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 

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

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