Preparing for the Unexpected: A Hands-On Crisis Management Plan Workshop

Areas of Interest: Strategic Thinking and Impact
CMP-IS Domain C: Risk Management

Speakers: Stuart Ruff-Lyon, Stuart Ruff Lyon, Chief Events and Sales Officer, RIM (Risk and Insurance Management Society) and Andy L. Peloquin, EVP Security Risk Management, Merrill Herzog Group

This interactive workshop will guide participants through the essential steps of building a comprehensive crisis management plan. Participants will not only learn key strategies for anticipating and responding to emergencies but will also roll up their sleeves to begin developing their own plans. By the end of the session, you’ll have a solid foundation for crisis preparedness, ensuring your team is ready to manage any unexpected situations with confidence.

Writing Effective Prompts for Success: A Hands-On AI Workshop

Areas of Interest: Technology Solutions
CMP-IS Domain G: Meeting or Event Design

Speaker: Nick Borelli, Director of Marketing, Zenus

Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help event professionals unlock the full potential of AI in their planning processes. We'll cover key techniques for writing effective prompts that drive optimal results from AI models, including how to provide context, be specific, use clear separators, and set constraints. Through real-world examples and interactive exercises, participants will gain practical skills for leveraging AI to enhance creativity, streamline workflows, and solve complex event challenges. 

This session will be repeated on Tuesday, June 24 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Impact Rebel: Developing a Sustainability Strategy That Sticks

Areas of Interest: Thinking and Impact
CMP-IS Domain A: Strategic Planning

Speaker: Courtney Lohmann, Founder, Courtney Lohmann Consultiing

This interactive session will explore the evolution of sustainability in the corporate world, with a focus on how chief sustainability officers are influencing meetings, events and procurement teams — and why now is the time to develop a well-defined strategy for your sustainability initiatives. We will walk through what a sustainability strategy plan is — not just for an event, but for your entire department’s approach to planning. You will learn the three P’s framework to help you identify, align, design and implement an effective strategy that allows for measurable initiatives that you can report on and improve on year over year. Through group exercises, you'll discover how integrating sustainability into your planning process drives efficiency and impact.  Be ready to participate, collaborate and leave with actionable strategies to elevate sustainability across all of your events!

FICP Chat LIVE! Industry Panel Revisited: Overcoming Rising Costs and Evolving Expectations in the Event Industry

Areas of Interest: Strategic Thinking and Impact
CMP-IS Domain A: Strategic Planning

Facilitators: Elizabeth Narzikul, CMP, Marketing & Events Manager, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Stacie Nerf, CTE, Manager, MICE – Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions, Delta Air Lines and Tracey Svenningsen, Associate Director of Sales, Raffles Boston

Following the session Overcoming Rising Costs and Evolving Expectations in the Event Industry, this FICP Chats will offer meetings professionals and hospitality partners the chance to reflect on the session with their peers and dive deeper into the topics discussed. At the end of this session, each group will share their top takeaways to help navigate the current event landscape.

From Burnout to Balance: Educating Stakeholders and Advocating for Resources

Areas of Interest: Strategic Thinking and Impact
CMP-IS Domain F: Stakeholder Management

Speakers: Katherine LaMacchia, Managing Director, Director of Corporate Events, Baird  and Jessica King, Associate Director, Meetings and Events, First Command Financial Services. Dawn Barbeau, Global Vice President of Sales, Global DMC Partners (moderator)

Do you feel like your team is running on empty? You’re not the only one. Join this panel of peers as we discuss how to educate stakeholders to get the support you and your team need. We’ll dive into how to effectively communicate the team’s staffing needs to avoid burnout and how to make the case for more resources. 

Practical Tips for Making Meetings More Accessible

Areas of Interest: Meeting Planning Trends and Solutions
CMP-IS Domain G: Meeting or Event Design

Speaker: Sophia Hyder Hock, Chief Impact Officer, Destinations International

Inclusive events start with recognizing and responding to the diverse needs of your attendees. In this session, we’ll dive into how thoughtful planning and small, meaningful changes—across every stage of the event lifecycle, from pre-event outreach to post-event wrap-up—can create a more welcoming and accessible experience. Join us to learn practical, budget-friendly strategies to help every attendee feel seen, supported, and valued. 

FICP Chat LIVE! Strategies for Successful Incentive Trips and International Planning

Areas of Interest: Meeting Planning Trends and Solutions
CMP-IS Domain G: Meeting or Event Design 

Facilitators: Janet Melendez, President, Interactive DMC Puerto Rico and Ashley Poe, Sr. Customer Engagement & Event Manager, Swiss Re

In this FICP Chats session, you will have the opportunity to engage with other meetings professionals and hospitality partners on the intricacies of planning incentive trips and international events. Discussion topics may include budget constraints, booking best practices, trending locations and more! At the conclusion of this session, each group will report their top takeaways to share ideas to help you plan your next incentive trip or international event with ease.

Writing Effective Prompts for Success: A Hands-On AI Workshop

Areas of Interest: Technology Solutions
CMP-IS Domain G: Meeting or Event Design

Speaker: Nick Borelli, Director of Marketing, Zenus

Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help event professionals unlock the full potential of AI in their planning processes. We'll cover key techniques for writing effective prompts that drive optimal results from AI models, including how to provide context, be specific, use clear separators, and set constraints. Through real-world examples and interactive exercises, participants will gain practical skills for leveraging AI to enhance creativity, streamline workflows, and solve complex event challenges. 

This session is a repeat from Monday, June 23 from 3:00-4:15 p.m.

Bridging the Generational Gap: Crafting Engaging Event Experiences for Multi-Generational Audiences

Areas of Interest: Meeting Planning Trends and Solutions
CMP-IS Domain G: Meeting or Event Design

Speaker: David Saef, Chief Instigator, Freeman

The Next Generation Event Goer (NGEG) is no longer emerging—they are here. Gen Z has officially overtaken Boomers in the workforce. This means there are four generations actively attending events and their needs and expectations differ and new expectations are arising. This session will review the latest research on event attendees through the XLNC model—eXperience, Learning, Networking and Commerce— we will share differences between the generations and highlight key priorities to enable event organizers and sponsors to attract and engage attendees in order to deliver critical outcomes for all.