Eliza Barros, Senior Account Director, Group, The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort

FICP Chat LIVE: Disrupting Legacy Conferences

Born in Brazil, Eliza obtained her bachelor’s degree in hospitality management and shortly after relocated to USA. With over 15 years of experience in luxury hospitality sales and event management, Eliza Barros has built her career with some of the world’s most distinguished brands, including The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. Currently serving as Senior Executive Sales Manager at The St. Regis Longboat Key in Sarasota FL, Eliza specializes in cultivating strategic partnerships, driving market growth, and creating bespoke guest experiences that reflect the hallmark of St. Regis excellence. Her extensive background in event planning and sales leadership has equipped her with a deep understanding of both client needs and operational execution, allowing her to deliver results that elevate brand presence while fostering long-term relationships. Known for her passion for service and keen market insight, Eliza continues to champion the art of hospitality and inspire teams to uphold the industry’s highest standards. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and exploring unique parts of the world. She is passionate about the outdoors, she loves snowboarding, hiking and climbing the tallest mountains in CO.

Laurie Fitzgerald, Senior Meeting Manager, Allstate

International Insights: A Collaborative Approach to Planning Global Events

Laurie Fitzgerald, CMP, DES, for Allstate Insurance Company, has been in the industry for over 40 years, working in hotels, association management and corporation environments. She specializes in international meetings and events along with having served on the PCMA Board of Directors, President of the PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter, PCMA GMC Planner of the Year and many other advisory boards. She currently serves as the Chair of the 2025 Strategic Leaders Conference.

Susie Harding, CMP, Event Strategy Consultant, FM

Enhancing Safety and Reducing Risk for Attendees and Executives at Events

Susie Harding is a seasoned meeting planner with over two decades of experience designing and executing high-impact meetings and events. As a Senior Event Strategy Consultant at FM, she leads the planning of client-facing forums, tradeshows, hospitality functions, and large-scale internal meetings across domestic and international markets. Susie discovered her passion for event planning during her time as Program Director at Cheer Ltd., where she managed international cheerleading competitions and coaches’ conferences. Her career spans diverse industries—including technology and healthcare—before finding her niche in the financial and insurance sector. An active member of the FICP Board of Directors, Susie currently serves as board liaison to the Influence Committee and the Content Strategy Think Tank, and is involved in the planning of the upcoming Fuel Forward Exchange. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Outside of work, Susie is a devoted sports enthusiast—cheering on the University of Miami and all Boston teams—and cherishes time spent with her large extended family at her summer home in Pennsylvania.

Ken Jarka, General Manager, Washington Hilton

Enhancing Safety and Reducing Risk for Attendees and Executives at Events

Kenneth Jarka brings over three decades of distinguished hospitality experience, with leadership roles at some of the nation’s most prominent hotels and resorts. He began his career at the Sherry Netherland Hotel in New York City and went on to hold senior positions at The Grand Hyatt New York, Park Hyatt Philadelphia, Sheraton New Orleans and as Vice President of Operations at Mohegan Sun, where the property earned a #2 national ranking for customer service among luxury casino hotels.

Since joining Hilton in 2011, Jarka has led major properties including the New York Hilton Midtown and Hilton Minneapolis—where he was named General Manager of the Year in 2018. Today, he serves as General Manager of the iconic Washington Hilton, a 1,107-room landmark and trusted host to U.S. presidents, foreign dignitaries and high-security events such as political summits, global conferences, and the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. With 118,000 square feet of meeting space, the hotel demands meticulous coordination, discretion and risk management—areas where Jarka has built a reputation for operational excellence and trusted leadership.

Jerilyn Johnson, Senior Event & Conference Planner, Sammons Financial Group Companies

FICP Chat LIVE: Disrupting Legacy Conferences

Jerilyn Johnson is the Senior Event Planner for Sammons Institutional Group and Beacon Capital Management, both divisions of Sammons Financial Group. With more than 15 years of expertise in financial meeting planning, Jerilyn has been shaping impactful experiences since joining Sammons in 2012, where she has expanded and elevated event management across the divisions she supports. An active member of Financial and Insurance Conference Planners (FICP) since 2018, Jerilyn has contributed her talents to multiple committees, helping advance the profession and strengthen industry connections. She also lends her planning expertise to charitable organizations, most notably Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), where her efforts supported the Hope Gala in raising over $1 million last year. When she’s not orchestrating events, Jerilyn enjoys spending time with her husband, Joe, and keeping up with their two energetic sons and their many activities.

Christopher Keane, Director of Sales, Bermuda Tourism Authority

International Insights: A Collaborative Approach to Planning Global Events

Christopher Keane is a hospitality sales professional with 30 years of experience driving revenue and building authentic relationships. He has held leadership roles with Hilton, Hyatt and Omni Hotels, sold the city of Baltimore and now serves as Director of Sales for the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

Known for turning challenges into opportunities, delivering innovative solutions and championing his customers, Christopher is also passionate about mentoring and motivating others. Outside of work he enjoys running, traveling, spending time with his wife and dogs and sharing good food with family and friends.

Mary Beth Kilbride, Vice President, Executive Services, Marsh McLennan

International Insights: A Collaborative Approach to Planning Global Events

Mary Beth Kilbride leads the Executive Services team at Marsh McLennan. She and her team are responsible for managing events involving the Marsh McLennan Board of Directors and members of the Executive Committee and their teams. Additionally, Mary Beth oversees operations on the executive floor of Marsh McLennan headquarters in New York.

Mary Beth joined Marsh McLennan in 1999 as part of William M. Mercer where she was responsible for event management until transitioning to Corporate in late 2000. As part of the Corporate Administration department, Mary Beth implemented processes and protocols to streamline the various operations, eventually taking over leadership of a revamped department in 2007.

Joyce Layman, Visibility Strategist and Coach

Step Aside, Imposter Syndrome: Change Your Filters, Build Your Confidence, Take Action

Joyce Layman is a TEDx presenter, two-time author and business coach who helps professionals rethink how they show up, grow visibility and seize opportunities. Once a self-described wallflower, she rewired her own mindset to build an authority brand, earning the nickname “a walking LinkedIn” and praise from Bob Burg as “the greatest networker in the world.”

Blending performance mindset, strategic relationship-building and real-world tactics, Joyce has worked with organizations across industries since 2008. Her books Just Another Leap and Your Connecting Advantage guide readers to turn overthinking into action and connections into opportunities.

Katherine LaMacchia, Managing Director, Director of Corporate Events, Baird

Strategic Leaders Exchange: Performance Reviews, Succession Planning, and Resource Management

Katherine LaMacchia is Managing Director, Director of Corporate Events for Baird, a privately held, international financial services firm with offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and more than $300 billion in client assets. Katherine joined Baird in 2008 and has had the great honor of serving the firm’s events needs throughout her tenure. Her current responsibilities include leadership of a high-performing event management team that produces 300

Romy Linde, General Manager, Hello! Southern California

Innovation in Action: FICP Stories of Unreasonable Hospitality

Born and raised in San Diego, Romy Linde brought her deep knowledge of the local scene and 15 years of experience to Hello! in 2017. She is now General Manager of Hello! Southern California, where she has grown the local team to more than 20 people. With eight years at Hello! under her belt, her wide-ranging experience gives her invaluable insight into the hospitality industry. 

Romy is driven by a passion for creating unforgettable events while ensuring her clients, partners and team feel valued every step of the way. When she’s not leading her team, she can be found working out, running or exploring new places with her husband, son and two daughters. With her upbeat personality and sense of humor, it’s no surprise her playlist is just as dynamic, featuring everything from Jelly Roll to Coldplay and, of course, some Kendrick Lamar.

Meg Lorio, Risk Manager for Corporate & International Protective Services at Liberty Mutual Insurance

Enhancing Safety and Reducing Risk for Attendees and Executives at Events

Meg Lorio, CPP is Manager of Protective Risk at Liberty Mutual Insurance, where she has spent more than a decade mitigating risk for high profile meetings, events and sponsorships. She specializes in strategic risk assessment, operational planning, on site security and incident response, leading multidisciplinary teams that deliver executive protection and intelligence led security.

Meg holds the Certified Protection Professional credential from ASIS International. She is EMT trained, a CPR/AED & First Aid Instructor and a Certified Security Driver with advanced training in protective driving, surveillance, behavior detection and explosive device risk mitigation. She earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Louisiana State University.

Lindsay Maloni, Global Sales Director, PRA

FICP Chats LIVE! Meetings Professional and Hospitality Partner Collaboration in the Digital Age

Lindsay Maloni is a seasoned event professional with 24 years of experience spanning corporate and destination management sectors. She has served as a senior event manager for two Fortune 100 companies and held leadership roles focused on driving sales growth through strategic event management. Transitioning to the DMC side, Lindsay has applied her expertise to increase brand awareness while delivering high-quality event experiences.

A dedicated advocate for the evolution of the event industry, Lindsay has served on the Board of Directors for the Financial and Insurance Conference Planners Association and has spoken at numerous industry conferences as a subject matter expert on trends shaping the meetings and events landscape. Lindsay lives in Longmeadow, MA, with her three boys. You can find her with family and friends often on the sidelines, cheering at her sons’ sporting events.

Victoria Matey, Event Psychology Advisor and Co-founder, Matey Events

Planning With Intention: Behavioral Event Design That Drives Real Results and Capital Gains

Innovation in Action: FICP Stories of Unreasonable Hospitality (Moderator)

Victoria Matey helps event pros use psychology to design smarter, more human experiences. She’s an Event Psychology Advisor and the author of the first-ever Event Psychology Lab course, the book 10 Principles of Strategic Event Planning and the ‘Event Psychology Strategist’ certification course with MPI. With a background in event management and cognitive linguistics, Victoria turns science into practical strategies for real-world events - whether it’s making events more brain-friendly, driving decisions through research-backed event marketing, designing spaces that guide behavior or helping industry partners apply psychology in ways that stick.

Victoria delivers keynotes and insight-driven sessions worldwide; past appearances include events like SITE ISA, IMEX, Skift Meetings, theEvent. She regularly appears on podcasts, contributes to leading industry publications and shares thought leadership content with the events community. She also runs the Event Psychology community and resource hub and serves as VP of Events & Outreach at Bescy, a behavioral science nonprofit.

Kendall McQuien, CMP, Director, Events and Sponsorships, Crum & Forster

FICP Chat LIVE! The Rise of Event Technologists, Project Managers and Event Producers

Kendall McQuien is Director of Events & Sponsorship at Crum & Forster, where she leads impactful events, tradeshows and sponsorships that advance connected marketing goals.

With more than 14 years in corporate marketing and event management, she has delivered large-scale programs worldwide including an annual meeting with over 19,000 attendees. Kendall holds a Certified Meeting Professional designation and is Cvent Advanced Certified. She has also served in leadership roles with Corebridge Financial and FICP, championing professional development and rising leaders.

Based in Houston with her two young boys and husband, Kendall enjoys baking sourdough, sewing clothes for her kids and spending weekends on the water.

Kelly Mendel, Team Leader, Travel and Event Management, Edward Jones 

Innovation in Action: FICP Stories of Unreasonable Hospitality

Kelly Mendel is a Team Leader at Edward Jones, where she leads the logistics team responsible for the firm's recognition conferences and executive travel experiences. With over 15 years in the hospitality industry, Kelly brings deep expertise in creating seamless, high-impact events that celebrate people and elevate brand experiences.

At this year's conference, Kelly will join a panel discussion on Unreasonable Hospitality, sharing insights on how her team brings this philosophy to life through intentional design, thoughtful details and a people-first mindset. Outside of work, Kelly is an avid reader who has finished over 100 books this year. She also laces up her skates to play roller derby.

Jean Costanza Miller, Ph. D

Communication Best Practices: Delivering Information to Engage Stakeholders and Inform Decisions

Jean Costanza Miller has been a Spoken with Authority workshop facilitator and coach since 2016. Her passion is collaborating with clients to develop impactful presentations on issues of significance. Jean has three decades of experience in higher education and presentation skills training. Previously on the faculty at George Washington University for 24 years, she has taught courses in public speaking, leadership, intercultural communication, professional communication, and rhetoric. Jean has a doctorate and master’s degree in communication from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Towson University.

Paul Miller, CIS, CITP, Managing Director, Spectra

International Insights: A Collaborative Approach to Planning Global Events

Paul Miller began his career in the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace before entering the incentive travel industry in 1988. He joined Spectra in 1996 and became a Board Director in 2005, helping deliver high-profile events across the UK, including for Heads of State, global corporations, and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

A longtime leader in the industry, Paul has been active in SITE since 1999, serving as Great Britain Chapter President, International Board Member, and Global President in 2014. He has also held leadership roles with FICP and ADMEI, receiving honors such as SITE Member of the Year and the IMEX SITE Master Motivator Award.

Based in the UK, Paul balances his career with family life and a passion for music as an accomplished singer-songwriter.

Elaine Morena, Regional Vice President, Strategic Development, Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)

Strategic Leaders Exchange: Performance Reviews, Succession Planning, and Resource Management

Elaine Morena is Regional Vice President of Strategic Development for Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI), a global sales organization representing an exclusive collection of independent luxury hotels and brands. She brings extensive sales leadership experience from The Surrey, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, St. Regis Hotels, Hyatt, Fairmont and The Ritz-Carlton.

Elaine serves on the FICP Hospitality Partner Advisory Committee and is active in MPI, TAMS, and HSMAI. In 2021, she received the President’s Award from the MPI Greater New York Chapter. A graduate of Pepperdine University with a BA in Communication, she is also certified in Ayurvedic Health, Meditation and Total Well-Being Coaching. Elaine lives in New York City and enjoys family, wellness, travel, and food.

Heather Nutter, CMM, Senior Manager, Conferences and Events, Commonwealth

Innovation in Action: FICP Stories of Unreasonable Hospitality

Heather is Senior Manager of Conference and Events at Commonwealth Financial Network by LPL, where she leads a team producing a wide range of experiential events for advisors, staff and sponsors. With more than 20 years in meeting and event management, her career began after earning a BFA in music theater from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford and included a long tenure in medical association management before moving into the financial industry.

Passionate about creating exceptional event experiences, Heather enjoys time with her family, the beaches of Maine, the lakes region of New Hampshire, skiing, Peloton workouts, traveling and exploring new culinary trends.

Denise A. Robinson, JD, Founding Principal, The Still Center LLC

Cultivating Psychological Safety and Managing Stress When the Client Is Always Right

Denise A. Robinson (she/her) is the Founding Principal of The Still Center LLC, a consultancy that fosters belonging across differences and collective well-being in professional services and other industries. After graduating from the University of Chicago Law School, Denise practiced labor & employment law in her home state of Ohio. She later moved to the Washington, DC area and transitioned her career to promoting belonging in the workplace, including past roles as global Director of Diversity & Inclusion for O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Diversity Officer for the International Monetary Fund.

A sought-after thought leader on corporate wellness, Denise is the host of PLI’s Mindfulness for Lawyers series (part of The Well-Rounded Lawyer video anthology), co-author of the Law360 article “Making the Case for Rest in the Legal Profession” (March 2025) and a co-keynote speaker for the Institute for Well-Being in Law’s 2025 Annual Conference. She is also the author of the eBook Restoring Power: Recharging Strategies for the Everyday Change Agent (2025), which explores rest as a tool for reclaiming agency and sustainability for mission-driven professionals. Her approach to organizational well-being is grounded in 15 years of experience teaching yoga and other contemplative practices, as well as her background as a distance runner and certified running coach. Denise also serves her community as a volunteer parent advocate with a nonprofit supporting autistic students in Montgomery County, Maryland

Jamie Schafrath, Vice President, Client Development & Engagement, Bartha

FICP Chat LIVE! The Rise of Event Technologists, Project Managers and Event Producers

Jamie Schafrath has spent more than 25 years at the intersection of creativity, strategy and technology—helping organizations transform events into experiences that inspire, educate and deliver real results. As VP of Client Development & Engagement at Bartha, an 80-year-old AV production agency, she partners with brands and associations to design events that truly resonate. Known for her authenticity, energy and love of collaboration, Jamie is passionate about the evolving roles of event technologists, project managers and producers. A proud Buckeye with a degree in hospitality from The Ohio State University, she is active in FICP, MPI, ILEA, OSAP, ASAE and PCMA. Outside of work, Jamie enjoys cooking, traveling, documentaries and time with family and friends.

Michael Schillinger, Founder & CEO, IMS Vienna, Budapest, Prague

International Insights: A Collaborative Approach to Planning Global Events

When considering Central Europe for incentives, Michael Schillinger is your go-to expert. With a successful career in the international hotel industry and extensive experience working with incentive clients, he recognized the lack of a DMC specializing in the North-American market - so he founded one himself.

Today, Michael reflects on 40 years of outstanding leadership at IMS – Your DMC in the Heart of Europe – with three offices and teams in Vienna, Budapest and Prague. He remains committed to delivering exceptional events filled with unique experiences, shaping the future of incentive travel in these destinations.

Jenny Stitz, Account Director, Group Sales, Four Seasons Worldwide Sales Organization

Innovation in Action: FICP Stories of Unreasonable Hospitality

Jenny Stitz is an Account Director, Worldwide Sales at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where she partners with clients and industry leaders to deliver exceptional hospitality experiences across a global portfolio. With 19 years of experience at Four Seasons, she has built trusted relationships with her valued group customers. Jenny is recognized for her client first approach and her ability to align business objectives with memorable once in a lifetime guest experiences. She regularly collaborates with her Four Seasons colleagues across the world to drive innovation, strengthen brand loyalty and create tailored solutions in an evolving travel landscape.

Chantal Sturk Nadeau, CDME, Vice President, Innovation and Insights, PCMA

Work Smarter, Not Harder: How You Can Revolutionize Business Events Through AI

Chantal Sturk-Nadeau is a visionary leader in the global business events and tourism industry, currently serving as Vice President of Innovation & Insights at PCMA. With over 25 years of experience in tourism leadership roles at Destination Canada and Tourism Winnipeg, Chantal has consistently demonstrated her ability to develop innovative strategies and drive exponential growth for organizations worldwide. She has pioneered data-driven strategies that revolutionized destination marketing, implementing cutting-edge research platforms for evidence-based decision making. Her curiosity for developing efficient operations has led to innovative solutions leveraging technology and AI. 

Now leading Spark, the only AI-generative tool developed for and by event professionals, Chantal combines her extensive destination sales and marketing expertise with her passion for technology to spearhead the Future of Work with AI in the business event sector. Her career exemplifies the power of strategic thinking, collaborative leadership and a commitment to excellence in the ever-evolving landscape of global business events and tourism. Her insights and experiences promise to inspire and inform audiences seeking to navigate the complexities of today's business environment.

Dr. Claus te Wildt, Capital Market Strategist

The Economics of the Financial Services and Insurance Industry

Dr. Claus te Wildt is a distinguished and experienced financial services executive and a highly respected thought leader in the asset management industry. He has earned a reputation of being able to break down the complex and sometimes confusing global investment landscape for advisors and their clients. As a noted speaker at major industry events, Dr. te Wildt ensures that financial advisors benefit from actionable portfolio implementation ideas and greater confidence in articulating those ideas and strategies to their clients. Previously, Dr. te Wildt headed the Capital Markets Strategy Group of Fidelity Investments for 18 years. In that role, he formulated and communicated Fidelity’s capital market view to Fidelity Institutional clients in the intermediary channel. Dr. te Wildt was also a regular speaker at the national and regional conferences of most major broker-dealer firms, including events organized by Merrill Lynch, UBS, and Wells Fargo. His commentary was published on Fidelity.com, created Fidelity’s Investment Themes market outlook series and co-hosted its “Thinking Outside the Portfolio” podcast.

Prior to joining Fidelity, Dr. te Wildt co-founded teMac Investments, an advisor firm that operated similar to a hedge fund. He also held a variety of senior and executive positions at GT Global and Dresdner RCM and worked as a consultant at Bain & Company. Dr. te Wildt earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in finance from the University of Colorado and a Doctor of Political Science (PhD) in finance from the University of Kiel in Germany. In addition to speaking engagements, Dr. te Wildt is now working as an independent consultant where he advises clients on portfolio construction, client communication, crisis management, support of client acquisition and retention, and executive coaching. Dr. te Wildt lives with his wife outside of Boston where they raised two children. In his spare time, he golfs, cheers for his hometown club Borussia Dortmund and supports various Cancer Foundations. 

Andreas Weissenborn, Vice President of Research and Advocaacy, Destinations International

Destination Reputation and Strategy: Navigating Societal Issues in Event Location Decisions

Introduced to the world of destination organizations by a random internship application to Visit Baltimore (then known as Baltimore Area Convention & Visitors Association), Andreas Weissenborn began an unexpected career into hospitality that left him with a continued passion towards the tourism industry. Weissenborn spent just short of 11 years with Visit Baltimore helping with its Research, Technology and Information Systems across the organization. In 2017, he joined the Association on behalf of a Destinations International Foundation initiative to be a dedicated research source for Destinations International. Part of his responsibilities include supporting core advocacy and research initiatives such as the community shared value, the tourism lexicon, the event impact calculator and various reporting platforms, and the belief of destination promotion being a common good for the greater good.

Gerald Wilson, Vice President, Public Safety, Events DC

Enhancing Safety and Reducing Risk for Attendees and Executives at Events

Gerald M. Wilson has served as Vice President of Public Safety for Events DC since 2007, leading public safety efforts for seven national special security events. He previously served as Assistant Chief of Police for the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Chief of DC Protective Services and Chief of Police for Prince George’s County, Maryland.

A graduate of the University of Maryland University College with degrees in criminal justice and human resource management, Gerald is also a husband and father of three.

Julie Wilson, CMP, Assistant Vice President-Meeting & Events, Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa

FICP Chat LIVE! Meetings Professional and Hospitality Partner Collaboration in the Digital Age

Certified Meeting Professional Julie Wilson is passionate about meetings and events and the power they have to shape a company’s culture and brand. With nearly 35 years in the industry, she has taken her role at Farmers Mutual Hail from one more closely aligned with an administrative assistant to that of a master strategist working directly with top leadership to drive the company’s business initiatives through their meetings and events. She resides in Norwalk, Iowa, with her husband, Jim, who is also an FICP member. In their free time, they love to golf and travel. Together they have four children and seven grandchildren.