Relive ATD24

At last year’s International Conference & EXPO, attendees learned, laughed, danced, and embraced the local culture in New Orleans, Louisiana. Here’s what happened.

Keynotes. Throughout the conference, award-winning speaker, author, and leadership expert Holly Ransom hosted keynote speeches, starting with Matthew McConaughey. The actor and author spoke about his career in Hollywood and his stance that optimism is survival.

On the second full day of the conference, New York Times bestselling author Daniel Pink spoke about navigating difficult times in the workplace. He gave attendees research-proven tips on how to do that and asked them what advice they’d give themselves in 10 years.

Finally, seven-time tennis Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams discussed how far a winning mindset can take you and how to learn from low points in your career. She revealed lessons she learned from her sister, tennis legend Serena Williams.

Brain tattoos. Dear World founder Robert X. Fogarty introduced attendees to his Brain Tattoo method. It involves individuals writing something important to them on their skin and photographing the results.

Before Williams’s keynote, Fogarty and three ATD24 attendees stepped onstage to share their Brain Tattoo stories.

Best of show. To wrap the conference, ATD honored standout companies who set up shop on the EXPO floor. The exhibitors who took home awards were LTG (Best of Show), Center for Leadership Studies (Best Island), Book Club (Best Linear Booth), and Facet5 (Best Newcomer).

Grand tourism. Talent development professionals who traveled to the conference in person explored New Orleans through discounted tours of the city, a cemetery, the Garden District, and the French Quarter. Attendees could also board an authentic steamboat for a two-hour dinner cruise on the Mississippi River.

Keep your eyes open for details about Washington, DC, and exciting ways to explore the nation’s capital during ATD25.

Read more about ATD25 at conferencedaily.td.org.