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Dare to Interrupt Podcast to Record Episode in Front of Audience at IMEX America

Photo of Courtney Stanley, standing in a blue dress against a beige background.

Meetings and events industry women’s empowerment leader Courtney Stanley is bringing her Dare to Interrupt podcast to IMEX America for a live-audience taping Monday, October 6, during the She Means Business component of Smart Monday, a day-long educational offering the day before the October 7-9 IMEX America main program. 

Stanley and Meetings Today have partnered on the Dare to Interrupt podcast—one of the most popular in the meetings and events industry—for more than six years, interviewing a variety of woman hospitality industry thought leaders, and even a few men, during its run.

[Related: The Latest and Greatest Program Components at IMEX America 2025]

“Getting to bring this live podcast conversation to IMEX America during She Means Business is such a full-circle moment,” Stanley said. “This program has always been about creating space for women to share their stories, challenge the status quo and spark change—and to do it on a stage where the entire industry is watching makes it even more powerful.”

Photo of Courtney Stanley (left), Precious Williams, Sheila Vijeyarasa and Yush Sztalkoper.
From left: Courtney Stanley, Precious Williams, Sheila Vijeyarasa and Yush Sztalkoper

The “Dare to Interrupt LIVE: Bold Conversations and Brave Leadership” episode, sponsored by Visit Orlando, will feature three women who are making waves both at IMEX America and in the hospitality industry at large: 

  • Yush Sztalkoper, founder and neuroinclusion strategist, NeuroSpark+, a late-diagnosed neurodivergent professional who is building “the human operating system for the AI era”
  • Sheila Vijeyarasa, CEO and founder, The Brave Woman, a featured IMEX America speaker and internationally bestselling author who most recently penned Brave: Courageously Live Your Truth and The Power of Little Stepshttps://www.meetingstoday.com/dare-to-interrupt
  • Precious L. Williams, CEO, Perfect Pitch Group, a 13-time national elevator-pitch champion, bestselling author and speaker for global brands such as BMW, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Blackstone.

[Related: 2025 IMEX America Speaker Spotlight]

Stanley summed up the episode as follows: “Where unfiltered stories meet actionable strategies, women in events take the mic to redefine leadership with confidence, visibility and authenticity, sparking courage, belonging and the bold change our industry needs.”

Stanley added that the session will cover everything from navigating career challenges and leading with courage to advancing neuroinclusion, belonging and communication that inspires change.

When and Where to Attend

Date: Monday, October 6

Time: 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Venue: Mandalay Bay, North Convention Center, Tradewinds C/D room.

Listen to more Dare to Interrupt podcasts: MeetingsToday.com/Dare-to-Interrupt.
 

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About the author
Tyler Davidson | Editor, Vice President & Chief Content Director

Tyler Davidson is the vice president and chief content director for Meetings Today, which publishes the meetings industry trade magazine Meetings Today as well as MeetingsToday.com, various newsletters, webinars, the in-person Meetings Today LIVE! Hosted-buyer events and other meetings and events industry B2B channels.

 

Tyler has covered the travel trade for nearly 35 years.  In his role with Meetings Today, which recently won the prestigious FOLIO: Eddies Award for best magazine issue, Tyler leads the editorial team on its mission to provide the most in-depth meetings content in the industry. Previously, he worked as the Asia, Canada, Pacific Northwest and Western U.S. editor at Travel Weekly magazine and TravelAge West. Before joining the dual editorial staff producing destination sections for Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, Tyler was the Africa, Israel, Middle East, Switzerland and Pacific Northwest editor at TravelAge West. He also undertook general news and feature assignments while working at the magazines. 

 

Besides reporting on the travel trade, Tyler has covered the real estate industry, held various editorial positions at the San Francisco-based national satire magazine The Nose, wrote freelance technology industry pieces and covered the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders for a bilingual newspaper in San Francisco. He has a B.A. in Journalism from San Francisco State University, where he worked in various editorial capacities on its award-winning student magazine, Prism. 

Contact: tyler.davidson@meetingstoday.com

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