A new education track planned for IMEX America 2025 will build on a recent report from its strategic partner, Meeting Professionals International (MPI), that shows that by building community roadmaps, organizations can achieve high levels of return on event KPIs and goals.

Community Builders is one of two new tracks in IMEX America’s enhanced learning program. The show, taking place October 7-9, has 150+ education sessions—all designed to give global event planners the insight, contacts and inspiration they need to elevate their meetings with suppliers.

Tahira Endean, head of Programming at IMEX, explains: “Whether we’re bringing together employees, clients, brand ambassadors, fans or followers, we’re all in the business of building communities through our events. All our tracks have an emphasis on ‘show and tell’ with an international roster of experts from across our industry, and beyond, who’ll share what works, what doesn’t work—and why.”

IMEX learning tracks

This year the show will offer nine tracks in total. Planners can mix and match across the tracks to create a personalized learning journey. The full education program will go live online next month.

The tracks are:

1. New | Community Builders: Media entrepreneur and a “lifelong student of human connection,” David Adler will present a session titled A Gathering Point forum of community builders. “We’re in the goosebumps business,” he says. “When orchestrated properly, great events don’t just fill seats. They raise heart rates. They spark unexpected conversations.” In addition, award-winning entrepreneur Andrea Driessen will present a series of sessions including: Messages of mattering: harness Gracenotes® for more impact, meaning and purpose. Gracenotes is Driessen’s solution to a world where almost half of workers feel undervalued.
2. New | Leadership and Culture: “I really did run away from home to join the circus!” says Duncan Fisher, chief show operations officer at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. He oversees all of Cirque du Soleil’s shows, with a team of 3,200 people who perform around the world. He explains the ethos behind his session: How to run your global business like a circus. “In my experience, the circus is a place that runs like clockwork—operated by a team of people from countless nations, speaking different languages, with different backgrounds—and who literally trust each other with their lives.” Another of the track’s sessions will be presented by Dr. Ferron Gray, president and founder of the Grae Matta Foundation. Gray has made it his life mission to improve access to mental health services within the workplace and higher education. In How to lead with impact in extreme times, he’ll delve into some of the wisdom he shared in IMEX’s recent report of the same name.
3. Event Logistics: from budgeting and pre-registration to F&B and contracting
4. Experiential Event Design: includes expert guidance on neuro-inclusion, unconscious bias, sober-curious events, sports events, festivals, transformational experiences and more
5. Impact: covers ESG (environmental, social and governance), CSR and net zero, plus powerful, personal impact stories and ideas
6. Marketing and Engagement: the communication, persuasion and sales skills to convert audience reach into real engagement
7. Tech Innovation and AI: all the tech advances in one place with sessions for AI beginners plus sessions for more experienced users
8. Trends and Research: get future ready with information on the big market shifts plus micro-learnings about personas, generations and personality types
9. Well-Being: where personalization is key. Covering social health, psychological safety and attendee anxiety

All professional education at IMEX America is provided free of charge, including the show’s specialist events for association, corporate and agency planners taking place on Smart Monday, powered by MPI. Many education sessions offer points toward Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) accreditation, are also CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional) approved and ICCASkills accredited.

IMEX America takes place October 7-9, at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, and opens with Smart Monday, powered by MPI, on Monday October 6.