Get your leader hats on and join iLEAD, the ultimate program to up your leadership game and connect with tourism professionals! The power-packed sessions promise to fuel your motivation, boost your network, and breathe in new life. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just dipping your toes, this event will be your secret weapon. This one and a half day event is limited to no more than 40 participants.
Venue:
Temple of Creative Arts (ToCA)
529 E Main St
Ottumwa, IA 52501
Hosting Partner: Meet Ottumwa
Event Schedule: Learn more about Speakers and Sessions
- Wednesday, February 18 (optional)
- 4:45 – 9 PM
- The symposium kicks off on Wednesday evening with a visit to the American Gothic House & Center – a must-see destination for many tourism professionals and a fitting way to begin the iLEAD experience. The evening is designed to encourage collaboration, conversation, and a bit of friendly competition as attendees start building connections before sessions begin.
- 4:45 – 9 PM
- Thursday, February 19
- 8 – 8:30 AM – Registration & Light Breakfast
- 8:30 – 9 AM – Welcome + Ice Breakers
- 9 – 10:30 AM – “Leading Forward”, Celina Peerman
- Change is going to happen yet being change ready is a choice for leaders, organizations, and communities. We’ll explore what steps we can take now and how to anticipate what comes next. This interactive session will renew your commitment to effective communication, honoring others’ strengths, and seeing this from a new perspective as we navigate these waves of change.
- 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM – “Stop Killing Accountability”, Jackie Pelland
- This session tells the story of why the simple concept of accountability is so hard to achieve. You will discover the top ways leaders kill accountability and how you can stop these behaviors from undermining your effectiveness as a leader.
- 12 – 2 PM – Lunch + Session – “Five Star Presence: Networking & Dining Skills for Tourism Leaders”, Callista Gould
- Navigating networking and dining events with professionalism and confidence is essential for leaders. In these two sessions, participants will enjoy fun, interactive challenges and learn strategies that draw others in and make lasting impressions. Certified Etiquette Instructor Callista Gould uses humor and true stories of etiquette disasters to make the information stick.
- 2:20 – 3:50 PM – “Emotional Well-Being in the Workplace”, Heather Woody
- This session explores emotional well-being in the workplace and how professional and human emotions show up on the job. Attendees will consider ways to navigate emotions during difficult conversations, adapt communication styles, and support emotional well-being across different personalities, including introverts. The discussion will encourage reflection and provide practical considerations that can be applied in a variety of roles and workplace settings.
- 4 – 5 PM – Session – “Crowdsourced Solutions: Real Challenges, Real Answers”, Education Committee, Peer to Peer Learning
- This interactive, peer-driven session creates space for attendees to bring forward real issues they are facing in their community, organization, or attraction. Participants will identify a current challenge, then collaborate by sharing ideas, resources, and next steps through a structured, facilitated exchange. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with fresh perspectives, practical solutions, and actionable insights drawn directly from the collective experience of their peers.
- 5:45 – 8:30 PM – Offsite Dinner & Activity
- Enjoy an Italian dinner at Amore in downtown Ottumwa, a local favorite. Post dinner you’ll spend the evening relaxing and recentering your brain after a full day of learning. Don’t forget the password to get in!
- Friday, February 20
- 6 – 6:45 AM – Yoga
- 8 – 8:20 AM – Networking & Light Breakfast
- 8:20 – 8:30 AM – Welcome
- 8:30 – 10 AM – “Goals That Actually Get S*** Done”, Jeff Ebbing
- Tourism professionals work in fast-paced, reactive environments where long-term goals are often overshadowed by events, operations, and board demands. This hands-on workshop provides a realistic system for setting meaningful goals, building weekly momentum, and turning day-to-day work into visible professional growth. Participants will create a tourism-specific SMART goal, set up a personal progress-tracking system, and leave with practical tools, a clear action plan, and a stronger understanding of how intentional goal-setting builds leadership credibility and career development.
- 10:10 – 11:10 AM – “TAP: Postsecondary Needs Being Met”, Aaryn Frazier-Elliott
- A discussion and explanation of the growing number of TAP programs in Iowa to help an often overlooked portion of our student and public population. How a partnership between schools and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services is helping to bridge the gap to successful postsecondary opportunities for those with IEPs, 504s and any diagnosed disabilities.
- 11:15 AM – 12:45 PM – “Pitch Perfect: What Radio & TV Really Want From Tourism Stories”, Ellis Codjoe + Solae Pope-White
- In this 90-minute, hands-on media training session, tourism professionals will hear directly from local radio and television journalists about how stories are selected and brought to air. Each speaker will share what catches their attention, how they evaluate pitches, and the best ways destinations and attractions can secure free media coverage in their market. The session will also walk through how to prepare for last-minute live interview requests, including what to have ready, how to stay on message, and common mistakes to avoid. Attendees will leave with insider insights, practical pitching tips, and greater confidence working with media partners when opportunities arise.
- 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM – Closing: Link to Learning & group photo, Lunch
- Link to Learning gives attendees time to reflect on their most meaningful takeaways from iLEAD and identify how they will apply them in their work. Participants will write a letter to themselves that serves as a personal reminder to follow through after the event.
Registration:
The registration cost includes participation in all speakers, Thursday meals (lunch, dinner, snacks), Friday meals (lunch), and attendee gifts.
- $225 for iTIP Members
- $275 for non-members
Hotel Block:
- A room block with has been set-up at the Cobblestone Hotel & Suites Ottumwa.
- Book here before February 3, 2026. (Note: when you open the booking link, other room types will appear first. The iLEAD rate is for Two Queen Guestroom Non-Smoking. The rate comes to $128.80 with taxes and fees.)
Thank you to our event sponsors:
