As AI continues to transform the world, event planners who work with government and public sector organizations have a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in driving this change. This session, led by digital transformation expert Sharon, will show how event planners can create impactful events that help public sector leaders harness AI as a tool for innovation. Traditionally seen as slower to innovate than the private sector, the public sector is now in a position to take bold steps with AI—especially with the right strategic direction.

Learn how unarmed Public Safety Ambassadors and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department work together to make 1+1=3 a big accomplishment in Downtown St. Louis. Hear how the success of strengthened partnerships provides another layer of visible public safety for residents and visitors alike, and how collaboration and clear delineation of responsibilities creates a public safety network that makes Downtown St. Louis not only feel safer, but actually be safer.

Kurt Weigle is Senior Vice President and Chief Downtown Officer of Greater St. Louis, Inc. Prior to his role at Greater St. Louis, Inc., Mr. Weigle served for 18 years as President & CEO of the Downtown Development District (DDD) of New Orleans. During his tenure, the DDD’s focus on quality of life and place-based economic development strategies to retain & attract Industries of the Mind led to international recognition of New Orleans as an entrepreneurial hub, named America’s Biggest Brain Magnet (New Geography) and the #1 City for Information Jobs in the U.S. (Forbes), among other accolades.

It’s a legal, social, and professional responsibility to plan your meeting to accommodate speakers and attendees who fall under the umbrella of the ADA. Rossetti speaks from her wheelchair, addressing crucial points you need to know to anticipate challenges to achieve a smooth, gracious, and respectful experience for every participant. She will share the best practices from case studies of organizations she helped find useful ways to make accommodations. She will focus on why ADA compliance is essential, how to set up meeting rooms, and how to adapt to dining and networking challenges. 

Discover how to enhance government meetings with modern AV setups and AI tools for greater efficiency, approachability, and engagement. This session covers:  AV for Modern Meetings: Strategies for seamless AV setups in in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats. AI for Content Creation: Tools to streamline agendas, materials, and session content while automating distribution and repurposing. Enhancing Availability: Solutions like live transcription, closed captions, and multi-language support to ensure ADA compliance. With practical demos and actionable insights, this session simplifies tech adoption to elevate your government meetings.

It’s time to dive into next year’s event trends! We surveyed hundreds of #EventProfs to bring you a curated list of the hottest trends shaking up the industry. Will Curran of Bizzabo, named one of the most influential people in events, has written the go-to event trends guide for the past seven years. Will also speaks, publishes tips, and actively produces events globally through his award-winning company. Get ready for an exciting ride ahead! 

Work-life balance for you and the members of your team is not a myth. It can (and should) be achieved. Creating positive work-life culture is a matter of understanding different work-life strategies and adapting them to your situation.  This is created through a blend of education, advocacy, and trial. Failure to create work-life friendly cultures leads to burnout, turnover, poor performance, and health issues. As a researcher of work-life balance on organizational performance, Annie will show you how to beat burnout in a fun and lighthearted way based on the book, The 2-Year Old’s Guide to Work-Life Balance.    

As meeting professionals, we strive to create welcoming, accessible environments—but truly making people feel welcome goes beyond ramps and dietary accommodations. This session explores the concept of neuro-inclusion and how to design government meetings that are more accessible to individuals with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and other cognitive differences. Learn simple yet powerful changes in agenda flow, sensory settings, communication styles, and space usage that can make your meetings more acceptable and effective for all attendees.

Communication is Key: It Begins with You empowers every leader to step into their hero role, using their superpower—communication, especially with themselves. Cindy Saylor, an NLP Practitioner will guide you through her 4 C’s: Crucial, Clarity, Confidence, Consistency. Forget the villain’s voice holding you back; it’s time to amplify your hero’s voice and own your impact. Through interactive insights and actionable tools, you’ll build the skills to lead authentically, inspire deeply, and communicate like a true hero. Ready to take your superpower to the next level?

Join SGMP at Energizer Park for a one-of-a-kind tour of the facility. Learn about sustainability initiatives and strengthen your offsite hosting skills. Learn how to produce a successful event at a sports venue and gain valuable insights you can apply to your job.

Whether your meeting is large, small or somewhere in between, the America’s Center Convention Complex offers unique and flexible meeting facilities and superior services for any event. Receiving the 2022 Stella Award for Best Convention Center – Midwest, America’s Center is home to four distinct meeting facilities under one roof: Cervantes Convention Center, The Dome at America’s Center, the St. Louis Executive Conference Center and the Ferrara Theatre.  In addition, the convention center features six exhibit halls, a ballroom and more than 95 meeting rooms. Join SGMP for a tour of the center and an insightful session on working with Convention Centers.