Expo! Expo! 2025 Freshly Baked

Recorded On: 12/09/2025

In a world of stale meetings and one-size-fits-all content, events have the potential to feel fresh, intentional, layered, and worth showing up for. That only happens when experiential strategy isn’t sprinkled on top, it’s baked in from the start. This workshop invites you to become an “Experience Baker,” someone who crafts environments with intentional structure, emotional flavor, and the right finishing touch. Through demonstrations, and a few unexpected sprinkles, attendees will build their own Experiential Event Flavor Profile, exploring how analog moments and layered design can create a space people really want to be in. And they’ll leave with a custom event recipe and a fresh perspective on how to design experiences that aren't just efficient, but leave your audience craving more.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how in-person events now serve as gathering grounds for culture, conversation, and community. And how to design environments that support informal, human-first interaction.
Create a customized “Event Flavor Profile” method to break down your event into foundational structure, emotional delivery, and memorable moments. See how each layer works together to create meaningful engagement.
Learn from real-world examples of analog activations, narrative pacing, as well as surprise and delight moments that work at every scale.

This session is $49 exclusively for IAEE Members and is not available for non-members.

Sara Taylor

Senior Director of Conference Operations

Viticus Group

Sara Taylor is the Senior Director of Conference Operations at Viticus Group, where she leads a dynamic team in managing all aspects of conference operations, exhibits, and sponsorships for two premier annual veterinary events — WVC Vegas and WVC Nashville. With over 20 years of experience in the convention and tradeshow industry, Sara brings a deep expertise in strategic event planning, vendor management, and large-scale logistics.

Before joining Viticus Group, Sara served as an Account Executive at NexxtShow Exposition Services and as a Convention Services Manager at Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center. In these roles, she managed multiple high-profile accounts and oversaw tradeshows and conventions ranging from 500 to 20,000 attendees.
Her career also includes a strong foundation in catering and sales at various hotels and resorts, further enriching her holistic understanding of the events and hospitality industry. Sara holds both the CEM (Certified in Exhibition Management) and CMP (Certified Meeting Planner) designations, underscoring her commitment to excellence and professionalism in the field.

Angela Strahan

Vice President of Creative Services & Strategy

Fern, an Nth Degree company

Angela Strahan is Vice President of Creative Services & Strategy at Fern, an Nth Degree company. Strahan brings decades of experience leading creative for top brands including Intel, Marriott, and GE HealthCare. Prior to joining Fern, she co-founded PB&J Design and held creative leadership roles at Hargrove, Spiro, Best Buy, and GES. At Fern, Strahan leads strategic, immersive brand experiences that connect, inspire, and deliver measurable results across the events industry.  

This session upon completion is eligible to earn 0.5 Clock Hour towards CEM recertification.