Mindful Momentum: Prioritizing Mental Wellness in the Events Industry

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.