Why iLEAD Matters: A Look at the 2026 Speaker Lineup
Professional growth doesn’t happen by accident – it happens when you step away from the day-to-day and invest in yourself. iLEAD is designed for tourism, hospitality, and community professionals who want to strengthen their leadership skills, expand their perspective, and walk away with tools they can actually use. Whether you are early in your career or navigating new responsibilities, iLEAD provides space to learn, reflect, and connect with peers who understand the realities of the work.
The 2026 iLEAD Leadership Symposium will take place February 18–20, 2026, beginning with an optional Wednesday evening experience for those who choose to arrive early and concluding on Friday at lunch. The event will be hosted at the Temple of Creative Arts (ToCA) in Ottumwa, with the Cobblestone Hotel & Suites – Ottumwa serving as the host hotel. Across multiple days, iLEAD blends engaging speakers, interactive learning, and intentionally designed opportunities for connection – making it a meaningful investment in your career.
Featured Sessions & Speakers
Leading Forward
Celina Peerman: Change is inevitable—but being change-ready is a choice. In this interactive session, Celina Peerman explores how individuals, organizations, and communities can better anticipate and respond to change. Participants will reflect on effective communication, honoring the strengths of others, and viewing change from new perspectives as they navigate evolving expectations.
Stop Killing Accountability
Jackie Pelland: Accountability is a simple concept that’s surprisingly hard to achieve. This session examines why accountability often breaks down and the common behaviors that unintentionally undermine it. Attendees will gain clarity on how to recognize these patterns and stop them from eroding trust, performance, and effectiveness.
Five Star Presence: Networking and Dining Skills for Tourism Leaders
Callista Gould: Professional presence matters – especially in networking and dining settings. Certified Etiquette Instructor Callista Gould brings humor, real-world examples, and interactive challenges to help participants build confidence and make lasting impressions. Through engaging activities and memorable stories, attendees will walk away with practical strategies they can apply immediately.
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 encourages reflection and offers practical considerations that apply across a variety of roles and workplace settings.
Crowdsourced Solutions: Real Challenges, Real Answers
This peer-driven session creates space for attendees to bring forward real challenges they are facing in their community, organization, or attraction. Through a structured, facilitated exchange, participants will share ideas, resources, and next steps drawn from lived experience. Attendees will leave with fresh perspectives, practical solutions, and actionable insights they can put into practice.
Goals That Actually Get S* Done
Jeff Ebbing: Tourism professionals operate in fast-paced, reactive environments where long-term goals are often overshadowed by events, operations, and competing 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 leave with clear next steps, practical tools, and a stronger framework for following through.
Link to Learning: Turning Insight into Action
To close the symposium, attendees will take time to reflect on their most meaningful takeaways from iLEAD and identify how they plan to apply them in their work. Participants will write a letter to themselves capturing these insights – creating a personal reminder that learning doesn’t stop when the event ends.
More Than Sessions: Built-In Networking Experiences
iLEAD is intentionally designed to foster meaningful connections beyond the classroom, using shared experiences to bring people together in ways that feel natural and memorable.
For those arriving early, 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.
On Thursday evening, the full group will come together again for a downtown Ottumwa experience that blends great food, hidden details, and a sense of discovery. While we won’t spoil the surprise, attendees can expect an atmosphere that encourages laughter, conversation, and connection – hallmarks of the iLEAD experience.
iLEAD is more than a conference – it’s an investment in your growth, confidence, and professional network. With a mix of engaging speakers, interactive learning, peer-driven conversations, and thoughtfully curated experiences, the 2026 iLEAD Leadership Symposium is designed to help you return home with clarity, momentum, and renewed purpose.
Learn more and register here: https://iowatravelindustry.org/event/ilead-26/
More sessions will be announced soon, stay tuned.