Leadership & Governance
International Board of Directors
2024 Officers
Chair
Michelle Allgauer, CAE, CMM, CMP Fellow
(Term expires 2025)
Senior Vice President, Education & Engagement
Financial Services Institute (FSI)
Washington D.C., USA
Chair-Elect
Rob Adams
(Term expires 2026)
CEO
Bishop-McCann
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Immediate Past Chair
Cleo Battle, CDME, CASE
(Term expires in 2024)
President & CEO
Louisville Tourism
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Vice Chair - Finance
Bobby Heard, CAE
(Term expires 2024)
Chief Operating Officer
American College of Emergency Physicians
Irving, Texas, USA
Ex-Officio
Ex-Officio
Paul Van Deventer
President and CEO
Meeting Professionals International
Dallas, Texas, USA
Legal Counsel
Artoush Varshosaz
Legal Cousel
Partner, K&L Gates LLP
Dallas, Texas, USA
Board of Directors - Terms Expiring 2024
Chris Meyer
CEO
George P. Johnson
San Francisco, California, USA
Lisa Messina
Chief Sales Officer
Visit Orlando
Orlando, FL USA
Michel Wohlmuth
CEO
Creatividad
Mexico City, Mexico
Susie Townsend
Chief Destination Experience Officer
Visit Indy
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Rachel Andrews
Head of Global Meetings & Events
Cvent
Denver, Colorado, USA
Michael Guerriero
Consultant
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Board of Directors - Terms Expiring 2025
Charles Bello, CDS
Senior Vice President
ConferenceDirect
San Francisco, California, USA
Gerilyn Horan
Vice President, Group Sales & Strategic Accounts
Hilton Worldwide
New York, New York, USA
Dzidra Junior, CMP
President - Renditions Consulting
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Jim Russell
Executive Vice President, Client Relationships
Freeman
Dallas, Texas, USA
Board of Directors - Terms Expiring 2026
Robbert Weddepohl
Group Venue Director
Stage Entertainment B.V.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Scott Beck
Formely President & CEO
San Francisco Travel
San Francisco, California, USA
Luis Lamar
Vice President Sales, Group Operations
MGM Resorts International
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Steve Kinsley
President
Kinsley Meetings
Littleton, Colorado, USA
Emeritus
Legal Counsel - Emeritus
Jonathan T. Howe, Esq.
President/Senior Partner
Howe & Hutton, Ltd.
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Global Board of Trustees
2024 Executive Committee
Chair
Susie Townsend
Chief Destination Experience Officer
Visit Indy
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Immediate-Past Chair
Jennifer Beatty, DES, HMCC
Director of Partnerships
Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Chair-Elect
Rebecca DeLuca, CMP
Vice President of Destination Sales
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Vice Chair - Finance
Antonio Ducceschi CMM, CHBA
Chief Commercial Officer
Starhotels Group
Florence, Italy
Vice-Chair Business Development
Richard Allchild, CMP
Head of Sales North America
IMEX Group
Brighton, UK
Vice-Chair Programs
Valeria Serrano, PCS
CEO
CTA Event Designer & DMC
Cancun, Mexico
Vice-Chair Chapters
Darlene Kelly-Stewart
Owner
Stonehouse Sales & Marketing Services
Richmond, Ontario, Canada
Terms Expiring 2024
Ernest Stovall
Vice President of Sales, Catering and Conference Services
MGM Resorts | Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Darren Green
Formely Chief Sales Officer
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Los Angeles, California, USA
Joey Nevin
Vice President
Giants Enterprises
San Francisco, California, USA
Rich Reasons
President
Simpleview Inc.
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Sarah Soliman, DES
President & CEO
Soliman Productions, Inc.
Orlando, Florida, USA
Karin Davis
Vice President of Sales
The Venetian Resort
Las Vegas, Nevada USA
Terms Expiring 2025
Angie Ahrens, CMP Fellow, CMM
Director, Global Events
MRI Software
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Dr. Krzysztof Celuch, CMM, CITE, CIS, HMCC, CED
Rector / Professor
Vistula School of Hospitality
Warsaw, Poland
Brad Dean
CEO
Discover Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Gary Murakami, GTP, GLP, CMP, CMM, DES
Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations
Teneo Hospitality Group
San Francisco, California, USA
Kimberly Napolitano, CASE
Executive Director, Industry Relations, and Intermediary Group Sales
Hilton Worldwide
McLean, Virginia, USA
John Ehlenfeldt, CDME, CMP
Regional Director of Sales
Business Events Montreal
Long Beach, California, USA
Term Expiring 2026
Joe Marcy, CMP-Fellow, CITP, CMM
Director, Group Business Development
See Monterey
Manhattan Beach, CA, USA
Brent Hill
Vice President, Global Sales
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Orange Park, Florida, USA
Telesa Via
Head of Sales
IHG Hotels & Resorts
Washington D.C., USA
Alice Harrington-Caravello
Vice President, Account Sales & National
Group Sales
Marriott International
Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Heather Dow, CPhT, CAE, CPC (HC), HPDE, HMCC
Senior Manager
Events & Management Plus, Inc.
Kingston, Ontario Canada
Brian Crumby, CED
Director of Sales - Key Accounts & Strategic Partnerships
Caesars Entertainment
Houston, Texas, USA
Executive Leadership
Paul Van Deventer
President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Michael Crumrine
Chief Administrative Officer
Drew Holmgreen, CED
Chief Brand Officer
Tim Boobar
Chief Finance Officer
Rachel Benedick
Chief Revenue Officer
Kevin Kirby
Executive Director, MPI Foundation
Structure
The governing body of MPI is the International Board of Directors. The International Board is responsible for reviewing and approving the organization's strategic plans. It oversees financial integrity and monitors performance against achievement
of strategy and long-term vision. The current MPI International Board of Directors will remain in office until through the end of the calendar year.
Each year, MPI members in good standing are eligible to submit an application to serve on
the MPI International Board of Directors. The call for applications open July 1st each year. By November 1st, the Board Development Committee shall submit a slate of one (1) candidate for each vacancy on the MPI International Board of Directors and each
office of MPI. See the complete volunteer timeline.