With WEC18 around the corner, perhaps it’s time we get acquainted. For those thousands of event professionals attending MPI’s World Education Conference (WEC18) June 2–5 at Indiana Convention Center, you know how to spend your free time in Indy. Now take a sneak peek at the keynote speakers and industry stars leading your conference sessions and pep rallies. Spoiler alert: a former Disney executive, world traveler and beauty-pageant-star-turned-comedian await you.
Dena Blizzard, One Funny Mother
Meet your host for the 2018 WEC, Dena Blizzard. She’s a comedian, mother, performer and producer, currently on tour for her one-woman show “One Funny Mother.” The former Miss New Jersey has also hosted Miss America pageants in the past, co-hosted with Anderson Cooper and been featured in The New York Times. She will be kicking off the event and hosting pep rallies throughout the three days.
Dustin Garis, LifeProfit
Dustin Garis is a marketing expert with an impressive resume: he worked for The Coca-Cola Company and Procter & Gamble, led and founded P&G FutureWorks and traveled 44 continents in two years to uncover the secrets of successful brand engagement. The latter has blossomed into a company of his own—LifeProfit, a social movement that inspires startups and multinationals to create memorable experiences.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Activist
Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a mechanical engineer and writer—but it’s social advocacy that drives her career. Born in Sudan and raised in Australia, she works to make diversity the norm, founding Youth Without Borders at 16 and getting her authorial debut at 24 with Yassmin’s Story, a coming-of-age memoir. Since then, she has engineered for Shell and written for The New York Times and Huffington Post, among others.
Michael Cerbelli, Cerbelli Creative
Celebrity planner Michael Cerbelli is returning to WEC this year to share The Hot List—an aggregation of the latest and most promising ideas and acts for events. His forte is his technical expertise, with testimonials from Billy Joel, Robert DeNiro, Sir Paul McCartney and the king of Morocco. Don’t miss the Monday morning pep rally or afternoon sessions if you want the scoop on the latest industry trends.
Duncan Wardle, ID8&INNOV8
Duncan Wardle is a design thinking consultant with 25 years as a Disney Company executive under his belt. He most recently served as Disney’s vice president of innovation and creativity, and today shares his expertise with clients such as Coca Cola, Disney, Forbes and the NBA. He’s worked in London, Paris, L.A., Hong Kong and Mumbai, and has been honored by both the White House and Her Majesty the Queen.
Mel Robbins, CEO
Who better to teach a lesson in productivity than a CEO who is also a best-selling author, social media influencer, on-air CNN commentator, mother and motivational speaker? Melanie Robbins, whose digital learning company The Confidence Project shares transformative videos, articles and research with Fortune 500 companies, will share her inspirational and scientifically based strategies for doing and having it all. Her latest book, “The 5 Second Rule,” is a fixture on Amazon’s Top Ten Most Read List.
