General Information   |   Schedule   |   Sessions   |   Speakers   |   Exhibitor Information   |   Current Exhibitors   |   Awards   |   Register Now

Get to Know Our Speakers

Matt Glowacki  -  Wisconsin SHRM

Keynote  |  Building Civility in the Workplace

Matt is a disability speaker and advocate. He has delivered his messages to over a million people at hundreds of regional and national conventions along with two sitting presidents of the United States. He currently serves as the DE&I Director for Wisconsin SHRM. He is also a member of the State of Wisconsin’s Partners in Policy Making for People with Disabilities Council and has been selected for and served on the State of Wisconsin on the Governor’s Rehabilitation Council over the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Wisconsin Easterseals State Board, and the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater’s College of Arts and Communication Dean’s Advisory Board.

Joseph E. Gumina  -  O'Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C.

Breakout Session  |  Trending Legal Issues for Hotel Employers

Joe leads O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing’s Labor & Employment Practice Group and has extensive experience representing management in a vast array of employment and labor matters. He is licensed to practice law in the states of Illinois and Wisconsin and has represented clients in litigation matters in both state and federal courts, including the federal district courts in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Julia Hertel  -  Destinations Wisconsin

Panelist  |  Advocating Together: An Update from Wisconsin's Tourism Leaders

Julia Hertel is the Executive Director of the Destinations Wisconsin, an organization made up of 40 destination marketing and management organizations (DMOs) that represent over $50 million in promotional power to drive tourism growth in Wisconsin. Destinations Wisconsin develops programs to increase awareness and appreciation of DMOs as well as the entire tourism industry.

Kristine Hillmer  -  Wisconsin Restaurant Association

Panelist  |  Advocating Together: An Update from Wisconsin's Tourism Leaders

Kristine Hillmer is the President & CEO of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and the Wisconsin Restaurant Association Education Foundation Board of Directors. Hillmer is also on the VISIT Milwaukee Board of Directors, Executive and Development Committees; Wisconsin Civil Justice Council Board of Directors; and leads the Milwaukee Kitchen Cabinet efforts. In recognition of her skills, she received the Visionary Award from the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives in 2021 and served on their Board of Directors for 8 years including serving as Chair in 2011.

Jon Jarosh  -  Destination Door County

Panelist  |  Straight Talk with the Industry

Jon Jarosh has been visiting Door County his entire life and has been lucky enough to live and work on the peninsula since 1998. He has held various roles in the destination marketing and management industry with Destination Door County for 24 years and is currently the Director of Communications & PR and has also served as Interim CEO since June. Jon has seen the destination marketing industry evolve over time, from the early Internet era to audio and video podcasting to the explosion of social media and now the addition of destination management functions to a DMO’s list of responsibilities. 

Nancy Justman, MSM, CDME  -  Visit Brookfield

Panelist  |  Straight Talk with the Industry

Nancy has served as President and CEO at Visit Brookfield for 10 years.  She has extensive experience in the event planning and management industry.  She is a Certified Destination Management Executive through DMAI and has served in leadership roles with the Wisconsin Association of CVB’s.

Kathi Kilgore  -  WHLA & Swandby/Kilgore Associates, Inc.

Panelist  |  Advocating Together: An Update from Wisconsin's Tourism Leaders

As WHLA’s contract-lobbyist since 2002, Kathi Kilgore advocates for industry issues including room tax, tourism funding, short-term rentals regulations and more. Prior to joining Coenen/Swandby Associates, Inc. (now Swandby/Kilgore Associates, Inc.), Kathi worked as an in-house lobbyist for the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

Danica Potier  -  Marcus Hotels & Resorts

Panelist  |  Meetings & Events

With over 20 years of experience in the hotel and restaurant industry, Danica can confidently say that hospitality is in her blood. After earning a degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management from Fox Valley College in Appleton, Danica continued a career with Marriott branded properties and independent luxury boutique hotels in Milwaukee, WI and Denver, CO and saw most parts of the country during multiple task force opportunities. In her role as Area Director of Sales – Milwaukee Market with Marcus Hotels, Danica enjoys all opportunities to build relationships with clients, provide education to those interested in forming partnerships, and leading the sales, events and marketing team toward future successes.

Erica A. Reib  -  O'Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C.

Breakout  |  Trending Legal Issues for Hotel Employers

Erica is a shareholder with O'Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C. The focus of her practice is providing businesses with labor and employment law guidance, including employment agreements and restrictive covenants, policies and handbooks, day-to-day counseling on a range of employment-related issues, wage and hour audits, investigations into allegations of harassment and discrimination, and representation in litigation matters. She has represented employers in front of administrative agencies such as the ERO, EEOC, DOL, and OSHA, as well as state and federal courts.

Pam Seidl  -  Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau

Panelist  |  Straight Talk with the Industry

Pam Seidl has served as the Executive Director of the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau since December 2012. She’s been a member of the CVB staff since 2002. Prior to her tenure with the Fox Cities CVB, Pam held positions in marketing and industry and government affairs at Schneider National and at Tri-County Distributors, an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler. She is a board member of the Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, a member of the marketing committee of the Fox Valley Memory Project, a past-president of the Rotary Club of Neenah, and a past Board chair of St. Mary Catholic Schools.

Christine Trippi  -  America's Hospitality Guru

Closing Keynote  |  The Wise Pineapple

Christine Trippi is an award-winning hospitality leader with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Through her leadership trainings, workshops, and keynotes, thousands of people have become better leaders. She focuses on creating raving fans, exceptional operations, culture enrichment, and leadership development—providing companies and organizations with Sweet Hospitality, Sweet Cultures, and Sweet Results!

Amanda Weibel  -  Travel Wisconsin

Speaker  |  Influencer Marketing

Travel Wisconsin Communications Officer Amanda Weibel has more than a decade of experience in public relations and brand marketing where she has grown influencer programs, garnered earned media stories in top-tier outlets, built strategic communications plans and elevated brand stories. Weibel brought her expertise to Travel Wisconsin in May 2020 to leverage PR and industry communications to promote Wisconsin as a premier travel destination.

Ellie Westman Chin  -  Destination Madison

Panelist  |  Straight Talk with the Industry

Ellie Westman Chin is the President & CEO of Destination Madison, where she oversees the mission to increase the impact of the tourism economy on businesses, workforce and the quality of life for Madison, WI. She oversees a team of 30 whose efforts bring meetings, events and leisure visitors to the greater Madison region.  Westman Chin was formerly President & CEO for Visit Franklin in Tennessee, where she was named the 2018 Greater Nashville Hospitality Association Woman in Hospitality & Tourism Leader of the Year.

Jen Zahari  -  Strong Foundations Coaching & Consulting LLC

Speaker  |  Humanizing the Workplace

Coach, speaker, and author, Jen Zahari works with individuals and organizations to encourage, empower, and engage growth through communication and action. With over twenty years in leadership and fifteen years in the Staffing Industry, Jen has been engrossed in learning and understanding how people work, why they do the things they do, and how to engage them. She is on a mission to bring her experience and knowledge forward, helping to reduce anxiety, depression, and loneliness in America.

Thank you to our Sponsors