Your source for finding the best-on-stage talent for your next event
One of the most visible decisions a meeting professional can make is choosing the right voice to deliver a conference message from stage. A great speaker doesn’t just fill a slot in the agenda—they set the tone, amplify your theme and create the moments attendees remember long after the event is over.
That’s why we turned to the Smart Meetings community to find the speakers who are elevating programs across the country—those who understand what it means to be a true event partner. Whether you’re looking to inspire, educate, entertain or challenge your audience, these pros deliver.
We organized this year’s list by the goals they help achieve: Career Optimizers, Wellness Wizards, Innovation Accelerators, Energizing Agents, Big-Tent Thinkers and Industry Experts. These are the changemakers who align with your mission and bring it to life from the stage.
Consider this your shortcut to sourcing speakers who not only shine, but help your participants step into the light.
– JT Long
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2025 Smart Speaker Award Winners
Take a look at last year’s winners!
Career Optimizers
Daren Martin, PhD—Founder & President, Real Change Now, L.L.C., darenmartin.com
Gary Bolles—Chair for the Future of Work, Singularity University, gbolles.com
Tim Hines—Founder & CEO, Marketing Starter Group, timhines.com
Scott Tillema—Founder, Negotiation Excellence LLC; Partner, See Agency, scotttillema.com
Ryan Dohrn—Founder & CEO, Brain Swell Media, ryandohrn.com
Channing Muller—Founder & CEO, DCM Communications, dcmcommunications.com
Rebecca Murray, CVP—Founder, Showcase Your Shine, showcaseyourshine.com
Kara Conway Love, Esq., JD—Founder & CEO, Kara Conway Love Strategy, karaconwaylove.com
Kevin Molesworth, CSEP—President, Professional Speakers Bureau International; Founder, Celadore Creative, terrificspeakers.com
Mark Matteson—President, Sparking Success LLC, sparkingsuccess.net
Joseph VanDusen—Founder, Stealth Elevation LLC, stealthelevation.com
Industry Experts
James Spellos—President, Meeting U., meeting-u.com
Jay Kiew, MBA, PMP, Prosci, DTM—Founder, Citizencentric, jaykiew.com
Peter Pilarski—Founder & President, Tourism AI Network; President, CIPR Communications Inc., tourismainetwork.com
Tim Altbaum, CMP, CMM—President, Vario Productions, varioproductions.com
Troy Peters, CTS—President, SEAS Productions, seaspro.com
Nick Borelli—Marketing Director, Zenus, zenus.ai
Ken Holsinger—Vice President, Strategy, Freeman, freeman.com
Lisa Schulteis—Founder, ElectraLime Marketing, lisaschulteis.com
Lamar Engel, Adv. Sommelier, CSW—Founder, The Wine Militia, thewinemilitia.com
David Allison—Founder, The Valuegraphics Research Company, davidallisoninc.com
Rachel Andrews—AI Evangelist, Cvent AI, LinkedIn
Life Changers
Ruben Gonzalez—Olympic Speaker & Author, Olympic Motivation, thelugeman.com
Rene Godefroy—Founder, Godefroy Global LLC; See Agency, renegodefroy.com
Lisa Ryan, MBA, CSP—Chief Appreciation Strategist, Grategy, lisaryanspeaks.com
Christy Renee Stehle—Founder, Ignite Your Business, christyrenee.com
Neen James, MBA, CSP—Founder, Out of the Box, neenjames.com
Christian Anderson—Founder, Christian Speaks, LinkedIn
Belonging Believers
Melva LaJoy Legrand, CMP, DES—LaJoy Creative, lajoycreative.com
Terrica Skaggs—Terrica Inc., terricainc.com
Angela Minardi, MBA—Fit City Adventures, fitcityadventures.com
Ashley Brooke James—TRILUNA Wellness + Events, trilunawellness.com
Wellness Wizards
Ali Krupnik—MyWellCo, mywellco.com
Dee Lee, MP—Dee Lee Designs, designsdeelee.com
Liz Van Voorhis—FIT COLLECTIVE, the-fit-collective.com
Sepideh Eivazi—Dawn of the Earth, dawnoftheearth.com
Maura Dominguez-Zhang, CIS, CITP, CWP, RYT—Founder, WELLDOM, mywelldom.com
Inspiration Agents
Michael Ivanov—Author & Motivational Speaker, Speak Life 365, speaklife365.com
Dallin Cooper—Keynote Speaker, Cooper Creative Group, dallincooper.com
John Register, CSP, CPAE, PLY—Founder, Inspired Communications International, johnregister.com
Chris Bashinelli—National Geographic Explorer, Bridge the Gap TV, chrisbashinelli.com
Laura Gassner Otting—Chief Catalyzing Officer, Limitless Possibility, lauragassnerotting.com
Seb Terry—Speaker, 100 Things, sebterry.com
Beth Inglish—Founder, Nashville Creative Group, bethinglish.com
Team Builders
Darlynne Reyes Menkin, MWBE—Owner and President, Out of the Ordinary Group & Team Adventures & Where You Want To Be Tours, Inc., groupadventures.com
Sarah Reuter—CEO, Experiences Elevated Consulting, Agency: Elevate Travel Co. & Experiences Elevated Consulting, experienceselevatedconsulting.com
Daniel Lewis, CITP—Owner/ Speaker, Daniel Speaks, Agency: TA Speakers Management, iamdaniel.ca
The Water Coolers: The Comedy Act That Sings—seethewatercoolers.com
Innovation Accelerators
Matthew Beaudin—Corporate Director of Innovation, The SSA Group, LinkedIn
James Spellos—President, Meeting U., meeting-u.com
Jay Kiew, MBA, PMP, Prosci, DTM—Innovation Strategist, Citizencentric, jaykiew.com
Tim Altbaum, CMP, CMM—CEO, Vario Productions, varoiproductions.com
Troy Peters, CTS—Chief Experience Officer, SEAS Productions, seaspro.com
Peter Pilarski—Founder and President, CIPR Communications Inc., Agency: Tourism AI Network, tourismainetwork.com
This article appears in the July/August 2026 issue.
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