Shonali Devereaux is Chief Executive of the MIA, with over 30 years of experience in event management and tourism. As well as being involved in some of the world's largest events such as the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and the UK's Political Party Conferences she was Head of Events for the British Heart Foundation. Most recently she has been inspiring audiences as an emcee and TedX Speaker and inspiring the next generation of event professionals as a Senior University lecturer. She is a passionate advocate for the continuous improvement of the events industry through leadership and collaboration.