With our engaging program of cutting-edge thought leadership and hands-on case study sessions, you can find ideas and actionable insights to solve your biggest challenges, including:
- The Secret to Success: Using Failure to Unlock Your Potential
- Tackling Contract and Rebooking Obstacles to Move Your Events Forward
- How Data Can Help You Create Event “Lightning in a Bottle”
- Democratizing Innovation: How to “Hack” Event Success
- Why Small Bets + Massive Constraints = Your Next Big Win
Join our Conversation Starters to discuss and develop solutions for what keeps you up at night through small group conversations. We’ll dive into topics that include:
- Force Majeure: Answering Shifting Timelines and Contracts
- Health and Safety: Communicating & Building Trust With Your Audience
- Business of Events: How Have You Stretched Your Hybrid Event Budget?
- Leadership: How You Can Build Resiliency in Challenging Times
- Planner/Supplier Relations: Exploring Shared Risk Partnerships & Negotiations
- Mental Health: Techniques to Help You Maintain the Right Headspace
- New Attendee Experience Expectations: What Does Your Audience Want Now?
- Business of Events: How Are You Creating New Value for Your Organization?
All times are in Central Daylight Time (CDT).
Sunday, June 5 | ||
9:00am – 3:00pm | Pre-Conference Meetings | |
5:00 – 6:00pm | VIP Happy Hour (Invite Only) | |
6:30 – 9:00pm | Opening Reception | |
Monday, June 6 | ||
6:30 – 7:30am | Get Fit with the Foundation - 5K Fun Run/Walk | |
7:00am – 5:00pm | Registration | |
9:00am – 4:00pm | Educational Sessions & Activations | |
3:00 - 5:00pm | Hospitality Helping Hands | |
9:00pm – Midnight | Give Back Bash | |
Tuesday, June 7 | ||
7:00 – 8:00am | Get Fit with the Foundation - Namaste with PCMA | |
8:00am – 5:00pm | Registration | |
8:00am – 5:00pm | Educational Sessions & Activations | |
7:00 – 10:00pm | Networking Reception | |
Wednesday, June 8 | ||
8:00am – Noon | Registration | |
9:00am – Noon | Educational Sessions & Activations |
DEVELOPING EDUCATION SESSIONS
All times are in Central Daylight Time (CDT).
MAIN STAGE – MONDAY
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
The Secret to Success: Using Failure to Unlock Your Potential
SPEAKER: Ryan Leak, Motivational Speaker, Author, & Certified Enneagram Coach
Brought to you by Visit Detroit.
What would you do if you knew that you couldn’t fail? What choices would you make if you knew you could accomplish what is seemingly impossible? Leadership expert Ryan Leak will show you how to view failure not with shame, but in ways that empower and challenge you to take risks that can lead to big wins.
Through his relatable stories and paired with psychology insights and advice, Ryan will share why embracing the times you fall short and taking the leap even when you’re scared can change the game when it comes to experiences, innovation, leadership, and fulfilling your ultimate goals. Walk away with a renewed sense of your abilities—and the truth that it’s OK to not be flawless.
MAIN STAGE – TUESDAY
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Why Small Bets + Massive Constraints = Your Next Big Win
SPEAKER: Andrew Davis, Keynote Speaker & Author
Brought to you by Destination Vancouver and Vancouver Convention Center.
What would happen if you used limitations to breed creativity and leveraged constraints to progress to new heights? Marketing expert Andrew Davis will break down the ways that successful organizations spark innovation and action—along with creative ways to use your limitations to drive better outcomes more effectively and efficiently.
Walk away armed with ideas and a plan to apply Andrew’s “Cube of Creativity” to your next event—and get ready to create high-impact experiences that are anything but business as usual
MAIN STAGE – WEDNESDAY
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Intersectionality & Events: What Your Audience Needs to Belong & Thrive
SPEAKER: Madison Butler, DEI Truthteller & HR Change Maker
Brought to you by Tourism Calgary.
Building inclusive events and workplaces isn’t a “one size fits all” strategy. So, how can you truly welcome everyone—and invite all voices to the table? In this fireside chat DEI Truth Teller and workplace changemaker Madison Butler will reveal what it means to create welcoming, psychologically safe spaces by breaking down intersectionality in all its forms—and showing you ways to better understand, answer, and celebrate the unique individuals who attend your meetings and experiences. Learn how you can effectively determine what your attendees and colleagues need to thrive–and walk away with empowering advice for how you can also show up as and care for yourself in the process.
Monday, June 6
8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
EduCon Familiarization and Networking Tour
Join fellow attendees for a guided tour of the program space at the Hyatt Regency. Get the lay of the land while connecting with your business events industry peers.
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
The Secret to Success: Using Failure to Unlock Your Potential
SPEAKER: Ryan Leak, Motivational Speaker, Author, & Certified Enneagram Coach
Brought to you by Visit Detroit.
What would you do if you knew that you couldn’t fail? What choices would you make if you knew you could accomplish what is seemingly impossible? Leadership expert Ryan Leak will show you how to view failure not with shame, but in ways that empower and challenge you to take risks that can lead to big wins.
Through his relatable stories and paired with psychology insights and advice, Ryan will share why embracing the times you fall short and taking the leap even when you’re scared can change the game when it comes to experiences, innovation, leadership, and fulfilling your ultimate goals. Walk away with a renewed sense of your abilities—and the truth that it’s OK to not be flawless.
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Accessing Your Blind Spots Through Data Insights: Tools to Uncover What Your Audience Really Wants – Part 1
SPEAKERS: Tim Simpson, Brand Engagement Chief Strategist, Design Studio by Maritz Global Events
Megan Finnell, Director, Meetings & Conferences, MGMA
Brought to you by Hilton
Let’s face it, your audience has evolved. Have you evolved with them? If you are leaning on old ways of thinking, built on old ways of understanding who your audience is – as the whole person they are – then you may be leaving your winning hand on the table.
This two-part, thought-provoking workshop style session will challenge current assumptions and provide practical hands-on tools to help you create a data-influenced event value proposition. Additionally, explore how to marry the needs of your audience with the objectives of your C-suite; gaining clarity on how this translates across different event business models.
Through this, you will be exposed to fresh thinking about the future of events – including answering the question, “Is experience design dead?” In the end, you will walk away with tangible ways to elevate and inspire your organization and transform (hint, hint) your audience.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Tips for gathering audience data and insights to inform your strategy.
- Walk away with inspiration for a new plan on how to put your audience first to get results
- Steps for gathering audience data and insights—and why you should set aside the event personas of the past in favor of discovering new ones to drive attendee satisfaction and loyalty
- Ways to calculate the revenue potential of your event, meeting, experience, or product—and ways to position these opportunities to gain leadership alignment.
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Creating Communities to Enhance and Drive Innovation with Google Xi
SPEAKER: Megan Henshall, Global Events Account Manager, Google
Brought to you by Hilton
How do you create the space for exploration and innovation to occur? The key lies in harnessing the collective power of the community, and engaging them with empathy, curiosity and a place to connect with their passion. In this participatory session, Megan Henshall will share how the Google Xi initiative can provide a framework that can be implemented within any organization or team, and the inspirational insights that Megan has gleaned from this process, both professionally and personally. As a bonus, learn how you can get involved with Megan’s work on Neuro-Inclusion in event design.
Learner Outcomes:
- Discover ways you can leverage and engage a diversity of partners in the process of innovation.
- How to develop and communicate a shared vision and agency in the work at hand.
- Use proven techniques to map an agile, strategic, development plan.
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Redesigning Your Sponsorship Offerings for Attendees and Sponsors
SPEAKER: Meg Fasy, Founder at eventsGIG & FazeFWD
Brought to you by MeetPITTSBURGH
Whether viewing sponsorship through the attendee’s need for engagement, knowledge and solutions or the sponsor’s desire to showcase value and lead generation – each view is unique and continues to evolve. Those different perspectives present a great opportunity to reimagine and optimize each of the various aspects across live, hybrid and virtual that create a successful sponsorship program. Learn how to build an evolving sponsorship model able to embrace the essential and changing needs of attendees and sponsors.
Learner Outcomes:
- How to establish key factors for building a better sponsor ecosystem across various event types and models.
- Create meaningful and memorable experiences that draw engagement and maximize sponsorship exposure opportunities.
- Understand benchmarks and measurements to monitor progress and develop insightful action plans to increase sponsorship revenue.
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Leadership: How Do You Build Resilience in Your Team?
EIDB: Inclusive Event Strategies
Education content produced in collaboration with LGBT MPA
Brought to you by Marriott International
Contracts: Force Majeure, Negotiations and Booking Timelines
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Accessing Your Blind Spots Through Data Insights: Tools to Uncover What Your Audience Really Wants – Part 2
SPEAKERS: Tim Simpson, Brand Engagement Chief Strategist, Design Studio by Maritz Global Events
Megan Finnell, Director, Meetings & Conferences, MGMA
Brought to you by Hilton
Let’s face it, your audience has evolved. Have you evolved with them? If you are leaning on old ways of thinking, built on old ways of understanding who your audience is – as the whole person they are – then you may be leaving your winning hand on the table.
This two-part, thought-provoking workshop style session will challenge current assumptions and provide practical hands-on tools to help you create a data-influenced event value proposition. Additionally, explore how to marry the needs of your audience with the objectives of your C-suite; gaining clarity on how this translates across different event business models.
Through this, you will be exposed to fresh thinking about the future of events – including answering the question, “Is experience design dead?” In the end, you will walk away with tangible ways to elevate and inspire your organization and transform (hint, hint) your audience.
In this workshop, you’ll learn:
- Tips for gathering audience data and insights to inform your strategy.
- Walk away with inspiration for a new plan on how to put your audience first to get results
- Steps for gathering audience data and insights—and why you should set aside the event personas of the past in favor of discovering new ones to drive attendee satisfaction and loyalty
- Ways to calculate the revenue potential of your event, meeting, experience, or product—and ways to position these opportunities to gain leadership alignment.
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Quick F&B Wins for Improved Social and Environmental Impact
FACILITATOR: Aurora Dawn Benton, Founder, Astrapto
SPEAKERS: Brandon Felder, Executive Chef, Centerplate
Heather Seasholtz, Vice President, Conference Operations, Conference Managers
Brought to you by Louisville Tourism
Food and beverage concepts provide a powerful opportunity to drive change in the key areas of sustainability and social responsibility. However, as many buzzwords are out there, there are equally as many myths on why things don’t move forward. During this session, experts will dive into myth-busting insights and actionable tools and you’ll walk away with 10 quick wins to escalate your progress towards tasteful and responsible decisions that become long-term impactful solutions.
Learner Outcomes:
- Understand how to swiftly and consciously decrease the sustainability and social responsibility impact of your F&B concept.
- Take steps to scale and model F&B solutions for immediate inclusion in your meeting design roadmap.
- Explore ways to measure success in the short and long-term and create future development goals.
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Sharing the Secrets to Success for Hybrid Event Models that Excel
FACILITATOR: Joshua Butler, COO, Falcon Events
Brought to you by MeetPITTSBURGH
Experienced a great learning curve when developing and integrating your hybrid event model? Did your framework drive revenue, attendee and sponsor engagement and/or overall stakeholder satisfaction? Then we have the stage for you to share your learnings.
In an exciting rapid fire format of 5-minute case study presentations, your peers will share their stories in the hybrid universe and how they found the special way to navigate the new norm, learn from and excel with their big ideas.
Learner Outcomes:
- Understand different, but still successful frameworks and strategies on ‘how to hybrid’.
- Learn how different circumstances influence the most valuable, effective framework choice.
- Understand the unique value proposition and benefits hybrid brings to the table to sustainably develop and grow your business.
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Sprint Session: Idea Jam
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
The Idea Jam supports collaborative ideation and encourages divergent thinking. Don’t miss this chance to explore and deepen your understanding of the day’s topics as you create a communal visual illustration of your ideas.
3:35 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.
Sprint Session: Brain Trust
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Engage in a round robin bingo game, providing a 60 second synopsis of a topic that resonated with you that day. As you reflect on a specific topic, the group can mark it on their Bingo board.
4:10 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.
Sprint Session: The Big Idea
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Take advantage of this opportunity to look at challenges through the lens of your new learnings. Using stickies and key takeaways, you’ll collectively ideate towards a solution in order to solve the specific challenge presented to your group.
Tuesday, June 7
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Why Collaboration is the Key to Navigate Continuous Disruption
SPEAKER: Jamie Clarke, Speaker, Performance Under Pressure
Brought to you by Destination Canada Business Events
Feeling overwhelmed with all the change? Jamie Clarke is the perfect guide to get you to where you want to go and be able to adapt to the ever changing events landscape. After multiple trips to the top of Mt Everest and crossing the world’s most desolate and dangerous desert, he has the strategies how to master collaboration to allow you to tackle obstacles and reach new levels of success through the most adverse and changing conditions using collaboration at the core.
Learner Outcomes:
- Dive into tangible tools to master constant change and grow stronger
- Understand how to fully utilize the strength and weaknesses of a diverse team
- Learn how to successfully manager cross-team collaboration to increase creativity and efficiency
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Rolling Out the Rainbow Carpet: Creating Welcoming Destinations
FACILITATOR: Chase Brunson, CLE, Sections & Events Manager
Austin Bar Association
SPEAKERS: Maria Grasso, Senior Vice President, Convention Division, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Rory Archibald, Associations, Sectors & Marketing, VisitScotland
Jason Dunn, GVP Diversity Sales & Inclusion, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
Education content produced in collaboration with LGBT MPA
Brought to you by Marriott International
How do we make our destinations more inclusive and welcoming? Destination representatives from around the country are ready to share the struggles and triumphs they’ve experienced while they work toward a more inclusive future.
Learner Outcomes:
- Understand how to gather metrics when evaluating success in diversity and inclusion
- Use shared lessons learned to inform diversity and inclusion efforts at your organization
- Collaborate to achieve your EIDB goals for your event audience and support the destination’s efforts.”
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Empathy and Engagement in Process, Practice and Program
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Alisha Wenc, Associate Program Director, Center for Cyber Safety and Education
Brought to you by MeetPITTSBURGH
In this authentic and open discussion, Alisha Wenc and Naomi Clare Crellin will share stories of how Empathy has helped them drive innovation and mission in their work. Alisha will shed light on how her work to advance Women – whether in tech or business – has relied upon an empathetic approach to engaging stakeholders. Naomi will share audience insights from the uses and applications of the Empathy toolkit they use at Storycraft Lab.
Learner Outcomes:
- Frameworks for integrating Empathy in to your process – such as Empathy Mapping and Journey Mapping.
- Practical methods for surveying, assessing and building stakeholder and community engagement.
- Making the business case for power-skills – integrating Empathy into your programming.
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Conversation Starters
Leadership: Ways to Address and Avoid Staff Burnout
Neurodiversity and Events
Inclusive Event Strategies
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Why Small Bets + Massive Constraints = Your Next Big Win
SPEAKER: Andrew Davis, Keynote Speaker & Author
Brought to you by Destination Vancouver and Vancouver Convention Center.
What would happen if you used limitations to breed creativity and leveraged constraints to progress to new heights? Marketing expert Andrew Davis will break down the ways that successful organizations spark innovation and action—along with creative ways to use your limitations to drive better outcomes more effectively and efficiently.
Walk away armed with ideas and a plan to apply Andrew’s “Cube of Creativity” to your next event—and get ready to create high-impact experiences that are anything but business as usual.
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Event Data: How to Start Building a Data Strategy?
Business of Events: How Have You Stretched Your Hybrid Event Budget?
Sustainability: Integrating Solutions at Events and Throughout the Year
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Tackling Contracting Obstacles through Collaboration to Move Your Events Forward
SPEAKERS: Sarah Gilmore, Registration, Housing & Sourcing Manager, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Stacey Dillon, Director of Group Sales, Hilton Columbus Downtown
John Rubsamen, Senior Director of Meetings and Events, Americans for the Arts
Whether it’s a global pandemic or other disruptive forces on the horizon, the ability to approach contracts and negotiations in a collaborative manner has been challenging for both event strategists and suppliers alike. The event leaders in this session will share some “real talk” from both sides of the topic, as well as invite attendees to join the conversation. Discussing real-life examples of success and learnings with a focus on transparency, shared risk, and stakeholder education within the contract negotiation process.
Learner outcomes:
- Obtain a more thorough understanding and ability to articulate the “Why” behind contracting terms to allow for transparency supported by data and details to transform the negotiation process to be less transactional and become more relational.
- Consider and discuss various scenario planning timelines and the inclusion of contract review dates from the perspective of both the planner and suppliers and what is driving the decision-making process for a shared risk approach.
- Confidently approach business conversations and negotiations with the various levels of stakeholders by incorporating a “Education Beyond Your Desk” component in your process.
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Getting Experimental with Audience Engagement: An Open Mic Session
FACILITATOR: Patrick Delaney, Managing Partner, SoolNua
Brought to you by MeetPITTSBURGH
Are you looking for new audience experiences to add to your engagement bag of tricks? Join this open mic session to swap stories on audience engagement experiments across in-person, hybrid and digital events and the insights gained from them. These rapid-fire case studies will shed light into the approach taken, key learnings and how success was measured. Join the session to dive into tangible tips and tricks to infuse fresh ideas into your next event.
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Contracts: Force Majeure, Negotiations and Booking Timelines
Planner and Supplier Relations: Exploring Shared Risk Partnerships & Negotiations
New Attendee Experience Expectations: What Does Your Audience Want Now?
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sprint Session: Storyboard the Idea
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
In this design sprint, you’ll map a specific design idea and communicate it to others as a way to synthesize and prototype.
4:05 p.m. – 4:35 p.m.
Sprint Session: How-to Focus Group
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
This activity turns the tables for you, allowing you to flip what you’ve learned, share the big ideas you have and garner important feedback from your peers to explore what your audience would like/need to know.
4:40 p.m. – 5:10 p.m.
Sprint Session: Scenario Building
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Apply your session discovery and align around shared priorities by building a focused scenario to ideate and design for.
Wednesday, June 8
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Inclusion Before Diversity: An Empathy Workshop with Madison Butler
SPEAKER: Madison Butler, DEI Truthteller & HR Change Maker
Brought to you by Tourism Calgary
We often speak about diversity before inclusion. However, inclusion and equity must come first. To foster growth in our organizations and expand our event reach we must create environments that cater to different people. DEI Expert Madison Butler will lead this interactive workshop that gives you the opportunity to explore the inherent barriers we all have and how to making space for people to come into your lives, workplace and events so they can live authentically and out loud.
Learn how you can look past previous agendas and geographical stats to gather and use attendees’ behavioral patterns, creating more valuable experiences and developing new event revenue opportunities.
Learner Outcomes:
- Gain a foundational understanding of DEI meanings.
- Explore how similarity bias shows up in your lives and work.
- Recognize what the act of exclusion represents and learn how to take steps to create more psychologically safe environments.
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Build Impactful Engagement into Your Team’s Event Designs: B2Me
SPEAKER: Darius Vaskelis, Chief Digital Officer, Encore
Brought to you by MeetPITTSBURGH
More than ever event organizers are expected to increase attendee engagement with every event. This workshop discussion will present two frameworks around fostering human connection in events through meeting purpose and recognizing how neurotransmitters impact attendee engagement. You’ll be challenged to rethink your team’s tactics for your upcoming events, including how you can better balance engagement opportunities between in-person and remote audiences.
Learner Outcomes:
- How to develop and drive an engagement strategy based on an event’s purpose.
- Explore how D.O.S.E neurotransmitters are can be used to your advantage when planning events.
- Design an event experience that engages stakeholders while balancing in-room, virtual, and hybrid attendees.
10:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Sprint Session: Pitch Presentations
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
This activity works as a speed dating of ideas & topics. You’ll have a set time to take turns pitching your top-of-mind topic in order to share key event takeaways.
10:25 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Sprint Session: Strategy Mapping
SPEAKERS: Naomi Clare Crellin, Founder & CEO, Storycraft Lab
Natalie Fulgencio-Turner, Interpretive Specialist, Storycraft Lab
Bekah Charlston, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Maya Manciagli, Experience Strategist, Storycraft Lab
Walk in the shoes of your audience to consider key moments in their specific narrative journey. By ideating for focused touchpoints and behaviors, you will leave ready to develop a plan for actioning a strategy to translate ideas to reality.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Intersectionality & Events: What Your Audience Needs to Belong & Thrive
SPEAKER: Madison Butler, DEI Truthteller & HR Change Maker
Brought to you by Tourism Calgary.
Building inclusive events and workplaces isn’t a “one size fits all” strategy. So, how can you truly welcome everyone—and invite all voices to the table? In this fireside chat DEI Truth Teller and workplace changemaker Madison Butler will reveal what it means to create welcoming, psychologically safe spaces by breaking down intersectionality in all its forms—and showing you ways to better understand, answer, and celebrate the unique individuals who attend your meetings and experiences. Learn how you can effectively determine what your attendees and colleagues need to thrive–and walk away with empowering advice for how you can also show up as and care for yourself in the process.
1.5 Day Program — June 7–8
7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
The Secret to Success: Using Failure to Unlock Your Potential
SPEAKER: Ryan Leak, Motivational Speaker, Author, & Certified Enneagram Coach
Brought to you by Visit Detroit.
What would you do if you knew that you couldn’t fail? What choices would you make if you knew you could accomplish what is seemingly impossible? Leadership expert Ryan Leak will show you how to view failure not with shame, but in ways that empower and challenge you to take risks that can lead to big wins.
Through his relatable stories and paired with psychology insights and advice, Ryan will share why embracing the times you fall short and taking the leap even when you’re scared can change the game when it comes to experiences, innovation, leadership, and fulfilling your ultimate goals. Walk away with a renewed sense of your abilities—and the truth that it’s OK to not be flawless.
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Why Collaboration is the Key to Navigate Continuous Disruption
SPEAKER: Jamie Clarke, Speaker, Performance Under Pressure
Brought to you by Destination Canada Business Events
Feeling overwhelmed with all the change? Jamie Clarke is the perfect guide to get you to where you want to go and be able to adapt to the ever changing events landscape. After multiple trips to the top of Mt Everest and crossing the world’s most desolate and dangerous desert, he has the strategies how to master collaboration to allow you to tackle obstacles and reach new levels of success through the most adverse and changing conditions using collaboration at the core.
Learner Outcomes:
- Dive into tangible tools to master constant change and grow stronger
- Understand how to fully utilize the strength and weaknesses of a diverse team
- Learn how to successfully manager cross-team collaboration to increase creativity and efficiency
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Rolling Out the Rainbow Carpet: Creating Welcoming Destinations
SPEAKER: Chase Brunson, CLE, Sections & Events Manager
Austin Bar Association
Education content produced in collaboration with LGBT MPA
Brought to you by Marriott International
How do we make our destinations more inclusive and welcoming? Destination representatives from around the country are ready to share the struggles and triumphs they’ve experienced while they work toward a more inclusive future.
Learner Outcomes:
- Understand how to gather metrics when evaluating success in diversity and inclusion
- Use shared lessons learned to inform diversity and inclusion efforts at your organization
- Collaborate to achieve your EIDB goals for your event audience and support the destination’s efforts.”
9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Conversation Starters
Mental Health: How Do You Achieve & Maintain a Healthy Mindset?
Contracts: Force Majeure, Negotiations and Booking Timelines
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Why Small Bets + Massive Constraints = Your Next Big Win
SPEAKER: Andrew Davis, Keynote Speaker & Author
Brought to you by Destination Vancouver and Vancouver Convention Center.
What would happen if you used limitations to breed creativity and leveraged constraints to progress to new heights? Marketing expert Andrew Davis will break down the ways that successful organizations spark innovation and action—along with creative ways to use your limitations to drive better outcomes more effectively and efficiently.
Walk away armed with ideas and a plan to apply Andrew’s “Cube of Creativity” to your next event—and get ready to create high-impact experiences that are anything but business as usual.
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Drew Davis Unplugged: Lumiere’s Law and the Future of Events
SPEAKER: Andrew Davis, Keynote Speaker & Author
In this virtual-attendee exclusive session, keynote speaker Andrew Davis will introduce Lumiere’s Law and lead a lively discussion about the future of virtual, in-person, and hybrid events.
We’ll even use The Cube of Creativity to brainstorm new ways we can add value in an evolving world.
Bring your ideas, your opinions, and your enthusiasm. It’s going to be a blast!
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Tackling Contracting Obstacles through Collaboration to Move Your Events Forward
SPEAKERS: Sarah Gilmore, Registration, Housing & Sourcing Manager, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Stacey Dillon, Director of Group Sales, Hilton Columbus Downtown
John Rubsamen, Senior Director of Meetings and Events, Americans for the Arts
Whether it’s a global pandemic or other disruptive forces on the horizon, the ability to approach contracts and negotiations in a collaborative manner has been challenging for both event strategists and suppliers alike. The event leaders in this session will share some “real talk” from both sides of the topic, as well as invite attendees to join the conversation. Discussing real-life examples of success and learnings with a focus on transparency, shared risk, and stakeholder education within the contract negotiation process.
Learner outcomes:
- Obtain a more thorough understanding and ability to articulate the “Why” behind contracting terms to allow for transparency supported by data and details to transform the negotiation process to be less transactional and become more relational.
- Consider and discuss various scenario planning timelines and the inclusion of contract review dates from the perspective of both the planner and suppliers and what is driving the decision-making process for a shared risk approach.
- Confidently approach business conversations and negotiations with the various levels of stakeholders by incorporating a “Education Beyond Your Desk” component in your process.
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Redesigning Your Sponsorship Offerings for Attendees and Sponsors
SPEAKER: Meg Fasy, Founder at eventsGIG & FazeFWD
Brought to you by MeetPITTSBURGH
Whether viewing sponsorship through the attendee’s need for engagement, knowledge and solutions or the sponsor’s desire to showcase value and lead generation – each view is unique and continues to evolve. Those different perspectives present a great opportunity to reimagine and optimize each of the various aspects across live, hybrid and virtual that create a successful sponsorship program. Learn how to build an evolving sponsorship model able to embrace the essential and changing needs of attendees and sponsors.
Learner Outcomes:
- How to establish key factors for building a better sponsor ecosystem across various event types and models.
- Create meaningful and memorable experiences that draw engagement and maximize sponsorship exposure opportunities.
- Understand benchmarks and measurements to monitor progress and develop insightful action plans to increase sponsorship revenue.
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Conversation Starters
EIDB: Inclusive Event Strategies
New Attendee Experience Expectations: What Does Your Audience Want Now?
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The Business Case for Diversity
SPEAKER: Jean Cracian, Founder & President, Diversity Center of Washington
Education content produced in collaboration with LGBT MPA
Brought to you by Marriott International
Diversity helps your bottom line. Let’s talk about how cultivating a more inclusive and diverse workplace is good for business.
Learner Outcomes:
- How diversity and inclusion efforts can result in additional profit and revenue.
- Learn how to pitch diversity and inclusion initiatives to organization leadership.
- How to measure the financial impact of diversity and inclusion efforts.
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Creating Communities to Enhance and Drive Innovation with Google Xi
SPEAKER: Megan Henshall, Global Events Account Manager, Google
Brought to you by Hilton
How do you create the space for exploration and innovation to occur? The key lies in harnessing the collective power of the community, and engaging them with empathy, curiosity and a place to connect with their passion. In this participatory session, Megan Henshall will share how the Google Xi initiative can provide a framework that can be implemented within any organization or team, and the inspirational insights that Megan has gleaned from this process, both professionally and personally. As a bonus, learn how you can get involved with Megan’s work on Neuro-Inclusion in event design.
Learner Outcomes:
- Discover ways you can leverage and engage a diversity of partners in the process of innovation.
- How to develop and communicate a shared vision and agency in the work at hand.
- Use proven techniques to map an agile, strategic, development plan.
4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Sprint Session: Idea Jam
The Idea Jam supports collaborative ideation and encourages divergent thinking. Don’t miss this chance to explore and deepen your understanding of the day’s topics as you create a communal visual illustration of your ideas.
4:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Sprint Session: Scenario Building
Apply your session discovery and align around shared priorities by building a focused scenario to ideate and design for.
MAIN STAGE – WEDNESDAY
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Intersectionality & Events: What Your Audience Needs to Belong & Thrive
SPEAKER: Madison Butler, DEI Truthteller & HR Change Maker
Brought to you by Tourism Calgary.
Building inclusive events and workplaces isn’t a “one size fits all” strategy. So, how can you truly welcome everyone—and invite all voices to the table? In this fireside chat DEI Truth Teller and workplace changemaker Madison Butler will reveal what it means to create welcoming, psychologically safe spaces by breaking down intersectionality in all its forms—and showing you ways to better understand, answer, and celebrate the unique individuals who attend your meetings and experiences. Learn how you can effectively determine what your attendees and colleagues need to thrive–and walk away with empowering advice for how you can also show up as and care for yourself in the process.
EDUCON STUDIOS
EduCon’s sessions are designed to cater to different learning styles and comfort levels, with three different learning formats. Select from the following session formats to create your unique learning journey, whether you want to glean takeaways from thoughtful presentations or actively brainstorm solutions with industry peers:
Thought Leadership Talks: Learn from future-focused professionals and innovative minds in thought leadership presentations. Take away cutting-edge food for thought and actionable takeaways that address the most relevant industry trends. Speakers will also share ways you can overcome obstacles to thrive now and in the future.
Deep Dive Discussions: Listen and learn from industry peers across verticals with topical case studies that uncover takeaways from both successes and failures. Following short “how we did it” presentations, you can join the follow-up discussion to ask your most pressing questions and dive into key learnings.
Solutioning Workshops: Brainstorm and learn with extended interactive sessions that teach hands-on skills based on best practices and trends. You will walk away with a useful framework, guide, tip sheet, or other outcomes to add to your toolkit, so you can apply the teachings to your work and workplace. Our workshops offer simultaneous interactive learning opportunities, no matter if you’re attending in person or participating digitally.
Within the learning journey, EduCon’s sessions explore hybrid and omnichannel obstacles and best practices with cutting-edge research, thoughtful insights, and interactive sessions structured to help you answer questions and build new frameworks and skills.
Turn your event learnings into next steps and action items through our EduCon Idea Book, which includes studio overviews, questions to prompt discussion, wellness reminders and exercises, and activities designed to help you translate what you’re learning into strategies and ideas that will help you create and execute events and marketplaces for the future.
INNOVATE + ELEVATE HUB
Home of the Accelerate Stage
THINK FAST: Positive energy abounds in the Innovate + Elevate Hub, where immersive, interactive learning will help you confront modern challenges and prepare for what lies ahead. Industry experts and visionaries will take the Accelerate Stage to present fast-paced, thought-provoking content that will inspire you to action.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
THE F-STAGE: Every successful person has failures along the way. On the F-Stage, contestants bring their toughest tales into a boxing ring to duke it out for the Best Failure title. Laugh, cringe and bond as you hear from PCMA leaders and industry peers about mistakes they’ve made and what they learned from them.
LIFESTYLE SESSIONS
MORE THAN MEDITATION: Participants will go beyond gimmicks and fads to learn how Lifestyle resources can create maximum engagement, enduring knowledge retention and meaningful takeaways for event attendees.