Building the Future of the Events Industry  


The mission of the EDPA Future Leaders program is to identify the events industry’s brightest young professionals who are making a difference beyond their everyday roles and impacting change on behalf of this industry.  

These future leaders are disruptors advocating for changes in their company’s policies to embrace the digital age and incoming AI to help streamline operations; innovators, rethinking how we do things today and retooling them for a better tomorrow; and leaders, with their departments or even their peers, respected for their contributions and skills.

Through the EDPA Future Leaders program, we lift these individuals up and provide them with education, networking, and exclusive opportunities to meet and learn from today’s top leaders. Joining the future leaders means professional development, community, and empowerment for career growth.  

Do you have a future leader in your rank? It’s time to recognize them.

Who We Are 

Future Leaders Class of 2025

Angus Wardhaugh
Service Operations Manager
Apogee
Angus@apogeeexhibits.com

Andrew Childers

Director of Business Development
Steelhead Productions
andrewc@steelheadproductions.com

Bryant Smith
Director of Operations
Storylink Creative
bryant.smith@storylinkcreative.com

Christina Gherardini
Account Manager
Moss
cgherardini@mossinc.com

Ed Horrocks
Director of Business Development
Derse
ehorrocks@derse.com

Emily Toomer
Senior Design Engineer
Aluvision
emily@aluvision.com

Izzy Villanueva
Exhibit Designer
Deckel & Moneypenny
izzy@deckelmoneypenny.com

Jake Miller
Account Executive
NMR Events
jmiller@nmrevents.com

Jennifer Gardner
Senior Graphic Designer
Hill & Partners
jgardner@hillpartners.com

Katherine Miller
Senior Account Manager
VectorFive
kmiller@vectorfive.com

Nathan Olley
Director of Client Services
Kubik
nathano@thinkubik.com

Olivia Shultz
Project Manager
MSM
olivia.shultz@msmxp.com

Reilly Alpers
Account Manager
EDE Corporation
alpersr@edecorp.com

Samantha Rebecky
Director of Operations
Coastal International
samantha.rebecky@coastalintl.com

Taylor Bisson
Senior Marketing Strategist
Hamilton
tbisson@hamilton-ex.com

Zac Stewart
Account Management
Momentun Management
Zstewart@momentummgr.com

All Future Leader Recipients 

  • Aaron Diehl
    Ashley Crane
    Blaike Rathbun
    Cory Lynch
    Elizabeth Martinez
    Franck Bisimwa 
    Gina Zanutto 
    Jake Hess
    Kristin Sistrunk 
    Kylee Beaver
    Lonnie Brown
    Maddie Beaver
    Maddy Clary
    Maggie McIntyre 
    Małgorzata Łaszkiewicz 
    Marissa Fitzpatrick
    Pablo Vargas
    Sebastiaan van de Kimmenade,
    Shannon Dunne
    Tom Carey
    Trevor Beniak

  • Nolan Bratt 
    Caleb Brininger 
    Jenny Chang 
    Mark Condon 
    Michelle Davis 
    Joseph D’Alessandro 
    Vaughn Ellis 
    Jillian Fafard 
    Jessica Gifford-Diamantopoulos 
    Kayla Gott 
    Krystal Hanvold 
    Alec Pierson 
    Erika Plata 
    Carla Ramos 
    Sharla Robertson 
    Ethan Taylor 
    Jan van de Weijer 
    Joe Wilush
    Walt McCreary

  • Bobby Diehl 
    Sam Ogren 
    Vanessa Aguilar 
    Amanda Lembke 
    Sachel Josefson 
    Taylor Freckleton 
    Genna Fernandez 
    Emma Christen 
    Tyson Vasapoli 
    Kevin Nadolski 
    Lauren Wood 
    Amanda Heyse 
    Courtney Soice 
    Phoebe Mathius 
    Daniel Lamb 

  • Timothy Patchett 
    Nay Bielva 
    Lauren Wheeler 
    Amy Gattoni 
    Corey Allen 
    Destiney Mathis 
    Aric Furfaro 
    Dave Taylor 
    Jenny Koehn 
    Andy Homer  
    Alli Hughes 
    Arri Kladas 
    John Neil 
    Antonia Nuzzolo 

  • Matthew R. Beck 
    Luke Brown 
    Ashley Balassone 
    Sarah Mainhart 
    Katie McTammany 
    Kyle Miguel 
    Katina Rigall Zipay 
    Sarah Simon 
    Michael Vallone 
    Noelle Webster 

Current Committee Leaders

Michael Vallone
EDPA Future Leaders Advisor

VP, Creative & Brand Hill & Partners
mvallone@hillpartners.com 

Jillian Fafard
EDPA Future Leaders Co-Chair
 
Director of Marketing, Aluvision
jillian@aluvision.com 

Jake Miller, EDPA Future Leaders
Marketing Chair

Account Executive, NMR Events 
jmiller@nmrevents.com

Bobby Diehl
EDPA Future Leaders
Co–Chair President

Senior Account Director Genesis Exhibits
bdiehl@exhibitsbygenesis.com 

Liz Nacron
EDPA Future Leaders Advisor
 
Partner, Live Marketing
lnacron@livemarketing.com

Resources

Stay Connected to the Future Leaders 

Sign up for our Emails & Stay Informed (It’s Free!) 

Subscribe to Our Emails

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp