Sepideh Eivazi
Founder, Dawn of the Earth
Proudest Moment: I was born into a culture that taught me to shrink. To stay silent. To disconnect from my body, my breath, my truth. At 20, I left Iran—not just a country, but a system that said I wasn’t enough. I rebuilt myself breath by breath. And now? I help others do the same. My proudest moment isn’t one stage or spotlight. It’s the ripple. Migrating to the States, bringing breathwork into the hospitality industry—an industry that once rewarded burnout—and watching it begin to shift.
Launching wellness roadshows with Caesars Entertainment. Mentoring future leaders. Creating spaces of safety and presence in high-performance environments like the pre–Met Gala with Morphe and Dripology. Being named to the Smart Women in Meetings Hall of Fame. Recognized as a 40 Under 40 Woman to Watch. Serving as the Breath member with GWI and launching a Women’s Health chapter with the Global Wellness Institute. And sharing my story on the TEDx stage—after training with Richard Greene himself. But my truest pride? Is standing for humanity. For nervous system health. For beauty, in an industry that too often forgets the human behind the hustle. This is how I serve. This is how I lead. And this is how I bring people back home—to their breath, their worth, their inner compass.
Takeaways: In the world of corporate events and hospitality, urgency is often worn as a badge of honor. We reward speed, overextension and stoic performance—while quietly normalizing disconnection. But what if the chronic tension, sleepless nights, emotional flatness—or the opposite, emotional overwhelm—weren’t just symptoms of a stressful season…but signals that the body is stuck in survival mode?
Here’s the deeper truth: what many call “high-functioning” is often just highly dysregulated. One of the most overlooked signs? Imposter syndrome. That quiet panic that you’re not enough, the drive to over-perform, the fear of being exposed—it’s not a mindset flaw. It’s a nervous system in hypervigilance, shaped by years of unprocessed pressure.
What I want Smart Meetings participants to walk away with is not just insight—but embodiment. A felt understanding that resilience isn’t about doing more. It’s about learning how to return home to yourself.
Breathwork does just that. It bypasses the noise of the mind, calms the amygdala, activates the vagus nerve, and restores internal safety. From that grounded place, leaders lead differently. With clarity. With creativity. With coherence.
Because this isn’t just about wellness—it’s about the future of leadership. The most impactful leaders aren’t the loudest or the fastest. They’re the ones who have learned the radical power of the pause.
Need to Know: What planners need to know is this: I understand your world because I’ve lived it. I’ve stood behind the curtain, not just on the stage. I know the timelines, the moving parts, the stakes. When you bring me in, you’re not just hiring a speaker—you’re inviting in a deeply attuned partner who understands how to hold space in a room and read the subtle rhythms of an audience. My background in corporate event planning and former hotelier means I speak your language: production schedules, run-of-show, AV nuances—I’m fluent.
But beyond logistics, I bring a rare synthesis of presence and professionalism. My sessions aren’t off-the-shelf; they’re responsive, somatically informed, and designed to meet your audience exactly where they are—mentally, emotionally, and energetically. Whether it’s opening a conference, grounding a high-level leadership retreat, or closing a transformational day, I tailor my delivery with precision and care.
What I offer is not just content—it’s a nervous system shift. And that shift elevates everything that follows.
Liz Van Voorhis
CEO, FIT COLLECTIVE
Proudest Moment: In 2015, I quit corporate life and bet on myself. I had spent 15 years in corporate leadership roles at three different companies. Prior to this, I didn’t have the option to start my own venture due to healthcare restrictions as someone who lives with Type 1 Diabetes. After a series of health hardships and the loss of my mom to Glioblastoma brain cancer just two years prior, I took a leap of faith to go out on my own. I’ve had many personal and professional accomplishments but the one that I’m most proud of is betting on myself and to spend my time pursuing my dreams and having the maximum amount of impact inspiring others to become the best versions of themselves.
Takeaways: I want audiences to learn that everyone can increase their capacity for resilience. Life can expand in proportion to the challenging experiences and tools picked up along the way. You can be wildly successful and still take care of yourself. And we have two lives but the second one begins when we realize we only have one.
Need to Know: I am not the speaker you bring in when you want to play it safe. I’m the speaker you bring in when you want to inspire and motivate your teams and have them think (and act) differently. I will challenge them to question their current state. I will push them to seek more. I aim to defibrillate them from a groundhogs day existence and take action towards living a more full (and well) life.
Based in NYC & LA, but can travel anywhere. Speaking engagements can also include integration of wellness experiences into conferences/events/meetings.
Ali Krupnik
Founder and Chief Wellness Officer, MyWellCo
Proudest Moment: Launching MyWellCo and transforming it into a sought-after wellness agency for the events and hospitality industry. Curating wellness activations for brands like Dwyane Wade, Marriott International, Goop, Nike, JP Morgan and The Wall Street Journal and seeing guests leave inspired and recharged has been my proudest professional joy!
Takeaways: Wellness isn’t just about yoga and green juice. It’s a business advantage. In my sessions, I unpack how wellness and consumer trends are reshaping the events and hospitality landscape and how the demand for healthier business travel is raising the bar for planners and venues alike. Attendees leave with tangible strategies to integrate into their events—designed to boost retention, elevate the guest experience and create moments that feel just as good as they look.
Need to Know: I’m a high-touch partner who comes from a luxury event production background, so our creative ideas are always rooted in logistics. I bring both creative flair and operational excellence, specializing in wellness experiences your guests haven’t seen before, designed to align seamlessly with your audience, brand identity and event goals. Expect thoughtful communication, elevated touchpoints and a calm, solutions-oriented presence on-site that makes your planning easier and more joyful!
Angela Minardi ,MBA
Chief Experience Officer, Fit City Adventures
Proudest Moment?
Moving across the country and starting Fit City Adventures, from an idea on a bus tour in Morocco. I am first generation living the American Dream and never gave up during Covid, even though I quit my full time consulting job just 3 months before. Creativity, passion and persistance always wins!
Takeaways: (what you hope the audience will learn from your presentations)?
The audience will learn the Top 5 trends in wellness and events today, how to apply these tips and tricks to their events and to their life. Wellness is personal and it is now a priority, not a perk. Healthy Hour is the new Happy Hour and there are many ways to build it in a budget-friendly way to leave lasting memories with meeting attendees, teams and hotel partners alike!
Need to Know: (Tips for planners about working with you):
Fit City Adventures is a one-stop-shop lifestyle concierge in 25 cities with 100 activities across wellness, team building and community service. We book events 4-6 weeks in advance and love to add special touches and customizations. We are a true event planning partner. The more information we have up front about the goals and attendee demographics, the more unique we can make each event. People remember and feel rejuvenated from our events, and bond over our activities. It’s important to build it in to the budget up front.
Options like wellness lounges, puppy yoga and community service team builders really leave a mark and high scores from attendees, keeping them coming back for more. It’s important to plan options into the day, not just at 6 am. We are here as consultants and experts in the wellness events field as the national leader in this space since 2019. I lead our sales team and am always happy to get on a call or attend a site visit to provide advice and options for the best group experience.
Maura Dominguez-Zhang, CIS, CITP, CWP, RYT
Founder, WELLDOM
Proudest Moment: One of my proudest moments came from my yoga teacher training journey. While life is truly a collection of amazing moments, and I believe that one single moment does not fully define us, this experience stands out profoundly. Initially, I walked into the training filled with fear, doubt and uncertainty—unsure if I had what it took to succeed or even fully embrace the journey ahead—as I had tragically lost my father just a few weeks prior due to Covid.
Each day brought new lessons, guiding me to open myself to possibilities I hadn’t previously imagined. I began releasing self-doubt, allowing myself to authentically experience every moment as it unfolded, without trying to alter or control it. This openness allowed me to deeply grieve and heal in ways I never anticipated, providing space for genuine emotional growth and spiritual awakening.
Completing the training not only gave me confidence and clarity but also sparked a passion to share the wisdom and practical tools I had gained. It inspired me to keep learning and growing and to help my loved ones, community, and industry build resilience and find healing. Through this journey, I discovered a strength and resilience I didn’t realize I had—the ability to get back up after deep trauma and to use my experiences to empower others on their own paths to growth and recovery.
Takeaways: I hope audiences take away a deeper connection to themselves—and the realization that they already carry the tools they need to feel more balanced, grounded, and empowered in both life and work. Whether I’m guiding breathwork, mindful movement, or a reflective meditation, my intention is always to help people pause, listen inward, and soften the noise. I want attendees to walk away with simple, somatic practices they can use anytime—tools to regulate their nervous system, manage stress, and reconnect with their own intuition and presence.
I also hope to challenge some of the outdated narratives around event design, success, productivity, and even strength. In my sessions, we explore how vulnerability can be a strength, how intentional rest supports resilience, and how slowing down can actually help us lead and live more fully. My goal is for every person to gain a new perspective and leave feeling empowered, seen, supported, and inspired to bring more intention, compassion, and authenticity into their everyday life—and the events and communities they help shape.
Need to Know: When working with planners, my priority is to fully understand your audience, objectives, and event energy—so we can co-create a session that truly resonates and adds meaningful value. I don’t just “show up and speak”—I become a collaborative partner in your event design. Whether we’re integrating a wellness activation into a multi-day conference or creating a short pause during a high-energy agenda, I help you weave in intentional moments that support nervous system regulation, connection and clarity.
My sessions are immersive, flexible and scalable—from grounding breathwork at the opening session to immersive embodied workshops incorporating sound healing and sensory activations or closing reflections that leave attendees feeling restored and inspired. I’m happy to tailor content around your event theme, wellness goals or DEI and sustainability initiatives.
As a certified wellness practitioner, I bring professionalism, a grounded presence, attention to detail, and deep care for the attendee experience. Along with thoughtful planning, clear communication and a passion for making wellness accessible and impactful. I’m known for creating welcoming, judgment-free spaces where people can feel safe to reconnect with themselves and others—and leave recharged, inspired and more present. Let’s collaborate to create something meaningful that your attendees won’t just remember, but truly feel.
Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES
Registered dietitian and diabetes educator, motivational speaker, EKP Nutrition Communications
Proudest Moment: Becoming a mom was the most transformative—and proudest—moment of my life. It reshaped how I view health, success and perfection. It taught me that real strength lies in showing up, not in doing it all flawlessly. Motherhood helped me let go of unrealistic expectations, both for myself and others, and deepened my understanding of what it truly means to live a healthy, balanced life. That shift now informs everything I do—personally and professionally. That transformation shows up in my speaking. Audiences connect deeply with that honesty, and I believe it’s a big reason why they walk away feeling seen, inspired and ready to take action.
Takeaways: Audiences will walk away with a mindset shift—realizing that perfection is not the prerequisite for progress. I show how the fear of failure and pursuit of perfection often sabotage health goals, and how embracing imperfection can unlock long-term success. I break down complex nutrition and wellness concepts into simple, actionable steps, helping people overcome shame, self-doubt, and overwhelm. Whether I’m speaking to professionals, parents, or the general public, my goal is always to inspire practical change through relatable stories, evidence-based strategies, and a dose of self-compassion.
Need to Know: I’m easy to work with, highly prepared and focused on creating a meaningful experience for your audience. I tailor each presentation to your event’s goals and bring both energy and clarity to complex health topics. Planners often tell me how much their audiences appreciate the practical takeaways, and many report attendees taking action—and seeing results—right away. My goal is always to make your job easier and your event unforgettable.
