INSPIRING KEYNOTE
Mr. Veemal Gungadin
CEO: Gevme
Veemal Gungadin is the CEO and Founder of Gevme. Gevme is a leading event technology company that has revolutionized the event management industry by integrating advanced AI technologies to create seamless and immersive virtual and hybrid event experiences. He is a passionate and visionary tech entrepreneur with a deep expertise in the business events industry. He has built and scaled Gevme into a holistic platform for event professionals, empowering them to deliver seamless and impactful events from start to finish. He has also pioneered Spark, a personal AI event concierge that transforms the productivity and experience of event professionals.
Veemal has also spearheaded innovative advancements at Snapsight and Spark. At Snapsight, he has harnessed AI-powered visual recognition to revolutionize how we interpret and engage with visual data, making technology more intuitive and accessible. With Spark, Veemal champions the next wave of AI applications, pushing the envelope in automation, data analytics, and intelligent decision-making processes.
Veemal is a respected figure in the global business events community. He serves on the Board of Directors & Trustees at PCMA, the world’s largest, most respected and most recognized network of business events strategists. He is also the Honorary Treasurer at SACEOS, where he contributes to the national development and advancement of business events in Singapore.
Speakers
This year’s AAS5 promises to be an extraordinary event featuring three visionary speakers who are redefining the landscapes of their respective industries.
CEO of Vista Cova, brings a wealth of knowledge and an innovative mindset to the table. With his unparalleled expertise in strategic planning and community building, Lowell has a unique ability to transform challenges into opportunities, inspiring organizations to reach their highest potential.
CEO of Glue Up, is at the forefront of revolutionizing event management and community engagement. Under his leadership, Glue Up has emerged as a trailblazer in providing all-in-one solutions that enhance member experiences and streamline operations. Eric’s visionary approach to leveraging technology to build stronger, more connected communities is both inspiring and transformative.
Founder and CEO of Meet4Impact, is a dynamic force in the world of social impact and sustainability. Her pioneering work in integrating impact measurement into the fabric of meetings and events has set a new standard for the industry. Genevieve’s passion for making a difference and her dedication to creating meaningful, measurable change through strategic collaboration are truly inspiring.
Director of Social Impact International Coaching Federation Foundation
Kathleen has been involved in association management for 15 years and is currently the Director of Social Impact at International Coaching Federation, Foundation.
She connects with stakeholders from diverse cultural backgrounds and fosters an environment of mutual respect especially in the context of offering social impact projects to ICF-accredited professional coaches and ICF Chapters through the Ignite Initiative Program.
By providing pro bono or reduced-rate coaching engagements to leaders, employees and beneficiaries of organizations supporting the United Nations Global Goals, Ignite Initiative Program empowers meaningful social impact on a global scale.
Kathleen manages partnership portfolios with UNICEF, World Vision, Obama Foundation, and Special Olympics. She currently works with a team of 41 (forty-one) volunteer project leaders who connect ICF credentialed members with organizations in Middle East and Africa, Europe, N. America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific to attain the UN Sustainable Goals through professional executive coaching. Through her work she has helped increase the annual number of global coaching projects from twenty-one (21) to fifty-six (56) and an annual increase in funding up to seven hundred and five percent (705%).
Previously, she was involved in regional roles with ICF and in helping set up chapters in underrepresented regions in Africa.
She volunteered for three (3) years as an organizing secretary in the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Kenya Chapter where she managed pro bono and reduced-rate coaching programs.
She received her Masters in Business Administration with a focus in Global business sustainability and earned her certification in professional coaching from the Coach Development Institute (CDI) Africa. She received a student excellence award from DePaul University, Chicago, USA.
Reggie Henry joined ASAE in November of 1994. His responsibilities are to implement “exemplary” systems at ASAE that can serve as a model to the rest of the association community and to “ratchet-up” the use and understanding of technology among ASAE members. He has been working with and/or for non-profit organizations since 1985.
Mr. Henry speaks regularly on technology and strategy issues. Some of his most recent speaking engagements include the 2024 MMC+ Tech Conference, 2024 Association AI Summit, 2023 ASAE Annual Meeting, 2023 ASAE MMCC Conference, Keynoting the 2023 HigherLogic Superforum Conference, March 2023 Generative AI for Associations – How to Use ChatGPT and AI Tech Right Now! Webinar, 2022, ASAE Technology Exploration Conference, 2022 NAESP/NASSP State Executive Directors’ Professional Development Conference, 2021 World Chambers Congress – Dubai. In 2009 he was invited by the Secretary of Smithsonian to participate in Smithsonian 2.0, a Gathering to Re-Imagine the Smithsonian in the Digital Age. Reggie was recently named one of the top 40 CIOs in DC-MD-VA area.
Mungai NFI is the co-founder of the I am a Cameroon movement and a Board member at AfSAE. He has previously served as the Global Policy and Government Relations Director for Africa, at the Global Citizen. He is also the founder BnM Consulting, Managing Partner at Indux Global and Consultant at Africa Plans. He is also a seasoned consultant with African Association Management Company (AFAMCO) on leadership and strategic planning. He is also former Growth and Development Director for Africa and the Middle East at Junior Chamber International (JCI)
Memberships
1. Board member and Treasurer at AfSAE
2. Co-Founder of the I am Cameroon movement – http://iamcameroon.org/index.php
3. Lead I am Africa Campaign- https://iamafricacampaign.org
4. Facilitator – Junior Chamber International – www.jci.cc
Mungai has a Ms Education: Political Science and International Relations.
Alexander Alles joined JMIC Joint Meetings Industry Council in August 2022. There he is responsible for the overall operations of the association as well as the project office of the Net Zero Carbon Events. NZCE is an industry-wide initiative aiming to help stakeholders of the meetings and events sectors to decarbonise.
Before joining JMIC, Alex held different positions, including marketing and finance. He was mainly dedicated to investment and trade promotion between Europe and Asia. Throughout his career, Alex has been organising numerous business events, from small meeting to large conferences.
Glenton’s active involvement in the Tourism Hospitality, and Business Events industry, both in South Africa and across Africa, is driven by making a lasting impact. With strategic management skills honed through experiences in the public and private sectors, Glenton has shown dedication to bridging the gap between the public and private sectors in his various roles.
His business management background spans multiple sectors, including tourism, hospitality, meetings, and events. Glenton has held positions such as Chief Executive Officer of Nelson Mandela Bay, Managing Director of Buffalo City, Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Cape Tourism Board, Project Manager at the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, and Associate Director at KPMG, he is currently serving as a board member of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and the Tourism Transformation Council of South Africa.
He is currently the CEO of the South African Association for the Conference Industry. Glenton actively engages as an industry advisor to organisations and occasionally mentors businesses within Tourism. His role during the pandemic is well documented. His experience played a pivotal role in working with all stakeholders as the Meetings and Events Industry navigated the return to work while demonstrating the significant socio-economic impact the sectors have on society.
Glenton’s commitment is demonstrated in various projects delivered across the Tourism, Hospitality, Leisure, Meetings and Events industries while promoting a positive community and economic growth is truly inspiring.
Luc Armand Hegesiste Bodea is the Director of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa
(ICASA) and the Coordinator of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA) custodian of ICASA. Since 2006 when
he joined the organization as SAA coordinator, he has revamped its governance system to increase
accountability and good governance and to improve its leading role as the unique platform for Africa in
terms of advocacy and knowledge sharing on AIDS, TB, Malaria and new emerging viral infection.
Milestone achievements have been recorded under his stewardship with his background in Business
Management and incredible experience of over 20 years in high level managerial positions working with
for-Profit and Not-for-Profit Organizations in Benin Republic, Nigeria, and Ghana. The most significant
achievement is the establishment of the Permanent Secretariat of the Society for AIDS in Africa in Ghana
since 2009, with outstanding success of organizing ICASA 2011 Ethiopia, ICASA 2013 Cape town, ICASA
2015 Zimbabwe, ICASA 2017 Cote d’Ivoire, ICASA 2019 Rwanda and the first fully virtual ICASA in Durban,
ICASA Durban 6 to 11 December 2021.
In charge of the organization of the prestigious ICASA and steering the affairs of the society organizer of
ICASA with 7000 to 11,000 delegates every two years from 132 countries, Luc is member of Meeting
Professional Industry (MPI) a Certified Meeting Manager (CMM) Indiana university USA, one time
Secretary General of African Society of Association Executive (AfSAE). As Certified Professional Strategic
Health Planning (ICPS, London), he believes that ICASA platform is one of the efficient tools of the HIV and
AIDS response in Africa.
Lowell Aplebaum, Eric Schmidt, and Genevieve Leclerc represent a powerful trifecta of innovation, leadership, and purpose. Their combined expertise and forward-thinking perspectives will undoubtedly inspire attendees of AAS5 to push boundaries, embrace change, and drive impactful transformations within their organizations and beyond.