Ep. 30 AI & The Future of Conferences with Doug Edwards

In this episode of MasterMined, Doug Edwards—Senior Vice President at HMP Global—pulls back the curtain on what truly makes a behavioral health conference succeed. From long-range planning to the advisory board process, from AI-driven disruption to timeless in-person connection, Doug shares practical, candid insight for leaders navigating a rapidly evolving landscape. Whether you sponsor, speak, or attend, his guidance helps you elevate your presence, sharpen your strategy, and maximize the value of every conference experience. Key Moments 00:00 – What really grabs attention on a conference floor 00:19 – Introducing Doug Edwards and his work shaping premier behavioral health events 01:30 – Doug's career path from journalism to leading major healthcare conferences 05:51 – How COVID reshaped conferences and revived the power of in-person connection 08:10 – Why conference attendance is rising again—and what attendees are valuing most 10:56 – Why Nashville became home to major national summits 12:43 – The hidden work behind building an agenda and securing top-tier speakers 14:46 – Hot-topic trends shaping agendas: GLP-1s, AI, and evidence-based sessions 17:49 – How fast AI changed the conference landscape and sparked a new summit Learn More & Connect Show Notes + Resources: https://snapshotinteractive.com/mastermined Connect with Doug Edwards: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-edwards-086956b | https://www.hmpglobal.com Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshotinteractive.com Connect with Jeff Skillen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffskillen | https://www.skillsetenterprises.com Connect with Lee Pepper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leepepper | https://www.neveroutmatched.com Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshotinteractive.com