Speakers

Alan K. Bacon, Jr. is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategist of GANGGANG, where he works as a passionate thought leader to innovate and amplify culture, creating more equitable opportunities for artists and creative entrepreneurs. In addition to serving as co-founder for BUTTER Fine Art Fair and curator for We. The Culture at Newfields in Indianapolis, Bacon helped spearhead the curation of arts and culture initiatives that transformed Indianapolis during the NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee weekend-long celebration, working alongside local artists and community partners to showcase the city's vibrant creative community on a global stage. Bacon is also the co-founder behind the “I Made Rock N' Roll” festival, which has garnered national attention and been featured in prominent publications including People magazine and Essence. His impact on Indiana's creative economy through GANGGANG has led to unprecedented investment in local artists, earning him recognition as one of the Top 250 most influential Business Leaders in Indiana. Bacon's career journey began at Harrison College, where he built a 12-year network of relationships in business and education, eventually serving as president of their northwest campus. Following this, he worked for a Johannesburg-based technology company, where his exposure to global poverty led him to the United Way of Indianapolis, where he led a million-dollar social innovation fund focused on addressing poverty in central Indiana. A graduate of Indiana University, the 2024 Neal-Marshall Alumni Rising Star Award recipient, and member of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Bacon has consistently demonstrated his ability to unify and transform communities, both in the American Midwest and in Johannesburg, SA. Beyond his professional achievements, he is an accomplished artist, writer, musician, and style icon. Known for his unique mind and disposition, Bacon approaches his work with a deep love for humankind and serves as a proud father and husband.

Alexandra Hall is an Indiana University, Bloomington graduate and an artist whose artworks can be found in private and public collections throughout the United States. Since 2014 she has worked as a professional painter, muralist, and illustrator, and in 2016 she began consulting on public art projects. 

Hall believes strongly in implementing programs that improve quality of life. Good public space design can impact change and encourage people to stay in their community. Since starting her firm, A H Public Spaces Consulting, Hall has helped facilitate artwork in partnership with development companies, property management groups, not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, economic improvement districts, and private property owners. She has executed more than two hundred and fifty public art projects in both rural and urban settings in Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, and Indiana.
In 2016 she developed Art This Way, a public art program which implements large scale public art and public realm pilot projects in downtown Fort Wayne, IN, and she manages the program for the Fort Wayne Downtown Improvement District. Hall served on the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission Steering Committee, which wrote, analyzed, and developed the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission’s guidelines. She now serves as a consultant for the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission. Hall was the developer and public art consultant for Arts United and the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership’s 2020 Make It Your Own Mural Fest. In 2022 she managed the LivCo Walls mural festival in New York. She is currently managing over 60 projects: a 2024-2025 sculpture exhibition program for Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, fifteen sculptures for Allen County Commissioners, the Art This Way program, a parking garage mural, a mural festival in west New York, and a mural program in Seneca Falls, NY.
Hall's goal is to strategically leverage the power of public art and good urban design to engage with the community, improve walkability, beautify, change the character of public spaces, and reinvent the purpose of public spaces.

Amy Lynch is an Indianapolis-based freelance writer specializing in Midwestern food and travel content. An Active member of the Midwest Travel Journalists Association and the Bourbon Women’s Association, she enjoys road trips, books, live music and breakfast all day. (Find her on Instagram @mostlymidwestern23.)

Andrew Bradford and his fourteen colleagues are responsible for advancing external relationships and partnerships in the community through fundraising, membership, marketing, and evaluation. His role on the Executive Leadership Team at Conner Prairie allows him to find creative ways each day to redefine how the world views and uses museums.

Andrew, his partner, and two kids reside in Carmel, Indiana and are active members of their community. Andrew serves as a board chair for the Hamilton County Leadership Academy and as a committee member for the Friends of Lake Leelanau Campaign. His passion for equity, inclusion, diversity and access are brought to the forefront in both his day job at the Museum, but also in his work with the Hamilton County Community Foundation and their Opportunity, Equity and Inclusion committee.

Aurora Harvey is the Marketing Manager at the Columbus Area Visitors Center, where she helps drive the efforts to promote Columbus as a must-visit destination. Stepping into this role in March 2024 after serving as the Guest Services Manager, Aurora brings both strategic expertise and firsthand experience in enhancing the visitor experience. A lifelong resident of the Columbus area, she has a deep appreciation for the city’s unique charm, architecture, and community spirit, making her a natural ambassador for the region. Passionate about storytelling and engagement, Aurora focuses on connecting visitors with the best Columbus has to offer, from its world-renowned design to its unique local businesses.

Bethany Sutherland is the Group Services Manager at Visit Fort Wayne, a role she has held since 2019. With a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Purdue Northwest (2013), Bethany has extensive experience in event and convention services, having previously worked as the Event and Convention Services Manager for the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority.

Bethany has become passionate about promoting the city's offerings and providing exceptional service to groups of all types. Her expertise spans a wide range of clients, from associations and faith-based organizations to hobby groups and both adult and youth sports teams.

Bethany is committed to delivering services that help drive Fort Wayne’s success as a leading destination for both leisure and business visitors. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two children and two dogs and indulging in her love of coffee.

Brian Blackford is the Executive Director of the Indiana Communities Institute (ICI) at Ball State University’s Miller College of Business, where he has served in various roles since 2014. Based in Indianapolis, Brian works with partners across Indiana to enhance the prosperity and wellbeing of people and place through community-based projects and educational experiences. Brian helps connect communities of all sizes with the resources needed to support modern and comprehensive community economic development. He specializes in community engagement, civic design, arts and culture development, tourism, and action-based planning. Brian has created customized tools, innovated processes, and organized training to support capacity building efforts in dozens of communities. His clients include local elected officials, community foundations, destination marketing/management organizations, statewide associations, and state agencies.     

Prior to joining Ball State University in 2014, Brian worked for the Indiana State Fair Commission, where he launched a local food pavilion and supported several large-scale events including the Indiana State Fair; the Indiana Office of Tourism Development, where he initiated several statewide product development programs and directed communications; and Indiana Landmarks, where he led heritage tourism efforts for the nation’s largest statewide non-profit dedicated to preserving the built environment.  

He graduated with honors from Ball State University in 2001, completed the Indiana Economic Development Course in 2010, finished the AgriInstitute’s two-year rural leadership program in 2016, completed the Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute’s EntreLeaders curriculum in 2018, and earned a Master in Public Administration degree with a concentration in community economic development in 2019 from Ball State University. 

Brian has previously served on the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, the Natural Resources Commission, and the Indiana Main Street Council. He helped establish and served as past president of both Dig IN and Indiana Artisan, non-profit organizations dedicated to enriching community through local food and art. As an adjunct professor, he has taught several classes on cultural heritage tourism and tourism geography at IUPUI. Any spare time is spent biking, running, kayaking, traveling and, most importantly, enjoying the adventures of parenthood with his wife, Cindy, and son, Eli.  

Carrie Lambert is the Executive Director of the Indiana Tourism Association. 

Dave Serino is the founder of TwoSix Digital and a 35-year veteran of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.  He has held marketing positions in hotels, resorts, and convention and visitors bureaus, along with launching two start-up ventures and a national social media educational conference.

Serino has presented educational sessions at more than 250  travel industry events and is one of the tourism industry’s leaders in the area of education and thought leadership.

Dave also serves on the West Michigan Tourist Association board of directors, the Michigan Craft Beverage Council’s Marketing Committee, and is a Destinations International’s Marketing Taskforce member.

David Pierce, PhD, is Professor and Chair in the Department of Tourism, Event, and Sport Management at IU Indianapolis, where he has also served as the Director of the Sports Innovation Institute. He currently serves as an applied research analyst for the Center for Sports Transformation, and he has been actively involved in sports tech start-ups in youth sports, including RefReps, a sports officiating education platform currently serving 30,000 high school and college students in the United States.

Emily Stuck is the Director of Visitor and Partner Services at Visit Fort Wayne. She has been with the organization since 2011 and in this role since 2020. With a degree in Public and Environmental Affairs from Indiana University (2010), Emily loves being able to work in tourism for Fort Wayne/Allen County.

In her role Emily manages a visitors center, merchandise purchasing, partner relations, special events, advertising, and local events including a restaurant week and attractions event. Emily thrives in connecting visitors and residents alike and knows the importance of advocating for the role Destination Organizations have in their own communities.

Emily is currently in the final stages of completing her CDME with Destinations International and values the importance of continual education. When she is not at work, she is with her husband, two kids, and an American Bulldog Winston. Some of her favorite pastimes include golfing, reading a good book, being at the lake, and enjoying time with family.

Eric Snow is the Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.  He has been in the Indiana tourism industry for over 25 years with various roles at attractions including Holiday World and the Indianapolis Zoo.  Promoted to Vice President of Holiday World in 2013, today he oversees all marketing, sales, and communications functions plus event and entertainment production.  Eric has a for-profit mindset and has built a productive team responsible for developing award-winning campaigns, experiences, and attractions that have driven robust business performance.  He is the immediate past president of the Indiana Tourism Association and is actively involved in the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions.

Erin Hedges, President of Hedges

Since founding Hedges in 2002, Erin has become a trusted thought leader within the nonprofit community. She excels at strategic visioning, developing dynamic partnerships, and helping organizations plan for the future. She has continued to grow the company’s deep knowledge of the interconnected roles of Indiana nonprofits, philanthropic institutions, corporations, and government entities in solving complex social and economic issues.

Internally, Erin leads the Hedges team by example. She creates an environment that fosters social innovation and professional growth, inspiring members of our team to do their best work, every time.

Erin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Butler University, and a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and is a BoardSource Certified Nonprofit Board Consultant.

Erin has served as President of the Board of Directors for Dove House, the Alumni Board for Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and Joy’s House, where she also serves as a Director’s Council member

Gabby Blauert is the Communications Manager at Hamilton County Tourism. She’s passionate about helping people tell their stories through a variety of mediums. After graduating from Butler University in Indianapolis, Gabby launched her career in the communications industry, gaining experience in social media content strategy, media relations, and campaign coordination. When she isn’t capturing content or meeting with local business owners, you can find Gabby at a local coffee shop or going on adventures with her family.

Grace Caswell, the Chief Executive Officer of the Noble County Convention and Visitors Bureau, known as Visit Noble County, is a passionate advocate for community development and tourism. With an unwavering dedication, she leads initiatives that showcase Noble County's stunning natural resources, rich historical attractions, and vibrant local businesses. Drawing from her extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, marketing, and economic development, Grace cultivates collaborations that elevate the visitor experience. Committed to elevating Noble County as a premier travel destination, she tirelessly drives tourism growth. She strengthens community engagement, improving the quality of life of those residents to call Noble County home.