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Ascent: Inclusivity in Business Events
Ameerah Saine and Building Communities Through Events
Event strategist Ameerah Saine talks about how she builds communities — and promotes diversity and inclusion — through her lifestyle brand as PCMA continues its Ascent Luminaries video series, made possible by VisitDallas.
How EDUCAUSE Made Inclusion a Priority
With simple, handwritten notes of encouragement, an AI translation program, and an indoor park, EDUCAUSE put the spotlight on inclusion at its annual conference. Here’s the inside story.
Shoptalk’s All-Women Speaker Lineup Is Bold. Is It Fair?
Shoptalk’s decision to go with female-only speakers at its 2020 event was applauded widely as a bold move, but not uniformly seen as a good idea. Here are two things to consider.
Why Women Attend Conferences — and Why They Don’t
Your Best Life Conference Defies Ageism Stereotypes
The organizers of the YBL — Your Best Life — conference put the spotlight on the contributions of the 50-plus demographic and imagined a world where ageism doesn’t exist.
Fay Sharpe and the Crucial Role Mentoring Plays for Women in the Events Industry
Business events strategist Fay Sharpe talks about how — and why — she created Fast Forward 15 to mentor women in the events industry as PCMA continues its Ascent Luminaries video series, made possible by VisitDallas.
Gina Glantz and GenderAvenger Challenge the Manel
GenderAvenger co-founder and veteran political consultant Gina Glantz talks about how — and why — she’s fought to include women and other underrepresented voices at conferences and events, as PCMA continues its Ascent Luminaries video series, made possible by VisitDallas.
Are Manels Losing Ground?
Gina Glantz co-founded GenderAvenger five years ago to help ensure that women are equally represented as speakers at conferences. Lately, Glantz says, ‘something extraordinary’ has been happening.
Next Group of Luminaries Leads the Way
PCMA is preparing to launch the second group of video interviews in its Ascent Luminaries series, which puts the spotlight on champions of diversity and inclusion.
Embracing Autism Inclusivity in Event Spaces
What does it take to make a facility more attuned to the needs of individuals with autism or special sensory needs? One organization removes the guesswork for venues — including the first convention center to be Sensory Inclusive Certified.
Janet Sperstad
Sperstad, CMP, is the director of the Meeting and Event Management Program at Madison College and educates business events industry strategists on creating more brain-friendly experiences.
HospitableMe’s Mission: Teaching LGBTQ Sensitivity
HospitableMe helps tourism and hospitality industry professionals make LGBTQ travelers feel welcome. Sometimes, its founder says, that requires “a little bit of history, a little bit of sociology, a little bit of biology, a little bit of Ripley’s Believe It or Not, to kind of bring [them] around.”