David Adler
Chairman and Founder
BizBash
David Adler, a lifelong media executive, is the Chairman and Founder of BizBash, the leading trade media for the event and meeting industry. He has also been an advisor to the State Department (USA) in areas of protocol and events. Previously, he was vice president of corporate communications for Primedia and Macmillan Publishers. Upon graduating from American University, he founded, operated, and successfully sold a society and political magazine for the nation’s capital (USA) called Washington Dossier.
Stephanie Davis Smith
Vice President of Content Creation
Connect
Stephanie Davis Smith is the vice president of content creation at Connect, which is a live events and media company for the meetings industry. Prior to that, she was vice president of editorial overseeing 84 magazines in 24 markets at Modern Luxury Media. She's worked on staff at some of the top magazines in the country—GQ and SELF; and the top magazines regionally—The Atlantan, Men's Book Atlanta and skirt! Atlanta. She's also been published in Domino, Allure, Gourmet, Brides, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, DETAILS and msn.com, as well as countless regional and online platforms across the country.
Terri Woodin
Vice President of Marketing and Global Meeting Services
Meeting Sites Resource
Terri Woodin, CMP, is vice president of marketing and global meeting services at meeting sites resource (MSR). She has been with MSR since 2012 and is responsible for strategically partnering with MSR customers on all facets of global site research, custom hotel contract negotiations, meeting support services and Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) solutions.
Nicole Corley
Director of Meetings and Events
Connect
Nicole Corley is the director of meetings & events for Connect. Her role includes planning and executing over 30 meetings a year for hospitality and event professionals. Prior to working at Connect, Nicole graduated from the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program at Auburn University. When she isn't working, she enjoys traveling for leisure, cooking, and spending time with her husband and dog.
Mike Ferreira
Owner and Founder
Meetings Made Easy
Mike Ferreira has over 19 years of hotel sales, conference services and third-party experience. He has previously worked at Bellagio, Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel and Montage Laguna Beach. He holds an undergraduate degree in Hotel Management from Cal Poly and a masters degree in Executive Hospitality Administration from UNLV. He is the owner and founder of Meetings Made Easy based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Meetings Made Easy is a modern-day hotel site selection and meeting services company.
Mike has an extreme passion for teaching, mentoring and helping individuals understand how to negotiate hotel contracts. He is also an avid hockey player and fan.
Martha J. Sheridan
President & CEO
Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
Martha J. Sheridan is President & CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB). In her role, she leads an organization with over 1,200 member companies across New England whose mission is to generate a robust visitor economy for the region. Previously she was President & CEO of the Providence/Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB). Sheridan has over 25 years of experience in destination marketing. She is the Chair of the Massachusetts Advisory Commission on Travel & Tourism. She holds or has held leadership positions with several local, regional and national organizations including the US Travel Association, the Destinations International Foundation, the RI Hospitality and Tourism Association Education Foundation, Meeting Professionals International New England Chapter (MPINE), the New England Society of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, WaterFire Providence, the Providence Preservation Society and Twin River Casino.
In 2015 Sheridan was named one of the top 25 Women in the Meetings Industry by Meetings and Convention Magazine. Sheridan is the recipient of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association’s (RIHA) Mary Brennan Tourism Award for outstanding achievement in tourism promotion.
Antwone Stigall, CMP, DES,CED
Head of Events
Course Hero
Antwone Stigall is the head of events for an education technology company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He comes to us with a passion for diversity and inclusion and has served as the founding Chair of the Global Diversity and Inclusion committee of Meeting Professionals International where he spearheaded many of the diversity and inclusion initiatives MPI is implementing and plans to implement today.
Antwone is an industry advocate and has drank the Kool-Aid and eats the alphabet soup giving him claim to the many designations our industry has, such as Certified Meeting Planner, Digital Event Strategist and Certified Event Designer.