Blake Waravdekar, DES, meeting coordinator at the Association of American Medical Colleges, learned early on in her career that even the most detailed plans are best executed when paired with clear decision-making and the ability to adjust in the moment.
Rachel Smith, meeting coordinator at Optica, sees onsite inconveniences as part of the adventure of event planning, an outlook that not only helps her navigate challenges more effectively but also allows her to enjoy the unpredictability that makes live events so dynamic and rewarding.
Anna Schelling, manager, events at GCB German Convention Bureau e.V., thinks that success in events means not waiting for trends but creating spaces where change becomes reality.
Ashlen Rosenbaum, content & program coordinator for the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, prioritizes working closely with students and early career peers in her community, creating hands-on volunteer roles and meaningful networking spaces for the next generation of events-industry talent.
Kaitlin Payne, CMP, meetings and events manager at the National Association of Convenience Stores, knows that when timelines, budgets, and logistics are critical, it’s the ability to stay calm, communicate clearly, and build trust that ultimately defines a strong event professional.
Sadie Noland, marketing & sales specialist at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, sees strategic adoption of AI as helpful to enhance the attendee experience — from real-time captions and multilingual translations to smarter event apps, personalized recommendations, and more efficient behind-the-scenes workflows.
Abby Melville, executive meeting planner, transportation at BCD Meetings & Events, is inspired by the influence of emerging leaders in our industry and the growing engagement and influence the new generation of event professionals brings.
Sydney Lowe, senior manager of events at Heartland Forward, has embraced a piece of advice from Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering: “Good controversy is generative. It allows people to challenge one another without fracturing the group.”
Hannah Jennings, convention sales coordinator for Visit Denver, loves being surrounded by people whose personal histories reveal the many different ways a life and career can unfold.
Shimal Jaykant, DES, SEPC, conference & events manager for Medical Conference Partners, is leaning into AI for content personalization, faster insights from feedback, and smarter planning workflows, while being transparent about how we use it and protecting delegate trust.
Class of 2026 member Juan Pablo Garcia, chief sales officer at Ozum, has actively embraced AI, automation, and smarter systems while staying grounded in what events do best: bringing people together in meaningful, human ways.
Class of 2026 member Katharina Fressner, sales manager at the Austria Center Vienna, has discovered how many disciplines, stakeholders, and long-term collaborations are involved in creating impactful events.
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