SPIN

Spin your way into our discussion about legal impacts for LGBTQ+ inclusive meetings with this episode. Attorney, Historian and Author Zaylore Stout joins our podcast host Ashley T Brundage in this month’s podcast. Zaylore is also the author of Our Gay History of the 50 States, and authoring Our Black History of the 50 States coming out next February. 

Tune in to our newest episode of SPIN where for this Pride Month we talk about leadership and volunteerism. Our Podcast Host, Ashley T Brundage will be joined by LGBT MPA Board Chair, Kyle Jordan as together they discuss the impacts we can make by stepping up with empowerment to serve organizations.

Kyle Jordan, CAE, CEM-AP, CMP, DES (he/him/his) serves as the Director of Meetings for The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) located in Catonsville, MD. In this position he provides overall strategic leadership and execution of the organization’s signature meetings and conferences.

Prior to joining INFORMS, Kyle held leadership positions at the National Confectioners Association (NCA), the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and Synergos Association Management Company. Throughout Kyle’s career he has been responsible for designing unique event experiences and creating learning journeys for a broad range of professions and industries.

Kyle is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), Certified in Exhibition Management Advanced Professional (CEM-AP), a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and a Digital Event Strategist (DES). He is an active volunteer with several professional associations and organizations and serves as faculty for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) CEM certification programme. In 2022 Smart Meetings Magazine named Kyle one of their Meeting Professionals of the Year.

Join our SPIN podcast host Ashley T Brundage as she welcomes special guest Rex Wilde as they discuss navigating non binary inclusion for TGX (Trans & Gender Expansive) people in meetings and events. Rex Wilde (they/them) is a nonbinary LGBTQ+ speaker, educator, and business consultant. With over 10 years of experience in LGBTQ+ education, Rex provides a welcoming environment for individuals to engage & learn about transgender identities & workplace inclusion. Rex has provided training for over 200 companies including Spectrum/Charter, UPS, Sweetgreen, and Sundance Institute. Rex currently sits on the Transgender Inclusion Task Force for the National (NGLCC) and the Los Angeles (LAGLCC) LGBTQ+ Chambers of Commerce.

Listen to LGBT MPA founder, Dave Jefferys, as he introduces the new SPIN podcast host, Ashley T Brundage. Dave and Ashley both make impacts as they put the SPIN on LGBT issues in the meeting and event industry. Hear a little bit of history behind the organization and begin to build a relationship with our new podcast host Ashley as she puts an empowering SPIN on the world.

LGBT MPA stands in solidarity with the underserved and underrepresented, and in this time of magnified systemic injustices towards the black community, we thought it vital to initiate a dialogue around social and racial injustices within the meetings and events industry. Today, we’re joined by Jason Dunn, Chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, and we’ll discuss how the BLM movement transcends into the meetings and events industry, the impact it has on other marginalized communities, and the importance of change.

LGBT MPA stands in solidarity with the underserved and underrepresented, and in this time of magnified systemic injustices towards the black community, we thought it vital to initiate a dialogue around social and racial injustices within the meetings and events industry. We’re joined by Jason Dunn, Chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, and we’ll discuss how the BLM movement transcends into the meetings and events industry, the impact it has on other marginalized communities, and the importance of change.

The Black Lives Matter movement has ignited global reflection on how we can empower Black lives and all people of color within our communities and world. To see success, we must be more than “not racist”, we must be antiracist and actively fight again systemic inequality and discriminative practices. Many voices are speaking up against these injustices, different races, backgrounds, and ages, thus inspiring SPIN-OFF. An inspirational series dedicated to spotlighting the thoughts of our community’s most compelling leaders around important topics. Today we’re joined by Tony Scurry, President/CEO of 7 Point Planning and also Vice-Chair of LGBT MPA, and we’ll explore his connection to the BLM movement and potential opportunities for industry leaders to make a sustainable difference in their organizations and community. Tony welcome to SPIN-Off.

Every day presents us with new opportunities to creatively and systematically address the injustices and discriminative practices to the black community. LGBT MPA believes that when we collectively move in one direction, we get change, and so we bring you SPIN-OFF. An inspirational series dedicated to spotlighting the thoughts of our communities’ most compelling leaders around important topics. Today we’re joined by Hilary Howes, President and Creative Director with Encore Décor and we’ll connect the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement with that of the LGBTQ+ community and the meeting and event industry as a whole.

Bill Reed, the Chief Event Strategy Officer of American Society of Hematology, speaks on Derrick on his views on Black Lives Matter and how leadership can guide us to a more inclusive and diverse industry. 

The Black Lives Matter movement has magnified racial injustice and inequality in our world. No industry is untouched by systemic practices of discrimination towards the black community and to people of color. LGBT MPA recognizes the importance of perspective and brings you SPIN-OFF. An inspirational series dedicated to spotlighting the thoughts of our communities’ most compelling leaders around important topics. Today, we joined by Desiree Knight, Director of Education & Meetings with the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association. And we’ll not only examine the impacts of inequality, but opportunities for the meetings and events industry to evoke change.

Did you know there is marginalization within marginalized communities? This secondary layer of discrimination against skin color, gender identity, disability, and/or weight (to name a few) plagues all communities depleting inclusion and notion of diversity. We are all human (at least that we know of) and these unique differences should be welcomed and celebrated. Join LGBT MPA and Richard Gray, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Senior Vice President, Greater Fort Lauderdale as we explore the black hole of social identity and the opportunities planners have in considering destinations for meetings and events that celebrate cultural diversity and promotes an environment of inclusion.

COVID-19 has and will continue to impact our personal and professional lives, hitting some harder than others. How is COVID-19 impacting those living in metropolitan environments (L.I.M.E.) and is there anything DMC’s can do to help? What trends are they seeing emerge from social distancing and how are they preparing their team and city for a new normal? Join LGBT MPA and Joe D'Alessandro, President & CEO of San Fransisco Travel as we explore the impacts of the coronavirus on today and its potential impacts on the meetings and hospitality industry tomorrow.

Think back to before social distancing to the buzz words for any association, “diversity and inclusion.” Now a new challenger approaches, her name is “health & safety”, and she’s not going anywhere. Who claims the lead role in this musical of organizational priorities once the curtain rises again? Join LGBT MPA and Bobby Heard, Associate Executive Director,American College of Emergency Physicians, as we explore the opportunities and fears of shifting priorities once social distancing is over and what this means to the D&I movement and the association members for which it supports.

Every day more and more events are canceled or postponed due to COVID-19; however, business event strategists and organizational leaders are still responsible for showing value to their communities. How do you engage them in ways you have never have?

Join Derrick and Lars Henriksen, Chairperson of Copenhagen Pride, as we explore at how cancelations can present opportunities instead of obstacles.