PCMA Convening Leaders 2024 | PCMA | 7 January 2024 | San Diego Convention Center, 111 Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

Is Event Technology Prepared for Another Pandemic?
Three event executives discuss strategic challenges for international business events — including whether event technology is better positioned to handle another public health crisis that requires events to return to digital-only experiences.

What Exactly Is the Metaverse? Here’s One Expert’s Take.
Entrepreneur and academic Tommaso Di Bartolo, speaking at Convening Leaders 2023, tackled the metaverse questions many in events are asking.

How Social Listening Can Empower Your Events
AI-powered, data-mining tools can help event professionals gain a deeper understanding of their audiences.

2024 Speakers

Rob Adams
President/Owner, Bishop-McCann

Lori Allen
Vice President, Global Event Operations, MetLife

Rachel Andrews
Senior Director of Meetings & Events, Marketing, Cvent

Mack Baniameri
Chief Gangster Officer, JabbarYak, JabbarYak

Alexa Berube
Co-Founder, Reposite

Mayim Bialik
Neuroscientist, Author, Host, Jeopardy!

Eric Bickel
Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

Lisa Block
EVP, Conference Strategy and Design, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting

Ray Bloom
Chairman, IMEX Group

Nick Borelli
Marketing Director, Zenus

Cori Brennan
Associate Director, Event Operations, Canvas Meetings + Incentives

Avinash Chandarana
Global Learning and Development Director, MCI

Shawn (Yih-Hsiang) Cheng
Senior Event Strategist, Spark Event Collective

Seynabou Cisse
Senior Event Marketing Manager, Dell Technologies

Bill Clinton
President, America

Michele Cole
Head of Global Event & Experience Marketing, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)

Molly Crouch
Corporate Director of Sustainability, Sodexo Live!

Jonathan Easton
Co-founder and VP Design, GEVME

Erik Evjen
Executive Vice President, Tourism Economics

Meg Fasy
Founder, eventsGIG & FazeFWD

John Gainer
Vice President, TorchStone

Mo Gawdat
Bestselling Author and Former CBO, Google X

Howard Givner
Senior Vice President, Knowledge & Innovation, PCMA

Tony Gladney
Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, MGM Resorts International

Tommy Goodwin
Vice President, Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance

Carolina Goradesky
Head of Global Sustainability, PCMA

Michael Gregory
Sales Engineer - Digital Solutions, Encore

Veemal Gungadin
Co-founder and CEO, GEVME

Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes
President & Chief Marketing Strategist, mdg, A Freeman Company

Heidi Henning
Vice President, Meetings & Events, National Association of Realtors

Gabriel Henwood
Chief Snapper, Snapmatic

Blythe Hess
Business Development, SVP, Freeman

Ken Holsinger
SVP, Data Solutions, Freeman

Matt Homann
Founder + CEO, Filament

Jolene Jang
Asian Inclusivity Speaker - Asian American Educator, DEI Trainer, Asian Inclusivity Consultant

Tracy Judge
Founder & CEO, Soundings Connect

Sufi Karaien
Executive Chef, Sodexo Live!

Joshua Klipp
Principal, Made Welcome

Tammy Kockaya
Senior Director, Product Innovation, PCMA

Ajith Krishnankutty
Vice President Marketing, Capital Group

John Lambeth
CEO, Civitas

Lyn Lewis-Smith
CEO, Business Events Sydney

Eitan Magid
CEO, Popshap

Siena Manoogian
Annual Meeting Coordinator, American Urological Association

Scott Marko
Meetings and Events Manager, 4SPE (Society of Plastics Engineers)

Aaron Menitoff
Shark Tank Winner, World Record Holder, Co-Founder & CEO, Boarderie Cheese & Charcuterie

Courtney Mesmer
CMP, DES, CED, CCP, GRP, Vice President, Events, WorldatWork, Total Rewards Association

Sarah Michel
CSP, Vice President Professional Connexity, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting

Zoe Moore
Strategic EDI Consultant, Moore Consulting Agency LLC

Matt Murnane
Co-Founder, SLATE Event Management

Anh Nguyen
Principal + Co-Founder, Spark Event Management

Gladys O'Mahony
Vice President, Global Sales Organization, Caribbean & Latin America, Marriott International

Debonair Oates-Primus
Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Oak View Group

Joel Olandesca
CEO, Co-Founder, Simpl.AR

Gaylen Paulson
Associate Dean, Executive Director, Texas Executive Education, McCombs School of Business

Kadejah Pearson Omokaro
Manager of Conferences and Events, National Head Start Association

Rachel Podolsky
Director of Sales - Private Events, Oakland Arena and Ring Central Coliseum

Claus Raasted
Director, The College of Extraordinary Experiences

Jeanne Robb
VP, Experiential Marketing, DocuSign

Hillary Rodham Clinton
67th Secretary of State, New York University

Chris Ross
Senior Executive Chef, Levy Restaurants

Janette Roush
Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital, New York City Tourism + Conventions

Stuart Ruff-Lyon
Chief Events & Sales Officer, RIMS

Samantha S. Veneruso
Director of Learning, American Geophysical Union

Nina Schick
AI Authority, Entrepreneur, Author & Speaker

Stephanie Selesnick
President, International Trade Information, Inc.

Steve Simak
Sr. Digital Sales Engineer - Digital Solutions, Encore

Amanda Simons
Principal & Sustainability Consultant, Honeycomb Strategies

Nneka St. Gerard
Chief Program Officer, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Rose P. Strickland
Vice President, Events, Neuberger Berman

Beth Surmont
Vice President, Event Design & Strategy, 360 Live Media

Fatima Sy
Senior Manager, Salesforce

Robin Troutman
Interim Executive Director, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

Vamshi Velmajala
Product Manager, GEVME

Diane Vidoni
Chief Operating Officer, Emerge Americas

Rostana Wardak
Director, Western Region, New York City Tourism + Conventions

Sherron Washington
CEO, The P3 Solution

Patrice Webb
Principal, Indwelling Consulting

Austin Whitney
President, Ten Fifty Entertainment

2024 Partners and Sponsors

UBER SPONSORS:
• Encore
• Marriott International
• Orange County Convention Center
• Visit Orlando

STRATEGIC SPONSORS:
• Austin Convention Center
• Visit California
• Destination Canada
• Visit Cleveland
• Experience Columbus
• Destination DC
• Events DC
• Visit Detroit
• Visit Lauderdale
• Los Angeles
• Marina Bay Sands
• Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau
• New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
• New Orleans & Company
• Travel Portland
• Visit Seattle
• Destination Toronto

PREMIER SPONSORS:
• Visit Anaheim
• Visit Baltimore
• Meet Boston
• Signature Boston
• Caesars Entertainment
• Tourism Calgary
• Visit Charlotte
• Choose Chicago
• ProColombia
• Visit Dallas
• Visit Fort Worth
• Freeman
• Meet Hawaii
• Hilton Meetings
• Visit Houston
• IHG
• IMEX
• Visit Indy
• Louisville
• Destination Madison
• MGM Resorts
• Visit Milwaukee
• Business Events Montreal
• Palais des congres de Montreal
• Visit Oklahoma City
• OVG 360
• The Palm Beaches Florida
• Visit Greater Palm Springs
• PHL CVB
• Visit Pittsburgh
• Discover Puerto Rico
• Salt Lake
• Visit San Antonio
• San Francisco Travel
• Singapore
• Be Sydney
• Visit Tampa Bay
• Destination Vancouver
• Vancouver Convention Center

SERVICE PROVIDERS:
• Executivevents
• Fill it Forward
• Grip
• Heka Health
• Heritage Nationwide Exposition Services
• Maritz Global Events
• Sessionboard
• SwapCard
• Video Solutions

EVENT SPONSORS:
• 360 LIVE Media
• Abu Dhabi
• I Amsterdam
• Atlanta
• Visit Atlantic City
• Barcelona Convention Bureau
• BMO Centre
• Community Brands
• Visit Copenhagen
• GES
• Honeycomb Strategies
• InEvent
• Kalahari
• Visit Los Cabos
• MCI
• MLB Tourism
• Nashville
• New York ITS
• Nth Degree
• Visit Omaha
• Visit Phoenix
• ProColombia
• Raleigh Convention Center
• Visit Richmond
• Shepard
• SmartSource
• Southwest Business
• Visit St. Louis