
Learning outcomes:
Apply a playful mindset to open new possibilities
Use hands-on activities to reset mental energy and reconnect
Explore how play can break down communication barriers and support authentic connectionread more · Original Link ↗
Mikey GoldbergRegional Event Sales Manager, Sloomoo Institute
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Curating culturally intelligent events
● Design matters
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Explore what it means to create culturally intelligent events, from agenda planning to the overall guest experience. Hear real-world examples from event producers working across global markets and discover how cultural expectations can shape catering, protocol, communication and engagement.Explore what it means to create culturally intelligent events, from agenda planning to the overall guest experience. Hear real-world examples from event producers working across global markets and discover how cultural expectations can shape catering, protocol, communication and engagement. You’ll learn how the same design decision can be received differently depending on the audience and location. Gain practical strategies to move beyond assumptions, plan with intention and create experiences where every guest feels understood and valued.
Learning outcomes:
Define cultural intelligence in practice, beyond surface-level changes to food and décor
Explore how the same design decision can be received differently across global markets
Apply cultural intelligence throughout each stage of your event planning processread more · Original Link ↗
Melissa ArmstrongVP, Business Development, ConferenceDirect
Vinnu DeshettySpeaker/Instructor, Event ROI Coach
Josh KingVP, emc3 Collective
Cecilia LavinEnterprise Account Executive, Voxo AI
Discover practical event marketing tactics that can help increase registrations, strengthen engagement and boost attendance without adding unnecessary complexity. Explore what works, what to avoid and which simple actions can deliver measurable results for future events.Discover practical event marketing tactics that can help increase registrations, strengthen engagement and boost attendance without adding unnecessary complexity.
Explore what works, what to avoid and which simple actions can deliver measurable results for future events.
Learning outcomes:
Replace outdated tactics with proven approaches
Increase registrations and attendee engagement
Apply practical marketing actions immediately
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Jay SchwedelsonFounder, GURU Media Hub
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Join fellow event professionals for an open discussion about using AI at work. Share your experiences, discover what's delivering value for others and explore practical lessons learned from real-world applications.Join fellow event professionals for an open discussion about using AI at work. Share your experiences, discover what's delivering value for others and explore practical lessons learned from real-world applications.
Learning outcomes:
Share peer-to-peer insights on using AI at work
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25read more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Should I go to graduate school?
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Is graduate school the right next step for your career? Explore how an advanced degree in hospitality or events can deepen your strategic thinking, strengthen your leadership and business skills, expand your professional network and open up new opportunities.Is graduate school the right next step for your career? Explore how an advanced degree in hospitality or events can deepen your strategic thinking, strengthen your leadership and business skills, expand your professional network and open up new opportunities. Consider the value, timing and potential return of graduate education in relation to your long-term career goals.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how graduate education can support career development in hospitality and events
Identify the strategic, leadership and business skills you can develop through an advanced degree
Evaluate whether graduate school aligns with your professional goals, timing and preferred career pathread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 4:05 PM - 4:30 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 4:05 PM - 4:30 PM
Breakouts: the Connection Point Hiding in Plain Sight
● Designing for human needs
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Create breakout experiences that strengthen learning, networking and collaboration. Explore the factors that separate successful breakout sessions from those that feel disconnected or ineffective.Create breakout experiences that strengthen learning, networking and collaboration. Explore the factors that separate successful breakout sessions from those that feel disconnected or ineffective.
Examine the role of purpose, facilitation, audience alignment and structure in creating conversations attendees find meaningful, memorable and valuable long after the event.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize ingredients of successful breakout experiences
Avoid common breakout session pitfalls
Design breakouts that encourage meaningful conversations
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Maddie BartEncore
Keyuri ParmarSenior Customer Marketing Manager, Encore
I’m a strategic and collaborative marketing leader with a passion for building brands, driving revenue growth, and creating marketing strategies that deliver...I’m a strategic and collaborative marketing leader with a passion for building brands, driving revenue growth, and creating marketing strategies that deliver measurable business impact.
My background combines marketing, sales strategy, and frontline customer experience, giving me a strong understanding of both consumer mindset and commercial outcomes. I’m especially passionate about turning insights and data into thoughtful campaigns and programs that strengthen brand presence, support sales teams, and drive customer engagement.
In my current role, I help lead global brand and customer marketing initiatives, partnering across teams and markets to bring campaigns and strategic priorities to life.full bio
☆
Wed Oct 14 · 4:15 PM - 4:35 PM
Sound bath recovery
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Unwind through therapeutic sound frequencies designed to encourage relaxation and restoration. Take time to pause, recharge and explore how sound-based wellness experiences can support recovery and overall well-being.Unwind through therapeutic sound frequencies designed to encourage relaxation and restoration. Take time to pause, recharge and explore how sound-based wellness experiences can support recovery and overall well-being.
Learning outcomes:
Understand sound as a wellness modality
Experience practices that support nervous system recovery
Explore restorative experiences that can be incorporated into eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Carla CallawayVP, Global Talent and Culture, HPN Global
As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional...As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional hospitality professionals and building the next generation of HPN Global associates as the company continues its intentional global growth. She is also the Founder of Convergence with Carla; which combines sound healing, EFT, and clinical hypnosis techniques and focuses on subconscious reprogramming and nervous system integration to help individuals live their most aligned lives. She has also brought these techniques to the Hospitality Industry, helping Meeting and Event Planners encourage more mindfulness, presence and intention to their events.full bio
Prioritize your well-being throughout IMEX America while taking part in friendly individual and team competition. Connect with peers, track your progress and discover opportunities to support healthy habits during the show.
Learn more and join the challenge at hekahealth.com/imexamerica26. · Original Link ↗
Experience a physician-led brain performance assessment and discover how cognitive function, stress resilience, focus and recovery influence overall performance. Gain practical insight into strategies that can help support brain health and mental resilience.Experience a physician-led brain performance assessment and discover how cognitive function, stress resilience, focus and recovery influence overall performance. Gain practical insight into strategies that can help support brain health and mental resilience.
Learning outcomes:
Discover factors that influence cognitive performance
Understand how brain assessments can support well-being
Explore strategies to improve focus and resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Sat RandhawaOlympian Meeting
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Don't lose what you learned
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Most event insights fade quickly without intentional follow-up. Discover practical ways to capture, organize and apply your most valuable takeaways so the impact of IMEX continues long after you return home.Most event insights fade quickly without intentional follow-up. Discover practical ways to capture, organize and apply your most valuable takeaways so the impact of IMEX continues long after you return home.
Learning outcomes:
Discover why learning is often forgotten soon after an event
Apply strategies that improve long-term retention
Create a plan to implement event takeawaysread more · Original Link ↗
Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it.Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it. She is a TED speaker with over 1.9 million views, founder of Legacy Mindset, and an internationally recognized authority in cognitive performance. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Garza has trained over 15,000 high-stakes professionals - from special forces and senior military leaders to Olympic athletes and Fortune 500 executives. Known for her immersive, scenario-based approach, she equips people to master mental readiness, emotional agility, and peak performance under pressure.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
InBody body composition lab
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover what your body composition reveals beyond the number on the scale. Explore how muscle mass, body fat, hydration and cellular health can provide insight into healthy aging, fitness and personalized wellness planning.Discover what your body composition reveals beyond the number on the scale. Explore how muscle mass, body fat, hydration and cellular health can provide insight into healthy aging, fitness and personalized wellness planning.
Learning outcomes:
Understand why body composition matters
Discover key indicators of healthy aging
Apply body composition insights to wellnessread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Metabolic performance lab
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how your body produces energy, uses oxygen, burns fat and responds to exercise. Explore how metabolic testing can provide personalized insights to help improve performance, recovery and long-term health.Discover how your body produces energy, uses oxygen, burns fat and responds to exercise. Explore how metabolic testing can provide personalized insights to help improve performance, recovery and long-term health.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how metabolism influences performance
Understand the value of metabolic testing
Apply metabolic insights to optimize recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The science of slime
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Explore the science behind slime and discover how tactile experiences can positively influence the brain. Learn how sensory play can support attention, reduce cognitive overload, encourage creativity and help create moments of calm in busy event environments.Explore the science behind slime and discover how tactile experiences can positively influence the brain. Learn how sensory play can support attention, reduce cognitive overload, encourage creativity and help create moments of calm in busy event environments.
Learning outcomes:
Define the connection between touch and brain function
Discover how sensory play supports creativity and focus
Apply sensory strategies to help manage cognitive overloadread more · Original Link ↗
Jason VelezDir of Sales & Customer Service, Sloomoo
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Release tension, improve posture and prepare for the final day of IMEX through gentle mobility and breathwork. Leave feeling refreshed, focused and equipped with simple recovery techniques you can use throughout busy schedules.Release tension, improve posture and prepare for the final day of IMEX through gentle mobility and breathwork. Leave feeling refreshed, focused and equipped with simple recovery techniques you can use throughout busy schedules.
Learning outcomes:
Improve mobility and reduce physical tension
Practice simple recovery techniques for busy schedules
Experience movement as a tool for focus and resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Focus, resilience and mental clarity are measurable. Explore how brain performance assessments can provide insight into cognitive function, stress regulation and recovery, and discover practical strategies to support brain health, productivity and overall performance.Focus, resilience and mental clarity are measurable. Explore how brain performance assessments can provide insight into cognitive function, stress regulation and recovery, and discover practical strategies to support brain health, productivity and overall performance.
Learning outcomes:
Discover factors that influence cognitive performance
Explore strategies to improve focus and mental resilience
Apply recovery practices that support long-term brain healthread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Walk a mile in their shoes: designing better events through movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Step outside for an energizing wellness walk and explore how intentional movement can enhance the attendee experience. Discover practical ideas for creating engaging walking programs, selecting wellness-friendly venues and designing events that help participants stay energized, connected and active.Step outside for an energizing wellness walk and explore how intentional movement can enhance the attendee experience. Discover practical ideas for creating engaging walking programs, selecting wellness-friendly venues and designing events that help participants stay energized, connected and active.
Learning outcomes:
Identify ways movement can improve attendee engagement and well-being
Evaluate venues for walkable and active event experiences
Apply practical ideas for group walks and wellness programming
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1read more · Original Link ↗
Dena LewisFounder/CEO, Running Mate
As a long-distance runner and triathlete, I have survived two assaults while running alone.As a long-distance runner and triathlete, I have survived two assaults while running alone. This inspired me to create Running Mate, a real-time, on-demand app that matches verified safe mates with runners when the runner is ready to go.
I have spent 20 years in medical device sales and management, and I also have a background in owning an event planning business.
Our goal is to provide a safe walking or running partner to event attendees on their own time.full bio
Your skincare routine may support more than your complexion. Discover how topical ingredients can support vitamin D pathways, relaxation, skin comfort and overall well-being, and explore the connection between skin health, mood and restorative sleep.Your skincare routine may support more than your complexion. Discover how topical ingredients can support vitamin D pathways, relaxation, skin comfort and overall well-being, and explore the connection between skin health, mood and restorative sleep.
Learning outcomes:
Discover skincare ingredients linked to overall well-being
Explore how skin health can influence mood and sleep
Apply topical solutions that support healthy nighttime recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Celeste HillingCEO, Skin Authority
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum
● Leadership and culture
📍 North Convention Center, South Pacific GH
If you’re entering your final year of a hospitality, event or tourism management course, the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is a unique and free opportunity for you to gain expert insight into the meetings industry, learning from and connecting with...If you’re entering your final year of a hospitality, event or tourism management course, the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is a unique and free opportunity for you to gain expert insight into the meetings industry, learning from and connecting with inspirational industry experts and fellow students. You'll make valuable industry contacts, benefit from high-quality education and visit the heart of the meetings industry, IMEX.
Full program available here: https://imexamerica.com/newfront/page/imex-mpi-mci-future-leaders-forum
Invitation only - additional registration required.read more · Original Link ↗
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 9:30 AM - 9:35 AM
Vibe check: tarot opening
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Start the day with a tarot card selected by Dahlia. Use its theme to set your intention, reflect on the energy you want to bring and prepare for the day ahead. · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Build Lab
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Build Lab, B4686
Got something you've been wanting to build? Build it at IMEX. Bring an idea from your head, your Notes app or a half-finished doc. It could be an app, website, dashboard, workflow, presentation, tool or something completely unexpected.Got something you've been wanting to build? Build it at IMEX.
Bring an idea from your head, your Notes app or a half-finished doc. It could be an app, website, dashboard, workflow, presentation, tool or something completely unexpected.
The Build Lab is a hands-on space where event profs can turn ideas into reality. No coding experience required. No perfect plan needed.
Build your own project, solve a challenge, collaborate with others or help bring someone else's idea to life. Build coaches will be on hand to help you get started, choose the right tools and keep moving.read more · Original Link ↗
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
Content that actually pays: the real blueprint
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Discover content ideas that kept audiences engaged, strengthened event brands and generated revenue. Explore real examples from the field and leave with a practical blueprint you can start using tomorrow.Discover content ideas that kept audiences engaged, strengthened event brands and generated revenue. Explore real examples from the field and leave with a practical blueprint you can start using tomorrow.
Learning outcomes:
Explore successful content and understand why it worked
Create content that strengthens your event brand
Apply a practical content blueprint to your next eventread more · Original Link ↗
Mahoganey JonesFounder & CEO, Event Specialists Inc.
Hi, I’m Mahoganey 👋🏾
I have spent more than 20 years helping executive leaders turn important events into clear, purposeful experiences.Hi, I’m Mahoganey 👋🏾
I have spent more than 20 years helping executive leaders turn important events into clear, purposeful experiences. As Founder and CEO of Event Specialists Inc., I lead a boutique executive event company producing leadership forums, retreats, summits and corporate meetings across North America and beyond.
Since 2004, I have had the privilege of working with major brands and associations, including Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, RSA Insurance Group, YPO and Entrepreneurs’ Organization. We bring strategy, proactive leadership and calm execution to every engagement, so our clients can focus on leading the room, not managing every detail.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
AI and I: Innovating with intelligent audience engagement
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Explore the latest audience engagement tech with Nick and look at what’s coming next. Discover how AI can amplify human understanding, personalize experiences and turn audience data into clearer, more meaningful engagement.Explore the latest audience engagement tech with Nick and look at what’s coming next. Discover how AI can amplify human understanding, personalize experiences and turn audience data into clearer, more meaningful engagement.
Learning outcomes:
Use AI to amplify human understanding, not replace it
Explore how personalization can shape audience experiences around individual needs
Turn audience data into practical insights that create meaningful engagement
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Nick FaganCreative Technologist, DRPG
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Brain-centered event design: neuroscience strategies for unforgettable experiences
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Discover how neuroscience can help shape more engaging and memorable face-to-face experiences. Explore how attention, memory, sensory cues, storytelling and social connection influence attendee behavior, then apply these insights to design experiences that strengthen engagement and deliver lasting impact.Discover how neuroscience can help shape more engaging and memorable face-to-face experiences. Explore how attention, memory, sensory cues, storytelling and social connection influence attendee behavior, then apply these insights to design experiences that strengthen engagement and deliver lasting impact.
Learning outcomes:
Design agendas that align with natural attention cycles
Integrate multisensory and storytelling elements to strengthen memory and engagement
Apply pattern-interrupt techniques to maintain audience attention
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Lisa SchulteisFounder, Event Strategist & Consultant, ElectraLime Marketing
Connect with me on LinkedIn! https://LinkedIn.com/in/lisamschulteis.Connect with me on LinkedIn! https://LinkedIn.com/in/lisamschulteis.
Lisa Schulteis, the founder and owner of ElectraLime Marketing and YourEventMarketplace, as well as the Executive Director of the Northwest Event Show in Seattle, brings a wealth of experience in both live and virtual events. Throughout her career, Lisa has been a trusted partner for Fortune 500 companies, organizations, and associations, assisting them in achieving business growth and scalability through the strategic incorporation of events within their marketing plans.
Leveraging her systematic processes and digital marketing expertise, Lisa provides end-to-end event customization and management services. As a seasoned event producer and manager, she specializes in creating captivating live, hybrid, and virtual experiences, from dynamic virtual summits to large-scale corporate events and conferences.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Leading with emotional intelligence: The EQ edge for event professionals
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Event leaders manage more than logistics. They manage people, relationships and pressure, often in real time. Discover how emotional intelligence can become a leadership advantage when timelines are tight and expectations are high.Event leaders manage more than logistics. They manage people, relationships and pressure, often in real time.
Discover how emotional intelligence can become a leadership advantage when timelines are tight and expectations are high. Explore practical approaches to building self-awareness, managing stress, strengthening trust and turning difficult conversations into productive outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Build greater awareness of stress triggers and lead with intention rather than reactivity
Recognize emotions as useful information rather than distractions
Strengthen trust with clients and teams through emotionally intelligent communication
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Matt KovatchisMatt Kovatchis Speaks
High-Energy Speakerpreneur | Helping always-on professionals manage stress and build resilience through self-compassion | Ex-Burned Out Corporate Banker | Certified Mindset Coach...High-Energy Speakerpreneur | Helping always-on professionals manage stress and build resilience through self-compassion | Ex-Burned Out Corporate Banker | Certified Mindset Coach | Top 1% Podcast Host
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-kovatchis-1b74b3aa/
Website: https://www.mattkovatchis.comfull bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Radiance recharge ritual
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Drop in for a guided skin wellness experience focused on hydration, recovery and resilience. Explore practical habits that support skin health and discover ways to reduce the effects of stress and travel during a busy event week.Drop in for a guided skin wellness experience focused on hydration, recovery and resilience. Explore practical habits that support skin health and discover ways to reduce the effects of stress and travel during a busy event week.
Learning outcomes:
Learn healthy habits that support skin health
Understand the effects of stress and travel on skin health
Explore wellness-focused recovery ritualsread more · Original Link ↗
Celeste HillingCEO, Skin Authority
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Should I go to graduate school?
● Leadership and culture
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Is graduate school the right next step for your career? Explore how an advanced degree in hospitality or events can deepen your strategic thinking, strengthen your leadership and business skills, expand your professional network and open up new opportunities.Is graduate school the right next step for your career? Explore how an advanced degree in hospitality or events can deepen your strategic thinking, strengthen your leadership and business skills, expand your professional network and open up new opportunities. Consider the value, timing and potential return of graduate education in relation to your long-term career goals.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how graduate education can support career development in hospitality and events
Identify the strategic, leadership and business skills you can develop through an advanced degree
Evaluate whether graduate school aligns with your professional goals, timing and preferred career pathread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:00 AM - 10:20 AM
The art of getting over yourself: belonging hacks for the modern world
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover practical ways to build belonging through play, presence and connection. Explore simple techniques that help you move beyond autopilot, deepen relationships and create stronger links between self-care and community care.Discover practical ways to build belonging through play, presence and connection. Explore simple techniques that help you move beyond autopilot, deepen relationships and create stronger links between self-care and community care.
Learning outcomes:
Define belonging as a skill you build, not a feeling you find
Apply playful and embodied tools that support connection and presence
Explore ways to bridge self-care and community care in meetings and eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Eli WalkerSpeaker, Belonging Designer & Founder, The Uplift Center
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:05 AM - 10:30 AM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:05 AM - 10:50 AM
Beyond ROI: Measuring the value of creative experiences
● Experiential event design
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Move beyond traditional ROI and explore how to measure the broader value of events and experiences. Learn practical frameworks, experience design fundamentals and approaches that help connect creativity, brand impact, customer loyalty, and business growth.Move beyond traditional ROI and explore how to measure the broader value of events and experiences. Learn practical frameworks, experience design fundamentals and approaches that help connect creativity, brand impact, customer loyalty, and business growth.
Learning outcomes:
Explain the origins of ROI and evaluate measurement approaches beyond financial returns
Apply core experience design principles to create more impactful events
Compare measurement models for events and experiences to demonstrate business value
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
With a solid 15-year career in multinational companies, I have led high-impact projects across more than 29 countries, developing strategies that integrate...With a solid 15-year career in multinational companies, I have led high-impact projects across more than 29 countries, developing strategies that integrate customer experience, brand positioning, and business intelligence. I am recognized for transforming complex challenges into creative, results-driven solutions.full bio
I lead event and experience-driven growth strategies to enhance brand positioning, drive demand, and expand markets.I lead event and experience-driven growth strategies to enhance brand positioning, drive demand, and expand markets. My work focuses on crafting customer-centric journeys that drive engagement, conversion, and retention. With a strong foundation in event and experience marketing strategy, I collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop impactful initiatives delivering data-driven insights through executive dashboards.
With over 15 years of experience in experience design, integrated projects, and event operations across LATAM and EMEA, I specialize in connecting marketing, data, and storytelling to drive business growth. My approach is rooted in creating purpose-driven experiences that strengthen relationships between brands, markets, and communities, empowering organizations to achieve measurable outcomes through innovative strategies and cohesive execution.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:05 AM - 10:50 AM
Negotiating like a CEO
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Protect margins, manage risk and solve contract challenges with confidence. Explore real-world scenarios alongside Patrick and agency leaders, sharing practical lessons and smarter approaches to pricing and partnership strategy - so you negotiate like a seasoned event CEO.Protect margins, manage risk and solve contract challenges with confidence.
Explore real-world scenarios alongside Patrick and agency leaders, sharing practical lessons and smarter approaches to pricing and partnership strategy - so you negotiate like a seasoned event CEO.
Learning outcomes:
Evaluate contract terms through a margin-protection lens to identify hidden risks
Apply creative negotiation strategies that balance partnerships and profitability
Use decision frameworks to navigate high-pressure contract scenarios with clarity
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Marketing and Communication, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Ariane ColdironCEO, PRA
Patrick CrossonChief Experience Owner, PC Events & Experiences (PCXP)
Patrick Crosson is a serial entrepreneur with a proven, award-winning track record in the events industry.Patrick Crosson is a serial entrepreneur with a proven, award-winning track record in the events industry. He founded PC Events + Experiences (PCXP) in 2019 and has since built a client portfolio that includes nationally recognized brands such as Hilton, Obama Foundation, and Breakthrough Energy, alongside leading nonprofit and corporate organizations. Under his leadership, PCXP has grown to nine full-time employees, developed a 20+ client portfolio, and surpassed $3 million in annual revenue.
Patrick’s work has earned him industry recognition including Connect Magazine’s 40 Under 40, PCMA’s 20 in Their Twenties, Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30, and multiple Spark Awards from the International Live Events Association (ILEA) for PCXP’s innovative event design.
Most recently, PCXP was named #556 on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list for 2025 and taking the #20 spot within the Chicago market.
Patrick’s expertise and reputation also attracted the Olympics’ Official Hospitality Partner, who tapped PCXP to support execution of their 2024 Paris Olympics activation across six hotel venues over 45 days.full bio
Cynthia D'AoustEVP, Growth Strategies, MGME
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:15 AM - 10:40 AM
Climate-conscious hospitality: strategic menu planning for venues & events
● Regenerative design
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Venues and event planners track flight emissions and recycling rates, yet one of the highest-leverage variables for environmental impact remains hidden: the catering menu.Venues and event planners track flight emissions and recycling rates, yet one of the highest-leverage variables for environmental impact remains hidden: the catering menu. Join behavioral science and hospitality experts as they deconstruct how choice architecture strategies can be used to slash your carbon footprints, lower procurement costs, and deliver inclusive and satisfying menus.
Learning outcomes:
Demystify the biggest misconception about local food & how to easily communicate catering’s environmental impact to corporate stakeholders and attendees
Learn simple behavioral science techniques to design sustainable, plant-forward menus & how to guide 60-80% of omnivores to choose sustainable options effortlessly
Explore actionable steps to make your catering menu work for the planet, and your bottom line
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Taylor FloresCorporate Engagement Manager, Greener by Default
Connect with me on LinkedIn or email me at taylor@greenerbydefault.org to learn six simple behavioral science strategies your organization can use to...Connect with me on LinkedIn or email me at taylor@greenerbydefault.org to learn six simple behavioral science strategies your organization can use to make your foodservice menus more sustainable!full bio
Immersive experience design often sounds highly relevant to event planners. In practice, translating those concepts into successful B2B events can be more challenging.Immersive experience design often sounds highly relevant to event planners. In practice, translating those concepts into successful B2B events can be more challenging.
Explore why the translation sometimes falls short and discover practical design approaches that support real event goals, from attracting the right attendees to driving engagement and delivering lasting value. Leave with a framework you can apply to future event design decisions.
Learning outcomes:
Identify why immersive experience design can feel relevant yet difficult to apply to B2B events
Recognize which experiential design approaches transfer successfully to business events
Apply a practical framework to evaluate and adapt immersive design principles for your own events
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Braughnwynn "Bibi” BrownSVP, Business Development, GES
I help brands, associations, and organizers create events that do more than fill a show floor - they build relationships, strengthen brands, and drive...I help brands, associations, and organizers create events that do more than fill a show floor - they build relationships, strengthen brands, and drive business. Having worked on both the organizer and agency side, I understand the realities, pressures, and opportunities that come with delivering successful events. I enjoy collaborating with clients to solve challenges, share ideas, and rethink what's possible. If you're at IMEX, I'd love to connect.full bio
Jasmin JodryMOTO
Juliana MorenoCreator of Fun, Wild Optimists
Maria RedinPartner, The Experientialists
Lou PizanteParter, The Experientialists
The Experientialists invests in, produces and operates immersive, location-based experiential arts and entertainment.
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:20 AM - 10:50 AM
Why an AI superconnector thinks events are more human than ever
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Hear an AI superconnector's perspective on why events are becoming more human. Consider what human connection means in an age of AI and explore how technology could support collaboration rather than replace it.Hear an AI superconnector's perspective on why events are becoming more human. Consider what human connection means in an age of AI and explore how technology could support collaboration rather than replace it.
Learning outcomes:
Hear an AI-generated perspective on human connection
Consider what makes an event feel human
Explore AI’s potential role as a collaboratorread more · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Boardy BoardmanThe AI Superconnector, Boardy
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Discover how intentional laughter, breathing and gentle movement can help shift your mindset, ease stress and strengthen connection.Discover how intentional laughter, breathing and gentle movement can help shift your mindset, ease stress and strengthen connection. Explore the science behind laughter and leave with a simple practice you can use to boost energy and well-being during busy event days.
Learning outcomes:
Experience how intentional laughter can shift your mood in minutes
Explore the science linking laughter, stress relief and connection
Create a simple laughter practice to share with your teamread more · Original Link ↗
Dami KimExecutive Dir, Body & Brain Wellness
Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.
A keynote speaker for the meetings and events industry, Kim leads a national team of 200 experts across 18 major U.S. cities, delivering immersive wellness activations - including Brain Breaks, Energy Decoder Wellness Assessments, Stress-Reset sessions, and leadership programs - at events and in workplaces for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kestra, Assa Abloy, Caesars Entertainment, and SITE.
Recognized as a 2024 Trendsetter on Innovation by Meetings Today, Kim designs programs that deliver measurable impact - helping organizations transform stress into resilience, disengagement into connection, and cost into return on wellness.
With more than 27 years' experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, associations, and hospitality leaders to integrate wellness into conferences, incentive trips, and corporate gatherings.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Music licensing: unlock your creativity
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, University Village, B4887
Music can shape emotion, energy and connection at an event, but misunderstood licensing rules can limit creativity. Explore how music licensing works and what you need to know to use music confidently and legally.Music can shape emotion, energy and connection at an event, but misunderstood licensing rules can limit creativity. Explore how music licensing works and what you need to know to use music confidently and legally. Discover how the right approach can open up creative possibilities and enhance the attendee experience.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how music licensing requirements affect the use of music in meetings and events
Identify ways to use music legally while maintaining creative freedom
Apply licensing knowledge to create more engaging and memorable attendee experiencesread more · Original Link ↗
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:30 AM - 10:55 AM
Continue the conversation with Lisa Schulteis
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Meet the Speaker Table, B4100
Explore how brain-centered design could work at your event. Join Lisa for an informal conversation about designing for attention, using sensory and storytelling elements with purpose and creating experiences that people remember. Bring your questions and ideas to share. · Original Link ↗
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
AI-proof your brand: Your guide to dominating AI-powered search
● Tech enabled futures
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
Learn how to ensure your personal brand is accurately represented in the age of AI. Go beyond traditional SEO to understand how AI-driven search engines and virtual assistants collect, interpret, and use data.Learn how to ensure your personal brand is accurately represented in the age of AI. Go beyond traditional SEO to understand how AI-driven search engines and virtual assistants collect, interpret, and use data. Optimize your digital footprint, shape your narrative, and stand out so you’re the recommendation when clients turn to AI.
Learning outcomes:
Create trust signals so your business and brand appear in AI responses
Understand how AI search optimization differs from traditional SEO
Build an action plan to improve your Google and AI visibility
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Burton KelsoOwner and Chief Technology Expert, Integral, LLC
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
Travel as a catalyst for transformation
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
Explore how travel shifts perspective, builds confidence, and creates space to reflect, reset and reimagine what’s next. Discover how stepping into new environments unlocks clarity, courage and personal and professional growth, especially during times of transition.Explore how travel shifts perspective, builds confidence, and creates space to reflect, reset and reimagine what’s next. Discover how stepping into new environments unlocks clarity, courage and personal and professional growth, especially during times of transition.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how travel experiences shift perspective and spark personal and professional transformation
Discover how stepping outside familiar environments builds confidence and clarity during
Apply insights from travel to create space for reflection, growth and reinvention
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Ana GaonaCo-Founder/Chief Partnership Officer, Two Peacocks Travel
Ana María Gaona is co-founder and Chief Partnership Officer of Two Peacocks Travel, a company by women, for women, and with women...Ana María Gaona is co-founder and Chief Partnership Officer of Two Peacocks Travel, a company by women, for women, and with women that designs cultural-immersion journeys to destinations including Morocco, Spain, and Greece. She leads partnership development for the company and co-created and led a 78-mile Camino de Santiago journey with fifteen women. Ana María is also a TEDx speaker and leadership strategist whose two decades in public-service leadership included serving as Director of Government Relations for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. She is attending IMEX to scout destinations and operators and to build partnerships with travel, tourism, and cultural organizations. Bilingual in Spanish and English.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Motivating Gen Z: The new rules for designing incentives
● Trends and research
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Explore new research into what motivates different generations and how those insights apply to incentive travel. Join an interactive conversation with the researchers behind the data and gain practical ideas for designing rewards that resonate with today's audiences.Explore new research into what motivates different generations and how those insights apply to incentive travel. Join an interactive conversation with the researchers behind the data and gain practical ideas for designing rewards that resonate with today's audiences.
Learning outcomes:
Understand key findings from the SITE/Maritz motivation study
Identify generational trends influencing incentive travel and rewards
Interpret research findings and apply them to future programs
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Claire LesterSenior Design Strategist, Maritz
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Event tech meets human psychology: Designing for how people really behave
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Perspectives Theater, B4100
Explore how human behavior shapes the way attendees interact with event technology. Examine concepts such as cognitive load, motivation, friction and decision-making, and consider what they mean for registration, communications, surveys and engagement.Explore how human behavior shapes the way attendees interact with event technology. Examine concepts such as cognitive load, motivation, friction and decision-making, and consider what they mean for registration, communications, surveys and engagement.
Discover how designing around real human behavior can improve attendee experiences and deliver better outcomes for organizers, technology providers and participants.
Learning outcomes:
Illustrate human behavior's impact on event technology effectiveness
Identify key behavioral drivers of technology adoption
Apply human-centered design to attendee technology
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Technology Integration, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Andrew HoagCategory Manager, Meetings & Events, Biogen
Leveraging my events industry experience as a regional operations leader, a technical production manager, and an entrepreneur, I am now managing the...Leveraging my events industry experience as a regional operations leader, a technical production manager, and an entrepreneur, I am now managing the MICE procurement category (Meetings, Incentives, Congresses, Events) for Biogen. In my role, I collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to lead project scope development, contract negotiations, and supplier management efforts to strengthen Biogen's strategic meetings framework. Through all of this work, I preserve company resources, drive additional supplier value, and support our teams in achieving their objectives below budget and on-time.full bio
Johnny MartinezHead of Events and Partnerships, CrowdComms
Johnny is the Head of Events Partnerships at CrowdComms and has an impressive 14-year track record in events and technology.Johnny is the Head of Events Partnerships at CrowdComms and has an impressive 14-year track record in events and technology. His journey began as an Events Coordinator at the Global Poverty Project, followed by a stint as Partnerships Coordinator at One Young World. Johnny's expertise extends to prominent contributions in event publications like Exhibition News, Conference News and Convene Magazine.
Additionally, he adeptly moderates diverse discussions on social media on behalf of numerous organisations. Notably, he has served as EventWell's Business Development Manager and as part of the Board of Trustees.
Johnny became Chair of the Event Industry Council's APEX Commission in 2024 after volunteering with the organisation since 2020. Johnny contributed to the creation of the EIC’s Digital and Hybrid Events Guidebook as well as the Technology Section in the CMP exam.
Recognised for his talent and impact, Johnny earned a spot in the prestigious PCMA '20 in Their Twenties' class and the EN '30 Under Thirty' class in 2017.full bio
Victoria MateyMatey Events, Event Psychology Advisor
I'm an Event Psychology Advisor and the co-founder of Matey Events, a business events consultancy.I'm an Event Psychology Advisor and the co-founder of Matey Events, a business events consultancy.
Experiences take place in people's minds, first and foremost. If you want to design experiences that people value, remember, and come back to, you have to understand people's behavior and how human brains are wired.
This is exactly what I help you do. With a unique mix of expertise in both events and human psychology, I've crafted and spearheaded dozens of science-based innovative strategies for event design and marketing.
- MSc in International Events Management
- Associate degree in Linguistics, with a thesis in Cognitive Linguistics
- Author, 'Event Psychology Lab' online course
- Author, '10 Principles of Strategic Event Planning' book
- MPI Academy instructor
- Host, the Event Psychology community
- Podcast host, "What If I Told You, The Event Psychology podcast"
- Top 100 Smart Women in Meetings
- ChangeMaker Award by MeetingsNet
- Meeting Professional of the Year-2022full bio
Christine RenaudCEO, Braindate
Chloe RichardsonHead of Content/Emcee, ELX
Hi, I’m Chloe! Head of Content at the wonderful ELX (Event Leaders Exchange) and freelance emcee, speaker, coach and consultant.Hi, I’m Chloe! Head of Content at the wonderful ELX (Event Leaders Exchange) and freelance emcee, speaker, coach and consultant.
Running our ELX forum all day on Tuesday, on Wednesday and Thursday you will find me speaking on various stages across the tradeshow floor.
Looking forward to connecting onsite!full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Experience the future of body optimization
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Explore physician-led performance technologies designed to support recovery, cognitive function, muscle health and overall well-being. Discover how emerging wellness technologies are shaping approaches to preventive health and performance.Explore physician-led performance technologies designed to support recovery, cognitive function, muscle health and overall well-being. Discover how emerging wellness technologies are shaping approaches to preventive health and performance.
Learning outcomes:
Discover innovative performance technologies
Understand the role technology can play in preventive health
Explore tools that support human performance and recoveryread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Nervous system reset lounge
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Discover how regulating the nervous system can support stress reduction, mental clarity, recovery and resilience. Explore practical approaches that may help improve well-being and support sustainable performance in demanding environments.Discover how regulating the nervous system can support stress reduction, mental clarity, recovery and resilience. Explore practical approaches that may help improve well-being and support sustainable performance in demanding environments.
Learning outcomes:
Understand nervous system regulation
Discover techniques that reduce stress
Explore recovery strategies that support resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Ashley RodriguezCo - Founder Carbon World Health, Carbon World Health
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:00 AM - 11:25 AM
The belonging triangle: a framework for better gatherings
● Designing for human needs
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
Design gatherings where people feel they belong. Use the Belonging Triangle framework - Orientation, Participation and Return - to identify what’s working and where connection breaks down. Apply simple, practical interventions to strengthen belonging in your next event or community experience.Design gatherings where people feel they belong. Use the Belonging Triangle framework - Orientation, Participation and Return - to identify what’s working and where connection breaks down. Apply simple, practical interventions to strengthen belonging in your next event or community experience.
Learning outcomes:
Map your event or community against the Belonging Triangle
Identify where belonging is strong and where it needs support
Apply practical interventions to improve participation and connection
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Christina HugFounder, BoardingPass
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:05 AM - 11:50 AM
From tragedy to confidence: Learning from the past
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Risk is unavoidable in live events, but panic doesn’t have to be. Start with a candid look at tragedies including the Sugarland stage collapse and the Astroworld crowd crush, exploring the warning signs, gaps and decisions that shaped what happened.Risk is unavoidable in live events, but panic doesn’t have to be. Start with a candid look at tragedies including the Sugarland stage collapse and the Astroworld crowd crush, exploring the warning signs, gaps and decisions that shaped what happened.
Then bring your own questions and “what if” scenarios into the conversation. Through live Q&A and small-group discussion, you’ll explore practical tools and leave with a clearer, more confident approach to risk that’s grounded in real events and shaped by real dialogue.
Learning outcomes:
Analyze the warning signs and structural gaps behind tragedies including Astroworld and Sugarland
Evaluate real-world risk scenarios to identify appropriate mitigation strategies and responses
Build a tailored, confidence-led risk management approach for live events
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Risk Management, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Robert ChapmanPresident, In Depth Events, Inc.
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:05 AM - 11:50 AM
Global growth reimagined for associations
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Navigate disruption and unlock new revenue opportunities. Explore how associations are adapting to AI, changing travel patterns and global shifts. Gain practical insights into meeting innovation, membership growth and diversified revenue streams.Navigate disruption and unlock new revenue opportunities. Explore how associations are adapting to AI, changing travel patterns and global shifts. Gain practical insights into meeting innovation, membership growth and diversified revenue streams.
Learning outcomes:
Identify how AI can support membership growth and engagement
Apply strategies to increase meeting and event revenue
Explore alternative revenue streams beyond traditional models
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.75 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Avital RosenVP Business Development, Kenes Group
Avital Rosen is Vice President of Business Development at Kenes Group, a global leader in association management and professional conference management.Avital Rosen is Vice President of Business Development at Kenes Group, a global leader in association management and professional conference management. With more than 35 years in the professional events industry, she specializes in global conference development, association strategy, and international growth.
With a sharp global perspective, Avital supports and leads associations' strategic growth initiatives, guiding organizations in entering new markets, forging new partnerships, and aligning event strategy with long-term growth objectives. Her work spans medical and scientific associations across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and beyond - delivering measurable results at every stage.full bio
Jeanne SheehyCMO, Bostrom
Jeanne Sheehy is Chief Marketing Officer for Bostrom, a leading association management company offering outsourcing, consulting and management to associations.Jeanne Sheehy is Chief Marketing Officer for Bostrom, a leading association management company offering outsourcing, consulting and management to associations. Jeanne is a recognized expert in integrated communications, content strategy, agile marketing, and digital transformation. In addition to the corporate marketing, meetings team lead, and business development roles at Bostrom, Jeanne serves as past Chair and marketing task force lead for the AMC Institute.
An authority in integrated marketing and technology concepts for associations, she has presented at various national conferences. Jeanne creates client integrated marketing strategies focusing on growth, value, content, and digital presence tied to goals and metrics.
With more than 20 years of marketing experience, Jeanne spent more than a decade in content management technology and in consumer packaging prior to that. She earned her MBA from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri and her Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Missouri.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM
Unlock your design DNA: Behind the build
● Advanced event logistics
📍 Bayside, Encore, B4387
Go behind the scenes of Encore's IMEX America activation and discover how immersive brand experiences come to life. Explore the creative, technical and operational decisions behind a large-scale show floor experience, from strategy and design through to production and delivery.Go behind the scenes of Encore's IMEX America activation and discover how immersive brand experiences come to life. Explore the creative, technical and operational decisions behind a large-scale show floor experience, from strategy and design through to production and delivery.
Learn how creative vision, technology and collaboration work together to create attendee engagement, support business goals and deliver measurable results.
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Candice BeckmanSr. Manager Industry Engagement and Events, Encore
Candice Beckman is a meetings and events professional with 20+ years of experience creating high-impact programs that connect audiences, elevate brands, and...Candice Beckman is a meetings and events professional with 20+ years of experience creating high-impact programs that connect audiences, elevate brands, and drive business results.
Candice began her career with the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events before moving into corporate meetings and events, supporting clients primarily in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors through a third-party agency. She joined PSAV (now Encore) in 2018 as an Event Manager and now serves as Sr. Manager, Industry Engagement & Events, where she manages relationships with industry partners, leads the IR Ambassador program, and oversees Encore brand activations and customer-facing events. In recognition of her leadership and influence in the industry, Candice was a Smart Women in Meetings winner in 2025 and was named a 2026 Meetings Today “Women to Watch.”
Candice resides in Chicago with her husband and their two cats. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking and entertaining friends and family.full bio
Audrey JaiSr. Producer, Encore
Gary RormanSr. Creative Dir, Encore
Gary Rorman is the Senior Creative Director at Encore, where he brings visionary thinking to life through experiences that blend organic human...Gary Rorman is the Senior Creative Director at Encore, where he brings visionary thinking to life through experiences that blend organic human connection with innovative technology.
He has led the creative for Encore's activation at IMEX America for the last three years. He was also the creative lead on three 2024 Telly Award winning projects for Encore.
A former Walt Disney Imagineer, Gary is an experience architect whose career spans live events, theater, film, television, and theme parks. His strength lies in crafting immersive experiences that are imaginative, impactful, and unforgettable - each one rooted in purpose and elevated by creativity.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Your most difficult colleagues are completely predictable
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Curious Minds Theater, B4100
What if you could better understand the behavior behind challenging colleagues and work situations? Discover how behavioral neuroscience explains workplace dynamics. Identify what drives difficult behavior and respond more effectively to improve collaboration.What if you could better understand the behavior behind challenging colleagues and work situations? Discover how behavioral neuroscience explains workplace dynamics. Identify what drives difficult behavior and respond more effectively to improve collaboration.
Learning outcomes:
Recognize patterns behind challenging workplace behaviors
Identify the underlying needs driving behaviors
Respond more effectively to reduce friction and improve outcomes
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Jen SantosSmart Event Studio
I work with in-house corporate event teams who are tired of solving the same problems every year.I work with in-house corporate event teams who are tired of solving the same problems every year. Most of those problems aren't tech problems. They're decision, ownership, and communication problems that don't show up until onsite. At IMEX, I'd love to meet event leaders, ops folks, and anyone who's ever said "why does this keep happening?" Come find me after my session Thursday at Curious Minds, or connect with me on LinkedIn.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:10 AM - 11:50 AM
Driving attendance growth in 2026: what's working now
● Marketing and engagement
📍 Inspiration Hub, Insights Theater, B4100
New CEIR research reveals the attendee acquisition strategies, marketing investments, and channels fuelling registration growth today. Attendance recovery continues, but growth remains uneven. According to the CEIR Index, only 41% of events surpassed their 2019 attendance benchmarks in 2025.New CEIR research reveals the attendee acquisition strategies, marketing investments, and channels fuelling registration growth today.
Attendance recovery continues, but growth remains uneven. According to the CEIR Index, only 41% of events surpassed their 2019 attendance benchmarks in 2025. This session offers a first look at findings from the 2026 update of CEIR's Attendee Acquisition Study, highlighting the channels, tactics, and investments driving results today. Discover where organizers are focusing future acquisition efforts, benchmark your approach against industry practices, and gain insights to inform attendee acquisition strategies in the years ahead.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the channels and tactics driving registration growth today
Understand where marketers are focusing future attendee acquisition efforts
Exchange ideas, ask questions, and learn from peers facing similar challengesread more · Original Link ↗
Marsha FlanaganPresident & CEO, International Association of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE)
Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM is the President and CEO of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE).Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM is the President and CEO of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE). As IAEE’s president, Flanagan is responsible for the management of IAEE’s full-time professional staff, producing the annual business operating plan and budget, overseeing the support of all meetings of governance units, leading business development, directing fund raising efforts, advocating for the industry and the organization’s members, providing organizational leadership and strategic counsel to the board. Also, she serves as the association’s representative with industry coalitions, partner organizations and strategic alliances.
Prior to joining IAEE, Flanagan was the Director of Content Strategy and Development at the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), where she was responsible for steering strategy and the development and delivery of all PPAI professional development and editorial offerings.
Flanagan spent 6 years in the medical industry serving in various roles overseeing operations, purchasing, revenue cycle management, marketing and business development.
Flanagan began her career with Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and spent 12 years in various roles including Executive Vice President of Professional Development where she oversaw operations, including all strategic partnerships, the design and delivery of all professional development offerings and meetings management.
She was named one of the 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry by Successful Meetings in 2017 and named to BizBash’s Inaugural Top 500 in the Events Industry in 2018 and 2019. In 2021, she was listed in Meetings Today as a 2021 Trendsetter. In 2021, she obtained her GBAC Trained Technician Certificate of Completion from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA.
Flanagan received her bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University and her master’s in education from the University of Arkansas specializing in Meeting, Tourism and Recreation Management. She obtained her Certified in Exhibition Management designation in 2021.
Flanagan is a 5th generation Texan, loves sports and the outdoors and spending time with family.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
Invisible tech, more human: a case worth making
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Question whether more technology always creates a better event experience. Noelle makes the case for using less technology when it adds friction rather than value, then invites you to challenge the idea.Question whether more technology always creates a better event experience. Noelle makes the case for using less technology when it adds friction rather than value, then invites you to challenge the idea. Join the conversation, examine the role technology plays throughout the attendee journey and explore how simpler choices can support more human experiences.
Learning outcomes:
Identify and remove unnecessary technology friction from the attendee journey
Design event journeys that prioritize people and their needs
Evaluate and challenge the case for using less technologyread more · Original Link ↗
Noelle RussellCEO, AI Leadership Institute
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Discover how every industry professional can help strengthen the meetings and events community through the SEARCH Foundation. Explore the Giving Tree initiative and other meaningful ways to support colleagues, raise awareness and build a more resilient industry.Discover how every industry professional can help strengthen the meetings and events community through the SEARCH Foundation. Explore the Giving Tree initiative and other meaningful ways to support colleagues, raise awareness and build a more resilient industry.
Learning outcomes:
Discover ways to support SEARCH Foundation initiatives
Explore how collective giving strengthens the industry
Apply simple actions to help colleagues in times of needread more · Original Link ↗
Kate PatayVP, Global Engagement
Kate Patay, CPCE, vice president of engagement at Terramar, a DMC Network Company, is a prominent industry professional known globally for unique...Kate Patay, CPCE, vice president of engagement at Terramar, a DMC Network Company, is a prominent industry professional known globally for unique events, strategic partnerships and impactful experiences. She speaks internationally on an array of topics, serves as the chair of the SEARCH Foundation, and is obsessed with Taylor Swift and getting a poodle.
Her list of achievements and recognition is immense, but some highlights are: The coveted Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council, the 2023 Richard Carbotti Humanitarian Award and the honor of producing the surprise and delight elements of Dreamforce.
In 2024 she was named as one of the Top 18 Most Influential Event Industry Pros in the US and received the Steve Kemble Leadership Award, while in 2023 she was awarded the Eventex Top 50 Global Event Professionals and Smart Speaker Keynote Award. 2022 brought her recognition as one of the #WomenToWatch and Influential Event Planners You Should Know.
She has also been recognized as one of the Top 25 Women Who Run Events by Eventcombo, Most Inspiring #EventProf by Untethered and a Top 20 #EventProfs by Cvent; 2020 brought her praise as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Global Events by Eventex, one of the Top 14 Global Changemakers by Meetings Today and a Top 99 Keynote Speaker by Hubilo. Smart Meetings named her as one of the Top 25 Industry Professionals in 2017, a Top Visionary in 2018, and added her to their Hall of Fame in 2019.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 3, B4100
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 11:35 AM - 12:30 PM
Event design using the #EventCanvas methodology: Case study
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.
Guided by an Event Design Collective trainer, you'll explore the Event Canvas Methodology and gain practical experience using event design tools to create stronger event outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value through a real event design case study
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives and stakeholders
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda and demonstrating progress over time
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Discover five underused virtual event approaches with Stania. Consider which opportunities you may be missing, share your experience with the room and identify tactics you could apply to your next virtual event.Discover five underused virtual event approaches with Stania. Consider which opportunities you may be missing, share your experience with the room and identify tactics you could apply to your next virtual event.
Learning outcomes:
Identify overlooked virtual event opportunities
Reflect on which approaches are missing from your current plans
Apply five underused tactics to a future virtual eventread more · Original Link ↗
Stania AntoineDir of Brand Relationships and Events, GURU Media Hub
Experience a personalized aromatherapy ritual designed to support your energy and well-being.Experience a personalized aromatherapy ritual designed to support your energy and well-being. Guided by a wellness specialist, you'll explore how scent, breathing exercises and simple somatic practices can help regulate the nervous system, influence mood and create moments of recovery during a busy event day
Learning outcomes:
Understand how scent influences mood and cognitive performance
Explore aromatherapy as a practical tool for nervous system regulation
Experience a sensory wellness protocol and leave with a simple somatic practiceread more · Original Link ↗
Rachel MilfordManaging Dir, PNEUMA
I’m an Aussie living in Las Vegas, and I love the sharp contrast between the Strip’s energy and the tranquility of the...I’m an Aussie living in Las Vegas, and I love the sharp contrast between the Strip’s energy and the tranquility of the desert.
As the founder of Pneuma Lab, I bring 20+ years of event management expertise together with a passion for wellness to help transform meetings into more human, engaging, and impactful experiences.
This year at IMEX America, I’m excited to be speaking at the Circadian Cove about the power of aromatherapy in events, and to be partnering with Caesars Entertainment to feature our signature Apothecary Bar. Come by for a refresh and reset - and experience wellness that’s designed to leave a lasting impact.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Know them, grow them: From audience acquisition to event advocacy
● Experiential event design
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Grow your event by understanding the audiences who matter most. Explore how audience insights, experience design and marketing strategy work together to drive engagement, retention, loyalty and long-term advocacy.Grow your event by understanding the audiences who matter most. Explore how audience insights, experience design and marketing strategy work together to drive engagement, retention, loyalty and long-term advocacy.
Learning outcomes:
Reframe growth beyond attendance and acquisition metrics
Apply the Audience Growth Blueprint to audience planning
Make more confident growth decisions using audience insights
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Marketing and Communications, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Jennifer O'GradyBusiness Strategist, Design Studio, Maritz
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Take back your brain: reclaiming your power in a distracted world
● Health and well-being
📍 Inspiration Hub, Wellbeing Wheel 1, B4100
In a world of constant distraction, it's easy to lose touch with your greatest asset: your brain.In a world of constant distraction, it's easy to lose touch with your greatest asset: your brain. Take Back Your Brain™ explores how to access a deeper state of awareness where intuition, interoceptive awareness and holistic intelligence work alongside analytical thinking. Through sustained attention, you'll learn how to cultivate authentic presence, notice what thinking alone can miss and navigate uncertainty with greater clarity.
Learning outcomes:
Quiet mental noise and access a calmer, clearer state of grounded presence
Build awareness of internal body signals to support faster, more grounded decision-making under pressure
Align thinking, emotion and action to respond, rather than react, to change and uncertainty
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.50 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Dami KimExecutive Dir, Body & Brain Wellness
Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.
A keynote speaker for the meetings and events industry, Kim leads a national team of 200 experts across 18 major U.S. cities, delivering immersive wellness activations - including Brain Breaks, Energy Decoder Wellness Assessments, Stress-Reset sessions, and leadership programs - at events and in workplaces for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kestra, Assa Abloy, Caesars Entertainment, and SITE.
Recognized as a 2024 Trendsetter on Innovation by Meetings Today, Kim designs programs that deliver measurable impact - helping organizations transform stress into resilience, disengagement into connection, and cost into return on wellness.
With more than 27 years' experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, associations, and hospitality leaders to integrate wellness into conferences, incentive trips, and corporate gatherings.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 12:05 PM - 12:30 PM
Bet on yourself: a global breathing movement
● Health and well-being
Room not listed on conference website
Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand.Take 4:44 minutes to give something back to yourself and notice what shifts. Your role asks you to absorb pressure, anticipate needs and deliver calm on demand. Explore how conscious breathing, music and movement can help you interrupt urgency and regulate your nervous system. This immersive activation combines ancestral intelligence with modern neuroscience. Leave with a simple breathing ritual to support your well-being and conscious leadership.
Learning outcomes:
Experience practical shifts using conscious breathing and nervous system regulation
Explore emotional hygiene as a leadership practice and how your state shapes the way you serve, decide and lead
Leave with a 4:44 breathing ritual to support nervous system regulation and your well-beingread more · Original Link ↗
Sepideh EivaziFounder, Dawn of the Earth
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 12:05 PM - 12:50 PM
IMEX's sustainability strategy
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, People and Planet Theater, B4100
Bring sustainability closer and make it feel more achievable. While 2050 can seem distant and the scale of the task overwhelming, our new strategy focuses on practical, measurable action.Bring sustainability closer and make it feel more achievable. While 2050 can seem distant and the scale of the task overwhelming, our new strategy focuses on practical, measurable action.
Explore lessons from our CFO and three lead partners on building a realistic approach to sustainability.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how we built a practical, measurable sustainability strategy
Review our four strategic sustainability goals and how we’re putting them into action
Gain practical strategies and tools from our lead partners to support your sustainability goals
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75read more · Original Link ↗
David HarrisonCFO, IMEX Group
Kate HollidayHead of ESG, GES
Milda SalciuteDir, Events and Academy, GDS-Movement
Anna AbdelnoorCEO, TRACE by isla
Anna is a recognised leader in sustainable events and the founder of isla and TRACE by isla - two pioneering initiatives driving...Anna is a recognised leader in sustainable events and the founder of isla and TRACE by isla - two pioneering initiatives driving climate action across the events industry.
As the head of the leading event sustainability body, isla, Anna works across the stakeholder ecosystem to take action on climate through evidence-led sharp insights, bold thinking and collaborative action, with the end goal of embedding meaningful, measurable change.
With deep expertise in carbon measurement, circularity, and systems design, Anna brings strategic insight and a future-focused lens. She speaks on the intersection of personal and systemic transformation, delivering keynotes that inspire action and hosting dialogues that spark new ideas.
Anna believes that with the right education and resources in hand, eventprofs have the power to be a collective force for good, driving the industry and planet towards a more vibrant future.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 12:05 PM - 12:30 PM
The Audacity of Joyosity™: the surprising ROI of joy
● Leadership and culture
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Too many teams are stuck in survival mode: burned out, misaligned, and white-knuckling through constant change. With rising mental health challenges and leadership fatigue, it’s time for a new strategy: Joy. Jenn Whitmer introduces Joyosity™, human skills for business results.Too many teams are stuck in survival mode: burned out, misaligned, and white-knuckling through constant change.
With rising mental health challenges and leadership fatigue, it’s time for a new strategy: Joy.
Jenn Whitmer introduces Joyosity™, human skills for business results. Explore a research-backed framework that uses joy to drive performance and retention, so people feel valued, stay longer, and perform at their best.
Learning outcomes:
Identify leadership habits that reduce energy and engagement
Apply the Joyosity™ framework to strengthen team performance
Evaluate and improve the balance between overtaxing work and meaningful work
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5read more · Original Link ↗
Jenn WhitmerFounder, CEO, & Joy-Bringer, Joyosity Works
You've done the surveys and the trainings, but your team is still exhausted and stuck.You've done the surveys and the trainings, but your team is still exhausted and stuck. That's because you're missing the root problem: too much toil and not enough joy.
It's time to talk to me! Keynote speaker, award-winning author, Enneagram specialist, and all-around joy-bringer, I teach leaders to use joy as a performance tool. Your team walks out with the human skills to actually deliver business results: higher engagement, increased productivity, and a culture people don't want to leave.
My bestselling book, Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are), has won 12 publishing awards. I've spoken for SXSW, TEDx, Kiwanis International, Mayo Clinic, Chick-fil-A, Intuit, and the U.S. State Department - proof this isn't theory; it's been tested in rooms with no patience for ideas that don’t work.
I hold a Master of Arts in Communication and Culture from Webster University, and a not-so-secret dream that my real life be a musical. (Yes, I do spontaneously break out into song).
I live in St. Louis with my husband, four kids, and one surly cat who lets us stay in the house.
And if you've read this far, we should really talk about Ted Lasso and why no one calls me Jenny.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 12:15 PM - 12:30 PM
Healing through slime
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience slime as a tactile pathway into meditation, grounding and calm. This hands-on session explores how sensory play can help reduce stress, improve focus and create a simple reset you can return to throughout a busy event day.Experience slime as a tactile pathway into meditation, grounding and calm. This hands-on session explores how sensory play can help reduce stress, improve focus and create a simple reset you can return to throughout a busy event day.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how tactile play supports meditation and grounding
Discover sensory techniques to reduce stress and improve focus
Apply a simple slime-based reset during high-energy event daysread more · Original Link ↗
Eric EngelsteinRegional Event Manager, Sloomoo Institute
Eric Engelstein is a Regional Event Manager at Sloomoo Institute, where he leads the development, sales, and execution of corporate events, private...Eric Engelstein is a Regional Event Manager at Sloomoo Institute, where he leads the development, sales, and execution of corporate events, private celebrations, and experiential programs at the immersive Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston venues. With a background spanning weddings, intimate dinner parties, large-scale corporate events, unique guest experiences, and immersive brand activations, Eric brings a creative and highly guest-focused approach to event production.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
See fast demonstrations of AI tools that many event professionals haven’t tried yet, then vote by applause for the one you’d use tomorrow.
Learning outcomes:
Discover unfamiliar AI tools quickly · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 12:35 PM - 1:15 PM
Measuring joy, engagement and trust and WHY it matters
● Impact
📍 Inspiration Hub, Ideas Theater, B4100
Ever wish you could bottle joy? While we’re not quite there yet, we have found ways to measure it and use those insights to create more meaningful, memorable experiences.Ever wish you could bottle joy? While we’re not quite there yet, we have found ways to measure it and use those insights to create more meaningful, memorable experiences.
Explore “Joyosity,” why it matters and how it can support both your attendees and your team. Hear real-world stories from entrepreneurs working to measure joy and footfall as indicators of engagement, and learn how data can help shape better event outcomes.
Discover how ethical facial expression and location analysis can turn attendee behavior into real-time insights, supporting deeper audience understanding, more informed decision-making and stronger customer success.
Learning outcomes:
Hear from pioneers exploring joy and how to measure it
Discover how new technologies can help analyze joy in participants
Recognize how measuring and improving joy levels can support your event goals and retention
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 0.5 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Mark MaydonCommercial Dir, Crowd Connected
Founding Director, responsible for the commercial aspects of Crowd Connected. Crowd Connected is a multi award-winning high growth technology company.Founding Director, responsible for the commercial aspects of Crowd Connected.
Crowd Connected is a multi award-winning high growth technology company. We provide cutting-edge location intelligence from connected devices.
Our indoor positioning and location software service is trusted by major events, venues and sites across the globe. Every one of our clients benefits from the real-time insight our technology delivers.
Our latest product is passive tracking for people or assets, making seamless data accuracy accessible to all via a low touch and affordable hardware-based solution.
Delivering value to our three core verticals - Events, Buildings and Health - our growing product range powers new levels of real-time predictive analytics, service optimisation and personalisation.full bio
Panos MoutafisCEO & Co-founder, Zenus
Dr. Panos Moutafis has 15 years of experience in ethical artificial intelligence and is the CEO and Co-founder of Zenus.Dr. Panos Moutafis has 15 years of experience in ethical artificial intelligence and is the CEO and Co-founder of Zenus.
He received his B.Sc. in Statistics from the Athens University of Economics & Business in Greece and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Houston. Panos has a dozen publications in leading journals and conferences and a book chapter in Face Recognition Across the Imaging Spectrum.
He has been internationally recognized as an expert in ethical facial analysis, with published articles in the Harvard Business Review and the Journal of Marketing Research. His distinctions include a TEDx Talk and the best paper award by the IEEE Homeland Security Conference Biometrics, Forensics, and Physical Security.full bio
Jenn WhitmerFounder, CEO, & Joy-Bringer, Joyosity Works
You've done the surveys and the trainings, but your team is still exhausted and stuck.You've done the surveys and the trainings, but your team is still exhausted and stuck. That's because you're missing the root problem: too much toil and not enough joy.
It's time to talk to me! Keynote speaker, award-winning author, Enneagram specialist, and all-around joy-bringer, I teach leaders to use joy as a performance tool. Your team walks out with the human skills to actually deliver business results: higher engagement, increased productivity, and a culture people don't want to leave.
My bestselling book, Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are), has won 12 publishing awards. I've spoken for SXSW, TEDx, Kiwanis International, Mayo Clinic, Chick-fil-A, Intuit, and the U.S. State Department - proof this isn't theory; it's been tested in rooms with no patience for ideas that don’t work.
I hold a Master of Arts in Communication and Culture from Webster University, and a not-so-secret dream that my real life be a musical. (Yes, I do spontaneously break out into song).
I live in St. Louis with my husband, four kids, and one surly cat who lets us stay in the house.
And if you've read this far, we should really talk about Ted Lasso and why no one calls me Jenny.full bio
Explore how stress, attention and environment shape behavior. Discover how to design events that support clearer thinking, better decisions and meaningful action by considering how people process information under pressure.Explore how stress, attention and environment shape behavior. Discover how to design events that support clearer thinking, better decisions and meaningful action by considering how people process information under pressure.
Then, consider events as more than isolated moments in a calendar. Explore how intentional speaker curation, thought leadership and attendee-centered design can strengthen connection, trust and long-term engagement.
Learning outcomes:
Evaluate how design influences attendee engagement
Recognize how speaker selection shapes the audience experience
Apply audience insights to create more effective event experiences
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.5
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Kelly Charles-CollinsFounder, Speaker, Strategic Advisor, K Nicole Ventures
Dr. Julie RobinsonPresident/Founder, Undercover Productions, Inc.
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 1:00 PM - 1:20 PM
Recovery is the missing piece of performance
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Peak performance depends on effective recovery. Explore the science behind recovery strategies and emerging technologies that help restore energy, regulate the nervous system, reduce fatigue and support resilience for work, travel and everyday life.Peak performance depends on effective recovery. Explore the science behind recovery strategies and emerging technologies that help restore energy, regulate the nervous system, reduce fatigue and support resilience for work, travel and everyday life.
Learning outcomes:
Illustrate why recovery drives long-term performance
Compare evidence-based recovery technologies and strategies
Apply recovery practices that improve energy and resilienceread more · Original Link ↗
Nestor RodriguezMedical Dir, Carbon World Health
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 1:05 PM - 2:00 PM
Event design using the #EventCanvas methodology: Case study
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, Event Design Collective, B4787
Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.Move beyond talking about event design and start putting it into practice. Take part in a simulation of an event design sprint based on a future event case study.
Guided by an Event Design Collective trainer, you'll explore the Event Canvas Methodology and gain practical experience using event design tools to create stronger event outcomes.
Learning outcomes:
Explore how change creates value
Discover how to have more effective conversations about event outcomes with executives and stakeholders
Build confidence in securing a place for event design on the executive agenda and demonstrating progress over time
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1
* CMP/CEU Approved: Event Design, 0.75 creditsread more · Original Link ↗
Before heading home, take time to identify the insights, ideas and connections that matter most. Through guided reflection and journaling, create a simple action plan that helps turn inspiration into meaningful action after IMEX.Before heading home, take time to identify the insights, ideas and connections that matter most. Through guided reflection and journaling, create a simple action plan that helps turn inspiration into meaningful action after IMEX.
Learning outcomes:
Identify the most valuable insights and connections gained during IMEX
Understand how reflection and journaling can improve learning retention
Create a personal action plan to apply key takeaways after the conferenceread more · Original Link ↗
Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it.Dr. Jess Garza, PhD, PMP,LPC, CMPC, NCC - who truly has more letters after her name than in it. She is a TED speaker with over 1.9 million views, founder of Legacy Mindset, and an internationally recognized authority in cognitive performance. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Garza has trained over 15,000 high-stakes professionals - from special forces and senior military leaders to Olympic athletes and Fortune 500 executives. Known for her immersive, scenario-based approach, she equips people to master mental readiness, emotional agility, and peak performance under pressure.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 1:30 PM - 2:05 PM
The last huddle
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Come together for one final conversation after three days of connection. Reflect on what worked, share a memorable moment and reconnect with the people you’ve met before the show comes to a close. You’re welcome to contribute or simply listen. · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Built for you by(617)-PATRICK, Champion AI speaker
Experience dynamic compression therapy designed to improve circulation, reduce muscle fatigue and support recovery. Discover how compression therapy can help active travelers and busy professionals recover, recharge and perform at their best.Experience dynamic compression therapy designed to improve circulation, reduce muscle fatigue and support recovery. Discover how compression therapy can help active travelers and busy professionals recover, recharge and perform at their best.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how compression therapy can support recovery
Understand the role of circulation in performance
Explore recovery strategies that reduce fatigueread more · Original Link ↗
Ashley RodriguezCo - Founder Carbon World Health, Carbon World Health
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
VR therapy showcase
● Health and well-being
📍 Bayside E/F Foyer, Circadian Cove Rx, BF202
Experience immersive virtual environments designed to support stress reduction, focus and recovery. Explore how emerging technologies are being used to create wellness experiences that help attendees recharge and build resilience.Experience immersive virtual environments designed to support stress reduction, focus and recovery. Explore how emerging technologies are being used to create wellness experiences that help attendees recharge and build resilience.
Learning outcomes:
Understand the role of immersive technology in well-being
Explore innovative approaches to stress management
Experience emerging wellness technology applicationsread more · Original Link ↗
Ariadni PereiraCo-Founder, Olympian Meeting
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Closing dance-out: silent disco
● Tech enabled futures
📍 IMEX Tech Education, Sessions, B4686
Celebrate the end of day three with music, a final selfie and one last group photo. Reflect on three days of ideas and connections, then leave feeling inspired for what comes next. · Original Link ↗
Dahlia El GazzarChief Ruckusmaker, DAHLIA+Agency
Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design.Dahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things eventtech and experience design. She’s her own brand, with more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for virtual/hybrid events, trend-setting solutions, eventtech news, and professional branding expertise.full bio
Take time to reflect on your IMEX experience and identify what matters most. Through guided meditation, reflection and visualization, consolidate your key insights, create a clear intention and leave with renewed focus for what comes next.Take time to reflect on your IMEX experience and identify what matters most. Through guided meditation, reflection and visualization, consolidate your key insights, create a clear intention and leave with renewed focus for what comes next.
Learning outcomes:
Reflect on key takeaways and turn them into one clear intention
Practice a breathing technique that helps settle the mind quickly
Create a personal vision statement to carry beyond IMEXread more · Original Link ↗
Dami KimExecutive Dir, Body & Brain Wellness
Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Dami Kim is Executive Director of Body & Brain Wellness, where she leads wellness retreats across the U.S. and internationally.
A keynote speaker for the meetings and events industry, Kim leads a national team of 200 experts across 18 major U.S. cities, delivering immersive wellness activations - including Brain Breaks, Energy Decoder Wellness Assessments, Stress-Reset sessions, and leadership programs - at events and in workplaces for organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kestra, Assa Abloy, Caesars Entertainment, and SITE.
Recognized as a 2024 Trendsetter on Innovation by Meetings Today, Kim designs programs that deliver measurable impact - helping organizations transform stress into resilience, disengagement into connection, and cost into return on wellness.
With more than 27 years' experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, associations, and hospitality leaders to integrate wellness into conferences, incentive trips, and corporate gatherings.full bio
Close your IMEX experience with a guided 9D breathwork journey that combines intentional breathing with immersive audio. Support recovery, reduce stress, restore focus and leave feeling refreshed, grounded and ready for the transition home.Close your IMEX experience with a guided 9D breathwork journey that combines intentional breathing with immersive audio. Support recovery, reduce stress, restore focus and leave feeling refreshed, grounded and ready for the transition home.
Learning outcomes:
Discover how intentional breathing can support stress reduction, focus and recovery
Understand how breathing patterns influence nervous system regulation
Explore neuroscience-led wellness experiences that support attendee well-being and event engagementread more · Original Link ↗
Johnvir Dela CruzBreathwork coach, Entrelier 9D Breathwork
Close IMEX with a restorative sound experience designed for reflection, renewal and recovery. Take time to pause, recharge and consider the well-being practices and insights you want to carry forward after the show.Close IMEX with a restorative sound experience designed for reflection, renewal and recovery. Take time to pause, recharge and consider the well-being practices and insights you want to carry forward after the show.
Learning outcomes:
Reflect on personal well-being practices
Experience intentional recovery techniques
Identify wellness strategies you can apply to future meetings and eventsread more · Original Link ↗
Carla CallawayVP, Global Talent and Culture, HPN Global
As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional...As Vice President of Global Talent and Culture, Carla leads the company’s strategic recruiting and talent acquisition efforts, focused on attracting exceptional hospitality professionals and building the next generation of HPN Global associates as the company continues its intentional global growth. She is also the Founder of Convergence with Carla; which combines sound healing, EFT, and clinical hypnosis techniques and focuses on subconscious reprogramming and nervous system integration to help individuals live their most aligned lives. She has also brought these techniques to the Hospitality Industry, helping Meeting and Event Planners encourage more mindfulness, presence and intention to their events.full bio
☆
Thu Oct 15 · 4:00 PM - 4:20 PM
Peer-to-peer campfire: share your budget-busting tips
● Design matters
📍 Bayside, More than experience theater, D3305
Join fellow event professionals for a discussion on managing event budgets. Share practical strategies, exchange ideas and learn how others are maximizing value while balancing growing expectations and financial pressures.Join fellow event professionals for a discussion on managing event budgets. Share practical strategies, exchange ideas and learn how others are maximizing value while balancing growing expectations and financial pressures.
Learning outcomes:
Share peer-to-peer insights on budget management
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.25
* CSEP Approvedread more · Original Link ↗
Paste one into your AI after the list, or create your own.
Pick my 3 best sessions. Skip the invite-only ones.
ROLE: Expert conference advisor for IMEX Las Vegas 2026 attendees
CONTEXT: I'm pasting over 400 sessions for the IMEX Las Vegas 2026. I am a meeting and event planner. I want practical sessions on event design, AI and tech in events, well-being, and leadership, plus good networking opportunities.
GOAL: Pick the top 3 sessions for me.
INVITE-ONLY: Some sessions are labelled (Invite-Only) - sponsored roundtables closed to general attendees. Still recommend one if it genuinely fits me, but begin that session's explanation with the words 'Invite-only' so I can see it at a glance and decide whether it is worth asking the sponsor for a seat. If I would rather not see them at all, I will say 'skip the invite-only sessions'.
OUTPUT FORMAT: List in chronological order. Label each with its relevance rank (e.g. the third one listed might be Rank #1 of over 400). Include day, time, and session title. Write 2-3 sentences on why each fits my goals.
VERIFICATION: Before answering, confirm how many sessions you received. You should have at least 400. If you received significantly fewer, tell me immediately - my paste was probably truncated.
Which sessions are right for you?
Describe yourself and what you want from IMEX Las Vegas 2026. The more specific you are, the better this works.
You can also say how many you want or when you're free - “give me 10”, “give me 20”, “only Friday afternoon”. You get 3 unless you ask for more. If you can't get into the sponsors' invite-only roundtables, say “skip the invite-only ones” and they won't be suggested.
There is a daily limit on the phone version
so it can stay free for everyone at the event.
However, you can run it as many times as you want using your own AI account at home:
go to the bottom of the page
download the session list, then tap Click for sample prompts
paste the list, then a prompt, into Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini.
Powered by Claude. Your text is sent to Anthropic to generate the ranking, and is logged on this site so the feature can be improved. Please don't type anything confidential.