NEC Keynote Speakers

Be Inspired and Learn from Industry Experts

Our keynote addresses will inspire and share trends that government meeting professionals need to know. See the full conference schedule and educational session speakers.

Opening Keynote: Learning from Influential Leaders

Joe Nayquonabe, Jr.
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
9:00 am – 10 am CT

Titans, artists, coaches, leaders and icons. Time magazine refers to them each year as influential people. If you had to fill a roster with influential leaders, who would you choose? What about the people in your life that inspire you to become a better person? A better leader? Who do you know who builds upon their integrity and molds a culture of values and service? In this program, Joe Nayquonabe showcases the powerful leaders he’s admiring now for their ability to not only shape history, but also truly make an impact on the world. He takes his roster of influencers and illustrates how their extraordinary impact is relatable to today’s workforce and how you can heed their advice to make your own impact.

About Joe

Joe Nayquonabe, Jr is an indigenous business professional who has spent his career reimagining and reinventing how American Indian tribal economies grow and prosper.

He spent over a decade as a marketing executive growing the Grand Casino brand before ascending to CEO of the Mille Lacs Band’s Corporate Commission where he created several companies including Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, which manages the entire business portfolio of the Mille Lacs Band; FoxTrot Marketing Group; Maadaadizi Holdings; Wewinabi Inc., Makwa Global, and SlotCo.

Nayquonabe has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from St. Cloud State University, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, and a master of tribal administration and governance degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

He and his wife, Chris, live in Onamia with their daughters, Bella, Phoenix-Rose, and Xiana. In this spare time, Joe enjoys running marathons, studying the Ojibwe language, and reading.

Closing Keynote: Lead Simply

Holly Hoffman
Thursday, June 8, 2023
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm CT

Keynote Holly Hoffman will close the conference with an inspiring presentation, “Lead Simply.” She will share how to survive life challenges and the benefits of stepping outside our comfort zone to push beyond our own self-limitations. Adversity is not so much contending with problems as it is learning more about who you really are and what is inside you. Learn more about survival skills to help you in any situation in work and life.

You’ll learn:

MODEL the behavior you want to see
CONNECT with the people you lead
INVOLVE others as much as possible

About Holly

Holly Hoffman was the last remaining member of the Espada Tribe and the last woman standing on Season 21 of CBS’ hit reality show “Survivor Nicaragua.” Through that experience and others throughout her life, Holly was inspired to share her message of survival.

A professional motivational speaker and the author of Your Winner Within and Write Yourself a Note, Holly acknowledges that life is made up of challenges, and we are oftentimes faced with situations that seem insurmountable. But within each of us is an ability to focus our thoughts, emotions, and energy to succeed—if only we have the knowledge, tools, and discipline to do so.

A native of South Dakota, Holly’s writing and speaking not only offer encouragement and optimism but a roadmap for self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment. Readers and audience members alike walk away inspired to light the fire of successful living within themselves.

Today, Holly is a recipient of the Certified Speaking Professional designation, and travels across the country and internationally, speaking to a wide variety of corporations, associations, universities, schools and women’s organizations. Holly inspires her audiences to take opportunities and focus on faith, attitude, determination, confidence, desire and perseverance.