The Engaging Retreat 2026

Every Engaging Virtual Meetings program is based on the 6-step ENGAGE method:* Engage and interact with every attendee* Never lead a meeting alone* Good looks* Air traffic control* Get productive with virtual tools* End on a high note

Engaging Virtual Meetings

Click the BLUE Read More! Discover the secrets of Engagement at The Engaging Retreat 2026  For Speakers, Meeting Professionals and Leaders.

Bothell Rental Hall

When was the last time you left a professional event more energized than when you arrived?Not just inspired.Not just informed.Energized.The kind of energy that makes ideas fly, conversations spark, and possibilities suddenly feel within reach.That’s CHENERGY.And from October 20–22, 2026, you’re invited to experience it firsthand at The Engaging Retreat.Hosted by engagement expert John Chen, CSP, this immersive, three-day experience brings together speakers, facilitators, meeting planners, trainers, emcees, entrepreneurs, and event professionals who believe audiences deserve more than another slide deck and a polite round of applause.Here, you won’t just hear about engagement.You’ll experience what happens when creativity meets participation.When strangers become collaborators.When fresh perspectives turn familiar problems into unexpected possibilities.When a room stops acting like an audience—and starts acting like a community.Expect meaningful connections, creative breakthroughs, practical ideas, and the contagious momentum that comes from being surrounded by people who care as deeply about engagement as you do.Whether you lead from the stage, behind the scenes, on-screen, or across a conference table, you’ll discover new ways to create experiences people remember—and put them to work long after the retreat ends.Because real engagement isn’t about having more energy than everyone else.It’s about knowing how to create energy with everyone else.That’s the magic.That’s the momentum.That’s CHENERGY.Your next audience deserves it.Your next event demands it.And honestly?You could probably use some, too.Join us October 20–22, 2026, for three days designed to recharge your creativity, strengthen your connections, and transform how you bring people together.Don’t just attend. Plug into the CHENERGY. Register for The Engaging Retreat 2026.What do you get with an IN-PERSON ticket?<ul><li>Over 18 top speakers on engagement</li><li>5-Minutes on stage with 4-camera footage</li><li>3 Meals a day including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages</li><li>Expert speaker coaching and hotseats</li><li>Exclusive networking</li></ul>Speakers Include (CPAE means National Speakers Association Hall of Fame speaker 1 of 275, CSP means Certified Speaking Professional 1 of 700)<ul><li>Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE, Cavett</li><li>Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE</li><li>Marilyn Sherman, CSP, CPAE</li><li>Alvin Law, CSP, Hall of Fame from the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers</li><li>Jim Spellos, Named one of MPI's 50 Most Influential People in their 50-Year History</li><li>Elizabeth McCormick, CSP and 1 of the first 100 women Blackhawk Pilots</li><li>Scott Cooksey, CSP</li><li>Jim Harris, AI Disruption and Innovation</li><li>Jacques Martiquet, creator of JoyCamp</li><li>Adam Bacher, NSA Oregon Photographer</li><li>Bruce Hill</li><li>Ivy Meadors, Past President NSA Northwest</li><li>Luam Wersom, champion of Food Dignity, owner of Mojitos</li><li>Dr. Robin Nussbaum</li><li>Kathy Klotz-Guest</li><li>Ming-Ming Tung Edelson</li><li>Theresa Francomacaro</li><li>Virtual Emcee JO Welch</li><li>Emcee Lady In Red, Devon Montgomery-Pasha</li><li>and me John Chen, CSP, #1 Amazon Author of Engaging Virtual Meetings and your host</li></ul>The first 50 IN-PERSON attendees get a 5-minute 4-camera fully edited video of themselves speaking!Engage, empower, and evolve together. Your unique story is our collective strength.🌍♿️🏳️‍🌈Note: Accessible formats &amp; captioning are readily available.Attend virtually!Attend in-person!Attend what a PhD called, "The Best HYBRID E.V.E.R!"Click "FOLLOW" for speaker announcements and agenda updates! See speaker videos below.Tuesday 10/20/2026 - The 6th Anniversary of Publishing the #1 Amazon "Engaging Virtual Meetings"7:30 am Doors Open, hosted by Virtual Emcee JO Welch8:00 am The Engaging Conference Opening Ceremony hosted by John Chen, CSP8:50 am Fast Interaction with Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE, Cavett9:40 am Break10:20 am Front-Row Success - Marilyn Sherman, CSP, CPAE11:10 am From Noise to Nuance: Making Today’s AI Tools, Workflows and Agents Work for You - Jim Spellos12:00 pm Lunch1:00 pm THE CREDIBILITY DEFICIT: How to Build Authority, Reduce Decision Friction, and Increase Recommendations - Elizabeth McCormick, CSP1:50 pm The Art and Science of JoyCamp - Jacques Mariquet2:40 pm Break2:40 pm Break3:20 pm Hotseats hosted by Devon Montgomery-Pasha, (Audience speaks, Speakers coach)4:10 pm - The Engaging Debrief by John Chen, CSP5:00 pm Dinner/Networking, end of virtual (In-Person Only)7:00 pm Optional Evening Activity (In-Person Only)Wednesday 10/21/20267:30 am Doors Open, hosted by Virtual Emcee JO Welch8:00 am 6 Ways For More Engaging Hybrid Keynotes by John Chen, CSP8:50 am Step Into Your Greatness(tm) - Alvin Law, CSP, HoF9:40 am Break10:20 am The LEADOUT Advantage - Scott Cooksey, CSP11:10 am Disruptive AI - Jim Harris12:00 pm Lunch1:00 pm Stitch. Care. Rise - Ming-Ming Tung Edelson1:25 pm We Do HR Solutions - Dr. Robin Nussbaum1:50 pm The SPARK Method - Devon Montgomery-Pasha2:40 pm Break3:20 pm Super Engaging Panel moderated by Devon Montgomery-Pasha4:10pm - The Engaging Debrief by John Chen, CSP5:00 pm Dinner/Networking, end of virtual (In-Peson Only)7:00 pm Optional Evening Activity (In-Person Only)Thursday 10/22/20267:30 am Doors Open, hosted by Virtual Emcee JO Welch8:00 am Hybrid Chenergy with John Chen, CSP8:50 am Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE9:40 am Break10:20 am JO Welch10:45 am Kathy Klost-Guest11:10 am Bruce Hill11:35 am Ivy Meadors12:00 pm Lunch1:00 pm Food Dignity - Luam Wersom1:25 pm Why Story Works - Theresa Francomacaro1:50 pm Expanding Engagement with Curiosity and Wonder - Adam Bacher2:40 pm Break3:20 pm Hotseats hosted by Devon Montgomery-Pasha, (Audience speaks, Speakers coach)4:10pm The Engaging Retreat Closing Ceremony with John Chen, CSP5:00 pm End of Virtual, Dinner/Networking (In-Person Only)7:00 pm Optional Evening Activity (In-Person Only) In-Person Hotel SuggestionsMcMenamins Anderson School18607 Bothell Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011To book by phone -Call 425-398-0122To book online -Visit <a href="https://reserve.mcmenamins.com/mcmenamins/availability.asp" title="https://reserve.mcmenamins.com/mcmenamins/availability.asp" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://reserve.mcmenamins.com/mcmenamins/availability.asp</a>Comfort Inn &amp; Suites Bothell - Seattle North1414 228th St SE, Bothell, WA 98021(425) 402-0900

Your Speakers: John Chen, CSPHe’s the author of the #1 Amazon Hot New Book Release, Engaging Virtual Meetings. He’s been meeting virtually for over 38 years. He has produced over 4,000 virtual meetings including an EIGHT language meeting and the only 100% LIVE virtual conference in the training industry. He’s 1 of only 400 Certified Speaking Professionals designated by the National Speakers Association. Let’s WELCOME your speaker, John Chen, CSP!

Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE, CavettBrian Walter is a communications consultant and corporate humorist with Extreme Meetings. He uses customized infotainment to help companies put more buzz in their biz. He is recognized by the National Speakers Association as a Certified Speaking Professional, Hall of Fame and Cavett Award winner, 1 of only 47, the highest honor of NSA. Brian is a unique hybrid of internal and external communications expertise. He has been an advertising creative services director, an award-winning TV and radio commercial producer, a freelance copywriter and video producer, a marketing director, management trainer, a university adjunct professor, a corporate internal communications director, and for two weeks before he quit…a telephone survey operator. He’s even in the Guinness Book of World Records for producing the world’s shortest TV commercial.

Marilyn Sherman, CSP, CPAEis a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, author, and founder of UpFront Presentations. She has spent her career inspiring people to get out of their comfort zones and claim their "Front-Row" seat in life and leadership. Organizations hire her to help their people embrace change, elevate performance, and lead with purpose. She is the author of 5 books including her latest, “Front-Row Success; How to live and lead from the best seat in the house.” She is also the personal development expert in residence at High Point University and a proud graduate of Washington State University. For more information, go to <a href="https://FrontRowSuccess.com" title="https://FrontRowSuccess.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://FrontRowSuccess.com</a>.

Title: Front-Row Success; How to Live and Lead from the Best Seat in the HouseHave you ever felt like you were stuck in the balcony and everyone else was in the front-row? Marilyn believes that too many people settle for balcony seats when the real success happens in the front-row. Marilyn helps audiences see how easy it is to get stuck in the balcony or the comfort zone of general admission that they’ve drifted into and what it’s costing them. Audiences discover how much of their success is actually within their control, how their attitude shapes everything around them, and why their best work is still ahead of them. Get ready to be inspired to take action in your personal and professional life so you too can live and lead from the front-row!

Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE is a tears-in-your-eyes-laugh-out-loud speaker who teaches people to be more resilient and resourceful and coaches businesses on how to enhance productivity and employee enthusiasm. Talented, innovative and memorable, Tim provides amazing take-home value delivered with his one-of-a-kind presentation style. Tim "walks his talk" as a successful business owner himself for more than 26 years. Before starting his business, he worked in the Sales Industry, as well as State and Federal Government in Human Services, as a fraud investigator and is a navy veteran.. Recognized as a pioneer in humor based training. Tim is a certified speaking professional (CSP) &amp; a member of the Speaker Hall Of Fame, an elite honor held by fewer than 150 speakers worldwide. The author or co-author of Just Plane Funny, My Policy Manual, Motivational Leaders, and Humor Me, Tim humorously delivers messages as universal as his audiences are diverse.

Finding The FunnyHall of Fame speaker Tim Gard is someone who can find the funny almost anywhere and you can too!In this highly interactive session Tim will share the process he uses to “Find the Funny” in his own stories and for his coaching clients. Funny things happen all around us every day and it’s up to you to capture those moments and develop them into amazing stories that reinforce your onstage message. Not every story is funny, but if you have a funny story why stop there? With a little bit of work a funny story becomes a hilarious signature story that can get you booked again and again. Participants will have the opportunity to tell a story during the session and have Tim help you find the funny in it. Tim will write material for the trainees that belongs to them forever!Objectives<ul><li>Discover how anyone can make a story funny or funnier using Tim’s process.</li><li>Having high content is very important, but even more important is the ability to be able to keep the material memorable and easy to absorb. Humor helps any audience become more involved with training.</li><li>Don’t just settle for a giggle, discover how to turn any laugh into a series of laughs that enhance your training.</li><li>Discover your humor strengths and weakness and how to improve on your weakness and build on your strengths.</li><li>Learn the differences in comedy club humor and professional humor used in the workplace today.</li></ul>

Alvin Law, CSP, HoFis an international keynote speaker, 2-time Hall of Fame recipient, Emmy Award winner, world-class musician, and best-selling author.In his 40+ years of public speaking, Alvin has entertained more than 2 million people across 5 different continents. His incredible true story inspires audiences to explore their lives with greater imagination and transform their obstacles into amazing opportunities.When he’s not on stage, Alvin loves mastering sports video games and prides himself on being the best driver in his family. He shares his life with his wife and business partner, Darlene; his adult son, Vance; and assorted pets. They all live in beautiful Calgary, Canada.

<h2>Step into Your Greatness™</h2><h3>Be inspired. Push through obstacles. Create more possibilities.</h3>Every single person walks around with an invisible label stuck to their forehead.It’s like one of those nametags you get at awkward networking events. Except that these labels don’t tell people your name. Instead, they describe your limitations.As a guy without any arms, I’ve worn a lot of labels in my life. “Disabled.” “Victim.” “Freak.” Good and bad, I’ve heard them all.All these labels were given to me by other people. People who sized me up and figured me out without asking me a single question.People who knew exactly what I could do and, more importantly, what I couldn’t.Most of us live up to these labels. We accept what other people say about us as gospel truth. “Well, I guess I’ll never [fill in the blank],” we sigh, choosing to be restrained by these limitations.But I believe that it doesn’t have to be that way. I believe that we can change those labels.In your customized presentation, I will inspire you and your team to stop focusing on what’s missing and start seeing all the possibilities that are within your reach.Yes, I’ll be entertaining. Yes, I’ll also be encouraging. However, don’t be fooled: I’m here to challenge you and your team to rip off those old labels. Because you have the power to create a new future and overcome any obstacle that stands in your way.Are you ready to take that first step into your greatness?

From Noise to Nuance: Making Today’s AI Tools, Workflowsand Agents Work for YouThe first wave of generative AI showed us how it could draft an email, summarize a document, brainstorm ideas, and analyze information. Now, AI has moved beyond simply chatting with you. It can research, plan, use tools, and take action to get work done. This is where tools, workflows and agents and workflows enter the picture. But what do these terms really mean, how do they differ, and which ones can make your work easier today?Attend this session to cut through the noise, see what’s possible, and discover how to truly put AI to work for you.· Identify 10+ AI tools that can immediately improve everyday tasks.· Recognize practical ways to incorporate AI into your work while understanding its limitations and the need for human oversight.· Differentiate between AI tools, skills, workflows, and agents, and determine when each approach is most appropriate.

James Spellos is the President of Meeting U. whose mission is to help people become more productive and comfortable with technology.Smart Meetings named Jim as one of their Smart Speakers in 2025. In 2024, Meetings Today magazine named Jim one of the Meeting Industry trendsetters, for his “AI Education with Integrity” commitment. He was also named a trendsetter for them in 2015 as well. In 2022, Meeting Professionals International included Jim on their most influential list in the hospitality industry in honor of their 50th anniversary celebration.He was a faculty member at New York University for 25 years, receiving both their Award for Teaching Excellence and their Outstanding Service Award. Jim was previously named one of the Meeting Industry’s trendsetters by Meetings Today magazine in 2015.Jim is on the Board of Directors for Rock and Wrap It Up, an anti-poverty, anti-hunger organization which recovers excess food from events. Jim co-created their Whole Earth Calculator app. He also speaks about food recovery and sustainability at events. In 2018 &amp; 2019, BizBash named Jim one of their top 500 people in events for his work in sustainability.<a href="" title="" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">He has a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies, is a certified Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and is on the staff of Plant Powered Metro New York, helping to educate people about a healthy diet and lifestyle, which helped to save his own life. In 2024, PPMNY chose Jim as their Grassroots Champion.</a>Jim is an accomplished musician and songwriter who released his first solo album, Stroke of Genius in 2020. James Spellosjspellos@meeting-u.com<a href="http://www.meeting-u.com" title="http://www.meeting-u.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.meeting-u.com</a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/meetingu" title="http://www.facebook.com/meetingu" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.facebook.com/meetingu</a><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jspellos" title="http://www.twitter.com/jspellos" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.twitter.com/jspellos</a><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/jspellos" title="http://www.linkedin.com/in/jspellos" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.linkedin.com/in/jspellos</a>

FROM SEARCH TO RECOMMENDATIONHow GSO &amp; AEO Are Changing the Way Customers Find, Trust, and Choose BusinessesWill AI recommend your business when your customers ask?The way customers search for information is changing rapidly.They aren't only typing keywords into search engines and scrolling through pages of results. They're asking AI direct questions:"What's the best solution for this problem?""Which company should I consider?""What should I look for before I buy?""Who are the trusted experts in this industry?"And increasingly, they're receiving a synthesized answer before they ever visit a website.The question for your business is no longer simply, "Can customers find us?"It's also:"Will search engines and AI understand us well enough to include us in the answer?"In this fast-paced, highly tactical presentation, former Black Hawk Pilot and Business Strategist Elizabeth McCormick introduces leaders to GSO, Generative Search Optimization, and AEO, Answer Engine Optimization, and explains why these emerging disciplines matter to organizations of every size.More importantly, she takes the technology conversation back to something every business already understands:Credibility.Because getting mentioned isn't enough.Your organization needs to be understood accurately, supported by credible evidence, relevant to the customer's question, and positioned strongly enough to move from search result to trusted choice.In This Session, Participants Will Discover How To:<ul><li>Understand the critical differences between SEO, AEO, and GSO, and why businesses now need to think beyond traditional search.</li><li>Identify the questions customers are increasingly asking AI before they contact, visit, purchase from, or recommend a business.</li><li>Strengthen the digital signals that make a business easier for both humans and AI to understand and trust.</li><li>Use specificity, expertise, third-party validation, customer evidence, and Professional Assets to strengthen digital credibility.</li></ul>This Isn't About Gaming AI.It's about giving AI, search engines, customers, and decision-makers better evidence to work with.Participants will learn how to examine their business through a different lens:Is it clear what we're known for?Can our important claims be verified?Are credible third parties reinforcing what we say about ourselves?Are we answering the questions customers actually ask?Does our digital presence consistently represent who we are today?And when someone asks for a business like ours, have we created enough credible evidence to be considered?Elizabeth connects emerging AI search behavior with practical business strategy so participants don't leave overwhelmed by another technology trend. YYou will leave knowing what to evaluate, what to strengthen, and what to do next.The technology may be new. The business principle isn't.Credibility creates confidence. Confidence drives decisions.And in a world moving rapidly from search to recommendation, the businesses that make themselves easiest to understand, verify, trust, and choose will have a powerful competitive advantage.

Elizabeth McCormick, CSP is a former U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot, business strategist, and award-winning keynote speaker who has built a career making complex ideas actionable. Trained to operate in environments where information, technology, and conditions can change quickly, Elizabeth takes complex systems and breaks them into clear, manageable sequences people can understand and apply.Today, she brings that same approach to the rapidly evolving world of AI, GSO, AEO, credibility, and business strategy. Rather than overwhelming audiences with technology, Elizabeth translates what is changing into practical business actions leaders can use to strengthen their digital credibility, increase visibility, and make it easier for both humans and AI to understand, trust, and recommend their organizations.

Scott Cooksey, CSPbrings a unique, affable style that easily connects with audiences. He emphasizes the importance of both meeting people "where they are" and simultaneously challenging them to become the most capable versions of themselves through action. Working with him, clients have achieved: Rapid application of practical skills to improve team results Increased awareness of communication preferences for themselves and team members; allowing teams to leverage their respective natural strengths Improved sales enablement success, shortening "on-boarding to production" time for sales development representatives Deepening understanding of practical, easy-to-implement leadership tools Enhanced ability to leverage team member strengths to deliver impactful results in multiple industries

Jim Harrisis a skilled platform speaker and is experienced in leading strategic planning sessions with executive teams. He works with leading businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and organization aspiring to join these ranks. He was ranked one of the nation’s top 10 speakers by Association magazine. Jim Harris has 20 years of experience as a professional speaker and consultant and speaks internationally at more than 40 conferences a year on issues such as leadership, change, customer relationship management (CRM), eLearning, future trends, innovation and creating learning organizations.

I'm Jacques. I help leaders become known for leading activities &amp; meetings that make their people healthier and happier. All powered by the science of joy! 🥼🧪 My message is simple... Joy + Human Connection = Greatest Anti-Depressant 💊 I’m Jacques, aka The Party Scientist, an opening anti-keynote speaker and community consultant. I help event hosts of all kinds design and deliver exceptional community experiences that create raving fans. I’m here on Earth to help you create your own joy through your body, mindset, and human connections. My core belief? Joyful human connection is the greatest life skill and contributor to your happiness—And I’ll get you feelin’ it! At my high-energy experiences, I share tools to create joy anywhere, leaving you connected and naturally uplifted. Back in 2015, while I was working as a festival medic saving intoxicated youth, I discovered my life’s purpose. That moment sparked a sober partying movement that caught the attention of Meetings Today, VICE, Elle, Macleans, and Global News. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacology degree, but I skipped the traditional path. Instead, I teach people how to tap into their body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals through connection, music, and healthy living. Since 2017, I’ve led thousands of joyful events across more than 15 countries, rocking international festival stages and corporate offices like Accenture and LUSH Cosmetics. Today, I continue to host sober parties and happiness workshops in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada, spreading my message of natural, connection-driven joy.

Emcee Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED is a Facilitator of Human Experience who helps leaders and event teams create moments that move people forward.Her work spans global conferences, executive panels, and leadership sessions where clarity, trust, and momentum matter. On stage and behind the scenes, she guides conversations that create alignment and move people forward. Through her SPARK framework, she ensures gatherings are designed for measurable impact, not just applause.Named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the Events Industry, she is known for her calm authority, strategic thinking, and ability to turn gatherings into meaningful forward motion.

Adam Bacher is a professional photographer with over twenty-five years of experience, and feels blessed that his work is also his passion. Most of the places seen in the wonders of nature photography collections are accessible only by hiking deep into the wilderness. Adam’s goal is to capture the landscapes he sees, as true and perfect as the experience, taking you to a time and place far removed from the pressures of everyday life.In the wilderness, immersed in the natural world, he is inspired by the authenticity of a universe virtually untouched by humanity. A place where life unfolds moment by moment, and he becomes a participant in the vast spectacle around him.Beautiful, simple, primitive and real: the mountains are like the soul of the earth. When light touches the earth, water, and sky in just the right way, the views are spectacular, the colors are dazzling, and the feelings are indescribable.<a href="https://earthwatersky.com/" title="https://earthwatersky.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">See Wonders of Nature Photography here. </a>

Bruce HillTransforming Customer-Facing Teams and Their Leaders to Drive Sales Growth and Retention by Asking Better Questions As a Corporate Sales Leader, Sales Enablement Consultant, and International Speaker, I partner with tech startups and professional services firms to build repeatable sales systems that grow revenue and retention—without gimmicks or guesswork. Through my company, New Skills New You, I help sales, customer success, and revenue leaders turn inconsistent results into clear, predictable growth. Over the last 15+ years, I’ve: * Generated over $5.4M in pipeline and $1.2M in closed revenue for clients * Increased average opportunity size by 45% and appointments per rep by 12.5% * Reduced no-shows by 40% with better follow-up systems and automation * Helped teams hit 110% of goal in month two and hit monthly targets in just 9 days …I help you and your team gain clarity, confidence, and more effective communication so you can attract, close, and keep ideal clients.

Ivy Meadors shares her wealth of experience via speeches, consulting, writing, and mentoring, contributing to people’s ability to be successful in business and life. Her dynamic, charismatic presence has been felt among Fortune 500 corporations, U.S. Government agencies, universities, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. She has over 38 years of experience in customer service and support and has built a platform of excellence on four pillars: customer service, the psychology of leadership, communication techniques, and progressive deployment of technologies. Her expertise includes an array of topics from executive and non-traditional leadership skills, generational relationships, multi-faceted communication techniques, customer service, presentation skills, and deployment of specialized corporate technologies like CRM and telephone systems. Her career with US West Communications and IBM contributed to her advanced development. Ivy transforms businesses, Service Desks, Contact Centers, and HR Employee Resource Centers by “seeing” things that are not so obvious to others. Ivy is likely the only female conference producer in technology, as the owner of the Signature Customer Service and Support Professionals Conference and the Government Customer Support Conference. An authority on leadership, she is also a dedicated advocate for developing young leaders and women. As a speaker, Ivy engages and educates, delivering presentations that are powerful affairs, teaching people and businesses how to exceed and excel. She gives her audience sound business solutions, imparts a passion for action, and challenges them to commit to success, transforming the lives of thousands. She holds the credentials of a professional speaker recognized by the National Speakers Association. Specialties: leadership, mentoring, generations, call center and help desk technology, presentation skills

Dr. Robin Nussbaum (Doc Rob) is passionate about passion. Just kidding!—well sort of. Doc Rob does care deeply about social justice, sexual liberation, living into our deepest desires, and the right to self-determination for our bodies, identities, and communities. They have been a queer activist and organizer for decades, as well as a sex educator and relationship skills instructor. In addition, Robin has become a leader in the polyamorous/non-monogamous community, helping folks learn relationship skills, navigate the complexity of myriad relationships, and advocating for recognition of polyamory/non-monogamy in the queer community. She has led the LGBT centers of several universities and now does diversity, equity, and inclusion work for organizations of all shapes, types, and sizes. They identify as a white, queer, pronoun-switching, genderqueer woman who is committed to anti-racism and ending oppression in all its forms.

Luam Wersomthe owner of <a href="https://intentionalist.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3513a4b9eba2ab1d3eddb77a6&amp;id=a64216621f&amp;e=e3d03d5894" title="https://intentionalist.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3513a4b9eba2ab1d3eddb77a6&amp;id=a64216621f&amp;e=e3d03d5894" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Mojito</a> in Seattle’s Maple Leaf neighborhood. When Mojito opened in 2000, Luam began working at the Latin American and Cuban restaurant as a dishwasher. Twenty one years later, he has been the sole owner since 2017. Luam was born in Ethiopia to Eritrean parents, and came to the U.S. by way of Greece as a refugee. Beyond the food that he serves, Luam is dedicated to supporting members of the community in need, including donating meals to low income seniors every week.

Ming-Ming Tung-EdelmanCareMakers Collective™ began with a turquoise dress.Ming-Ming Tung-Edelman’s Ama — her Taiwanese grandmother — was a widowed home-based seamstress who raised three children alone with little formal education and one sewing machine. The last dress she made for Ming-Ming traveled in her suitcase from Taiwan to Saudi Arabia, and finally to America.It carried a message:Skills are power. If I can make it, so can you.For over twenty years and with a Doctorate in Pharmacy, Ming-Ming served as a clinical pharmacist whose impact reached far beyond medication management. Her career began with Kaiser Permanente Portland’s nationally recognized Medication Disease Management Program, an innovative model of patient-centered care. She received the American Health System Pharmacy award for her role in this innovative program on population disease management. In her later role as an anticoagulation pharmacist, she became a trusted advocate and guide for her patients, fostering enduring relationships built on trust, dignity, and compassion. Her legacy is one of exceptional care, meaningful connection, and a steadfast commitment to improving the lives of others.

<h4>Theresa Francomacaro</h4> “I believe human connection is a human right.”Whether you seek to craft a compelling bio, drive revenue, secure that dream client, or simply have some fun, your story is THE differentiator.I help leaders &amp; learners put their best stories to work to create clarity, boost self-confidence, deepen connections, and drive revenue.Building upon decades of experience in the creative arts, education , facilitation, sales &amp; leadership, I love helping people get their story straight. No matter if you and/or your team range in age from 5 to 85, the story principles are the same.If you’re not sure where to start or maybe you seek some outside insight, I’m here to help you get your story straight so you can live and work with clarity &amp; purpose.As an accredited Dale Carnegie Facilitator &amp; Leadership Coach, with a MA in performance from NYU, a certification as a training specialist from UW, in addition to being a published author, produced playwright, and local storyteller, I bring a method that works.

Kathy Klotz-GuestKathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA is a speaker, author, comedian, and unapologetic human who believes we’ve gotten way too good at performing and shrinking, especially at work. A longtime Silicon Valley leader and decades-long stand-up, sketch, and improv performer, Kathy helps organizations create the conditions for people and teams to stop performing, start experimenting, and take bolder action.As founder of Keeping It Human®, Kathy’s signature BOLD NET™ approach uses humor and improv thinking to lower fear and help teams create healthier cultures, say the things that matter, and innovate more boldly. Laughter Is Kathy's favorite human sign that people have stopped performing, lowered fear and are building trust. Her book, Stop Boring Me!, hit #1 on Amazon, and her work has been featured in Forbes and Inc.com.

Make Room for Ridiculous: Crafting the Conditions for Bolder People &amp; TeamsWhat happens when we stop performing and make room for the parts of ourselves and our teams that might be a little ridiculous?In this fast, humorous, interactive keynote, we take on the fear, rigidity, and shrinking that has us being performative instead of performing our best. We explore how we show up for each other, create enough safety to experiment and fail, and make room to learn.Bolder work isn't a 'go innovate!' mandate; it comes from taking down fear and building a net strong enough to support us as we try, fail, learn, adapt, and try again.And laughter is the signal that we’ve stopped performing, and created enough trust to take the risk.

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The Engaging Retreat 2026

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Bothell Rental Hall

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