Our Speakers
Engage!25 Peru will be like no other Engage! event. This intimate retreat is focused on strengthening meaningful connections between 100 like-minded luxury event industry leaders. Through next-level engagement at this exclusive 5-star historic hotel and the once-in-a-lifetime journey to Macchu Picchu aboard the luxurious Hiram Bingham train, our focus will be on personal development and professional growth, featuring outside-the-industry experts and peer-led discussions. At each Retreat, we bring in top professional facilitators to lead the conversations and maximize the personal and professional impact of our time together, along with a carefully curated lineup of global event industry leaders to guide our small group conversations. We are excited to present our esteemed speakers and small group discussion leaders for Engage!25 Peru, please click on each person to read about their impressive accomplishments!
- Event Producer, La Fete
As the Founder and CEO of La Fête Event Planning, Arturo has pioneered top-class event design and planning in South America, becoming a trailblazer in the industry. Arturo has led influential seminars in Peru and inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs from across the region, including Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, and Argentina.
An entrepreneur with strong professional ties in both Europe and the Americas, Arturo is also a sought-after public speaker, regularly featured at luxury and lifestyle seminars around the world. As a brand ambassador for prestigious names in Peru and across Europe, Arturo brings a refined vision and global perspective to every collaboration.
Beyond the stage and boardroom, Arturo is a recognized lifestyle personality and influential social media figure, known for curating high-end experiences and setting trends that resonate with a worldwide audience.
- Principal Designer, Lynden Lane Co
- lyndenlane.com
Barbi Walters is the Founder and Principal Designer of Lynden Lane Co. – the company sought after for architecting transformative events and designing interior spaces that reflect style, heritage, and human connection.
As a dynamic mother-daughter team, they approach each project with expertise, agility and a sense of humor. Their passion is fueled by creating unmatched environments from the ground up; daring to push conventional boundaries. They pride themselves on being both the writers of the story and the editors, crafting the inimitable and then refining it, allowing them to produce a kind of grandiose that is always intentional, authentic to its environment, personal, and full of life.
- Creative Director, Lisa Vorce CO
- lisavorce.com
Her work spans the globe — Italy, St. Barths, Vietnam, and beyond — each event inspired by local culture and infused with Lisa’s inventive design sensibility. From intimate gatherings to high-profile weddings, LISA VORCE CO has produced some of the most iconic celebrations of our era, including the weddings of John Legend & Chrissy Teigen, Olivia Culpo & Christian McCaffrey, Kate Upton & Justin Verlander, and Lea Michele & Zandy Reich. And these are just the events that can be publicly shared — many of the most extraordinary productions remain protected by strict confidentiality agreements.
A true tastemaker, Lisa has earned consistent recognition from leading publications and industry platforms. She has been named a top planner by Vogue, Over the Moon, Harper’s Bazaar, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, BizBash, PartySlate, and DWP.
- Innovation & Creativity Speaker
- duncanwardle.com
As Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, Duncan helped teams at Disney Parks, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, Imagineering and Animation to innovate, creating magical new storylines and amazing experiences for consumers around the globe.
He now brings his Disney experience to audiences around the world, delivering a series of keynotes, masterclasses and ideation forums that help people capture unlikely connections, leading to both disruptive thinking and revolutionary ideas.
He is a multiple TEDx speaker and frequent contributor to Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes, and teaches Innovation and Creativity Masterclasses at Yale and Harvard Universities. Duncan holds the American Citizen Award presented at the White House, an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, presented by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.
- Founder, Michelle Rago Destinations
- michelleragodestinations.com
Michelle Lord Rago is an international planner, producer and designer. Her company is based in New York City but her experience and approach are global.
Michelle has worked in the field of entertaining and hospitality since graduating from the New York Restaurant School in 1988. In 2007 Michelle published a book, Signature Weddings: Creating a Day Uniquely Your Own.
Michelle’s greatest strength lies in interpreting the client’s preferences, assessing the possibilities and translating them into a well-planned and well-designed affair. Her years of hands on experience as a producer, design and planner have served her well for the complicated landscape of creating events worldwide.
Her recent projects in the Beckham Peltz wedding in Palm Beach, Sean McVay’s, coach of the Los Angeles RAMS to Veronika Khomyn as well as sound proofing a wine warehouse in Napa!
She and her team operate in many languages and cultures, although it is said Michelle’s native tongue is the Language of Determination.
Simon T. Bailey is a researcher and the architect of Brilliance — a global voice who electrifies boardrooms, classrooms, and hearts with practical wisdom, contagious hope, and soul-stirring strategy.
Part Disney-bred customer experience savant, part truth-teller, and fully a catalytic coach to the C-suite and entrepreneurs, Simon fuses neuroscience, ancient philosophy, proprietary research, and soul work to ignite resilient well-being in leaders in 2,500 organizations across 55+ countries.
Whether mentoring Gen Z in Accra or inspiring executives in Aspen, Simon doesn’t just speak — he unlocks brilliance that sticks, scales, and soars.
He’s transformed keynote stages into launchpads, digital platforms into purpose-driven ecosystems, and life’s toughest valleys into sacred classrooms.
With a cobalt-blue heart and a beach-colored soul, Simon’s journey is living proof: brilliance isn’t just what you do — it’s who you become when faith, resilience, and purpose align.
- Founder, David Beahm Experiences
- davidbeahm.com
David Beahm, founder of David Beahm Experiences, is based in New York City and is known for his inventive work and trademark lavish flower creations. He has designed countless weddings for society, high profile, and discerning clients, as well as a host of celebrity and Fortune 500 corporate events.
Included amongst their diverse corporate client base are such well-known names as: Champagne Perrier-Jouët, Van Cleef & Arpels, Victoria’s Secret Beauty, Christian Dior, Chanel, Target, McDonald’s, and Louis Vuitton. He has also designed some of the most talked-about parties for New York’s top non-profit institutions, including major universities and financial institutions, The Met, MoMA, The Whitney, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center, and Jazz at Lincoln Center, to name a few. David’s design of The “Wedding of the Century”—that of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas—established him as a founding contributor within the special event world.
David’s insights and designs have been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Style, Bazaar, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Town & Country, People, Brides, as well as a number of appearances on television and on the web. He is a well-known speaker in the field of luxury events, and maintains a witty and entertaining repartee on social media.
- CEO and Co Founder, Anamarias Eventos
- anamariaseventos.com
Anamaria Dieckmann is an event designer and founder of Anfitrionomia, a philosophy that blends elegance, intention, and the art of hosting. With over 20 years of experience and more than 200 luxury weddings and events produced across Central America, she has become known for her refined eye, creative direction, and distinctive style—strictly natural, timeless, and elegant—long before silent luxury was a trend. At the heart of her work is the belief that hospitality is an art form—that being a truly exceptional host can transform not only events, but relationships and experiences.
Her vision has earned her recognition throughout the Spanish-speaking world, making her a sought-after speaker at industry conferences. From a small country not often associated with global luxury, Anamaria has built a reputation that crosses borders, grounded in taste, precision, and the ability to create beauty with authenticity and restraint.
Anamaria also curates and teaches beautifully designed courses for a Spanish-speaking audience, sharing her knowledge with planners and hosts who seek to elevate their craft with clarity, intention, and refined aesthetics.
At Engage!, she looks forward to contributing to meaningful conversations around creativity, growth, and building a legacy through design that feels both personal and world-class.
- Creative Director, Vásquez Avenue
- vasquezavenue.com
At 35, David Vásquez has cemented his place as a global leader in the art of decoration. This talented Colombian, based in Bogotá, Cartagena, and Miami, began his astonishing journey at nine years old, driven by an innate creativity that distinguishes him worldwide today: his unparalleled floral art. David doesn’t just design; he brings the beauty born of his imagination to life, transforming hostile spaces into ultra-luxury settings. Through his company, Vásquez Avenue, he represents the path taken in creating an event, guiding each step toward perfection.
His career has led him to work for celebrities, major entrepreneurs, and even the Vatican, crafting memorable events for Pope Francis. He’s collaborated with renowned brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Givenchy, bringing his vision to countries such as Spain, France, Belgium, Korea, Brazil, Panama, Mexico, Aruba, New York, and Costa Rica. With over a thousand events designed, his impact on the industry is undeniable.
But David doesn’t just beautify spaces; he also enriches lives. He has generously shared his knowledge with over 9,000 students, contributing unreservedly to the industry. Furthermore, he has built a solid team that not only executes impeccable processes to create “supernatural” experiences at every event but also fosters an environment of calm and trust with each planner. David Vásquez is, without a doubt, a pioneer who elevates decoration to an art form, leaving an indelible mark on every corner he touches.
Rebecca Grinnals is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on the business of weddings & honeymoons. She is the Founder and President of wedding and honeymoon industry consulting firm, Engaging Concepts and Co-Founder of Engage! Luxury Wedding Business Summits.
Engaging Concepts is known for successfully-positioning global brands in the wedding and destination wedding industry. The company boasts a lifetime client list that includes The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Hilton Worldwide, Sandals & Beaches Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Asia-Pacific, Loews Hotels & Resorts, Palace Resorts, Harley-Davidson, the Kessler Collection, Disneyland Resort, various developers, venture capital firms, and many leading luxury wedding and event professionals.
Through Rebecca’s tenure at Engaging Concepts, Engage! Summits was born to bring together the wedding and event industry’s key influencers, thought leaders and tastemakers from around the globe to exchange ideas, innovate, and take the wedding industry to the next level. Named by Fortune as “the wedding industry’s most exclusive conference,” all 40 summits, experiences and retreats have been sellouts with guests coming from 45 states and 35 countries, generating an unprecedented 50 million social media impressions and counting.
Named as a BIZBASH Event Innovator: Most Innovative People in Events & Meetings, Rebecca is also a sought-after speaker, trainer, and business trend expert. She has been a featured guest on CBS’ “The Early Show,” CNN, Entertainment Tonight, CNBC and hundreds of other national and international television and radio programs. She’s been quoted in The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, Brides, and many more. And she has produced wedding events and remotes for, among others, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The TODAY Show” and “Good Morning America.”
Prior to creating Engaging Concepts, Rebecca Co-Founded Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons for The Walt Disney Company, and spent ten years developing the concept into an unprecedented success. She directed the complete branding strategy, development and implementation of the program, building it into almost a $100 million per year business for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the Disney Cruise Line. These efforts resulted in over 20,000 weddings and the coveted status for Disney as the # 1 Domestic Honeymoon Destination.
With a home base in Central Florida, today the Engage! family is exactly that. Fifteen years into Engage!, Rebecca’s two daughters have grown up with the company and the legacy of these wedding initiatives is now multi-generational.
- Engage! Co-Founder
- engagesummits.com
Kathryn Arce brings over 30 years of innovation and flawless event execution to her roles as Co-Founder of Engage! Luxury Wedding Business Summits and Managing Director of Engaging Concepts.
Through her work with Engaging Concepts, Kathryn has successfully developed campaigns and global initiatives in the luxury wedding and honeymoon space for brand names such as The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Hilton Worldwide, Sandals & Beaches Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Asia-Pacific, Loews Hotels & Resorts, Palace Resorts, Harley-Davidson, the Kessler Collection, Disneyland Resort, various developers, venture capital firms, and many leading luxury wedding and event professionals.
In 2008, she became the Co-Founder of Engage!, which came to life to better serve the global luxury wedding and event community through unmatched summits, experiences, and retreats. Named by Fortune as “the wedding industry’s most exclusive conference,” these events bring together the wedding and event industry’s key influencers, thought leaders and tastemakers from around the globe to exchange ideas, innovate and be inspired to take their successful businesses and, in turn, the wedding industry to the next level. Since inception, all 40 events have been sellouts with guests coming from 45 states and 30 countries, generating an unprecedented 45 million social media impressions and counting.
Kathryn began her career as a Wedding Event Manager for Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, where she personally planned and executed hundreds of weddings and related events. With an unyielding penchant for phenomenal customer service, Kathryn was instrumental in developing the early high standards of service Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings is known for today. She then stepped away from the wonderful world of weddings and was the Manager of Guest Services for the flagship Disney Store on Fifth Avenue in New York City where she facilitated all VIP Programs & Events. While living in NYC, Kathryn also worked with renowned wedding and special event planner Marcy Blum on the highest-profile weddings and events of the era, including Billy Joel & Katie Lee, Donald & Melania Trump, basketball legend Horace Grant, famed novelist, Tom Clancy, and more.
Kathryn has penned numerous articles on destination weddings and honeymoons which have been published in travel magazines throughout the US and Caribbean. She has produced events and live remotes for The TODAY Show, CBS’s The Early Show and “LIVE with Regis & Kathie Lee.” She was also named a BIZBASH Event Innovator Most Innovative People in Events and Meetings.
Known as a logistical maverick, Kathryn’s second-to-none grace of leadership and extensive guest service training paired with vast real-world wedding and event planning experience make her an invaluable resource for clients looking to “raise the bar” of their wedding programs.
She resides in Florida where her husband and two daughters have become respected members of Team Engage!