DALLAS, December 2, 2022 —Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is pleased to announce the approved slate for the 2023 MPI International Board of Directors and the 2023 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.

The MPI International Board of Directors is the governing body of MPI and is responsible for developing and leading the organization's strategic plans. It oversees the financial integrity of the organization and monitors performance against achievement of strategy and long-term vision.

The MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees (GBOT) is the governing body of the MPI Foundation, leading the organization’s strategic planning and fundraising efforts.

“On behalf of the Board Development Committee, we were impressed by the qualified applications received and the thorough discussion we had to arrive to these slates,” said Stephen Revetria, 2023 MPI Board Development Committee Chair and Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors.

“I was very pleased by the level of interest and quality of candidates who raised their hand to serve on MPI’s International Board. As the new slate of directors joins our two very strong boards, they will bring additional thought leadership and experience that will make a difference at the leadership level across the MPI Community. Their perspectives and contributions will be accretive to the work of our boards in advancing MPI and the

global meeting and event community,” said Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI.

Board members will take office effective January 1, 2023, for the term from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

Below is the full slate of the 2023 MPI International Board of Directors.

2023 MPI International Board of Directors

MPI Chair of the Board

Cleo Battle, CDME, CASE (Term expiring in 2024) President & CEO

Louisville Tourism Louisville, Kentucky USA

Nominees for Officer Positions

Chair-Elect

Michelle Allgauer, CAE, CMM, CMP Fellow (Term expiring in 2025) Senior Vice President, Education & Engagement
Financial Services Institute (FSI) Washington, D.C. USA

Vice Chair – Finance

Rob Adams (Term expiring in 2023) CEO
Bishop-McCann
Kansas City, Missouri USA

Immediate Past Chair

Bonnie Carlson, CDME (Term expiring in 2023) President & CEO
Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau Bloomington, Minnesota USA

Board Members

Expiring in 2023

Chair, MPI Foundation Jennifer Beatty, DES, HMCC Director, Partnerships

Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Julie Coker President & CEO

San Diego Tourism Authority San Diego, California USA

Tammy Routh

Senior Vice President – Global Sales Marriott International

Chicago, Illinois USA

Michel Wohlmuth CEO

Creatividad

México City, México

Special 1-year terms Robbert Weddepohl Group Venue Director Stage Entertainment Amsterdam, Netherlands

Genaya Cameron, CMM

Senior Director, Event Operations Halifax Convention Centre Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Expiring in 2024 Michael Guerriero Business Consultant

Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Bobby Heard, CAE COO

American College of Emergency Physicians Dallas, Texas USA

Lisa Messina Chief Sales Officer

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Las Vegas, Nevada USA

Chris Meyer CEO

George P. Johnson

San Francisco, California USA

Expiring in 2025

Charles Bello, CDS

Senior Vice President/Team Director ConferenceDirect

San Francisco, California, USA

Gerilyn Horan

Vice President, Group Sales & Strategic Accounts Hilton Worldwide

New York, New York, USA

Dzidra Junior, CMP

Vice President of Business Development YMCA of the Rockies

Estes Park, Colorado, USA

Jim Russell

Executive Vice President, Client Relationships Freeman

Dallas, Texas, USA

About MPI

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the largest meeting and event industry association worldwide. The organization provides innovative and relevant education, networking opportunities and business exchanges, and acts as a prominent voice for the promotion and growth of the industry. MPI has a global community of 60,000 meeting and event professionals including more than 17,000 engaged members and its Plan Your Meetings audience. It has more than 70 chapters and clubs in 75 countries. “When we meet, we change the world.” www.mpi.org

MPI Foundation 2023 Global Board of Trustees Slate Announced

Meeting Professionals International Foundation is pleased to announce the approved slate for the 2023 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.

The Global Board of Trustees is the governing body of the MPI Foundation, with responsibility for Foundation governance, strategic planning, financial oversight, and the raising and distribution of funds.

“We are very fortunate to have such talent and passion to help raise funds and sustain the meetings and events industry,” shared Kevin Kirby, MPI Foundation Executive Director.

Trustees will take office effective January 1, 2023, for the term from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

Below is the full slate of the 2023 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.

2023 MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees

The slate of officers (Executive Committee) includes:

Chair

Jennifer Beatty, DES, HMCC Director, Partnerships

Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) Ottawa, Ontario Canada (previously elected)

Chair-Elect

Susie Townsend

Chief Destination Experience Officer Visit Indy

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Immediate Past Chair

Gary Schirmacher, CMP

Senior Consultant, Talent Acquisition Maritz Global Events

Erie, Colorado USA

Vice Chair – Programs

Gina Samci

Senior Director, Global Accounts Marriott International

Lincoln, Nebraska USA

Vice Chair – Business Development

Julie Krüger

Senior Business Development Director – Global Freeman

Dallas, Texas, USA

Vice Chair – Finance David Kliman, CMM President

The Kliman Group, Inc.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Vice Chair – Chapters Sarah Soliman, DES President & CEO Soliman Productions, Inc. Orlando, Florida, USA

2023 Global Board of Trustees:

Angie Ahrens, CMP, CMM Director, Global Events MRI Software
Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Richard Allchild, CMP Head of Sales
IMEX Group
Brighton, United Kingdom

Dr. Krzysztof Celuch, CMM, CITE, CIS, HMCC, CED Vice – Rector/Professor
Vistula School of Hospitality Warsaw, Poland

Brad Dean CEO
Discover Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico

Rebecca DeLuca, CMP
Director of Key Accounts & Strategic Partnerships Caesars Entertainment
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Antonio Ducceschi, CMM, CHBA Chief Commercial Officer
Starhotels Group Florence, Italy

John Ehlenfeldt, CDME, CMP Executive Director/CEO
Visit Dana Point
Dana Point, California, USA

Darren Green Chief Sales Officer
Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board Los Angeles, California, USA

Brent Hill
Vice President, Sales and Marketing Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Orange Park, Florida, USA

Darlene Kelly-Stewart Owner
Stonehouse Sales & Marketing Services Richmond, Ontario, Canada

Joe Marcy, CMP, CITP
Business Development Executive
Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau Manhattan Beach, California USA

Gary Murakami, GTP, GLP, CMP, CMM, DES Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations Teneo Hospitality Group

San Francisco, California, USA

Kimberly Napolitano, CASE
Executive Director, Industry Relations, and Intermediary Group Sales Hilton Worldwide
McLean, Virginia, USA

Joey Nevin Vice President
Giants Enterprises
San Francisco, California, USA

Rich Reasons President Simpleview Inc.
Tucson, Arizona, USA