14 Speakers to Deliver Forward-Looking Insights, May 27, Grand Hyatt, Washington D.C.

ARLINGTON, VA—April 10. 2026— “Opportunities abound for leaders who are not afraid to embrace change,” said Sam Lippman, President of Lippman Connects. “The executives who come to ECEF will find out where to look for those opportunities and how to capitalize on them.” Lippman Connects produces the Exhibitions and Conventions Executives Forum (ECEF) which will be held May 27 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington D.C.

Acknowledged as the premier relationship-building experience for executives from associations and independent organizers, ECEF caps attendance at 250 leaders. The day is punctuated with thought-provoking C-level presentations, curated by Sam Lippman. The 2026 program will feature these 14 speakers in nine fast-paced sessions:

• Sam Lippman — 5 Key Data Points in 5 Minutes
• Edwina Kulego, VP, Informa — Keynote: A Global Mindset Pays Off Even if You Operate Locally
• Bob Hughes, VP, NACS — The Profitability of Restraint: Why Leaving Money Behind Pays Off
• Brandy Rand, VP, Questex; and Kiersten Pierce, SVP, American Hotel and Lodging Association — Best of Both Worlds – An Association and Independent Organizer Partnership
• Fernando Fischer, President of the Americas, RX — Punching Up: Why We Need ECA 2.0
• Sam Lippman; Joshua Oloriegbe, Diamond Vaughn — First Impressions: Annabelle Project Mentees Speak
• Shelly Palmer, CEO, The Palmer Group ­— The Agentic Enterprise: What Every Leader Needs to Know
• Rajul Shah, GM & Global Head of Sales, Zoom — I’ve Been to Your Show. Here’s What I’d Change
• Kimberly Hardcastle, Chief Strategist, Freeman; Ken Holsinger, SVP, Freeman; Christine Murphy Peck, Chief Global Learning Officer, ASIS International; Rebecca Sausner, CEO, Yotta — Adding Information Value Across the Event Experience

About Lippman Connects

Lippman Connects produces information-sharing and networking experiences for exhibition and convention industry executives, managers, and professionals. The Lippman Connects portfolio includes Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum, Attendee Acquisition Roundtable, Exhibit Sales Roundtable and Large Show Roundtable. Learn more at www.lippmanconnects.com.