Kara Dao, a seasoned Chief Operating Officer (COO), radiates optimism and approachability, fostering trust among clients and colleagues. With 25+ years in the industry, she boasts a remarkable portfolio, notably elevating an exhibition to fivefold growth in just two years. Kara excels in managing international trade shows, driving profits while leading remote teams effectively. Kara's forward-thinking extends to her vision for event experiences, foreseeing a shift from traditional tradeshows to dynamic, purposeful showcases that prioritize attendee engagement over aimless wandering.

Patrick W. Hand Jr. Is President and Founder of FirstHand Productions. Patrick specializes on Corporate, Association, and government events.  He has built FHP from his extensive knowledge, diverse background, and his savviness of having an ingenious system combining, his base inventory, resourcing of freelance personnel, gear rental and production companies. Patrick created FirstHand Productions at the peak height of Covid where most of the people in his industry lost their jobs.  His vision and leadership allowed FirstHand to flourish when other companies struggled.  His staff size grew 300% in only 6 months.  Since then, Patrick has transformed Firsthand into being the new popular choice by Associations due to his integrity, leading edge ideas, professionalism, and the ability to maintain clients.

Patrick offers a unique combination of skills rarely seen in this industry, one that marries experience in production management with an acumen in the sales and business side.Patrick is a recognized expert in the production management and entertainment industries. Corporations, foreign dignitaries, political groups, government leaders, celebrities, non-profit organizations and foundations have all sought out his expertise. His breadth of experience, spanning more than 20 years, is as diverse as the clients who retain him, whether for full-scale production design, event management, entertainment procurement, conference and convention planning or technical supervision. Patrick has directed the production design, technical creation and stage management for events with Fortune 500 companies and the United States Government alike.

Courtney Harold is a pioneering force in business development, known for her remarkable ability to create new revenue streams and expand brand assets into novel products and markets. With an uncanny talent for brand transformation, Courtney has consistently fostered organic growth, evolution, and success across both B2B and B2C sectors.

As the Head of Business Development for Informa's Fashion: OFFPRICE sector, a distinguished brand renowned for its trade shows in Las Vegas and Orlando, Courtney has established herself as a visionary leader over her illustrious 20-year career. Her accomplishments include launching recurring, scalable, and profitable new products, sponsorships, partnerships, trade shows, events, conferences, and consulting solutions across various industries.

Courtney's unwavering commitment to growth and innovation is underscored by her frequent reference to Complex Con as an inspiration for both B2B and B2C events. She emphasizes the potential for product launches and collaborations in the current business landscape.

Beyond her professional journey, Courtney, during the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, rekindled her glory days by returning to rowing after a hiatus since college at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This endeavor culminated in her rowing in an alumni boat at the prestigious Head of the Charles regatta. To further her commitment to personal and professional development, Courtney earned her master’s in executive leadership in 2022.

Currently, she divides her time between Santa Monica and San Diego, all while maintaining a close connection with her three nephews. 

Ellen Campbell-Kaminski is President and COO for Exhibit Concepts, Inc. (ECI) where she has primary responsibility for sales, client relations, creative, marketing, strategy and media development. Ellen joined Exhibit Concepts, Inc. in August 2016 as Vice President of Marketing and assumed responsibility for Sales and Account Management in 2018. She took on the role of President and COO in September 2021.

Prior to joining Exhibit Concepts, Inc., Ellen held the position of Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Datalliance (TrueCommerce, Inc.), the leading provider of inventory replenishment software for consumer package goods and industrial markets worldwide. Before joining Datalliance, Ellen spent twelve years at LexisNexis, a leading provider of information and software serving the legal industry, holding a variety of executive positions in marketing and market planning. Before joining LexisNexis, Ellen held several marketing, sales management and product development positions at other leading software and information services companies.

Ellen holds a BA in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Georgetown University.  She is currently teaching a brand marketing course at the University of Dayton and frequently speaks on transforming marketing, marketing operations and marketing effectiveness. She also teaches several courses for Exhibitor Group’s CTSM program. Ellen serves on the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors for Women in Experiential. She lives in Dayton with her husband and enjoys writing, walking her two dogs, gardening, watercolor painting, and cooking in her free time.

Nicole, with over 20 years of experience in event and marketing management, is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for IAEE. She is responsible for developing and managing all marketing functions of IAEE including corporate branding and event marketing as well as creating and executing the comprehensive strategic marketing plan for all IAEE initiatives including chapter relations, membership, councils, events and advocacy initiatives.

Jess Schafer, a Los Angeles native, has more than 20 years of advertising and marketing experience. She launched her career at various advertising agencies in LA before spending a decade in the sporting goods industry with an international consumer brand. In 2018, she relocated to Washington, DC, and joined CSG. As the Senior Director of Strategic Accounts, Jess oversees brand development, strategic planning, and the execution of multi-channel marketing campaigns.

Casey Clements, MS, is the Senior Marketing Director at Fast Forward Events where she oversees marketing for the organization’s Consumer and Lifestyle Division, including the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, recently named number one wine festival in the United States by USA Today.  With a strong passion for marketing and data driven solutions, Casey and her team continue to increase both attendance and exhibitor participation across the entire Fast Forward portfolio.

Terri serves alongside Ann Marie Kimble as Co-Director of the Master’s Program at San Diego State University’s Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Aside from the duties at SDSU, Terri is the president of Breining Group Inc., whose mission is Connecting People to Opportunities through coaching, training and professional facilitation in the meeting industry.  Terri has been involved in business events for several decades and was responsible for producing meetings around the globe. She is a sought-after speaker and master facilitator, serving a variety of business entities. Considered by many to be a thought leader, Terri is an activist working tirelessly on the continuous evolution of the event industry.

Corporate lawyer Barbara Dunn is relied upon by clients and colleagues alike for her innovative approach to nonprofit and tax-exempt legal matters. She remains at the forefront of current trends in this area of the law and advises clients on meetings, hospitality and travel law; contracts; employment law; computer, trademark and copyright law; litigation and risk management; administrative law; taxes; antitrust; and governance matters.

Known for her depth in the law and candid communication style, pragmatism and workable solutions are at the core of Barbara’s commitment to those she serves. With more than a quarter century of experience, Barbara does not reinvent the wheel, saving her clients valuable time and money.

Barbara has been involved in a variety of leadership positions in organizations that serve the associations and hospitality industries. She was the first woman to serve in a leadership role as chair of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Legal Section Council in 2005-2006.

Prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg, Barbara was a partner at the law firm of Howe & Hutton Ltd., where she practiced for more than 20 years.

Melissa Vallone helps clients run their businesses through her dedication to effectively negotiating contracts and managing, owning, safeguarding and leveraging valuable technology and other intellectual property assets. She is appreciated for helping clients solve their problems and realize their goals in an efficient manner. 

Melissa's IP practice is focused on information technology, trademark, trade dress, unfair competition, copyright, domain name, promotions, privacy, publishing and commercial contract issues. She negotiates complex tech and IP licensing and publishing agreements. Notably, Melissa has decades of experience representing not-for-profits and associations. In addition, she serves clients in the manufacturing, publishing, high-tech and service industries. She is committed to understanding all sides of an agreement or issue which helps her to craft solutions in a way that benefits her clients and moves the ball forward.

She is a member of numerous organizations and has won several prestigious honors and awards.

Katie Nelson, Founder and CEO of Sales UpRising, is a three-time business owner who has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs to playing smarter, better games in the Big Leagues. She is firmly committed to changing the current statistic that 90% of businesses do not meet their sales goals. She has developed the message: Cashflow Is Oxygen and made it her mission to bring the fun back into sales. Katie uses her charismatic style as a speaker, consultant, and business coach to encourage business owners that they, too, can make their revenue dreams happen. With a total 25 years of in sales and $150 million sold in products and services,  Katie is adamant that every business action is a sales conversation. She has proven strategies for success that she shares to transform companies into profit-making powerhouses. Katie has learned through hard work, determination, and networking the tips to growth that she teaches across the country to entrepreneurs who are hungry to take their businesses to the next level. Katie’s workshops, Mastermind courses, one-on-one workshops and business retreats are in high demand. She is known as “The Sales Catalyst,” and her personalized-yet-versatile message empowers business owners to be their own best spokesperson. Her strategies have achieved sales of more than $7 million in her own businesses. Katie is active in the small business community in Northern Virginia, and she works with a wide variety of business associations as a member and as a coach to steer them towards successful, profitable business growth.