Get Ready for The Most Empowering Day of Your Meetings Life

Patricia Velasquez: Permission To Lead

From humble beginnings in Venezuela to international runways, this actor, author, mother and humanitarian has learned the value of certainty in entering any room confident. She is going to teach you to give yourself permission to lead with purpose and courage. 

Sarah Wells: Cultivate Excellence

Sarah Wells is an Olympian, keynote speaker, and excellence architect who helps individuals and organizations unlock their potential through resilience, adaptability, and continuous growth. A former Olympic hurdler and competitor on The Amazing Race, she inspires audiences to overcome limiting beliefs, embrace bold ideas, and pursue excellence through everyday actions. Known for her high-energy style and practical insights, Sarah empowers people to turn challenges into opportunities and create lasting impact.

Devon Montgomery Pasha

Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED is a Facilitator of Human Experience who helps leaders and event teams create moments that move people forward through global conferences, executive panels, and leadership sessions. Creator of the SPARK framework and named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the Events Industry, she’s known for calm authority, strategic insight, and designing gatherings for measurable impact.

Sherron Washington: Influence and Action

Sherron Washington is an international speaker, communication strategist and professor known for helping organizations strengthen leadership, communication, inclusion and audience engagement. With more than two decades of experience, she delivers high-energy, thought-provoking keynotes and trainings that transform complex concepts into practical, actionable strategies. As CEO of The P3 Solution, Sherron has worked with corporations, associations, universities and event industry leaders to elevate communication, collaboration and influence across diverse audiences.

Tracy Judge: What's Next? Thriving in a Changing World

Tracy Judge is the Founder & CEO of Soundings, a talent consultancy and workforce solutions company helping organizations in the business events industry build agile, future-ready teams. A recognized entrepreneur and industry thought leader, Tracy advises companies on workforce strategy, talent optimization, AI readiness, and the evolving future of work while connecting them with highly skilled freelance and full-time professionals through Soundings' global talent community of more than 4,300 event industry professionals. With 20 years of experience in operations, sales, and executive leadership, Tracy has built a career helping organizations navigate change, optimize talent, and develop high-performing teams across the business events industry. Tracy serves on the California State University AI Workforce Acceleration Board as the sole representative from the hospitality and events industry, helping shape the future of workforce development and AI adoption across the sector. A Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Incentive Specialist (CIS), she has also served on global boards and committees for MPI, SITE, and PCMA, contributing to the advancement of the profession and the future of the industry. She holds a Master's degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from San Diego State University and a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management from Drexel University. As the founder of a Certified Women-Owned Business, Tracy is committed to advancing opportunity and inclusion within the events industry.

Nikki Gonzales: Bridge the Gap

Nikki Gonzales is the Chief of Staff at Soundings, a talent consultancy and workforce solutions company serving the business events industry. As a member of the leadership team, she helps drive strategic initiatives and organizational growth while leading Soundings' talent operations team. Nikki also serves as the face of the Soundings Thrive talent community, supporting and engaging a global network of more than 4,300 event professionals and helping organizations connect with the right talent to build high-performing teams. With a background spanning hotel operations, event strategy, and human resources, Nikki brings a unique perspective to talent development, workforce engagement, and organizational effectiveness. A graduate of San Diego State University with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, she began her career with Hilton before joining Soundings more than seven years ago. A recognized thought leader, presenter, and workforce advocate, Nikki leads industry research on talent trends, workforce development, and the future of work. She is actively involved in industry leadership initiatives through SITE Young Leaders and MPI San Diego and is a PCMA 20 in Their Twenties honoree. Nikki is also the recipient of the 2024 Smart Meetings Joule Award and is a 2026 Smart Women Rising Star.

Christa Haberstock: Find Your Obvious Advantage

Christa Haberstock is a business strategist, best-selling author and the founder of two Inc. 5000–recognized companies: See Agency and Bookable Speakers. With nearly 30 years of experience helping people and organizations stand out, she’s known for her ability to uncover what makes someone valuable—and turn that into lasting visibility, credibility and growth. Her work spans leadership development, brand trust and influence strategy across industries. She’s also the creator of The Obvious Advantage, a framework—and soon-to-be book—designed to help people stop chasing what they don’t have and start owning what they do.