With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Deanna Griffith-House stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of global trade show and meeting strategy and planning. Renowned for her exceptional leadership and visionary strategies, Deanna has garnered accolades and awards as a strategic leader in the MICE industry. 

Sarah Martin is a firecracker, making an IMPACT through events. A proud mother and wife, she is also the Founder/CEO of Experience Epic, LLC, created 12 years ago. With 25 years in the industry, Sarah has brought her firecracker energy to her events, creating excitement and innovation in the private, corporate, and destination event industries.

Sarah brings her expertise and cutting-edge innovation in marketing and production tospectacular events such as Dinner in the Sky, Savor the Avenue, and Delray Beach’s 100 Ft. Christmas Tree, delivering unforgettable experiences for clients. She has grown her event production and planning agency to serve brands nationwide, including NFL Super Bowl, United States Presidential Debate, Major League Lacrosse, and Casa de Montecristo. Her

events have attracted celebrities and industry leaders such as Ashley Graham, Ray Lewis, Black Dada, Jason Derulo, John Salley, Bryant McKinney, Sarodj Bertin, Tyson Beckford, and Scott Stapp, among many others.

Sarah and her team have built strategic partnerships that have generated over $17,000,000 in in-kind and cash sponsorships, producing campaigns that leave lasting impressions on audiences. Whether executing large-scale brand activations, high-impact corporate events, or mission-driven nonprofit fundraisers, Experience Epic delivers results that excite, inspire, and engage.

Beyond her success in the corporate event world, Sarah is deeply committed to giving back to her community. As Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross Palm Beach/Treasure Coast Chapter, she has played a role in record-breaking fundraising efforts, helping to raise more money than any previous year for the organization. Her leadership has helped mobilize support for critical humanitarian efforts, reinforcing her passion for using events as a powerful force for good. 

Sarah and her team have produced events with audiences as large as 300,000 and smaller, high-impact experiences that focus on fundraising, branding, team building, data generation, and sales opportunities. Her work has been featured on CNN, CNBC Power Lunch, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal, and more. Sarah prides herself on fostering a work culture where efficiency, fun, sustainability, mental health, and personal growth are paramount. Recognized as BizBash Event Producer of the Year and awarded Top Workplaces by the Sun-Sentinel, Best of Florida, and Women-Owned Business with the State of Florida, Sarah continues to shape the industry with her expertise and visionary leadership. She has served on industry boards, including Visit Florida, Leadership Business Co

Eli Walker is a sought-after speaker, performance artist and belonging consultant specializing in helping leaders and facilitators enhance audience engagement and retention through live experiences by leveraging the art of play. 

Equipped with a BFA in Theater from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and as the founder and author of the internationally acclaimed wellness brand Drunk Yoga® (now The Uplift Experience), Eli pioneered the wellness entertainment movement to bridge the gap between #selfcare and #communitycare through her social yoga events. Since then, she has used immersive storytelling and mindfulness practices to support tens of thousands of individuals and hundreds of institutions across the globe--including NYU & Columbia University, as well as Barclay's, Ebay, Intel, Google, Pinterest and Mastercard--in building meaningful belonging for themselves and their teams in our modern, remote world by leveraging the art of play in live experience design. 

Eli has always loved helping people from different backgrounds get on the same page. Bonus points if she can achieve this while inspiring them to live joyfully, empower them with new perspectives, and make them laugh at the same time. When you work with Eli, you can expect to play, move, laugh, and walk away feeling empowered with tools to create a more connected world. 

Annette Gregg, CMM, MBA is CEO of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), leading its 2500 global members. She has an extensive background in the meeting and hospitality industry, serving in executive level positions for corporations, associations and non-profits. She regularly delivers keynotes on topics including diversity and unconscious bias, promoting women in the workplace, and a variety of professional development topics. Annette has taught at several universities including leading San Diego State University’s Meeting and Event Certificate Program, and is currently instructor in Leadership for their Masters in Meeting and Events Program. She was elected Instructor of the Year at SDSU, and inducted into the Center for Business Intelligence’s Circle of Excellence for her training and speaking. She is an honoree for Women in Tourism and Hospitality, and has won the Coach Award for the Association of Women in Events, Smart Women Industry Leader Award, and Planner of the Year for MPI San Diego. Annette served on MPI’s Board of Directors, the board for the Kim Center for Gender Equity, and San Diego Commission for Women and Girls. She was named to the MeetingsNet Changemakers list for her work in women’s empowerment. Annette received her undergraduate degree in International Relations at the University of California, Berkeley and later received her MBA from California Miramar University in San Diego. She lives an active life with her husband and son in San Diego.

Jerry Cito is Executive Vice President at New York City Tourism + Conventions-the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for New York City—where he is responsible for developing NYC as a premier business events, incentives, meetings and conventions destination, highlighting the world-class products and services of the company’s members and the diverse offerings of the overall destination.

A hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, Jerry oversees New York City Tourism + Conventions network of global sales representatives, including the NYC-based staff, as well as a regional office in Washington, DC, plus dedicated global MICE representatives in the UK, Latin America and China.

Cito is a respected member of the tourism world who served as a trustee on PCMA’s Foundation Board, is a founding member and current Executive Committee member of USTA’s Meetings Mean Business Coalition, the Events Industry Councils Leadership Council & Covid-19 Business Recovery Task Force Member, sits on Destination International’s Sales & Marketing Committee, is the treasurer for the local chapter of NYIAEE and a board member of NYSAE among additional industry involvement.

Howard Givner is a serial entrepreneur, innovator and business strategist, specializing in the events and ed-tech industries. He advises corporate event teams, event agencies and other businesses on growth, innovation, measurement, strategy and M&A. He is a Senior Advisor at Oaklins | DeSilva + Phillips, a global mid-market investment bank, and CEO of the Heathcote Advisory Group, a consulting practice for business leaders. 

He has successfully built and sold three businesses in the events industry and has advised over a dozen other industry CEOs on M&A and growth strategies. He was the founder and CEO of the Event Leadership Institute, a provider of training and resources for meeting planning, event marketing and hospitality professionals, which was acquired by PCMA in 2023. He also led the U.S. division of Grass Roots Meetings & Events during its sale to BCD Meetings & Events in 2018, and he was the founder and President of Paint the Town Red, an event agency which he subsequently sold to Global Events.

Howard is a frequent industry speaker, writer and educator on a broad range of topics. He is an avid hiker, crossword solver, podcast junkie, fiction writer and cancer survivor.

Born into the business as son of the founders of an award-winning DMC, TMM (The Meeting Manager), Trevor grew up packing coolers and delivering props. After working as a trip director for several years, he returned in 1996 to run and expand TMM leading to the merger of TMM and Destination PROS in 2012 into 360 Destination Group. An avid surfer, turbo father of five girls, and stickler when it comes to how an old-fashioned is made, he loves to be active in several industry organizations, including FICP, SITE, and ADMEI, as well as several hospitality industry Advisory Boards.

Andrey is a Managing Director based in H.I.G. Capital’s Boston office where he is responsible for all aspects of the investment process including deal origination, structuring, execution, financing and post-close operational improvements and growth strategies.

Andrey has over ten years of public and private market investing experience across a variety of sectors including healthcare, IT services and business services. Prior to joining H.I.G., Andrey worked at Charlesbank Capital Partners and the Boston Consulting Group.

Andrey earned a B.A. in Economics from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Kim Kopetz is President and CEO of The Opus Group, a global network of event agencies that creates experiences that drive action for the world’s most influential brands, including Google, Diageo, Microsoft, and Salesforce.

Kim started her career in events at the NBA and Nike, and joined Opus Agency in 1998 as a Senior Event Manager. She held several roles at Opus Agency, eventually as EVP Global Accounts. In 2012, Kim went brand-side, and held global leadership positions at Intel in sales and marketing, including Chief of Staff to the head of global sales and Senior Director of B2B Event Strategy.  She returned to Opus in 2017, becoming Chief Growth Officer and supporting the acquisition and integration of seven agencies in two years. Kim was promoted to President of The Opus Group in 2020, and in 2024 assumed the role of President and CEO.

Throughout a career spanning more than 25 years, Kim has been a leader in global experience and event marketing for both brands and agencies. She currently serves as a strategic partner to the Event Leaders Exchange (ELX) and as a member of the Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA). Her expertise has earned her many accolades over the years, including a spot on the list of the top 100 most influential people in the event industry.

Sunny was born and raised in Mexico and has called Los Cabos home since 1989. Growing up in the hospitality industry with a heavy emphasis on tour operations, Sunny has grown the family business to cover 10+ cities in 3 countries and is now responsible for over 500,000 people transitioning through one of the family companies. Graduating from the University of San Diego and having had the privilege of traveling to many corners of the world by motorcycle, plane and ship has given him a unique perspective on not only what clients are looking for but also of showing clients what they haven’t even thought to look for. Along with an amazing management team, as Managing Partner, Sunny has been able to solidify the brand of Terramar and grow it into now six destinations in three countries. 

Terramar is presently one of two accredited DMC’s in Mexico and the only one in Panama. Our highly seasoned sales and operations team now includes 7 DMCP’s that help maintain the highest level of service that Terramar has become known for. In his free time you will most likely find Sunny with his family. An avid athlete, Sunny has competed in long distance motorcycle off road rally races, competed in triathlons and other races. In college Sunny was a 4 year rower and at one point was the Pacific Coast Rowing Champion as well as the California State Champion.

With 25 years of experience in the MICE industry, including a decade in the all-inclusive market, John Iannini brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to Hilton All-Inclusive. His extensive career includes roles as Senior Director of Global Sales at Melia Hotels International and Global Sales Director for Incentive Travel at Wyndham Hotel Group. As a Past President of the SITE Foundation, John has been a key figure in shaping the future of incentive travel. 

Now at Hilton, John leverages his experience to drive growth and ensure seamless coordination between Hilton Worldwide Sales (HWS) and on-site sales teams, delivering exceptional service to clients. 

A passionate traveler, John has visited 94 countries, exploring the world with an intrepid spirit. He's also a devoted dog lover, sharing his life with his two beloved English Bulldogs, Matilda and Sirloin. 

John is based in Atlanta and is always excited to collaborate with clients to create extraordinary experiences in the incentive and meetings space 

As the Director of Purchasing and Design, I lead a dedicated team that is the frontline for all our in-person events, ensuring each project begins with strategic insight and flawless execution. With over 30 years in the travel and hospitality industry, I bring a depth of expertise across every facet of meetings, incentives, and event planning. My team and I are responsible for contracting and procuring over 300 meetings and events annually, aligning every step with client goals to achieve memorable, seamless experiences. 

Throughout my career, I've built a reputation for strategic thinking, precision, creativity, and commitment to results. My approach is proactive and client-focused, driving outcomes that are both efficient and impactful. With a robust background in team leadership and vendor relations, I prioritize effective communication, cost efficiency, and risk management, fostering trusted partnerships and delivering outstanding results every time. 

Ava Setzer is a Director of Sales, Worldwide Accounts for Hilton Worldwide with a rich tapestry of experience spanning 24 years with the company.  She’s had extensive experience in hotel operations and was a valuable hotel sales contributor across vibrant cities including San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland.  A seasoned expert in the hospitality industry, Ava joined Hilton’s enterprise sales in 2017 - enhancing sales strategies and steering global account management. Her passion is ignited by the magic of human connections sparked at live events. There is nothing better! 

The launch and growth of Hilton’s all-inclusive hotel collection piqued Ava’s interest, leading her to delve deep into the offerings tailored for meeting planners. She has since blossomed into an expert at showcasing the distinctive allure and advantages of All-Inclusive for gatherings of any scale—from intimate assemblies of 10 to grand exclusives of 1,000 in the idyllic settings of Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean.  In our fast moving environment, All-Inclusive makes deliver a premium on all components of meetings and events. 

As Director of Product Marketing at Cvent, Alex leads the company’s Hospitality Clouds product marketing team. Today, Cvent’s platform of supplier and venue solutions connects more than 302,000 hotels and venues with an active global network of more than 112,000 event planners. With nearly 15 years of experience at Cvent, Alex has a deep understanding of the meetings and events industry and how technology can help hospitality and destination professionals achieve their goals. In his current role as Director of Product Marketing, Alex is responsible for leading the go-to-market strategy for Cvent's platform of supplier and venue solutions. He is passionate about helping hoteliers leverage technology to win more business.

Kelli Kopec joined Cvent in 2019 as a Product Marketer dedicated to marketing solutions that connect Event Professionals and Travel Managers to hotels and venues. Kelli most recently spent 8+ years working for a hotel management company, managing both group and leisure business for several international hotel brands. She has vast experience in B2C and B2B marketing, launching new brands and products, and planning large-scale in-person events...and certainly understands the value technology can bring to you and your event programs!

Anesa Martin is seasoned sales leader with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, known for her exceptional track record in driving revenue and business growth for both domestic and international brands. As the Director of Intermediary Group Sales at Hilton, she leverages strategic account management and innovative solutions to enhance market share, particularly in the incentive segment.

Anesa is passionate about identifying growth opportunities by aggregating client account data and analyzing industry trends, all while ensuring that clients’ daily needs are met to boost operational and financial performance. When she’s not at work, Anesa loves spending quality time with her husband and two children, volunteering at hospice and connecting with her community through her church.

With two decades of experience in the business events industry, Jennifer Attersall is an innovative thinker who inspires a global audience to host their incentives across Canada’s diverse destinations. As a sought-after speaker, Jennifer has moderated thought-provoking panels and spoken at major global conferences. Jennifer sits on SITE’s International Board of Directors, as well as the executive committee of SITE as the VP of Education. 

Justin Myers serves as Vice President of Client Development and Marketing at Bishop-McCann, a renowned full-service agency specializing in meetings, incentives, and event management. With over 15 years in the MICE industry, Justin has collaborated with a wide range of FORTUNE 500 brands, bringing expertise from both agency and client slides of the business. An entrepreneurial leader, he is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections that enhance business outcomes through impactful events and incentives. When he’s not at work, Justin loves spending quality time with his wife and three boys, exploring new destinations, scuba diving, snow skiing, and sneaking in rounds of golf whenever possible.

Rudy Garza joined Brightspot Incentives & Events in 2011 as Vice-President of Operations. Rudy’s primary objective at Brightspot is to drive a high level of service excellence for all client programs and internal processes. In his role, Rudy oversees all program operations, which include meetings, incentive travel, and channel/sales incentives (merchandise, cards, experiences), as well as web development, human resources, and controller functions.

Prior to joining Brightspot, Rudy held various positions of increasing level at PepsiCo/Frito[1]Lay, supporting the Sales & Marketing functions.

Rudy is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) and currently Chairs their Research Committee. He is a Certified Incentive Travel Professional (CITP/SITE) and Incentive Professional (IP/IMA).

Rudy is a proud graduate of The University of Texas (MBA) and The University of Texas at San Antonio (BBA). Outside of work, Rudy enjoys being active with his family and his local church, traveling to mountain destinations, and rooting for the Texas Longhorns.

Tim Altbaum is CEO of Vario, a premiere Event Production and Technology company servicing clients who are looking for a trusted and reliable resource to provide all pre-production planning, A/V, and event technology needs for both in-person and virtual events. He is currently the President-Elect for the DFW Chapter of MPI, and is a former board member of NACE .He was awarded Community Leader of the Year by MPI, and recently received a Catalyst Award for his contributions to the industry by Smart Meetings Magazine. He actively contributes to other professional organizations and holds CSEP, CMP, HMCC, and CMM designations. As a special event producer and technology junkie, he is constantly striving to bring new and innovative experiences to the meetings and events he manages. This includes staying ahead of the trends by utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, partnering with tech-forward companies, and taking proven techniques and applying them in new ways. His diverse knowledge set includes expertise in AI, Experiential Marketing, Projection Mapping, Holograms, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, and Audio/Visual Design.