PCMA’s Convening Leaders conference will feature Seth Godin and Billie Jean King

Content in this conference comes under nine theme tracks to educate attendees on hot industry topics such as diversity and inclusion; event strategy and design; innovation; leadership; audience engagement and acquisition. “Disrupt & Deliver” also offers many networking opportunities including hackathons for participants to help them connect and build relationships. 

Disruption will be especially covered by one of the highlights, Seth Godin: Creating tension should be a key factor in developing events, said the marketing guru. Tension, he said, contributes to the fear of missing out, and that can create the buzz that helps make events successful. Godin will take participants on a journey that will have them wonder whether their events would be missed if they were gone. 

Two keynote speakers will especially bring the inclusive touch: Billie Jean King, equal rights champion and tennis legend and named by Life magazine among the 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century. Sherrif Karamat, PCMA President and CEO, highlights that “Billie Jean will offer insights into her outstanding career and advocacy for diversity and inclusion.”. Karamo Brown, activist and television personality, whose role as culture expert on Netflix’s “Queer Eye” series helps individuals boost their self-esteem and self-awareness will participate within the “Disrupt & Deliver’s” Ascent Studio, an education track focusing on diversity and inclusion. Ascent is a PCMA initiative to promote inclusion and diversity across the business events industry which seeks to empower those challenged by gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or disabilities to find success in the industry, and educates decision makers for inclusive workplaces and events. 

Other speakers include:

• Lindsey Pollak, author and advisor to young professionals on how to navigate multi-generational workplaces.
• Anka Wittenberg, an economist and global diversity and inclusion thought leader.
• Peter Sheahan, founder of Karrikins Group, a behavior change company.
• Molly Breazeale, founder of AlignED, which helps business leaders create open workplaces.
• Rohit Bhargava, author and founder of Non-Obvious Co., which helps businesses identify new opportunities and implement smart ideas.

 PCMA, traditionally very North American, has embarked on a global development in the last couple of years, including a European office lead by Lucca Favetta.