Meetings Today LIVE! South

Jessie States, CMP, CMM

Vice President, MPI Academy
Meeting Professionals International

Jessie States, CMP, CMM, is the Vice President of the MPI Academy for Meeting Professionals International, where she leads and advances MPI’s professional development strategy, developing and managing MPI’s portfolio of educational products, including live and digital events, educational experiences, professional certificate programs and educational partnerships. Jessie has received the Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council, an honor that recognizes emerging leaders and industry supporters. She has also earned spots on the lists of 25 Most Influential People in Meetings and Events (Successful Meetings magazine) and Trendsetters (Meetings Today magazine).

Session: Meetings Unbound: Inspiration to Fuel Creativity for Next-Era Events

Empty classrooms. Crowded hallways. Wasted effort (and money). Participants are no-showing traditional formats like lectures, panels and “networking breaks,” using the “Law of Two Feet” to LEAVE when they are neither learning nor contributing. When they make the investment to attend an in-person event (time, money, OOO), participants want to MEET—with experts, leaders, mentors and peers. They want to ENGAGE with others to solve problems, strengthen relationships, evolve thinking, apply learning and drive change. Join MPI Academy Vice President Jessie States to gain insights from a NEW catalogue of unique experiences and consider how you can use new experience formats to help participants exchange knowledge through personal conversations and connections.

Learner Outcomes

-Find new ideas for sessions that drive greater levels of purposeful engagement.
-Use proven unique experiences and formats as a springboard for your own creative process.
-Apply a new lens to the design and delivery of in-person experiences.

Marilyn Sherman, CSP, CPAE

Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker
UpFront Presentations

Marilyn Sherman is not just a speaker, she is a force of nature. With over 25 years of experience in corporate training and professional speaking, she has established herself as one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the industry. Her dedication to her craft has earned her the distinguished honor of being inducted to the National Speaker’s Association CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame in 2018. She has written four motivational books that have inspired countless readers to take action, get out of their comfort zone and get a front-row seat in life. Like an usher at a Las Vegas show, Marilyn illuminates the path to success by shining her light to help others get to the front-row of their lives.

Session: Front-Row Success: How Top Performers Never Settle for Balcony Seats

More than ever, companies are worried about retaining top talent. With over a third of the workforce in the U.S. being disengaged with their jobs, it’s time to recommit and reignite some energy to motivate people to get excited about their work life again.  

This session will inspire individuals to identify what their goals are, take stock of where they are now in relation to where they want to be, and will provide attendees with the tools to accomplish more. There are also obstacles along the path to success, so participants will identify what is blocking them and how they can overcome those obstacles for peak performance.  

Inspiring keynote speaker Marilyn Sherman, CSP, CPAE, will show you how to be resilient and professional in the pressure cooker of business event planning by employing actionable success strategies and managing your energy levels in the heat of the action.

Learner Outcomes

-How to envision the desired outcome for your events, helping you to design and execute gatherings that align with strategic business objectives.
-How to acquire skills in energy management, enabling you to prioritize high-impact tasks and make the most of your peak productivity times, crucial for the demanding role of event planning.
-How to employ techniques for increasing engagement among stakeholders, including clients, attendees and team members.
-How to handle communication when overwhelmed is at a maximum.