ILEA Live Chicago 2026

Sheila R. Brown is a transformational speaker, thought leader, and Founder of The Self-Trust Lab, a platform dedicated to helping individuals replace self-doubt with earned confidence and self-trust. With a career spanning more than three decades in television, media, and workforce development, Sheila built her reputation as a leader who opens doors and develops talent. She previously served as Executive Director of the CineCares Foundation at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, where she created the Mirkopoulos Inclusion Program, a groundbreaking workforce initiative that placed young adults from underserved communities into paid training positions on network television productions. The program was piloted with the labor unions and networks including NBC Universal, FOX, HBO, Netflix, and STARZ. The program achieved a 90% success rate and helped inspire legislation strengthening Illinois’ Film Tax Credit through the creation of the Film Workforce Development Fund. Sheila’s career in broadcasting began during one of the most iconic eras in sports history, working alongside the Chicago Bulls during their six championship seasons. At age 26, she became the youngest person ever appointed to the Broadcast Advisory Board for the NBA. She later founded Freedom Entertainment, Inc., leading projects in broadcast television, event production, and media for organizations including the NBA, NHL, MLB, TNT, ESPN, Lifetime Television, The Oprah Winfrey Show, People Magazine, Procter & Gamble/Gillette, and the M.K. and J.B. Pritzker Family Foundation. Today, Sheila is widely recognized as a transformational speaker who connects with vastly different audiences and impacts every one of them—from corporate leaders and emerging professionals to creative artists and athletes. Through her work with The Self-Trust Lab, she teaches audiences how to recognize their competence, overcome imposter syndrome, and unlock the leadership power that comes from trusting themselves. Her keynotes focus on Self-Trust, Women’s Empowerment, Future-Forward Leadership, and Culture-Driven Leadership.

Marisa Mann is a transformational executive, founder, and speaker with more than 30 years of experience leading technology, business transformation, and human centered innovation across organizations including Accenture, JPMorgan, Gartner, and Kin + Carta. As the CEO and Founder of UpLift All, she is pioneering a new approach to leadership and life alignment that helps high performing individuals reconnect who they are with how they live, work, and lead. Her work sits at the intersection of AI, leadership, human connection, and intentional growth. Through UpLift All’s AI enabled life navigation platform and community, Marisa helps leaders move beyond constant motion and external expectations to create more aligned, sustainable, and meaningful futures. Known for her grounded leadership style and ability to bridge innovation with humanity, Marisa speaks on the future of leadership, authentic connection, change readiness, and the growing need for spaces where people can pause, reflect, and lead with greater clarity and purpose. At ILEA Live 2026 “Creating Futures,” Marisa brings a perspective that challenges audiences to think differently about what it truly means to create the future, not just through technology and strategy, but through human experience, intentional design, and the courage to evolve.

Named Event Planner of the year, Frank plans, designs and coordinates Weddings and Events in the Greater Chicagoland area and throughout the country. His expertise has been featured both locally and nationally in magazines, newspapers, books, radio and on television. His “One Wedding, One Weekend” approach gives you his full attention. He personalizes each wedding he produces to reflect the style of the couple, as well as many unexpected and out of the box details that wow guests for years to come. With a “there is no such thing a small detail” philosophy coming through at every wedding, he comes up with unexpected and out of the box touches, creating lifelong memories for the couple. Frank has served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Chapter of the Wedding International Professionals Association, and International Special Events Society. He served Illinois State Manager of the Association of Bridal Consultants and earned the designation of Master Wedding Planner in 2001. He was an Adjunct Professor at DePaul University’s School of Hospitality Leadership from 2013-2020 . Frank has won numerous awards for his work, including the Penner Award for Passion and Excellence to the Wedding Industry, numerous Chicago Excellence awards as well the coveted Gala Award from Special Events Magazine.

Tionna Van Gundy, CSEP is the Founder and CEO of 3 event-centric firms based out of Chicago, IL. Her first endeavor, Wedicity Wedding Planning & Design celebrated its 14 year of business in 2026 serving couples in the luxury wedding market around the globe. She produces events all over the country with 15+ years of varied industry experience and a team of four. Her two other event related brands include Fueled Events which is an event management and production company servicing corporate and non-profit clients. Her latest venture is an intimate event venue; The Fulton West based out of the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. Tionna is known for her pandemic pivot in 2020 which launched the largest socially safe entertainment experience in the Midwest; at the time branded: Chi-Together! She was recognized locally and nationally through Event Marketer. As a powerhouse of entrepreneurial information, Tionna prides herself on supporting small businesses, women-owned business growth and is dedicated to educating upcoming entrepreneurs in and around the events industry.

Keely Fickau is a certified Event Manager from New York University with over three years of experience as a Freelance Event Contractor. She specializes in event planning, coordination, and account reconciliation, bringing creativity and precision to every project. Keely is passionate about delivering seamless and impactful experiences, managing complex logistics, and ensuring clear communication with clients and vendors. Dedicated to fostering connections through exceptional events, she focuses on creating smooth, memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression on attendees.

Johnny Earle aka Johnny Cupcakes started 16 businesses before he was 16 years old.  While his friends hung out with cute girls at parties, he hung out with

In his impressive 24-year career as an event planner, designer, speaker, media personality, curator and consultant, David Caruso creates spaces and experiences that foster joy and connection. As a native Milwaukeean, he decided to bring his keen eye and talent to his hometown, and by doing so, he raised the bar for events and experiences in his city and beyond. He takes his event planning services to other spaces and places as well, including recent events in Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, Seattle, Scottsdale, San Diego, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the West Indies. Because of his definitive style and keen business sense, David makes appearances on news and talk shows in markets across the United States – including Milwaukee, Chicago, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Denver. In the Milwaukee area, he’s been known for a popular segment on NBC’s show, The Morning Blend, “Entertaining in Style with David Caruso”. He is a contributor to a variety of radio outlets and his work has been featured in key national publications including Brides Magazine and Catering Magazine. A sought-after speaker on the national stage, David presents on the topics of weddings, style, business, branding, and design. He is continually invited for speaking appearances all over the country and has presented internationally in Riviera Maya, Mexico, and Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has received awards, accolades, and opportunities both regionally and nationally for his work, most notably for making a positive impact in his community, his talent in event planning, and for his smart style. A turning point in his career was when he won the ultimate industry accolade, Event Planner of the Year by the National Association for Catering and Events (NACE). In addition to his event planning services, David is the host of VISIT Milwaukee’s Emmy nominated TV show Good Things Brewing and its new show, Milwaukee Made; designer of two linen collections for BBJ LaTavola; a founding member of The Giving Circle, which directly supports survivors of sexual and domestic violence; has served on the board of directors for the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF); and currently serves on the board of directors for the Marcus Performing Arts Center. Introduced in 2020, Signature Style by David Caruso (www.STYLEBYDC.com) is a collection of affordable items from creative partners around the globe, each handpicked by David. David's life and career embody the spirit of hospitality. His commitment to excellence and creating memorable experiences for others is truly his life’s work.

Accomplished public speaker, frequently engaged to share insights on entrepreneurship, media training, and personal resilience. Known for captivating audiences with inspiring talks at industry conferences, corporate events, and workshops, highlighting my journey from journalism to PR agency leadership. CEO and Founder of Mekky Media Relations Leveraging a decade of experience as a senior producer at Fox-TV and extensive PR expertise, I started my company with a small loan and no clients. Now, we’re a seven-figure agency with 30 industry awards, delivering billions of impressions for dozens of clients. Under my leadership, we’ve introduced integrated digital PR programs and personal branding, growing our portfolio from startups to global powerhouses.