Alexander Alles
Executive Director at JMIC Joint Meetings Industry Council

Alexander Alles joined JMIC Joint Meetings Industry Council in August 2022. There he is responsible for the overall operations of the association as well as the project office of the Net Zero Carbon Events. NZCE is an industry-wide initiative aiming to help stakeholders of the meetings and events sectors to decarbonise.

Before joining JMIC, Alexander held different positions, including marketing and finance. He was mainly dedicated to investment and trade promotion between Europe and Asia. Throughout his career, Alexander has been organising numerous business events, from small meeting to large conferences.

Whitney Buchmann

Founder & CEO Illustra Impact

Whitney Buchmann, MBA is a Social Entrepreneur who founded Illustra Impact with a vision to create a world of sustainable, equitable, thriving communities. Through Illustra Impact, she convenes coalitions to address inequities at the systemic level, facilitates capacity building for organizations to achieve their missions, and organizes a peer community of impacted-minded solopreneurs. Whitney brings a Global MBA and 14+ years of experience in social sustainability. Whitney has worked with non-profits, national networks, and start-up businesses in areas such as healthcare, immigrant and refugee rights, and food/agriculture. Her results include changes to state legislation and contracting, a thriving national health equity program and social enterprise, and racial justice investment recommendations from international stakeholders.

Whitney’s passion for designing a more equitable world started at a young age. After a couple of transformational experiences in Central America in the 2000’s, Whitney spent six formative years as a Community Organizer within PICO National Network (now Faith in Action). Her experiences organizing campaigns alongside residents who were directly impacted by racial, immigrant, and economic injustice set the trajectory for Whitney’s career. With a deep value for diversity, equity, and inclusion, she recently took advantage of remote work to dedicate two years to living in 6 countries and visiting over 80 communities so that she can continue to learn with, and experience, different cultures. As a result, Whitney now serves on the Board of Directors of Casa Innovation, an incubator for underestimated entrepreneurs across Latin America.

Céline Converset

Logistics Officer, Global Convenings and Events, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

Drawing from her travel agency background, Céline transitioned into the conservation field as a naturalist guide, exploring Iceland, Norway, and Canada. Recognising the urgent need for nature protection, she joined the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Driven by a deep commitment, she focuses on sustainability and logistics of large-scale events notably the IUCN World Conservation Congress and the IUCN Leaders Forum. Using the latter as a lab for innovative sustainability solutions, she strives for continuous improvement.

Scaling up the organisation’s efforts for the IUCN Congress 2025, she will collaborate with experts to develop and implement a sustainable management system aligned with the ISO20121 certification. She leads on the development of a global sustainability policy for IUCN events, demonstrating her commitment to effecting positive change.

Tia Daniels
Director, Business Development & Community Engagement at BestCities Global Alliance

Tia has more than 25 years of experience in the meetings and events industry, with previous positions stationed in the US and Denmark. Before her role at BestCities Global Alliance, she held roles as Director of Sales and Marketing at Konventum Hotel & Conference Center and International Senior Sales Manager at Bella Center Copenhagen. She also worked for MCI Copenhagen, where she led the COP15 Hotel & Guest Relations team through one of the city’s largest conferences in history with over 30,000 delegates in attendance.

Throughout her seasoned career, Tia has worked with a vast array of associations and corporations. She has also remained active within the MPI and PCMA communities, and regularly forges new connections at IMEX, IBTM and other industry events.

Now, as Director, Business Development & Community Engagement for BestCities Global Alliance, Tia will focus on helping partners and clients develop experiences that leave a positive and lasting legacy in the world, working initially with the association market, but also raising BestCities’ profile in the corporate and incentive market. She will also ensure forward momentum on BestCities’ legacy commitments by working in collaboration with members and supporting key initiatives such as The Madrid Challenge, Copenhagen Legacy Lab, and Incredible Impacts Programme.

Mohamed Firhan

Deputy Director of Communications, Singapore Tourism Board

Firhan joined the Singapore Tourism Board in 2009 and spent a good part of his career managing a few of the Board’s overseas regional offices in the Middle East and Indonesia.

He is currently Deputy Director for Conventions and is responsible for competitively positioning Singapore as a leading destination for association congresses and meetings.

Mohamed Firhan is an experienced marketing strategist and his work in regional offices and the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau involves leading partnerships and business development efforts across industry verticals to position Singapore as a compelling leisure and business destination.

Francisco Gomez

Founder & CEO Factum Global

Francisco Gomez is the Founder & CEO of Factum Global, a leading boutique international consulting firm recognized for its unparalleled expertise in assisting organizations to expand and thrive across global markets. Since its inception, Factum Global has become synonymous with trusted guidance and transformative solutions, having successfully facilitated the expansion efforts of numerous associations and clients across diverse industries and regions including Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

Under Francisco's leadership, Factum Global has flourished into a renowned firm, boasting a diverse team with a strategic presence in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Francisco's commitment to excellence extends beyond his role at Factum Global; he also sits on the Board of Directors of Fundacion Nuevos Horizontes Colombianos in Colombia and serves as an advisor for the Festival of The Diaspora, embodying his dedication to fostering international collaboration and social impact.

Before founding Factum Global in 2018, Francisco served as Director of Global Strategy and Market Development at the esteemed American Chemical Society (ACS). There, he led a dynamic, multi-functional department overseeing international operations, marketing and sales, research and product development, and member services. As a pivotal member of ACS’ Global Steering Committee, Francisco played a strategic role in expanding the association’s global footprint, demonstrating his prowess in cultivating international outreach. Prior to his tenure at ACS, Francisco honed his expertise as a consultant at G&G Consulting, where he provided strategic guidance to clients seeking to enhance their organizational effectiveness. Additionally, he served as District Manager at Healthcare Services Group Inc., directing a high-performing multi-milliondollar operation spanning Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. in the United States.

Recognized as a thought leader in his field, Francisco has forged numerous strategic partnerships worldwide and is a prolific author, with his insights and expertise regularly featured in esteemed publications. His commitment to sharing knowledge extends to his role as an instructor and a serial presenter at prestigious conferences and events, where he shares his expertise on topics ranging from business strategy and international operations to innovation, sustainability, and leadership.

Jorge Moller

Program Director for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council

Jorge Moller is a sustainable tourism expert with nearly 40 years of leadership and hands-on experience in Chile and throughout Latin America.

After earning degrees in biology and agronomy, he began his career in 1985 as a tour operator and went on to build a company dedicated to environmental and cultural tourism in Chile, providing authentic local experiences and engagement with indigenous communities. In this capacity, he worked with organizations from all over the world to develop tours showcasing Chile’s communities in an integral way, from their gastronomy and history to culture and ecosystems.

He was a founding member of Chile’s adventure travel regulatory organization and has been instrumental in developing industry standards for sustainable tourism in Chile and beyond. Jorge also co-founded the South American Sustainable Tourism Network, through which he works with a variety of Latin American travel destinations to improve the quality of the tourist experience and raise their profile among international travelers. As the director of the non-governmental organization, Regenera, Jorge is Program Director for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to expand sustainable tourism training and knowledge transfer opportunities throughout Latin America. He regularly shares his expertise as a professor, trainer, consultant and speaker, lecturing on tourism and sustainable development and events throughout the region.

Jorge is especially passionate about his work with the Mapuche and other indigenous peoples in Chile. Through Regenera, he builds bridges with indigenous communities to create authentic experiences for tourists by sharing their culture and beliefs while generating income to sustain their way of life. He has also worked to connect indigenous groups across borders, traveling with people from communities in Chile to visit other indigenous peoples in Bolivia and Argentina. In April 2019, Jorge collaborated with Travel with Ann, founded by experiential travel leader Ann Becker, to organize a women’s group trip to Chile. Designed as a cross-cultural exchange, the group met extensively with small business owners and community leaders, predominantly women, in the Araucania region where the majority of Mapuche live.

Bianca La Placa

Journalist and senior event manager, WEEC Network

Journalist and senior event manager specializing in international events, I have worked in a variety of operational and marketing roles, specializing in digital and print media, events and projects, in Italy and around the world. I organize the WEEC World Environmental Education Congress every two years.
My experience includes managing projects and events, developing relationships, managing and mentoring team members, fostering relationships with clients and suppliers, and communicating effectively with technical and design teams.
I have directed national and international communication and marketing initiatives through: designing and implementing creative media campaigns, producing promotional materials, developing an engaging online and social media presence, coordinating high-level events, organizing logistics (venues, travel, accommodations, participant materials...), liaising with speakers, delegates, guests, partners and sponsors.

Dermot Ryan

Head of Association Engagement, ICCA

Dermot Ryan is Head of Association Engagement at ICCA – working closely with associations and ICCA members to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. Dermot has over 20 years experience working both inhouse at associations, including the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and the Drug Information Association (DIA), and also at a global professional conference organiser (PCO)/association management company (AMC), K.I.T. Group, which included positions as the Executive Director of the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS) and the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS).

Dermot has an MSc in Event Management and is a member of the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA).

Juan Francisco Millán Soberanes
Founding Director of the Council of Ethics and Transparency of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Mexico

Graduate and post-graduate studies in medicine at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), specialization in Gastroenterology at the General Hospital of the National Medical Center; studies in Bioethics at UNAM. He was faculty member of the UNAM Medical School and Head of the Department of Nutrition and Health at Universidad Iberomaericana of Mexico.

Among other activities in the public sector, he was chief of staff of Regulatory Affairs of the Health Ministry of Mexico, and General Director of Medical Arbitration in the Federal Commission of Medical Arbitration, from August 2013 to September 2015.

Member of the International Code Compliance Network from 2006 to 2021. Member of the APEC Working Group, active member of International Society of Healthcare Ethics and Compliance Professionals (ETHICS), and member of the Compliance Association of Spain.

Member in some boards in Philanthropic Foundations.

David T. Stevens

Founder Event Marketing Authority

David T Stevens is a 20-year veteran planner and 6x Fittest Male #EventProf, an honor achieved by topping the occupational leaderboard of the annual CrossFit Games Open. He has planned meetings, events and incentives for media, live entertainment, agency, association and corporate organizations. Stevens has a Delos Wellness for Meetings and Event Certificate, he is Pandemic Meeting Event Design certified, and he has been recognized by a number of industry organizations for his contributions to improving wellness in the sector. He credits his ability to create memorable experiences for event attendees to the clarity he gleans from workouts and mental breaks. He is the co-founder of event-wellness consulting firm Olympian Meeting — where he co-authored, along with a medical doctor and nutrition coach, a white paper on the increased ROI that can result from incorporating wellness elements into a meeting. Stevens also hosts a web series called Return on Wellness.

David has been on the speaking circuit since 2022 and has presented at more than 20+ events to audiences ranging from 50 to 1,000+ While the majority of his presentations have been to his peers and fellow event professionals at IMEX, Smart Meetings, Northstar Meetings, and Connect. He has also been a speaker at Social Media Marketing World, SXSW and presented to private institutions to help their teams improve their wellness during extensive travel or how to integrate wellness into their clients programs.

Michel Wohlmuth

Executive Director & Co-Founder of Creatividad

A creative entrepreneur with a specialization in the design, planning, and production of corporate meetings, Michel Wohlmuth serves as the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Creatividad, a company boasting 33 years of experience in organizing corporate events.

He is the President of COMIR (Mexican Event Industry Council), an organization that integrates and represents the 14 Mexican Meetings Industry Associations

Under Michel's leadership as Executive Director, Creatividad has been acknowledged by MDC Magazine, a publication specializing in the Meetings Industry, as one of the top 10 agencies in Mexico. Merca2.0 Magazine has also ranked them among the 10 most important Corporate Event agencies in Mexico for the last years.

Creatividad is renowned for collaborating with top-tier companies such as Dell Technologies, BIC, Matel, Los Cabos Tourism Board, , Santander Bank, Principal Financial Group, Mondelez, to name a few.

A graduate in Communication Sciences from Universidad Anáhuac, Michel also holds a diploma in Marketing from ITESM and completed the Senior Management Program at the Instituto Panamericano de Alta Dirección de Empresas (IPADE).

In 2006, his company received the Global Paragon Award from Meeting Professionals International (MPI) for organizing the world's most important event. he received a special recognition for "Touristic Contribution to Mexico City" from the CDMX Government in 2018. Michel served as the Past President of MPI Mexico Chapter 2018-2019 and was the first Chair of the Latin America Advisory Council (LAAC) in MPI during 2019 and 2020. He won the “Chair Award,” honoring the most distinguished member of the global MPI community for outstanding achievements in the meetings and events industry.

In 2022, Michel was included in the "MPI50 Most Influential Members" list and is a part of MPI's International Board of Directors, being the first Latin American to hold this position.

Alejandra H. Zita, CIS, SEPC
Sustainability specialist for the Meetings & Events Industry in Latam

Pioneer in Sustainable Events in Latin America. Alejandra has more than 25 years of experience in the tourism sector. She has worked in the hospitality industry for Hilton, JW Marriott and Fiesta Americana, in local ecotourism tour operators and event agencies (DMC) in Cancun, Riviera Maya and Los Cabos.

Master in Sustainable Tourism from the University of International Cooperation of Costa Rica (UCI), Sustainable Event Professional Certificate (SEPC) from the Events Industry Council and Certified Incentives Specialist by the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE).

Director of Evensus, a national project that has provided training since 2017 to the events value chain in México as an instructor of the first Sustainable Events Certificate Course in Spanish (CES) with the Meetings & Events Institute.

She is the first Latina to join the Global Destination Sustainability Movement as a sustainability consultant at an international level, collaborating with Convention Bureaus, DMOs and events companies in Latin America to co-create their sustainability strategy and improve their sustainability performance

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Alexander Alles Executive Director at JMIC Joint Meetings Industry Council