WEC 2024

What personal and professional risks scare you? Have you successfully conquered those fear? It took Pamela Schuller a lifetime living with a severe neurological disorder to beat hers, and in doing so, creating a roadmap to make that journey easier for others. Tourette Syndrome gave her no choice but to do things that terrified her—like barking in public! Over time, she has learned to embrace herself and through that journey, she has discovered that the more we embrace our “messy” parts, the more we can leverage our individuality and unique talents to conquer goals. Pamela’s story is one of finding creativity and success not despite—but because of!—her disability. Explore YOUR resources, examine what risks terrify you and step confidently into challenges. Find out what it looks like to get out of your own way and F___ Your Fears!

Combine rock and roll with brain science to elevate confidence and deliver world-class performance. Join “Top 3 Pop-Rock Drummer” Mark Schulman and neuroperformance coach Heather Crider for this high-energy, interactive journey and gain new levels of creativity, motivation and performance while unleashing engagement you never knew existed. Blending the expertise of a business leader with the stories and perspectives of a celebrity rock'n roll drummer, this session connects everyone to their inner rockstar, creating the ultimate performance for people and teams.

For 30 years, Mark Schulman has been a first-call drummer for world-class rock and pop artists. He was voted “Top 3 Pop-Rock Drummers” in the Modern Drummer Reader's Poll in 2014 and has played four record-breaking world tours with P!NK and continued to work with her for 15 years. Mark's resume is a “Who's Who” of international rock and roll royalty including acts such as Cher, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Beyoncé and many other world-class artists.

Heather J. Crider is a certified neuroperformance coach and leading expert in high-performance growth and thought transformation. She empowers overwhelmed professionals to beat burnout, unleash brain-powered breakthroughs, unlock unstoppable performance, boundless energy, and deeper human connections. Having served as a CEO who collaborated with numerous Fortune 500 companies, Heather understands the daily demands and stresses of life.

Gain the tools and ideas you need to become a VIRTUOSO, who aims for excellence in all things, creates meaningful and long-lasting connections and builds effective cultures of innovation. Discover and develop the virtues that will help you and your team excel and reach peak performance while incorporating the three drivers of virtuosity into your life. Then, energize your teams with a culture that balances method, attitude and passion.

Join an intimate discussion with stars from Broadway’s biggest hits as they take you behind-the-scenes of Broadway and discover how similar the challenges they face on a daily basis are to your own. Discuss their methods for dealing with high-stress roles, complex stakeholders, career goals and stage fright.

This in-depth conversation and unique concert will feature Broadway performers who specialize in dance, voice and acting. They will talk about training, career growth and development and how their unique skill sets have helped them hone their specialties to become leading forces in the ever-changing field of the Broadway industry.

Through an exclusive mix of performance and dialogue, the artists will inspire the you to have confidence in the workplace, to never stop learning and to take a creative approach to challenges.

The landscape of leadership and organizations has changed. Whether in a corporate or volunteer setting, team members and clients want a sense of community and belonging. However, building this kind of culture doesn't happen on its own; rather it's based on action.

To take action, Princess Sarah Culberson draws from her personal experience as an adopted child growing up in a bi-racial family, as well as understanding a whole new culture when she discovered that she was a real-life princess in Sierra Leone. In addition to this inspiring journey, she harnesses her experience as an entrepreneur in entertainment and gaming.

Your takeaway? You'll learn to elevate yourself by elevating those around you and navigate with compassion and humanity to listen, learn and drive decisions. Building a culture of belonging is more than top-down leadership; Princess Sarah focuses on empowering YOU, the individual, to take action and build a culture that is meaningful, passionate and sustainable.

Demystify generative AI, enhance your AI literacy and showcase its practical applications within event planning. Gain the confidence and tools needed to effectively integrate AI technology into your professional practices.

After this session, you will:

Foundational Knowledge: Apply a working understanding of AI and generative AI, key concepts and applications.
Collaborative Insights: Use case studies from MPI's Director of Events and practical experiences from using generative AI during the World Education Congress (WEC) Louisville design and execution process.
Empowering Implementation: Harness the potential of generative AI in your own work, boosting your confidence about AI integration and employing strategies for enhancing your daily work processes and overall event experiences.
Gain a solid comprehension of AI technologies and inspiration and practical know-how to start implementing innovations to improve your professional endeavors.

Superheroes remove their capes and masks. Fellow meeting professionals tuck egos and perfectionism. Self-imposed pressure isn’t kind and we sometimes push it onto others. Consider taking a different, imperfect approach. Find ways to trust yourself, build stronger teams and lead with love, not stress.

After this session, you will:

Harness the power of your story in your leadership style.
Learn how to lead from a place of love, rather than a place of fear.
Analyze how you let others define what authenticity means to you, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

Running a business and being in the meeting industry are hard work and, at some point, most meeting professionals find themselves on the wrong side of “work/life balance.” With clients to please, employees to lead, P&L statements to review, events to produce and a seemingly neverending to-do list, it’s easy to start falling into mental and spiritual misalignment with your job and purpose.

But when your head isn’t in the game, your business faces the consequences. In this guided visualization and interactive energy alignment session, walk through the seven Abundance Keys that drive energy levels and willpower—and recognize when they’re out of balance. Discover strategies to overcoming burnout and rediscover your inner glow, effectively supporting profit growth, mental wellbeing and a career that is built to last.

After this session, you will:

Monitor red flags that signify misalignment in your body, mind, spirit and business.
Apply three must-know techniques to recalibrate your energy with your business goals.
Recognize the tie among money, communication and energy and employ strategies when they are out of whack.

Making decisions and navigating challenges can often feel overwhelming, but there is a remarkable, accessible tool that can reshape your experience and propel you toward positive transformation—your imagination.

Curiosity, imagination and creativity are not just abstract notions; they are the cornerstones of innovation and growth. Embracing these qualities is not a luxury but a necessity. They are the wellsprings of your most brilliant ideas and solutions.

Picture this: A captivating presentation where powerful analogies and metaphors ignite your mind, guiding you toward a new realm of creativity and self-connection. Join this journey to unleash your inner potential, enabling you to make profound changes from within. Don't let life's uncertainties dictate your choices. Embrace the opportunity to infuse creativity into your decision-making process and watch as you overcome obstacles that once seemed impossible.

After this session, you will:

Use a simple, four-step framework to tap your creativity, ignite your innovative spark and take action with newfound energy and focus.
Follow real-life examples and compelling case studies that showcase the transformative impact of imagination. You'll embrace your creative side to reshape not only your own life but also the world around you.
Explore how shared experiences cultivate trust and forge meaningful connections. As you embrace your own creativity, you'll connect on a deeper level with those around you.

Whether you are new to MPI or a longtime member, join our annual membership meeting for an MPI and MPI Foundation business update and open discussion about the current and future state of MPI, the foundation and our industry.

During this interactive session, you can converse directly with MPI leaders and discuss such topics as chapter initiatives, sales, volunteer opportunities, MPI Academy offerings, membership and more. Bring your questions and don’t miss out on what promises to be a lively discussion!

Imagine if your organization thrived with new ideas because everyone was empowered to innovate.

Imagine if your organization was insulated from disruption with new revenue streams.

Imagine if your organization joined the ranks of the world’s most innovative companies.

All of this IS possible. But to get there, you need a culture of innovation. And that doesn’t just "happen." It takes strategy, discipline and intentionality.

If you want a culture of innovation, you need to MAKE it happen. In this session, learn the eight key building blocks to build a thriving culture of innovation in your organization.

After this session, you will:

Be able to apply eight building blocks to create a thriving culture of innovation
Gain clarity on your current innovation culture
Have new ideas and inspiration

Join Dr. Mark Kovacs (the VP of health and performance for Canyon Ranch and former senior director of sport science and health for the Cleveland Cavaliers) and explore the ways in which science plays a critical role in improving mindset, integrating body, mind and spirit.

With 20+ years in sports and corporate arenas, he shares examples and the latest science on resilience and optimizing performance by monitoring physiology. Learn to adjust your mindset for wellness and longevity.

After this session, you will:

Apply new methods to improving your mindset based on science.
Maximize your performance at work and home.
Use case studies from the leaders in health and physiology to improve your wellness.