World Education Conference 2023 | 13 June 2023 | Barceló Maya Beach, Chetmal-Cancun Puerto Juárez Km. 266,3 Xpuha Q, 77750 Playa del Carmen, Q.R., Mexico

The expert event for event experts is back! Our goal is to reinvigorate you, revitalize your skillset—and your connections—and leave you feeling really good about what you do. What better place for that than in the Mexican Caribbean?

After all, you refresh others through the meetings and events you create. Isn’t it time you got refreshed?

Top 5 reasons to go to WEC:
• WEC is the event for event experts. MPI has been doing it better than anybody for 50 years.
• Unparalleled networking and education to help make your events the best they can be.
• Planners: Your biggest partners—hotels, venues, AV/Tech companies and DMOs—will be there.
• Suppliers: The planners who need your brand to bring their events to life will be there.
• Satisfaction for networking, education and relevance regularly exceed 90%—an industry-leading high.

2023 Speakers

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Elatia Abate
Entrepreneur, Futurist, and Global Keynote Speaker, Elatia Abate

Hamza Khan
Keynote Speaker / Future of Work & People-First Leadership Expert, Speakers'​ Spotlight

Gaby Natale
President, AGANARmedia

Pauline Nguyen
World-Class Speaker, ODE Management

PLENARY PANELISTS:

Rachel Benedick
Chief Revenue Officer, Meeting Professionals International

Eduardo Chaillo
Consejero Independiente, Grupo Hotelero Santa Fe S. A. B. de C.V

Jason Dunn
Executive Director, National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals

CERTIFICATE INSTRUCTORS:

Nick Estrada
CHPA | Corporate Housing Providers Association, Deputy CEO

Dani Kloap
Manager of Curriculum, Meeting Professionals International

Lori Pugh Marcum
Events Content Director, Path to Purchase Institute

Antwone Stigall
National Vice President / Corporate Events, Girl Scouts of the USA

CONCURRENT SPEAKERS:

Melissa Acosta
Founder & President | Cultural Business Consultant, Cultural Spark LLC

EksAyn Anderson
Founder / President Eks Communications, LLC

Rachel Andrews
Senior Director / Meetings & Events, Cvent

Amanda Armstrong
SVP Brand and Community Engagement, Encore

Cleo Battle
President & CEO, Louisville Tourism

Jennifer Beatty
Director of Partnerships, Tourism Industry Association of Canada

Jacqueline Beaulieu
Director, Strategic Marketing & Client Engagement Poretta & Orr

Thomas Blasucci
Director, People & Performance Meeting Professionals International

MaryAnne Bobrow
President, Bobrow Associates

Taren Bradley
Director of Corporate Events, Magnolia Bluebird design + events

Terri Breining
Director / Meeting & Event Management Master’s Program, L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, San Diego State University

James Brown
Chief Exchange Officer, JamesBrownJr360

Leanne Calderwood
Trainer and Speaker, LeanneCalderwood.com

Leo Chan
Chief Innovation & Creativity Officer, Abound Innovation Inc.

Julie Coker
President and CEO, San Diego Tourism Authority

Mark Cooper
CEO, IACC

TaVodrick Cottonham
Fulfillment Coordinator, Meeting Professionals International

Norma Dean
Director, National Specialty Sales

Deborah Dickerson
Chief Operating Officer, East West Connection Inc.

Steve Enselein
Senior Vice President of Events, Hyatt

Marsha Flanagan
Senior Vice President / Events & Learning Experiences, International Association of Exhibitions and Events

Ciara Feely
Sales Enablement Strategist, International Speaker & Author

Kristin Finley
Director / Experiential Marketing, Verisk

Elizabeth Fretheim
Vice President / Sustainability, Freeman

Mike Gamble
President and CEO, Searchwide Global

Linsey Giant
Principal Consultant, Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, Inc.

Nikki Gonzales
Chief of Staff, Soundings

Amie Garrett Grayson
Director, International CHRIE

Annette Gregg
CEO, Society for Incentive Travel Excellence

Joshua Grimes
Attorney at Law Grimes Law Offices, LLC

Eric de Groot
Meeting Designer, MindMeeting BV

Murray Hall
Executive Chef, BMO Institute for Learning

Malinda Harrell
Director of Sales, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau

Aleya Harris
Founder and Owner, Flourish Marketing

Cheryl Hatcher
Vice President, Business Development, MPI

Deborah Hinson
National Account Manager, Fleming's Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Jay Hough
Director of Technology Solutions, Meeting Professionals International

Jim Hughes
Sr. Director, Digital Products, Encore

Kevin Iwamoto
Chief Customer Officer, Bizly

Kate Jansen
National Sales Manager, Raleigh Convention Center

Mahoganey Jones
Founder & CEO, Event Specialists Inc.

Shannon Jones
Meetings and Events Manager, Destination South

Dusty Korbel
Vice President / Meeting Services, EVERSANA

Katri Laurimaa
Vice President of Business Development, MPI

Tara Liaschenko
Creative Executive Officer, Link Event Professionals, Inc.

Susan Liston
Senior Vice President Growth / Destination Division, Aramark

Courtney Lohmann
Founder, Caretta Impact

Tatiana Lotufo
Vice President / Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Access DMC

Jesús Martínez
CEO, ëventum

Mariela McIlwraith
Executive Consultant, EIC Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact

Chris Meyer
CEO, George P. Johnson Experience Marketing

Anthony Molino
Director / Chicago Area Sales Office, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

Mulemwa Moongwa
CMM / CED, Infinite Learning Consultants

Zoe Moore
Strategic EDI Consultant, Moore Consulting Agency

Cardell T. Morant
Director, U.S. DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking

Heather Munnell
Director / Client Experience, VDA | Experiential Marketing

Gary Murakami
Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations, Teneo Hospitality Group

Kim Napolitano
Executive Director / Industry Relations and Intermediary Group Sales, Hilton Worldwide Sales

Fay Nedd
Director, National Accounts, New Orleans & Company Inc.

Cheyenne Nelson
Business Development Director / Life Science, McVeigh Global Meetings & Events

Taya Paige
Strategic Advisor, ITA Group

The Party Scientist
BSc. Pharmacology, ThePartyScientist.com

Devon Pasha
Director, Event Design Collective

Jess Petitt
SVP of Commercial Strategy / Insights & Analytics, Hilton

Susan Piel
Meeting and Event Consultant, Spiel Planning

Dawn Rasmussen
Chief Resume Designer, Pathfinder Writing and Career Services

Davonne Reaves
CEO, The Vonne Group

Vimari Roman
CEO/Career Strategist & Certified Leadership & Mental Fitness Coach, Be Productive Coaching & Be Productive Meetings

Sandra Serrant
Events/Project Manager and Adjunct Professor, CUNY Research Foundation

Pawntra Shadab
Vice President & Event Strategist, www.eliteproductionsintl.com

Amanda Simons
Principal, Honeycomb Strategies

Hannah Smith
Senior Consultant, STR

Mike Snavely
General Manager, Video Solutions & Vidable™

Keira Solon
Faculty Member / Assistant Professor, University of Central Missouri

Greg Stafford
General Manager, Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center

Courtney Stanley
Keynote Speaker & Event Emcee, Courtney Stanley Consulting, LLC

Rachelle Stone
Executive Leadership & Mental Fitness Coach, R Stone Consulting

Michael Taylor
Regional General Manager, Pyramid Global Hospitality

Nidhi Tewari
Founder/CEO, Nidhi Tewari, LCSW, LLC.

Paul van Deventer
CEO, Meeting Professionals International

Mahalia VanDeBerghe
Head of Enablement, Webex Events

Darius Vaskelis
Chief Digital Officer, Encore

Bhavna Venugopal
Director of Sales and Marketing, Aramark

Tyra Warner
Chair / Dept of Hospitality / Tourism & Culinary Arts, College of Coastal Georgia

Sarah Wexler
Director / Managed Americas Hotels & Resorts Catering & Events, Hilton

Liz Whittaker
Vice president of creative services, Encore

Toni Williams
Sr Manager Diversity / Equity & Inclusion, Encore

Carl Winston
Fouding Director, L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at San Diego State University

DeShawn Wynn
Chief Meeting Architect, Wynning Touch Event Design

Nubia Younge
Founder & CEO, Black In Travel

Amani Roberts
Chief Musical Curator, The Amani Experience

2023 Sponsors

PLATINUM SPONSORS:
• Branson Mossouri
• Discover Puerto Rico
• FF
• Freeman
• Grit Production & Expositions
• Hilton
• Imex
• Monterey Meetings

GOLD SPONSORS:
• Cvent
• Encore
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• Los Angeles
• Los Cabos
• MIAMI
• Visit Lauderdale
• Visit Seattle

SILVER SPONSORS:
• Bravura
• Hard Rock Hotel
• Hyatt
• IACC
• IAEE
• IHG
• Louisville
• MGM Resort
• New Orleans Company
• OVG360
• PHLCVB
• Site
• Sports ETA
• Visit Galveston
• Visit Milwaukee
• Visit Oklahoma City
• Wordly

BRONZE SPONSORS:
• Aramark Destinations
• Bahamas
• Cloud Touch
• DELTA
• DC
• Destinations International
• Eventsforce
• Foundation for Hospital Art
• Graduate Hotels
• CHRIE
• Marriott
• Pc/nametag
• Resada
• The amani Experience
• Video Solutions
• Albuquerque
• Fort Worth
• Tampa Bay
• VDA
• Webex Events

HOST SPONSORS:
• Mexican Caribbean
• Xcaret
• Armstar
• Meetings & Events