Anita Akers
senior designer and consultant, White Door Events
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build? The partnerships I’ve built are grounded in a “yes” mentality—it drives the over-the-top customer service that White Door is known for, and it’s what allows us to truly take care of our clients. I believe in being fiercely loyal, hardworking and surrounding myself with the best support possible. That foundation ensures our team is set up for success and empowers me to deliver what the client dreams up.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
I’m all about the details. I love having a clear plan of action and mapping out the steps to get there. That passion for structure and precision really drives how I work. It helps me stay organized, anticipate opportunites and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
It’s about seeing our clients genuinely happy with the results, knowing that White Door helped bring their vision to life. It’s also about a shared sense of pride within the team—working together, overcoming challenges and making it happen.
Lauren Andrews
owner, EvSo
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build? I prioritize top-tier partners who act with integrity that wholeheartedly share a people-first mission—creating experiences that uplift every stakeholder.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
With a Ritz-Carlton foundation and “teamwork makes the dream work” mentality, I’m passionate about shaping experiences that go beyond events where people feel valued, connected and inspired to achieve more together.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
Success is when our partnerships last, and our clients are so fired up about EvSo that they enthusiastically recommend EvSo to their network.
Amy Dearth, CSEP
president & senior event producer, CID Event Productions
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build? I choose partnerships rooted in respect, driven by passion and strengthened by a family spirit—fostering trust, care and collaboration to create meaningful connections and a lasting impact.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
My passion for bringing people together inspires my professional approach—creating experiences that spark connection, celebrate moments and leave a lasting sense of joy.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
Success is not defined by dollars, but by the lasting memories we create—found in the joy of family, pride in meaningful work and the respect earned from colleagues.
Marieke Franz, CIS
director, global sales, Teneo Hospitality Group
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build? I build partnerships rooted in integrity, trust, collaboration and clear communication, which have often allowed me to build authentic connections that grow into lasting friendships.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
I believe in shared success. I’m passionate about finding solutions and possibilities for all parties involved; it’s where we all thrive.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
Stretching myself beyond what I imagined. Allowing myself to learn from experts and those around me with different approaches, personally and professionally. Then, being a mentor to others.
Matthew Kalb, CMP, CEM-AP
vice president of client experience, T3 Expo
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build? Partnerships work when there’s trust, honesty and curiosity. I look for collaborators who value growth and transparency, and aren’t afraid to take smart risks.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
Psychology and neuroscience fuel my work. I design tailored event experiences that use brain science to shift mindsets, spark curiosity and build stronger teams.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
Success is when people feel safe to be authentic, take risks and grow together, and when the experiences we create leave attendees inspired and connected.
Liz Lathan, CMP
co-founder, Club Ichi
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build? Partnerships thrive on shared values: curiosity, generosity and the belief that business is personal and better when we grow together.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
My love of adventure fuels my work. I bring curiosity, surprise and a joyful energy into professional gatherings so they feel more like shared journeys than business meetings.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
Beyond numbers, success is connection and the stories people tell long after the event ends. That’s when you know it mattered.
Gary Murakami, CMP-Fellow, CMM, DES
vice president of global sales & industry relations, Teneo Hospitality Group
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build?
Authenticity, collaboration and shared vision—building partnerships that not only elevate experiences today but shape the future of our industry.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
Passionate about service—uniting people and purpose to advance our industry and create lasting, meaningful impact.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
Success is measured by the impact we create, the communities we inspire and the enduring legacy of connection and service.
Bonni Scepkowski
founder & principal, Stellar Meetings & Events
What values guide the partnerships you choose to build? The partnerships I choose are always guided by values that feel human first. For me, that means authenticity, trust and genuine collaboration. I want to work with people who are honest and transparent, who can laugh in the chaos and problem-solve in the tough moments.
That kind of trust makes it easier to take risks, be creative and design experiences that really resonate. I also put a lot of weight on a shared sense of joy and the endless possibilities that we can create together. I’m not interested in partnerships that are purely transactional; I want to work with people who care about culture, connection and impact just as much as I do. Protecting budgets and resources is important, of course, but I believe the real measure of success is how an event makes people feel—whether it sparks connection, builds loyalty or leaves a lasting impression. Collaboration is at the heart of it all.
The best results come when everyone’s voice matters, and when we can balance creativity with accountability, strategy with humor and hard work with moments of fun. When those values line up, the partnership doesn’t just deliver a successful event—it creates an experience that feels meaningful, memorable and true to who we are.
What’s a personal passion that influences your professional approach?
I channel my passion for creativity and connection into event design, shaping experiences that feel authentic, memorable and deeply human. For me, creativity isn’t limited to my work—it shows up in how I approach life. I love making and enjoying art, whether that means searching out beach artifacts to make into art, exploring galleries or simply finding inspiration in the way others express themselves.
I’m also energized by travel, especially when I can wander off the beaten path, immerse myself in local culture and see the world from a different perspective. Both pursuits remind me that connection comes in many forms—visual, emotional, cultural—and that the most lasting experiences are the ones that feel real. In my professional world, this translates into event design that goes beyond logistics.
I see each gathering as an opportunity to tell a story, reinforce culture and build community. Yes, the details matter—budgets, contracts, schedules—but they are always in service of a larger purpose: creating spaces where people feel inspired, included and part of something bigger. That mix of imagination, strategy and empathy is what drives me. It’s what transforms a meeting into a meaningful experience, and a meaningful experience into a spark for lasting connection.
What does success look like to you beyond the numbers?
For me, success isn’t measured only in numbers or budgets—it’s in the intangibles that last far beyond the event itself. A successful meeting feels authentic. It captures the essence of a company’s culture, reinforces what makes a team unique and creates moments that feel like they couldn’t have happened anywhere else. Success is when people don’t just attend, but they connect.
It’s the energy in a room when colleagues who’ve only met on screens finally laugh together in person. It’s when a CEO’s vision lands not because of a flashy presentation, but because the environment supported real listening and understanding. It’s also about pride. When attendees walk away thinking, “This is who we are, and I’m glad I’m part of it,” that’s success. Numbers might tell me whether we stayed on budget or exceeded F&B minimums, but the true return is in culture strengthened, loyalty deepened and relationships renewed. If people leave remembering the experience more than the spreadsheets, if they feel seen, valued and connected—that’s when I know it worked.
