On-Demand Panel Discussion: What’s (Really) on the Event Horizon?

Watch this 1-hour panel discussion with three conference industry veterans as we break down key themes and findings from the Omnipress 2023 Conference Industry Report, including:

• How the role and format of conferences is evolving in 2023 and beyond
• The idea of planning more “purposeful” meetings
• What they’re doing to attract new attendees—especially young professionals
• What they see as the greatest challenges for the conference industry in the next 1-3 years

About the Report:

Omnipress’ 2023 Conference Industry Report features data from a survey of over 200 event and association professionals. This 9^th annual report explores what “back to normal” actually means in 2023, and whether the events of the past three years have permanently transformed event delivery and attendee expectations.

Meet the Panelists:

Beth Surmont, FASAE, CMP-Fellow, CAE
360 Live Media

Beth Surmont is obsessed with events. With on-the-ground experience spanning more than 20 years in corporate and non-profit events and trade shows; and as the current Vice President of Event Strategy & Design at 360 Live Media; Beth is an influential designer in shaping what the next era of events will be. She frequently speaks at ASAE, PCMA, MPI and other industry events, and hosts a regular design series called the Event Innovators Xchange (EIX).

In 2023, Beth was a finalist for the Event Designer of the Year award from PCMA. She was also named to the inaugural class of CMP Fellows in 2022, and to the 2022 ASAE Fellows class. In 2021 she was listed as one of BizBash’s 500 Most Influential People in Events. And she was named one of the Top 25 Influencers in the Meetings Industry for 2020. Beth is a founding board member of SocialOffset, a nonprofit that encourages local donations instead of destination boycotts. She currently lives in New Jersey with her wife and two dogs.

Joan Eisenstodt, Principal
Eisenstodt Associates – Meetings & Hospitality Consultant

Joan Eisenstodt founded Eisenstodt Associates, a Washington, DC-based association, meetings, and hospitality consulting company in 1981. She brings more than 45 years experience to her work with associations, hotel companies, corporations, government agencies, and DMOs, to consult on RFPs, meeting design, contract negotiations, risk and contingency planning, and to conduct training and facilitate processes about aspects of meeting and meeting planning.

Active in ASAE, MPI, PCMA, and other industry and non-industry organizations, Joan’s passions for life-long learning, meeting preparation, risk anticipation and contingency planning, ethical and inclusivity practices, and meeting excellence have been well-recognized: by MPI, HSMAI, IACC, and NSA; as an inductee into the EIC Hall of Leaders, and by the PCMA Foundation for Lifetime Achievement as an Educator.

Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED, Founder
DMP Creative

Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED is the founder of DMP Creative LLC – a firm that specializes in helping not-for-profits, associations, and institutions of all sizes reach their strategic goals via events.

A passionate event professional, Devon also serves as the Director of North America for the Event Design Collective, specializing in event design education and training in the United States and Canada. A believer in purposeful and mission-driven events, Devon leverages design thinking and empathy-driven systems to design events that maximize impact.

Devon has been a featured speaker and volunteer for MPI, Academic Event Planners, and Northstar Meeting Group, and has been recognized for her passion in elevating the importance of events as part of strategic plans. Devon earned her CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) certification from the Events Industry Council in 2020 and a CED (Certified Event Designer) designation from the Events Design Collective in 2021. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Creativity and Innovation from Drexel University’s School of Education and is an adjunct professor at Drexel University and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.