The 2024 Meetings Trendsetters Paving New Paths in the Events Industry

August 1, 2024

Looking for a little inspiration to help guide your work in the meetings and events industry? These 20 Meetings Trendsetters have set a great example on how ingenuity, dedication and engagement with their peers can not only forge a career that they live and love, but also contribute to the greater whole.

Congratulations to the Meetings Trendsetters class of 2024!

Think we missed a Trendsetter blazing a trail in the industry? Click here to nominate who you think should be considered for next year's Meetings Trendsetters list!

1. Alicia Jenelle

Director of Experience Design • The Jenelle Group

CONTRIBUTION: Strategic event production

Alicia Jenelle’s strategic insight and production expertise have made her a standout figure in the event industry. She leads The Jenelle Group, an all-female production team with a focus on creating engaging, high-impact events.

Jenelle’s career began as an audiovisual technician and she has since become a trailblazer in event strategy, known for her ability to develop and execute comprehensive event plans. Her dedication to excellence and her commitment to breaking barriers have inspired many, making her a trusted partner for organizations aiming to elevate their event experiences.

2. Jim Spellos

President • Meeting U.

CONTRIBUTION: AI education with integrity

Just after ChatGPT exploded on the scene, Jim Spellos, a hospitality industry tech teacher since the 1990s, realized the technology was transformative. He also started to hear stories designed to amplify the negative, or even worse, scare people about what these tools can do.

His mission since has been to educate and inspire those who want to hear the whole truth about the positive effects of generative AI. Whether you like it or not, it’s going to be a part of how we work moving forward.

3. Dami Kim

Director • Body & Brain Wellness

CONTRIBUTION: Educating with innovative and effective wellness practices

With over 25 years of expertise at the forefront of wellness innovation, Dami Kim is helping a community of some of the most stressed professionals on the planet learn how to prioritize their well-being as much as they prioritize their careers in the meetings and events industry.

Kim has opened people’s eyes to what is possible when they care for themselves the way they care for their clients, and why this is beneficial for their clients as well. Her approach to wellness is innovative, encouraging and inspiring, demonstrating how much we can do on our own for our well-being in simple, natural ways. Her insights have made people believe in the importance of taking true ownership of the well-being of their body and brain for successful career longevity.

4. Dr. Brandi Baldwin

CEO • Millennial Ventures

CONTRIBUTION: Fostering strong company cultures

Dr. Brandi Baldwin, CEO of Millennial Ventures, leads an award-winning startup focused on education and workforce innovation. She collaborates with forward-thinking global companies to develop cutting-edge strategies that foster equitable and thriving company cultures. Her client roster includes industry giants like Google, Fast Company and Salesforce.

Dr. Baldwin is a sought-after speaker and former Wharton lecturer. She has earned accolades including Philadelphia’s Most Influential African Americans and The Business Journals’ 40 Under 40. Despite her achievements, Dr. Baldwin credits her Christian faith for guiding her mission to make a meaningful impact.

5. Chase Brunson

Independent Event Planner

CONTRIBUTION: Advocating for trans people in the events industry

Never shy to stand up for what he believes, even in college when he founded Texas A&M's first transgender student group, Chase Brunson has since found a home in the events industry, where he continues to advocate for transgender meeting profs and attendees.

Brunson has used his platform as an out transgender man to speak at multiple industry events, including MPI and PCMA chapter events and conferences as well as MPI’s WEC, PCMA’s EduCon and Convening Leaders, and IMEX America. He has also designed seminars that dive deeper into general DEI practices.

Brunson co-founded a destination marketing, event production and social justice organization, Local Queer, in Austin, which has assisted transgender adults in changing their legal documents to match their identity, raised funds for those facing housing insecurity, and educated many in and outside of the events industry on the benefits of inclusive event design.

6. Amani Roberts

Chief Musical Curator • The Amani Experience

CONTRIBUTION: Unlocking creativity

Amani Roberts has a mission to awaken the creativity within hospitality and music professionals, which was greatly hampered during the pandemic. Roberts leverages his extensive experience and education in music and hospitality to provide the ability to see different possibilities hidden in plain sight.

Through innovative teaching techniques honed as an award-winning professor at California State University, Fullerton, Roberts uses actual turntables, music, nostalgia and even a touch of improv to bring fresh and effective methods to the classroom that help educate his students of all ages. He makes it his goal to encourage everyone to be as creative as they were when they were young, and Roberts brings that creativity back to people with mature tools to unleash their creative minds.

7. Rachel Andrews

Senior Director, Global Meetings & Events • Cvent

CONTRIBUTION: Bridging the industry to a digital future

Since joining Cvent in 2011, Rachel Andrews has built the meetings industry tech giant’s event program from the ground up. Nearly 14 years later, she now leads a team of 30 people managing 1,200 events each year and has catapulted Cvent’s annual user conference, Cvent CONNECT, into a globally recognized industry event.

Andrews, also the co-host of Cvent’s Great Events podcast, is an influential MPI International Board of Directors member, sought-after speaker and respected mentor and leader. In the end, she’s not just shaping events, she’s shaping the industry and inspiring future trendsetters along the way.

8. Debbie Garcia

CEO • virsitour

CONTRIBUTION: Transforming event planning through technology

Debbie Garcia has significantly influenced the meetings industry with her innovative solutions and forward-thinking approach. With over two decades of experience, Garcia has consistently redefined event planning through the integration of advanced technologies and creative strategies.

As the founder of virsitour, she introduced a groundbreaking platform that leverages virtual tours and detailed visuals to simplify venue and event sourcing. This innovation is crucial to the meetings industry as it saves time, reduces costs and enhances decision-making for event professionals. Her commitment to making the planning process more efficient and accessible has set new standards, empowering countless event professionals to achieve greater success.

9. Heather Spangler

Associate Professor and Event Management Certificate Coordinator • University of Iowa

CONTRIBUTION: Educating and inspiring students to become the industry’s newest professionals

In 2015, Heather Spangler founded the University of Iowa’s Event Management Certificate, which draws 250 of the university’s best and brightest students each year. Spangler is dedicated to providing a hands-on program focused on real-world skills and connections. Students put on real events in their courses, are required to complete an internship and are invited to participate in professional development activities such as attending conferences, field trips to meet with event professionals around the country and more.

Spangler coordinated with Meetings Today leaders this year to develop a new mentorship program that sends student ambassadors to experience Meetings Today LIVE! events.

10. Jason Ware

Vice President, Events and Experiences • IAEE

CONTRIBUTION: Major events strategy

A 30-year association meetings and MICE veteran, Jason Ware this year brought his vast reservoir of experience to a new role leading strategic events for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), including the Women’s Leadership Forum, Expo! Expo!, Leadership Institute and educational webinars.

Ware’s experience on the association side for the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, as well as for suppliers such as MCI USA, will pay dividends for IAEE, with major initiatives that include an IAEE sustainability toolkit in the works.

11. Bill Reed

Chief Event Strategy Officer • American Society of Hematology (ASH)

CONTRIBUTION: Leading the charge for hybrid meetings

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) is the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatments of blood disorders. As chief event strategy officer, Bill Reed oversees the global meetings strategy, portfolio of events and operations of ASH’s annual meeting and exhibition, which is one of the largest and fastest-growing medical/healthcare events in the world.

Reed also leads a future-focused team that challenges the status quo by avoiding the “rinse and repeat” formula to meeting design. He has been a vocal champion of the hybrid meeting format to expand ASH’s reach on a global basis.

12. Vanessa Figueroa

Destination Experience Director • Discover Puerto Rico

CONTRIBUTION: Integrating local culture into site visits and achieving record MICE numbers

Vanessa Figueroa’s visionary approach to integrating Puerto Rico’s vibrant island culture into every site visit has transformed routine inspections into engaging, unforgettable experiences. Supported by her team and industry partners, Figueroa has helped Puerto Rico achieve three consecutive record-breaking years for MICE projects, with an impressive 70% conversion rate.

Figueroa and her team forge strategic alliances emphasizing diversity, inclusion and sustainability, actively promoting responsible tourism, recognizing its vital role in benefiting the community. Their efforts also highlight the island’s talented hospitality professionals, essential for program success. By seizing these opportunities, they position Puerto Rico as an enduring and captivating destination, driving its recovery and growth.

13. Maayan Ziv

Founder & CEO • AccessNow

CONTRIBUTION: Advocating for accessibility

Maayan Ziv is the CEO and founder of AccessNow, a platform dedicated to mapping and sharing accessibility information about locations worldwide. A thought leader in the industry, Ziv has delivered compelling keynotes at numerous DMO and CVB events, challenging the meetings and events industry to join the inclusion revolution. Her insights on improving accessibility are both thought-provoking and actionable, leading to tangible, measurable impacts.

Under her leadership, AccessNow has empowered countless event planners and venues to break down barriers and create inclusive experiences, setting a new standard for accessibility.

14. Monique Ruff-Bell

Chief Program & Strategy Officer • TED

CONTRIBUTION: Planning TED Conferences

Monique Ruff-Bell has over 20 years of experience working in the media, events and publishing industry, with expertise in brand leadership, marketing and strategic growth. As chief program and strategy officer for TED, she oversees TED’s flagship global events and conferences, TEDx programs and initiatives, global partnership sales and key marketing verticals for the organization. She plays a vital role in shaping and executing TED’s strategic plan, contributing to the advancement of its mission, operational excellence and overall growth.

She is also a public speaker, podcast host and mentor based out of New York City, speaking on topics such as business strategy and development, career mentorship and ways to become a successful leader.

15. Javier Cano

Area General Manager • Los Angeles Marriott

CONTRIBUTION: Ceaseless industry advocacy

Native Los Angeleno Javier Cano wears many hats, from overseeing 10 hotels in Greater Los Angeles, including LA LIVE’s JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton, to being chair of the Los Angeles Tourism Marketing District and on the executive committee of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board as well as the California Hotel & Lodging Association.

In addition, he’s on the board of directors of the California Travel Association, Hotel Association of Los Angeles and Central City Association, among others. Cano has also been recognized among the 500 most influential people in L.A., GM of the Year for Marriott and GM of the Year for Los Angeles.

16. Mandi Graziano

Vice President Global Accounts • HPN Global

CONTRIBUTION: Uplifting, educating and energizing professionals

From her weekly podcast to her bestselling book, Mandi Graziano sets trends in everything she does. Her passion is to lift emerging leaders, educate mid-season executives and ignite the energy of seasoned pros in the business. She’s disrupted traditional hospitality sales training by developing a shorter but effective Triple Tactic Training coaching for hotel, DMO and DMC sales teams.

Her passion for helping the industry build its best “Business Bedside Manner” led her to trademark the message she’s been sharing for a year. She’s also a board director for CHLA Hospitality Foundation, which awards more than $100,000 a year to students at California colleges pursuing a career in hospitality.

17. Thomas Whelan

Director of Operations • Seravezza Events at The Franklin Institute of Philadelphia

CONTRIBUTION: Local and national industry advocacy

A 20-year food and beverage operations veteran, Thomas Whelan has helped launch off-premise and on-premise catering companies and curated experiences for millions of people at corporate events and social gatherings. Whelan was formerly the assistant GM for Levy Convention Centers at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and is also an outspoken advocate for inclusion in the meetings and events industry.

Whelan sits on the board of directors for the SEARCH Foundation, is a former board member of the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association and former president of the Massachusetts Live Events Coalition. In addition, Whelan’s team captured the 2023 ILEA Greater Philadelphia Best Catered Event and Corporate Event award for his work at The Franklin Institute.

18. Traci DePuy

Chief Marketing Officer • PCMA

CONTRIBUTION: Innovative event marketing

Less than a year into the job as PCMA’s CMO, Traci DePuy is contributing to the meetings industry’s transformation by seamlessly aligning marketing strategies with event locations to create cohesive, integrated and memorable experiences. She prioritizes audience engagement, focusing on delivering what participants truly desire, even when it challenges execution norms.

By putting people and teams first, DePuy fosters an environment where her team thrives, leading to innovative and successful event marketing —a trendsetting approach that’s setting new standards for an industry association that has turned heads via many recent acquisitions.

19. Kristine Iverson

Founder & President • CROW Practice

CONTRIBUTION: Spreading joy through wellness

Kristine Iverson’s visionary leadership has positioned CROW Practice as a leader in the events industry. Through the creation of the Crow Collaborative, she has built an element of the CROW community that supports wellness providers and their businesses.

Her leadership extends beyond mere implementation; she anticipates industry needs and responds with innovative solutions. Her creation of wellness consulting showcases her ability to enhance employee well-being, productivity and engagement, making her an invaluable asset to the live events industry with an unwavering dedication to holistic well-being.

20. Eric Zimmerman

CEO • TripZero

CONTRIBUTION: Enabling carbon neutral events at zero additional cost

Eric Zimmerman and his team at TripZero enable organizers to run net-zero conferences without added cost to clients or attendees. TripZero acts as a third-party planner and housing agency, sourcing and managing hotel room blocks for everything from reggae festivals to insurance conferences, then redeploys the commissions it earns from hotels to purchase high-quality carbon offsets that balance the huge impact of attendee air travel to the event.

Along the way, they also collaborate with meeting planners to maximize onsite sustainability in everything from F&B to event signage. They also help planners create and share sustainability stories with attendees.

Read this next: The 2023 Meetings Trendsetters Blazing Trails in the Events Industry

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