Education Sessions
Diamond Sponsors
.png){kind=logo}
Silver Sponsors
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Monday, August 30: 2:00 – 3:15 pm
- “Strategies for Diversifying Attraction Revenue”
- “Legal Q&A for Small Attractions and Businesses”
- “Understanding Digital Marketing ROI”
- “Engage, Retain, and Motivate: Transforming the Employee Experience”
Tuesday, August 31: 1:15 – 2:30 pm
- “DMOs and Attractions: Charting the Course Towards the Future”
- “Embracing Technology to Improve Guest Experience”
- “Intentional Marketing Strategies to Reach Diverse Travelers”
- “Everybody’s Talking – Are You Listening?
Learn (bring your questions to the experts!)
|
Share (come prepared to learn and contribute)
“Creating Inclusion in Your Company Culture”
“Strategies for Diversifying Attraction Revenue” (cont’d from Breakout)
“Transforming the Employee Experience” (cont’d from Breakout)
“Understanding Digital Marketing ROI” (cont’d from Breakout)
“What Have We Learned About Social Media since 2020?”
Follow Us
General Session #2
"COVID-19 - Lessons Learned" w/ AttractionPros LIVE
Matt Heller, Owner, Performance Optimist Consulting, AttractionPro
After 20+ years in hospitality leadership and human resources, Matt Heller founded Performance Optimist Consulting in 2011 with one simple goal: Help Leaders Lead.
Matt now works with organizations large and small to help them improve leadership competencies, customer service, employee motivation and teamwork.
As a speaker, workshop facilitator and coach, Matt has developed a proven track record for being able to easily relate to those around him, giving them solid tools they can use immediately. His engaging presentations not only captivate the learner’s attention, but also encourage them to get involved and participate.
His first book, “The Myth of Employee Burnout” (2013) addresses how leaders can overcome the all-too common phenomenon of employees burning out, or losing motivation over time.
His latest book, “ALL CLEAR! A Practical Guide for First Time Leaders and the People Who Support Them” (2017) tackles the difficult process of transitioning to a leadership role. The book provides valuable lessons both for the newly promoted leaders as well as the management teams charged with supporting and guiding their journey.
Josh Liebman, Guest Experience "Evangelist," ROLLER Software, AttractionPro
With a specific focus in the Theme Parks & Attractions Industry, Josh Liebman specializes in guest experience, including hospitality standards, complaint resolution, and feedback data. Josh is a serial entrepreneur, podcaster, speaker, and content creator.
Josh has worked for some of the top attraction operators in the world, including, but not limited to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Merlin Entertainments, and Cedar Fair. Joshua has been integral to the openings of multiple attractions in various leadership capacities, including Hard Rock Park, LEGOLAND Florida, and Zoomers Amusement Park.
Josh is Co-Host of the AttractionPros Podcast and Founder of BackLooper. In early 2021, Josh was appointed Guest Experience "Evangelist" by ROLLER Software, and host of The Guest Experience Show.
General Session #3
Dana Young, President & CEO, VISIT FLORIDA
As VISIT FLORIDA’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Dana Young leads Florida’s official destination marketing organization in partnership with its Board of Directors and the statewide tourism industry.
Throughout her career, Dana has served in leadership positions working to cultivate and protect Florida’s exceptional business climate and a world-class quality of life. Dana served in the Florida House from 2010 through 2016, rising to Majority Leader for the 2015 and 2016 legislative sessions. In 2016, she was elected to the Florida Senate, where she represented parts of western Hillsborough County for two years. Dana was appointed to the VISIT FLORIDA position by Governor Ron DeSantis in January of 2019. In addition to her duties as President and CEO, she is a member of the U.S. Travel Association’s Chairman’s Circle.
Dana is a sixth-generation Floridian and was born and raised in Tallahassee. She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Florida State University and, in pursuit of her interest in law and public policy, graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1993, and maintained a robust environmental law practice for many years.
General Session #4
Susan Salgado, Ph.D.
Susan Reilly Salgado is a consultant, speaker, and thought leader whose expertise lies at the intersection of organizational culture and customer experience. Susan leverages 20+ years of academic and professional experience to help clients build remarkable teams who can deliver remarkable customer experiences.
Susan’s work in this field began in the mid-1990s, when she was a regular guest of Danny Meyer’s acclaimed restaurants in the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). Susan was inspired by the consistently exceptional customer experiences she had across Danny’s many businesses, and set out to understand the secret of his success by studying the USHG restaurants for her doctoral dissertation. The result of her analysis was a model that explained the impact of effective leadership on organizational culture.
Upon completing her dissertation in 2003, Susan was invited to join USHG as its first-ever Director of Culture and Learning. In this role, she created and implemented the company’s leadership training programs, which were a fundamental component of the company’s success in growing its culture throughout significant growth, including the creation and scaling of the Shake Shack brand. In 2010, she partnered with Danny Meyer to open a consultancy, Hospitality Quotient, and in 2017 founded her own firm, Grason Consulting, to provide consulting and training services.
Susan’s consulting work and speaking engagements have allowed her to work with companies across more than 20 different industries, such as Delta Airlines, Hyatt Hotels, Goldman Sachs, Chanel, Cedars Sinai Hospital System, Chick-Fil-A, Sotheby’s, Condé Nast, and Coca Cola. In addition to her PhD from NYU-Stern School of Business, Susan holds a BS and an MBA from Lehigh University and has been an invited speaker at numerous universities. Susan has been a contributor for Inc. Magazine, has recorded a TEDx talk, co-founded the NYC chapter of Conscious Capitalism, and was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business.
Susan lives in NYC with her husband and daughter.