MICE professionals attend IMEX America not just for the many business opportunities; they also benefit from the event’s robust education program. And the opportunities to learn this year promise to be especially extensive, thanks to the nine tracks that cover the industry’s hottest topics — including two brand-new tracks that provide still more ways for attendees to up their game and improve the quality of their lives on multiple levels.
“We’re so fortunate that thousands of people come through our education program each year,” said Tahira Endean, IMEX head of programming. “We want to be really conscious of making sure that people can find something that resonates with them, for either personal or professional development.”
This year, attendees can expect a variety of wellness-focused sessions, including midday somatic breathing, a resilience room and a new feature called the Circadian Cove, with Olympian Meetings, which is programmed around the day’s natural rhythms. And there’s lots more in store.
Two Engaging New Tracks
Endean said that this year’s two new education tracks — Community Builders and Leadership and Culture — are especially timely for today’s MICE professionals. “We’ve always had [the concept of] ‘belonging’ at the heart of IMEX,” she said. “We’ve always focused on joy and connection. But this year, we saw a real need for people to feel connected and for people to have a place to go and have potentially tougher conversations about the realities of feeling disconnected.”
To that end, the Community Builders track will feature insight from experts including Matthew Emerzian, founder of Every Monday Matters, and Andrea Driessen, award-winning entrepreneur from Gracenotes. “Both of them are very focused on how everyone matters,” Endean said. “They’re going to offer activations that are really going to help us.”
The track also features speakers including David Adler of The Gathering Point, Jason Dunn of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals and Cameron Curtis of the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association.
The Leadership and Culture track, meanwhile, leans into issues surrounding mental health and burnout, Endean notes. “This track is really anchored in the thinking that came out in our recent report, How to Lead with Impact in Extreme Times,” she said. The sessions in this track feature voices including event specialist Holly Ransom and David Brownlee, best-selling author of Customer Service Success and Rockstar Service, Rockstar Profits.
Career-Boosting Support for Every Experience Level
One of the big selling points of IMEX America’s educational offerings is that the tracks cater to professionals at every level, with well-being sessions aimed to help attendees learn about emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
“Much of the education that we do is geared to someone who’s been in the industry for a while, because that’s the majority of the attendees,” Endean said. “But we also run an event toolkit so anybody who’s newer to the industry can find things about core basic skills — hospitality, food and beverage, contracting.”
Accreditation is another draw, she added. “There are dozens of hours of accreditation available,” she said, noting that many education sessions offer points toward Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) accreditation, are also CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional) Approved and ICCASkills accredited.
Making Time for Education
Considering the busy IMEX America schedule, setting aside time for education is important, Endean said. “I encourage people to look at the education schedule before they book their appointments,” she said. “All the education sessions are 25 to 45 minutes, so you can still get to your meetings. We’re trying to make it so that it’s easier for people to be able to experience both education and meetings.”
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“We ask our hosted buyers to do six to eight meetings a day,” she added, explaining that leaves time to explore the show floor, to network — and to take advantage of education opportunities.
The ever-evolving education program at IMEX America is intentional, and the result of listening to attendees and understanding what they need to move forward in their professional and personal journey, according to Endean. “We're listening all year-round to what planners are seeking, because the majority of the people who attend our education sessions are on the planning side,” she said. “We also work really closely through the year with all of our different partners who are also bringing education to the show.”
A collaborative approach ensures variety, with perspectives from within and beyond the events industry, Endean notes. “We want to make sure that we're bringing in other viewpoints as well,” she added. “This is a place where the global community intersects, so we can put together people from different associations, from different countries, from different types of organizations.”
The goal, she said, is for attendees to leave each session with “two or three great takeaways — and that’s all any of us really need."
Focus on Accessibility
This year’s lineup of education speakers includes a variety of thought leaders — including Nelia Nunes, event consultant at Blue Plaza Events and Accessible Event Strategies, who’ll share her insight on accessibility, equity and the future of events.
The timing of this presentation is especially appropriate, according to Nunes. “There’s definitely more talk about accessibility and inclusion these days, which is great,” she said. “But a lot of what I’m seeing is still reactive. People want to do better, but there’s still confusion about what accessibility means beyond checking the ADA box. The opportunity lies in shifting from a compliance mindset to one that’s about belonging — one that is intentional and that involves inclusive design from the start.”
IMEX America is an ideal place to discuss this topic, she said. “IMEX is the event for people who make events happen. It brings together such a broad range of professionals, which means the ripple effect of change can be huge. And with this year’s theme being Impact 2.0, accessibility and inclusion absolutely have to be part of that conversation.”
A Thoughtful Approach
Confronting misperceptions about accessibility in the MICE segment is crucial for progress, according to Nunes. “People often think about things like wheelchair access or low counters,” she said. “Those are important, but they often miss the many invisible disabilities, like sensory sensitivities or neurodivergence. Another big one: treating accessibility as a ‘special request,’ instead of building it into the event from day one. At the end of the day, it’s about walking through the attendee experience with fresh eyes and being open to doing things a little differently.”
Nunes promises multiple takeaways from her presentation. “I want attendees to walk away feeling empowered, not overwhelmed,” she said “I’ll be sharing small but meaningful changes that can make a real difference — things you can start implementing right away. Things around rethinking room layouts, sensory-friendly spaces and communication. More than anything, I hope folks walk away with a mindset shift. Accessibility isn’t a checklist. It’s a way of thinking about the attendee journey.”
She also encourages MICE professionals to not be afraid of taking the first step toward improving accessibility. “Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress,” she said. “Pick one area the first year — the registration process, your signage, room layouts — and work on making that more inclusive. Then build from there. And don’t be afraid to ask questions, bring in lived experience or work with community partners. Accessibility isn’t about getting it all perfect. It’s about making thoughtful, intentional progress.”
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