Smart Monday Education

InstaHits with SongDivision

Create the Soundtrack for Your Pathway to Clarity  

SongDivision is BACK with their audience's favorite InstaHits! Join one of their many talented musicians during Smart Monday and collaborate in the creation of a personalized song that gets you energized for the day ahead, creates a vision for the future, or even defines a new way to creatively communicate your value, purpose, or passion as a professional.

During these micro-sessions attendees will:

• Engage in a collaborative learning format.
• Learn how to succinctly communicate through music.
• Create a new definition of music as a professional tool.

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Room: South Pacific F

Speaker: Jillian Cardinal, Partnership Manager, E-180

Boost Audience Engagement with Collaborative Learning (Literally!)

Events are learning experiences. Yes, you’re modern educators! Let’s explore 3 types of learning that are sure to boost engagement. We’ll also create intentional group discussions. Braindate, whose mission is to unlock human greatness by helping people learn from each other, will facilitate this interactive session. Get ready to learn & be inspired!

InstaHits with SongDivision

Create the Soundtrack for Your Pathway to Clarity

SongDivision is BACK with their audience's favorite InstaHits! Join one of their many talented musicians during Smart Monday and collaborate in the creation of a personalized song that gets you energized for the day ahead, creates a vision for the future, or even defines a new way to creatively communicate your value, purpose, or passion as a professional.  

During these micro-sessions attendees will:

• Engage in a collaborative learning format.
• Learn how to succinctly communicate through music.
• Create a new definition of music as a professional tool.
  

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Room: North Escalators

Speaker: Precious L. Williams

Connect with Precious L. Williams, a 13-time national pitch champion, and perfect your "escalator pitch" before you head to your next Smart Monday destination!

Learning Outcomes

• Define your authentic approach to presenting.
• Develop confidence around pitching to stakeholders.
• Determine how to make an impact in conversations with your personal power pitch. 

Sponsored by:

Room: North Escalators

Speaker: Precious L. Williams

Connect with Precious L. Williams, a 13-time national pitch champion, and perfect your "escalator pitch" before you head to your next Smart Monday destination!

Learning Outcomes

• Define your authentic approach to presenting.
• Develop confidence around pitching to stakeholders.
• Determine how to make an impact in conversations with your personal power pitch. 

Sponsored by:

InstaHits with SongDivision

Create the Soundtrack for Your Pathway to Clarity

SongDivision is BACK with their audience favorite InstaHits! Join one of their many talented musicians during Smart Monday and collaborate in the creation of a personalized song that gets you energized for the day ahead, creates a vision for the future, or even defines a new way to creatively communicate your value, purpose, or passion as a professional.

During these micro-sessions attendees will:

• Engage in a collaborative learning format.
• Learn how to succinctly communicate through music.
• Create a new definition of music as a professional tool.

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Room: South Pacific F

Speaker: Kai Kight

Composing Change: Events that Move People

As a meeting and event professional, you are required to check a lot of boxes. Sometimes, it can be easy to get so lost in the details of work that you miss the bigger picture of creating an impact on those experiencing your work. In music, a great performance requires both masterful techniques and embodied emotion. Artists must not only “hit the right notes” but also connect their works to the humanness of the people in their audiences. In this captivating performance, hear original violin compositions and gain metaphorical insights on how to bring artistry to your own events. Enjoy a moment that will be both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Sponsored by:

InstaHits with SongDivision

Create the Soundtrack for Your Pathway to Clarity

SongDivision is BACK with their audience favorite InstaHits! Join one of their many talented musicians during Smart Monday and collaborate in the creation of a personalized song that gets you energized for the day ahead, creates a vision for the future, or even defines a new way to creatively communicate your value, purpose, or passion as a professional.

During these micro-sessions attendees will:

• Engage in a collaborative learning format.
• Learn how to succinctly communicate through music.
• Create a new definition of music as a professional tool.

Powered by

Room: North Escalators

Speaker: Precious L. Williams

Connect with Precious L. Williams, a 13-time national pitch champion, and perfect your "escalator pitch" before you head to your next Smart Monday destination!

Learning Outcomes

• Define your authentic approach to presenting.
• Develop confidence around pitching to stakeholders.
• Determine how to make an impact in conversations with your personal power pitch. 

Sponsored by:

Room: South Pacific F

Speakers: Event Design Collective

Design #WEC 2027 Using the #EventCanvas Methodology - Sprint # 1

During this session, participants will ... 
1. Discover the Event Canvas as a mental model to guide your team to design for behavior change
2. Experience first-hand what it’s like to be facilitated by a Certified Event Designer on a team
3. Apply the Empathy Map, Event Canvas, and Event Delta to analyze stakeholder behavior as a team member

By invitation only.

InstaHits with SongDivision

Create the Soundtrack for Your Pathway to Clarity

SongDivision is BACK with their audience's favorite InstaHits! Join one of their many talented musicians during Smart Monday and collaborate in the creation of a personalized song that gets you energized for the day ahead, creates a vision for the future, or even defines a new way to creatively communicate your value, purpose, or passion as a professional.

During these micro-sessions attendees will:

• Engage in a collaborative learning format.
• Learn how to succinctly communicate through music.
• Create a new definition of music as a professional tool.

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Room: South Pacific F

Speakers: Event Design Collective

Stop TALKING about Event Design Start DOING It

Design #WEC 2027 Using the #EventCanvas Methodology - Sprint #2

During this session, participants will ... 

• Discover the Event Canvas as a mental model to guide your team to design for behavior change
• Experience first-hand what it’s like to be facilitated by a Certified Event Designer on a team
• Apply the Empathy Map, Event Canvas and Event Delta to analyze stakeholder behavior as a team member

By invitation only.

Room: South Pacific F

Speaker: Event Design Collective

Stop TALKING about Event Design Start DOING it

Design #WEC 2027 Using the #EventCanvas Methodology - Sprint #3

During this session, participants will ... 

• Discover the Event Canvas as a mental model to guide your team to design for behavior change
• Experience first-hand what it’s like to be facilitated by a Certified Event Designer on a team
• Apply the Empathy Map, Event Canvas and Event Delta to analyze stakeholder behavior as a team member

By invitation only.

InstaHits with SongDivision

Create the Soundtrack for Your Pathway to Clarity

SongDivision is BACK with their audience favorite InstaHits! Join one of their many talented musicians during Smart Monday and collaborate in the creation of a personalized song that gets you energized for the day ahead, creates a vision for the future, or even defines a new way to creatively communicate your value, purpose, or passion as a professional.

During these micro-sessions attendees will:

• Engage in a collaborative learning format.
• Learn how to succinctly communicate through music.
• Create a new definition of music as a professional tool.

Powered by

Room: South Pacific F

Speaker: Event Design Collective

Stop TALKING about Event Design Start DOING it

Design #WEC 2027 Using the #EventCanvas Methodology - Sprint #3

During this session, participants will ... 

• Discover the Event Canvas as a mental model to guide your team to design for behavior change
• Experience first-hand what it’s like to be facilitated by a Certified Event Designer on a team
• Apply the Empathy Map, Event Canvas and Event Delta to analyze stakeholder behavior as a team member

By invitation only.

Room: Islander DEI

Speaker: Zoe Moore, MS, CDP, Hospitality Strategic Consultant, Moore Consulting Agency LLC

Ain’t I a Woman? - Visibility & Advancement in the Workplace

Limited depictions of what it means to be a woman hinder the way we engage, advocate, and support one another in our workplaces, communities, and personal spaces. 

Sponsored by:

Room: Islander DEI

Host: Cheryl Hatcher CDME, HMCC, Vice President of Business Development, MPI 

Guest: Kimberly Napolitano, Executive Director Industry Relations and Intermediary Group Sales, Hilton

Host:Katri Laurimaa, HMCC - VP Business Development, Meeting Professionals International

Guest: Guests: Sonia Fong, Senior Vice President of Convention Development, Louisville Tourism and Lia Cheung, UNLV student and Industry Emerging Professional 

Ladies Choice - Women in Business Development   

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is home to one of the (almost) exclusively female business development teams. From the Chief Revenue Officer to all 3 of MPI’s Vice President’s of Business Development, MPI has excelled at ensuring women lead in all areas of the organization. Much of this success is attributed to the mentors, partners, and other industry colleagues that have helped to support and challenge each member of this team to excel. Join us for our ladies’ choice segment, where two of our dynamic business development team members, Cheryl Hatcher, CDME, HMCC and Katri Laurimaa, HMCC will sit down with a special guest of their choosing to talk about the role and impact of women in business development. During this session you will: Learn about the power of mentorship when working to advance women in the workforce, specifically business development. Apply the formula for success in advancement to your own career path. Hear from industry leaders on their perspective around how women can continually make in-roads to historically male-dominated workforce sectors.

Sponsored by:

Room: Islander DEI

Gender Equity in the Workforce – A Solution to the Economic Crisis

In a recent (2022) report, the World Economic Forum shared that “the current recession, unlike past economic slumps that have tended to be worse for men, is disproportionately bad for women.” This is because “it comes after a period where the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple shocks in the global economy have hindered progress on closing the gender gap.” In fact, “Women’s jobs were 1.8 times more vulnerable than those of men throughout the pandemic and are suffering more disruption in the subsequent economic fallout.” As a result, our final session of She Means Business will conclude with a dynamic panel of leaders who span a vast number of identities and industry verticals to help provide perspective on how we can harness the collective power of women within the meetings & events sector to make an impact on the current economic crisis. 

Moderator: Betsy Bondurant - President, Bondurant Consulting

Panelists:

Jen Beatty, DES, HMCC - Director of Business Development, Tourism Calgary

Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE – President & CEO, ASAE

Meg Gould, CMP - Senior Event Operations Manager, Questex

Sponsored by:

Room: Islander F

Speaker: Mariela McIlwraith, Senior Vice President for Industry Advancement, Events Industry Council 

Accelerating Sustainability and Social Impact in Events

Join your industry peers for an interactive discussion with practical and inspirational examples about circularity, climate, well-being, diversity, equity and inclusion, and social impact in events. The session will help you refine clarity of purpose and clarity of practices related to sustainable and socially impactful events.

Learning outcomes:

• Be inspired by global case studies on sustainable events.
• Learn about practical ways to implement sustainable and socially impactful practices into your events and services.
• Learn about tools, resources and programmes from the EIC Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact and EIC Equity Acceleration Plan to support your sustainability and social impact journey
  

Room: Islander F

Speaker: Mark Cooper, CEO, IACC, and Tracy Stuckrath, CEO, Thrive! Meetings & Events 

Evaluating Conference Venues through a Social Lens

Meeting professionals and venues who are serious about CSR, need to approach the evaluation of a meeting venue's social credentials such as environmental and social responsibility differently. 
If you are a meeting professional with little or no reference to this currently in your venue evaluation process; or are a venue representative pointing buyers only to your website for details of your CSR credentials, then you may be contributing to the doubt that social responsibility is important.
Join this discussion on how to evaluate venues better and is best practice and a measure of a responsible venue.

During this session you will … 

• Learn how to evaluate venues for their social responsibility credentials. 
• Appreciate best practice adopted by conference venues globally. 
• Develop your social messaging and strengthen your partnership between planner and venue. 

Room: Islander F

Speaker: Cathy Breden, CAE, CMP-F, CEM

Creating Vision and Purpose for Your Exhibitions and Events with CEIR

Proving the value and effectiveness of exhibitions and events has never been more critical and leveraging exhibitions as a marketing medium is critical to your business strategy. Hear the latest industry trends collected and reported from several timely reports on market sector performance, economic impact and insights that will assist in creating vision and purpose for your exhibitions and organization.

During this session you will …

• Learn the latest general state of the B2B Exhibitions and Events Industry.
• Hear research highlights from the CEIR Omni Channel Marketing Study.
• Discover the research and outcomes from the recent CEIR Predict conference.

Room: Islander F

Launch of Incentive Travel Index 2022

• Be able to describe accurately the current state of the global incentive travel industry
• Be able to identify emerging trends and evaluate their own business planning in the light of those trends
• Participants will be able to predict likely developments in the incentive travel industry and craft strategic responses to those developments

Moderator: Calum di Lieto, Editor, C&IT (UK)

Panelists:

• Craig Dooley, President, SDI Meetings & Incentives (USA)
• Jenn Attersall, CIS, Director, Incentive Travel, Destination Canada (Canada)
• Meenaz Diamond, Senior VP, Sales Worldwide, Accor (UK / France)
• Craig Caron, SVP, Sales, 360 Destination Group (USA)

Room: Islander G

Speaker: Khatdija Meghjani, Senior Storyteller, Dear World

Storytelling for Transformation

• Clearly articulate the core reasons for incorporating storytelling in the workplace.
• Create a plan with actions for incorporating storytelling in their workplace.
• Reflect on the power of storytelling in the workplace.
• Review case-studies and build examples of storytelling in the workplace.
• Use tools to create a plan for incorporating storytelling in their workplace

Room: Islander G

Speaker: Khatdija Meghjani, Senior Storyteller, Dear World

Level up Your Narrative 

During this session, participants will learn how to tie individual stories to corporate values or mission statements. Participants will learn about specific opportunities (time and place) to share their stories and the impact leaders have on employees by sharing their stories. 
By the end of this module, participants will … 

• Fully develop their own story arc.
• Curate a toolbox of resources to use as a guide for when and how to share their story.
• Reflect on values/mission and their connection to your own stories.
• Review toolbox of resources on how to share your stories.
• Create and begin to refine your own fully developed story

Room: Islander G

Speaker:  Khatdija Meghjani, Senior Storyteller, Dear World

Strategy and Story, Presenting with Clarity 

During this session, participants will get story coaching on how to “communicate their why” effectively. Specifically, participants will receive guidance and a set of tools to craft the language around their story, effectively increase their presence in sharing their story and present in front of a specific audience. 

By the end of this module, participants will be ready to share their story and be able to  

• Understand the key components of presenting your story with clarity and presence.
• Use a set of tools to craft language and a story arc. 
• Create and begin to refine your own fully developed story.

Room: Islander G

Speakers:  Heather Munell, Director of Client Experience, VDA 

Experiential Design: What Can it Mean for You?

The buzz these days is all about “Experiential Design” which is a way for marketers to effectively translate their brand through unique and memorable experiences to their targeted audience. This type of brand marketing can be done in a variety of ways from pop-up events, interactive installations, intimate influencer soirees and other initiatives to support their marketing goals. The key difference between experiential design is that it encompasses in-person touchpoints vs. standard marketing engagements. Learn from Heather Munnell, Director Client Experience at VDA how experiential marketing can help you raise brand awareness and develop authentic experiences to help build your brand recognition. This will be an interactive session engaging the attendees and helping (1) person think through their upcoming conference to brainstorm potential experiential elements. Come and find out what Experiential Design can mean for you. 

During this session, you will

• Determine the level/interaction of experiential design that makes sense for your brand.
• Learn how to create a memorable connection with your consumers. 
• Define tactile experiential design solutions vs. virtual or augmented reality.

Sponsored by:

Room: Islander H

Speaker: Tim Mosseau, Speaker & Researcher, Create Safe

People-Centered Events: Designing Emotionally Safe Experiences

• Participants will identify existing safety gaps, distinguish individual and organizational paths to advocate for safety, and conceptualize an experience where everyone feels welcome.
• Adopt tailored assessment tools and event audits to identify their existing gaps in safety and crowdsource their attendees’ voices to define their safety needs.
• Create paths to integrate empathy into event design to restore trust, drive belonging, and help people feel more present throughout an event.
• Empowered knowledge of the factors that create a lack of safety and inclusive steps to overcome implicit bias, uneven power dynamics, and harmful status quos.

Sponsored by

Room: Islander H

Speaker: Jessie States, CMP, CMM

"Little" Data: Ditch Big & Go Specific

1. Identify what data is important to which business units or client groups.
2. Use storytelling and data visualization to drive change and KPI achievement.
3. Become recognized as a strategic business unit owner whose focus is relevant to organization-wide operations.

Room: Islander H

Speakers: Twyler Jenkins, President & CEO, Strategic Events Solutions, Inc

Productivity as a Pathway to Wellness

While wellness has quickly become a hot topic post-pandemic both within the business culture and event design, we often forget to consider how we integrate wellness into our everyday lives. But what if wellness was the secret to living a more productive life? This session will explore techniques and resources that you can incorporate into your busy life that will enhance your well-being and productivity. It’s not about having time; it’s about using time productively with wellness practices. Busy is not the equivalent of productivity and realigning your time with a pathway of wellness will create a more productive workday.

• Learn the difference between busy work and productive work. 
• Explore how wellness practices can mitigate your stress for you to be healthier.
• Discover how to live a more fulfilling life from a holistic approach.

Room: Islander H

Speakers: Howard Givner, Founder & CEO Event Leadership Institute 

From Order Taker to Trusted Advisor: Proving Your Value with the C-Suite

• Identify and implement strategies for being a trusted advisor to your clients. 
• Utilize several different techniques for helping clients articulate measurable event goals.
• Evaluate & apply different models for measuring event ROI, then craft & deliver a narrative to senior stakeholders for how your event drives business goals.

Room: Bayview Patio

Concentric Community Campfires | Medical Meeting Professionals

During this Concentric Community Campfire experience, participants will engage in discussions on the following topics:

• Unique Medical Meeting Format Design Ideas
• Looking Ahead at Medical Meeting Trends in 23’
• Communicating the Value of Compliant Venues

Concentric circles are circles with a common center that, much like our MPI communities, bring together meeting and event professionals around a variety of industry verticals and special interest or identity groups.  In this movement-driven format, immerse yourself in a flash-campfire experience where attendees will rotate through (3) total campfire education sessions with topics that range from a focus on design, vision & purpose, and communication to those that center around hot topics among different industry verticals.

Speakers:

• Taya Paige, CMM, CIS, HMCC - Strategic Advisor, ITA Group
• Bonnie Grant - Executive Director, PHL Life Sciences, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Virginie De Visscher - Senior Director, Destination Canada

Sponsored by

Room: Bayview Patio

Concentric Community Campfires

During this Concentric Community Campfire experience, participants will engage in discussions on topics such as:

• RFP Trends & Contracting Hot Topics
• Recruitment, Staffing & The Gig Economy
• Developing a Personal Brand
• And more!
  

Concentric circles are circles with a common center which, much like our MPI communities, bring together meeting and event professionals around a variety of industry verticals and special interest or identity groups.  In this movement-driven format, immerse yourself in a flash-campfire experience where attendees will rotate through (3) total campfire education sessions with topics that range from a focus on design, vision & purpose, and communication to those that center around hot topics among different industry verticals.

Speakers:

• MaryAnne Bobrow - President, Bobrow Associates, Inc.
• Susan Piel, CMP, CMM, DES - Consultant, Spiel Planning
• Nick Reid- Chief Puzzle Solver, Travel Staff

Room: Bayview Patio

Concentric Community Campfires

A lot of things go into making a destination one that is a “can’t miss” experience, but Louisville Tourism is shaking it up in ways many haven’t. Shake up your last Smart Monday session with dynamic campfire discussions, and after, stay and experience the flavors of Louisville live with a cocktail demonstration at the end of the session and see (and taste!) for yourself what makes Louisville stand out in a crowd.

During this Concentric Community Campfire experience, participants will engage in discussions around the 3 areas of uniqueness that make Louisville stand out:

• Culture
• Innovation
• Authenticity  

Concentric circles are circles with a common center which, much like our MPI communities, bring together meeting and event professionals around a variety of industry verticals and special interest or identity groups.  In this movement-driven format, immerse yourself in a flash-campfire experience where attendees will rotate through (3) total campfire education sessions with topics that range from a focus on design, vision & purpose, and communication to those that center around hot topics among different industry verticals.

Speakers:

• Leanne Calderwood, CMP - Vice President, Global Accounts
• Jonathan Foresythe - Vice President, Meetings Management, McVeigh Global Meetings and Events

Sponsored by: