Opening Keynote 2024 - Danny Meyer

Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, will be joined by Richard Corraine in a conversation focused on how hospitality can change a business and even an industry. With questions gathered from you, our summer camp professionals, Danny will use his expertise to help the industry grow more forward thinking, hospitable and see that sometimes the outside the box decisions are the ones that will be the more effective change agents.

As a NY Times Best Selling author of Setting the Table, Danny will share the lessons he learned developing the dynamic philosophy he calls Enlightened Hospitality. The tenets of that philosophy, which emphasize strong in-house relationships as well as customer satisfaction, are applicable to anyone who works in any business. Whether you are a camp director, an executive director, an owner, or a seasonal employee, Danny’s story and philosophy will help you become more effective and productive, while deepening your understanding and appreciation of a job well done.

Closing Keynote 2024 - Katie Sowers

Motivation: Finding Your ‘Why’

Visionary coach, Katie Sowers, encourages audiences to find their “why” and become an irreplaceable asset to their team. Katie pursued her passions, working against stereotypes and obstacles to break down barriers. Katie shares her experience becoming an empowering leader, practical strategies for motivating others, and how breaking down barriers and focusing on inclusivity for all make us stronger and more effective teams. Through her personal story and her expertise as a motivational coach, Katie will leave you feeling ready to take on summer 2024 and beyond.
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Who is Katie Sowers? The first woman and openly gay coach to coach in a Super Bowl, former San Francisco 49ers Offensive Assistant Coach Katie Sowers paves the way for equality in the workplace. Coach Sowers is Defensive Coordinator and Director of Operations of the Ottawa University women’s flag football program and Ottawa’s Director of Athletic Strategic Initiatives. She is the Offensive and Defensive Scheme Advisor for the Ottowa Braves, coaching them to a national championship. She has also coached a year with the Kansas City Chiefs under the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship.

Katie spent six seasons in the NFL and four as an offensive assistant with the 49ers, working primarily with the Wide Receivers. Katie started her NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons after spending five years as the athletic director of the City of Kansas City. Katie has competed at the highest level of women’s tackle football, playing in the WFA (Women’s Football Alliance) for eight years and being selected as a member of the United States Women’s National Football Team in 2013. Katie has a master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in pedagogy from the University of Central Missouri.

Katie is listed as one of the "100 Most Influential Women in Sport" by Sport360 and won the 2019 Rising Star Award from The Sports Power Brunch: Celebrating the Most Powerful Women in Sports. She was Outsports’ 2017 "Female Hero of the Year" and named the to the Bleacher Report "Power 50." In addition, Katie has been featured in several publications and magazines, such as ESPN, USA Today, NFL.com, Forbes, and Outsports.