KEYNOTE SPEAKER
GARY KROEGER
Why you CAN go home again. Connecting with our Midwestern values and quality of life.
About Gary Kroeger: Gary Kroeger was born in Cedar Falls and attended Northwestern University. In Chicago, he helped found The Practical Theatre Company with fellow alums Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall. This association caught the eye of Saturday Night Live producers and the three of them became regulars on the venerable late-night comedy show.
After SNL, Gary moved to Los Angeles for a series on CBS, called Spies with George Hamilton and later produced George’s daytime chat show, The George and Alana Show. Television appearances on many popular shows led to starring roles in films A Man Called Sarge, The Return of the Shaggy Dog, and Archie To Riverdale and Back. Gary went on to host versions of The Newlywed Game and the classic Beat the Clock. He was the weatherman in a popular episode of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.
In 2003, Gary moved back to Cedar Falls and worked as Creative Director for Mudd Advertising and is now the CEO of Outlier Creative Solutions. He is a motivational speaker as well as an After-Dinner speaker and emcee. He keeps active in community theater and is the statewide spokesman for Court Appointment Special Advocates for abused and neglected children. Gary speaks frequently at events that focus on mentoring students to become better citizens through leadership.
A political enthusiast who has run for office, Gary continues to write his blog “Gary Has Issues” and was a featured columnist in the Waterloo Courier.
VERONICA BAREMAN
Telling Your Story with Photos: Tips & Tools for Capturing Amazing Images with Your Cellphone Camera
Discover the versatility of your smartphone camera, from mastering the camera app to capturing stunning shots in diverse conditions. Learn composition, lighting, and editing techniques that will transform your photography game. Veronica’s practical insights and creative tips will empower you to harness the full potential of your smartphone camera, leaving you inspired and ready to capture extraordinary moments effortlessly.
About Veronica Bareman: Veronica Bareman, the acclaimed “Hip Grandma” of photography and travel, is an award-winning photographer based in picturesque Holland, Michigan. She expertly melds creativity and storytelling in every project. As the owner of Veronicajune Photography, she captures scenes with unparalleled detail. Beyond the lens, she’s a multimedia pro, managing two successful blogs – Veronicajune Photography and Hip Grandma with a Camera. Her influential online presence has made her a sought-after photographer, published author, respected freelance writer, and frequent contributor to publications like Travel Awaits and Lakeside Living.
K. PAIGE ENGLE
Thriving with Multiple Income Streams: Affiliate Programs & Beyond for Consistent Revenue
The influencer landscape is evolving, and relying on a single income source is no longer enough. To build a profitable, sustainable business, diversifying revenue streams is not just smart—it’s essential. This session will dive into proven monetization strategies tailored for content creators and travel professionals, with a special focus on affiliate programs like the Amazon Influencer Program.
What You’ll Learn:
Amazon Influencer Program Fundamentals – How to monetize product recommendations and leverage Amazon’s affiliate tools for maximum earnings.
Creating Shoppable Content – Proven techniques for seamlessly integrating affiliate links into blogs, videos, and social media for passive income.
Expanding with Digital Products – Turn your expertise into eBooks, travel guides, and online courses that sell.
Sponsored Content & Brand Partnerships – Build authentic brand collaborations that drive higher-paying opportunities.
Subscription Models & Patreon – Develop recurring revenue streams by offering exclusive content and membership perks.
Key Takeaways:
- A clear roadmap to diversifying income streams for financial stability and growth.
- Actionable techniques for creating high-converting, shoppable content.
- Strategies to attract brand partnerships and increase sponsored content revenue.
- Insights into building deeper audience engagement through subscriptions and memberships.
Don’t just create—monetize! Join us and learn how to build a thriving, sustainable revenue ecosystem that supports your success in 2024 and beyond!
About K. Paige Engle: K. Paige Engle is a dynamic Online Business Manager with a passion for empowering influencers, content creators, and business owners to streamline and elevate their digital presence. With years of experience as a bilingual marketing professional, international speaker, and travel entrepreneur, Paige seamlessly blends strategy with creativity. From her successful ‘Amazon Live’ channel to her UGC content creation expertise, she knows how to amplify brands and build engaged communities. Renowned for her storytelling finesse and marketing acumen, Paige delivers global insights with a personalized touch. When she’s not orchestrating seamless business operations or curating standout content, you can find her savoring macarons in every flavor and sharing moments of inspiration online @kpaigeengle. Visit www.paigeengle.com to discover how she can elevate your brand to the next level.
JOEL GREEN
Unearthing Success: How Storytelling Turned Robber’s Cave into an Award-Winning Destination
Join author, educator, and tour guide Joel Green as he shares the remarkable journey of transforming Lincoln’s historic Robber’s Cave from an abandoned curiosity into one of Nebraska’s premier tourism destinations. Drawing from his personal experiences, Joel will reveal how a childhood fascination evolved into an award-winning business that attracts visitors for tours, weddings, corporate events, and even music video shoots.
Learn how Joel has harnessed the power of storytelling to create engaging tours, published the award-winning book Robber’s Cave: Truths, Legends, Recollections, and navigated the process of having the site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Discover the creative strategies behind turning a hidden gem into a thriving cultural and tourism hub, and gain insights into how modern uses of historic sites can connect communities, foster curiosity, and drive economic impact.
Whether you’re passionate about storytelling, preservation, or tourism development, this session will leave you inspired to unearth your own hidden treasures and share their stories with the world.
About Joel Green: Joel Green is an author, educator, and tour guide who turned his childhood fascination with Lincoln’s Robber’s Cave into an award-winning tourism destination. Through his engaging storytelling and preservation efforts, Green helped secure the cave’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places and authored the Nebraska Book Award-winning Robber’s Cave: Truths, Legends, Recollections, now adapted into a film.
Green’s work has earned widespread recognition, including the 2022 Outstanding Tourism Attraction of the Year award and the Tom Lorenz Tourism Development Award in 2023. A dedicated mentor for gifted students and two-time VFW Teacher of the Year, Green continues to inspire through his passion for history, travel, and community engagement. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, with his wife and two daughters.
JULIE ROLLER WEEKS
Making Magic Happen: The Playbook for Small-Town Tourism with Big Results
Tourism success isn’t about having the biggest budget—it’s about making every dollar, every story, and every connection count. In this dynamic session, Julie Roller Weeks will unveil the winning playbook that transformed Abilene, Kansas, into a nationally recognized destination. Through a strategic mix of Earned, Owned, Shared, and Paid media, she’ll share the real-world tactics that helped this small town make a big impact.
What You’ll Learn:
- Earn media coverage by crafting compelling stories that journalists, bloggers, and influencers can’t resist.
- Own your message with website content, visitor guides, and blog storytelling that captivate potential visitors.
- Share your success by building an engaged social media community that fuels organic buzz.
- Maximize paid advertising to make every marketing dollar work harder and smarter.
From the World’s Largest “I Like Ike” Button to the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail, this session will showcase creative, budget-friendly strategies that put destinations on the map.
Whether you’re looking to attract more visitors, strengthen community pride, or elevate your destination’s brand, you’ll walk away inspired, empowered, and ready to make magic happen—no matter the size of your budget!
About Julie Roller Weeks: Julie is the Director of the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she turns a small budget into big results through collaboration, creative thinking, and buzzworthy marketing campaigns. Thanks to her leadership, Abilene has garnered numerous national accolades, including USA TODAY’s Best Historic Small Town, True West Magazine’s True Western Town of the Year, and TravelAwaits’ Best Small Town to Visit, along with frequent recognition from the Travel Industry Association of Kansas’ Marketing Awards.
Julie loves her work, dreams big, and delivers impactful results. She has spearheaded innovative projects like the World’s Largest Belt Buckle, Kansas’ first America 250 mural, Kansas Gunsmoke Trail and the World’s Largest “I Like Ike” Button. Along the way, she has hosted over 100 travel writers and secured more than $3 million in grants to support tourism and community initiatives.
A proud Kansas State University graduate pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration at Wichita State, Julie is also a graduate of prestigious leadership programs such as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Series of Excellence in Public Service and the ICMA Gettysburg Leadership Institute. She is a Kansas Destination Specialist, the President of the Kansas I-70 Association, and a past president of the Travel Industry Association of Kansas. Julie has shared Abilene’s successes and strategies at tourism conferences throughout the Midwest.
Julie and her husband, Ryan, live in a historic home in Abilene. When she’s not traveling, collecting Fiesta dishes, or decorating for the holidays, she’s likely diving into genealogy or brainstorming her next big idea for Abilene and its partners.
MEGAN BANNISTER
PITCHING WITH A PURPOSE: HOW TO CRAFT PITCHES THAT PAY OFF
Pitching isn’t an exact science—but mastering it can open doors to game-changing opportunities! Whether you’re a content creator, freelance writer, or DMO, knowing when, where, and how to pitch can make all the difference in securing partnerships, press coverage, and collaborations.
In this interactive session, you’ll learn:
- The Anatomy of a Winning Pitch – A proven formula that grabs attention and gets responses.
- Finding the Right Contacts – How to identify and connect with the right people at the right time.
- When (and When NOT) to Pitch – Timing strategies that increase your chances of success.
- What Happens After You Hit Send? – Effective follow-up techniques to turn a pitch into a partnership.
Then, we’ll put theory into action by crafting real, ready-to-send pitch drafts—so you leave the session with more than just ideas. You’ll walk away one step closer to landing your next big collaboration!
Ready to pitch with confidence? Let’s make it happen! 🚀
About Megan Bannister: Megan Bannister is an author, freelance writer, and content creator based in Des Moines, Iowa. With more than 15 years experience in journalism and digital marketing, Megan’s passion for storytelling drives her love of quirky travel and cuisine. Her blog, Olio in Iowa, highlights offbeat destinations, roadside attractions, and “world’s largest” things around the Midwest and beyond. Megan is also the author of Iowa Supper Clubs and Secret Iowa: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Her now-viral TikTok series, World’s Largest Wednesday, has garnered more than 7.5 million views showcasing dozens of oversized attractions, which you can also read about on her Substack, Wandering the World’s Largest.
STEVEN KIMMI
HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO ROMANTICIZE KANSAS? TIPS FOR REVEALING THE BEAUTY OTHERS OVERLOOK WITH VIDEO
In today’s fast-paced society, we often overlook the world around us as we dream about a world just beyond our reach. The grass is always greener, right? Well, sometimes it turns out that there is just as much green beneath your feet as there is anywhere else. With video, we have the unique opportunity to reveal the beauty and magic that so many people fail to recognize. In this session, Steven will share the tips and tricks he has learned along his travels to re-engage our communities, build a sense of pride and belonging, and celebrate the world around us.
About Steven Kimmi: Steven Kimmi is an educator turned TikTok travel influencer based in central Kansas. His travel platform, Midwest Explorer, launched in 2020 and is one of the most recognized travel TikToks coming out of Kansas. His content offers affordable and accessible travel advice to Midwesterners, specifically Kanasans, and ideas for small-town adventures. Steven is known for his humor and his approachable, down-to-earth take on travel influencing. He is in the process of launching a new project under the Midwest Explorer brand: “Tiny Towns, Big Stories,” a digital interview series and podcast that chronicles the rich histories of small rural communities in Kansas. The new project is an extension of his travels across small-town Kansas and is an effort to encourage local travel and celebrate those who are rural by choice. For the last 18 years, Steven has served the Kansas education system as a teacher, school principal, activities director, and now a district administrator. He serves on a number of local boards to advocate for rural life and the communities in his area. He has five wonderful children that he often tries to convince to travel with him, but is currently experiencing a 30% success rate. Find him at: https://stevenkimmi.com and @stevenkimmi
JT Martin
THE DEATH OF SOCIAL MEDIA: NAVIGATING THE NEW ATTENTION ECONOMY
Social media as we once knew it is gone, replaced by an ever-evolving attention economy that prioritizes new forms of content and engagement. In this thought-provoking session, JT Martin, the creator of The Corn Belt—a viral social media account with over 50 million views since its inception in 2022—will unpack the seismic shifts in the social media landscape.
Drawing on his experience as a former advertising executive in New York City and San Francisco, and now as the founder of Nebraska-based media company Loudr, JT will explore how algorithmic changes have redefined the rules of the game. Attendees will gain insight into the key moments that ushered in this new era of social media and learn actionable strategies to grow their accounts while safeguarding their mental health.
Whether you’re a travel professional looking to build an engaged audience or a content creator seeking clarity in the chaos, this session will equip you with the tools to thrive in today’s digital world without burning out.
About JT Martin: JT is a 5th generation Nebraskan and the founder of the Lincoln based media agency, Loudr. Before starting Loudr, JT spent time working as an ad executive at Time Inc in New York City and has done on-camera work with TLC, MTV, ENews and GQ. He is passionate about bringing media attention to Nebraska and is the creator of the Nebraska Made podcast and the Corn Belt social media franchise which has been seen over 50 million times.
Darci Davis
Spark Your Adaptability – Thriving Through Change
In a world of rapid and constant change, adaptability has emerged as the top skill of the moment, as highlighted by the LinkedIn Workplace 2024 Learning Report. Yet, we often overlook its true impact. In this session, we will unravel the concept of adaptability and explore how it enables us to adjust to unforeseen changes, embrace uncertainty, and thrive in evolving conditions. We’ll dig into the importance of cultivating this critical skill, not just to manage the unexpected, but to excel in ever-evolving environments. Join us to discover how mastering adaptability can transform your professional journey and empower you to meet new goals with resilience and spark.
About Darci Davis: Learning and development have been the common thread throughout Darci’s career. While her professional titles have varied, people and their growth have always been at the center. Darci’s professional journey started as the Director of Student Activities at a small liberal arts college. In that role, she could dig in, analyze needs, identify gaps, and map out a plan to solve growth opportunities. Two decades later, seeing individuals learn and apply that new knowledge still fills Darci’s bucket.
Outside of work, Darci enjoys all varieties of outdoor activities: cycling, walking, and gardening. She and her spouse are enjoying empty nest life, traveling, and playing pickleball with mixed results.
ABRAHAM BUSICK
THE FOUNDATIONS OF PINTEREST SUCCESS: HOW TO USE PINTEREST TO GROW YOUR BRAND
Are you ready to unlock the full potential of Pinterest to grow your audience? Pinterest is more than just a platform for pretty pictures—it’s a search engine powerhouse with over 500 million active monthly users searching for ideas, products, guides, and inspiration every month.
Abraham will show you how to transform Pinterest into a powerful tool for driving traffic, building your audience, and amplifying your online presence. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to level up your Pinterest game, this session will be packed with actionable insights and proven strategies that you can implement immediately. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to harness the power of Pinterest to grow your audience and achieve your business goals.
About Abraham Busick: Abraham is a dynamic entrepreneur, seasoned strategist, and co-founder of GraceLaneCo, a leading Pinterest managemenence, Abraham honed his expertise in leadership, business development, and innovative problem solving before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey in 2017.
After building and owning a successful financial services agency, he recognized the untapped potential of Pinterest as a powerful growth tool and co-founded GraceLaneCo to help businesses harness the platform’s unique ability to drive traffic, build engaged audiences, and increase brand visibility. Through tailored strategies and actionable insights, he has guided countless clients toward achieving measurable success.
As a speaker, Abraham is known for his approachable style, relatable storytelling, and ability to demystify complex concepts, making them accessible and actionable for his audience. His passion for empowering and training others makes him a sought-after speaker for conferences and workshops. When he’s not sharing his expertise on stage, you’ll find him refining strategies for his clients, exploring innovative ways to use Pinterest, and inspiring others to dream big and take action.
Spencer Schubert
You Are the Media: Owning Your Story & Amplifying Your Impact
Stop waiting for traditional media to tell your story—it’s time to take control! Newsrooms are shrinking, media landscapes are shifting, and the power to connect with audiences is now in YOUR hands.
In this eye-opening, strategy-packed session, we’ll explore:
- The Media Shift – How the information and content market is evolving—and what it means for you.
- Becoming Your Own Media Powerhouse – Why content creators and tourism pros must stop relying on traditional media and start owning their narrative.
- Adapting & Thriving – Actionable steps to stay ahead of the shift, build a loyal audience, and create content that resonates, engages, and converts.
The future of media isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you create. Are you ready to lead the conversation? Let’s make it happen!
About Spencer Schubert: After a 17-year career in broadcast journalism and local television, Spencer Schubert became the Communications Manager for the City of Grand Island (Neb.) in February of 2024. His transition proved to be more seamless than even he expected, and he has gone on to re-imagine how local government communication looks. He quickly broke away from the traditional press release format to more of a content generator approach. Schubert served in multiple roles in his television career, including sports director, radio show host, evening news anchor, executive producer, evening news anchor and assistant news director. His all-encompassing view of the local news world has helped shape his approach to his new role in local government. Schubert is also a proud father of a 5-year-old daughter and can be seen frequently with a golf club in his hand when he’s not working!