The question isn't whether women belong in trade show leadership. It's whether our industry is ready to see and act on the two different realities operating side by side.

Trade show and event careers have always been demanding, but the stakes are quite different when professionals in their 40s are essentially devoting 50–60 years to their careers.

Gen Z is already redefining what successful events look like. They expect real-time updates, mobile-first experiences, personalized agendas, and opportunities to engage both in-person and digitally without friction.