2024 IFEA Annual Convention & Expo

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2024 IFEA Annual Convention & Expo

We invite you, and all those important to making your visions a reality, to join your global peers for the IFEA Annual Convention & Expo, presented by atVenu, and to make that important investment to Refocus; to learn; to imagine; to share; to expand your horizons; and to reconnect with the grand visions that inspire you the most.

8:00am EDT

CFEE Check-In On-Site Room - Duquesne

9:00am EDT

CFEE Professional Certification Class: Operations & Risk Management Room - DuquesneIra Rosen, MA, CFEE • Kaliff Insurance

12:00pm EDT

Lunch On Own Local Area Restaurants

1:30pm EDT

CFEE Professional Certification Class: Operations & Risk Management Room - DuquesneIra Rosen, MA, CFEE • Kaliff Insurance

5:00pm EDT

Free Evening for Attendees On Own

8:00am EDT

CFEE Check-In On-Site Room - Duquesne

9:00am EDT

CFEE Professional Certification Class: Project Management Room - DuquesneIra Rosen, MA, CFEE • Kaliff Insurance

12:00pm EDT

Lunch On Own Local Area Restaurants

1:30pm EDT

CFEE Professional Certification Class: Project Management Room - DuquesneIra Rosen, MA, CFEE • Kaliff Insurance

5:00pm EDT

Free Evening for Attendees On Own

8:00am EDT

CFEE Check-In On-Site Room - Duquesne

9:00am EDT

CFEE Professional Certification Class: Non-Sponsorship Revenue Programs Room - DuquesneBecky Genoways, CFEE • Kaliff Insurance Igniting the Future of Events: Student Summit on Careers in Festivals and TourismIra Rosen, MA, CFEE • Cindy Lerick, MA, CFEE • David Ramirez, CFEE • VisitPITTSBURGH

12:00pm EDT

Lunch On Own Local Area Restaurants IFEA Registration Desk Open Location - Hotel Lobby

1:30pm EDT

CFEE Professional Certification Class: Non-Sponsorship Revenue Programs Room - DuquesneBecky Genoways, CFEE • Kaliff Insurance

5:00pm EDT

A First-Timer's Roadmap to Maximizing the IFEA and Convention Room - BenedumCindy Lerick, MA, CFEE

6:00pm EDT

DFEST® Hospitality Suite Convention Welcome Room - Governor's Suite 2340dfest Free Evening for Attendees On Own

7:00am EDT

IFEA Foundation Silent Auction Ballroom FoyerIFEA Foundation IFEA Registration Desk Open Location - Ballroom Foyer Registration Desk

8:00am EDT

Connections Café (coffee served all day) Ballroom FoyerEventeny

8:30am EDT

IFEA 2024 Annual Convention Open: Refocus Your Story…Remember the Magic Room - Ballroom 1Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE • Jake Pawlak • Sara Immorato • Jazelle Jones • Ira Rosen, MA, CFEE • Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble • Atomic • atVenu • Encore • Elsberg Studios

9:30am EDT

Keynote Speaker: Refocus Your Story, Your Happiness and Your Success with Blind Ambition Room - Ballroom 1Chad Foster • IFEA Foundation

10:45am EDT

A Look Inside America's 250th Planning; The Pennsylvania Way Room - King's Garden 4Cassandra Coleman Affinity Group: Volunteer Programs Room - King's Garden 1Alex McNulty, CFEE • Erin Jackson, CFEE Decisions, Decisions: How You Can Nudge Your Customers (Attendees, Sponsors, Stakeholders, et al.) to Influence Themselves Room - King's Garden 2Dave Bullard, CFEE The Perfect 10: Proven Ideas to Keep Your Sponsors Coming Back for More Room - King's Garden 5Gail Lowney Alofsin The Perfect Recipe for Creating and Maintaining a Fired Up Internship Program Room - King's Garden 3Kat Paye, CFEE • Tim Otteman

12:00pm EDT

IFEA Awards Luncheon Room - Ballroom 1Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE • Jazelle Jones • David Olivares, CFEE • Jerad Bachar • Matt Gibson • Stevan Ryan • Dr. Vern Biaett, CFEE • Atomic • atVenu • Encore • Kaliff Insurance • SecurEvent Solutions • Elsberg Studios

2:00pm EDT

2024 Industry Deep Dive: Fan Spending at 50K+ Events Room - King's Garden 4Collette Ingalls Affinity Group: Arts Events Room - King's Garden 1Stephen King, CFEE Affinity Group: Operations & Risk Management Room - King's Garden 2Becky Genoways, CFEE Navigating the New Event Insurance Realities Room - King's Garden 3David Olivares, CFEE Sales 201: Advanced Sales Skills for Vendors & Events Room - King's Garden 5Michael Bleau

3:15pm EDT

Affinity Group: Cities, CVB's & Tourism Room - King's Garden 1Wes Rhea, CDME Affinity Group: Sponsorship Room - King's Garden 2Sally Croker Earning (and Keeping!) More Money for Your Event Room - King's Garden 4Cassie Dispenza, CFEE Leadership at ALL Levels: 7 Strategies to Lead Through Change Room - King's Garden 5Gail Lowney Alofsin Volunteer Engagement Trends & Strategies Room - King's Garden 3Christine Nardecchia

4:30pm EDT

IFEA / Haas & Wilkerson Insurance Pinnacle Awards Presentation Room - Ballroom 1Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE • Andrew Vandepopulier • Haas & Wilkerson Insurance

6:00pm EDT

Free Evening in Pittsburgh On Own

9:00pm EDT

DFEST® Hospitality Suite Room - Governor's Suite 2340dfest

7:00am EDT

IFEA Foundation Silent Auction Ballroom FoyerIFEA Foundation IFEA Registration Desk Open Location - Ballroom Foyer Registration Desk

8:00am EDT

Connections Café (coffee served all day) Ballroom FoyerEventeny

8:30am EDT

Affinity Group: CEO's Room - King's Garden 2Jazelle Jones Affinity Group: Marketing & PR Room - King's Garden 3Dave Bullard, CFEE Event Energizer: Shifting from Routine to Riveting Room - King's Garden 4Cindy Lerick, MA, CFEE • Ira Rosen, MA, CFEE Matching Money with Mission Room - King's Garden 5Brandon D'Alimonte, CFEA What is happening with Insurance...something new everyday! Room - King's Garden 1Andrew Vandepopulier

9:45am EDT

A Look Ahead at Social Media Trends for 2025 Room - King's Garden 4David Ramirez, CFEE A Look into Pittsburgh's Major Events: From Arts to Food, Road Races to Holiday Celebrations (Part 1) Room - King's Garden 5Molly Evans • Sarah Aziz • Dr. Rishi Raj Bahl • Brandon D'Alimonte, CFEA • Brian Katze, CFEE • Lynn Morrissey • Mairin Petrone, CFEE Affinity Group: Parades Room - King's Garden 1Ed Bautista, CFEE Maximize Sponsor Value in 2025: Beyond Impressions and Into Incremental Revenue Room - King's Garden 2Collette Ingalls Understanding the Unthinkable: Human Trafficking at Events Room - King's Garden 3Jordan Pine

11:00am EDT

A Look into Pittsburgh's Major Events: From Arts to Food, Road Races to Holiday Celebrations (Con't) Room - King's Garden 5Molly Evans • Sarah Aziz • Dr. Rishi Raj Bahl • Brandon D'Alimonte, CFEA • Brian Katze, CFEE • Lynn Morrissey • Mairin Petrone, CFEE A Trend is a Trend . . . Question Is, Will It Bend? Room - King's Garden 3Keli O'Neill Wenzel, CFEE AI (R)Evolution and the Continued Impact on Events Room - King's Garden 4David Ramirez, CFEE Caring for the Mind Behind the Magic: Promoting Mental Health in Festivals & Events Room - King's Garden 1Sam Lemheney, CFEE Scoring Sponsorship and Audience Engagement: Pittsburgh Professional Sports Panel Room - King's Garden 2Monica Malik • Chris Hart • Jared Kozinn • Luke Mohamed

12:15pm EDT

IFEA Expo & Lunch Room - Ballrooms 2, 3, & 4atVenu • Imperial Events Security Services

3:30pm EDT

Inspire the Industry: From Victim to Visionary Resilience Workshop Room - Ballroom 1Chad Foster • Atomic • atVenu • Encore • IFEA Foundation • Elsberg Studios

7:00pm EDT

May the Road Rise to Meet You': IFEA Foundation Irish Celebration & Live Auction Room - King's Garden BallroomShovlin Academy of Irish Dance • Donnie Irish • Encore • Pittsburgh Irish Festival • IFEA Foundation • Elsberg Studios

10:30pm EDT

DFEST® Hospitality Suite Room - Governor's Suite 2340dfest

8:00am EDT

Connections Café (coffee served all day) Ballroom FoyerEventeny IFEA Registration Desk Open Location - Ballroom Foyer Registration Desk

8:30am EDT

Inspire the Industry: Reduce, Reuse, Refocus: Sustainable Strategies That Will Strengthen Your Event Room - Ballroom 1Steven Kovacik • Atomic • atVenu • Encore • Elsberg Studios

9:45am EDT

Fighting The Stigma – Cannabis and Strategic Partnerships Room - King's Garden 2Hana Purcell • Matt Trickett Mass Gathering Security (Part 1) Room - King's Garden 4John French • Wendy Alkinburgh • Phillip Barker • Kristin Daniels • Kendall Derstine • Bob Winters Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Stadium Tour Room - King's Garden 1 for walk to PNC StadiumBrandon D'Alimonte, CFEA • Jared Kozinn Refocus on Infusing the New Into Your Event Room - King's Garden 5Ted Baroody, CFEE The Power of Community: Reasons Why Community Engagement Can Impact the Way You Plan Your Event Room - King's Garden 3TaKeyia Dickens, CFEE, MBA

11:00am EDT

A Healthy Volunteer Culture Can Be Easy As Pie Room - King's Garden 3Kat Paye, CFEE • Whitney Amann Mass Gathering Security (Con't) Room - King's Garden 4John French • Wendy Alkinburgh • Phillip Barker • Kristin Daniels • Kendall Derstine • Bob Winters Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Stadium Tour (Con't) Location - PNC StadiumBrandon D'Alimonte, CFEA • Jared Kozinn The Power of Texting: Supercharging Your Revenue Room - King's Garden 5Ben Young, MBA Tips for Impractical Weather at Your Outdoor Event Room - King's Garden 2Jeff Hyman • Evan Schaeffer, CFEE, CSEP

12:00pm EDT

IFEA Expo & Lunch Room - Ballrooms 2, 3, & 4atVenu • Imperial Events Security Services

2:00pm EDT

Citizens Helping Citizens: A Look Inside the World of Bank Partnerships Room - King's Garden 4Monica Malik Inclusivity for Events-Making Your Event More Welcoming-Not Just Accessible Room - King's Garden 3Erin Jackson, CFEE Refocusing on the View from Our Food & Beverage and Merchandise Partners Room - King's Garden 5Rey O' Day Spanning the Globe of Festivals and Events: The World of IFEA Room - King's Garden 1Joe Vera, CFEE • Daniel Baldacci, CFEE • Sydney Lee • Fiona Lin • Xingyu Lin • Kulwadee Pattamas (May), CEM • Samuel Sankar, CFEE • Pattanachai Singhavara, CEM, CMP, CIS Sparking Creativity: Generating Innovative Content for Festivals & Events Room - King's Garden 2Sam Lemheney, CFEE

3:15pm EDT

Closing Session Keynote: (Re)Focus on the 'Wow'! Room - Ballroom 1Rob Barber • Atomic • atVenu • Encore • Elsberg Studios