ACCESS 2025 brought together the exhibitions and experiential community for three days of inspiration, connection, and innovation on the shores of Amelia Island, Florida, December 2-4, 2025.
The conference embraced the theme “Waves of Connection”, reflecting both the coastal setting and the industry’s focus on building meaningful relationships. With over 350 attendees, setting a new attendance record, the event brought our community together to grow professionally and enjoy unforgettable experiences.
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Attendees kicked off the event with their choice of excursions – the annual EDPA Golf Scramble or a bike tour of Fort Clinch and Historic Downtown! While it wasn’t all sunshiney and smooth sailing, all participants were able to thoroughly enjoy themselves!
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We heard from our outgoing EDPA President, Chris Griffin, who gave us an overview of what to expect at ACCESS 2025 and formally welcomed everyone to the event.
Our opening keynote, Liz Bohannon, spoke to us about harnessing the power of community to create a workplace culture marked by connection, collaboration, and growth. We then welcomed everyone to Amelia Island with a steel drum band at the opening reception in the beautiful courtyard right on the ocean. The night continued with our opening reception sponsor, WS Display, kicking it up a notch with karaoke and continuing the networking!
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Day 2 kicked off with a design panel, moderated by Brian Baker, discussing why our design teams may be wearing all the hats, work/life balance and client expectations. We heard from Dan Serebin about how and why EDPA members should participate in the EDPA Custom Economic survey in addition to the EDPA Compensation Survey. We also got survey data from Event Marketer presented by Amy Sondrup and Kerry Smith who then spoke to the implications of the current data, including budgets, networking, sustainability, and more.
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Attendees then had three options of tracks – Business Track, Sales Track and the Development Track. All tracks were well attended and gave attendees tools and insight into the future of our industry or how to navigate tough conversations in the workplace. Thank you to all of our presenters for their time and dedication to these tracks, the feedback has been great!
The annual Gala, paired with the EDPA Foundation Silent Auction, once again stood out as a highlight of ACCESS 2025. Guests gathered for an evening that blended celebration, philanthropy, and recognition of the industry’s brightest contributors.
The night featured the presentation of the EDPA Awards, honoring excellence across the community. From the coveted EDDIE’S to Chapters of the Year and Future Leaders, the program spotlighted both emerging talent and established leaders. Individual honors – including Designer of the Year, EDPA Ambassador, and the distinguished Hazel Hays Award – underscored the creativity, leadership, and dedication that continue to shape the exhibitions industry. This year’s honorees were:
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EDPA Future Leaders Class of 2025:
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Emily Toomer – Aluvision
Angus Wardhaugh – Apogee
Samantha Rebecky – Coastal International
Izzy Villanueva – Deckel & Moneypenny
Ed Horrocks – Derse
Reilly Alpers – EDE Corporation
Taylor Bisson – Hamilton
Jennifer Gardner – Hill & Partners
Nathan Olley – Kubik
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Zac Stewart – Momentum Management
Christina Gherardini – Moss
Olivia Shultz – MSM
Jake Miller – NMR Events
Andrew Childers – Steelhead Productions
Bryant Smith – Storylink Creative
Katherine Miller – VectorFive
Ty Macaulay – On Location
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2025 EDPA Hazel Hays: Rich Johnson – ‘The Randy’
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2025 EDPA Ambassador of the Year:
Dana Esposito – BlueHive Exhibits
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2025 EDPA Ambassador of the Year: Lynn Reves – Exhibitus
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2025 EDPA Designer of the Year:
Phoebe Mathius – Exhibitus
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2025 EDPA Small Chapter of the Year: EDPA Texas
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2025 EDPA Large Chapter of the Year: EDPA Southeast
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Best Large Exhibit:
Derse
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Best Small Exhibit:
BlueHive Exhibits
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Best Sustainability:
Taylor
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Best Online or Multi-Media:
Highmark TechSystems
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Best Printed:
Storylink Creative
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Best End-to-End Experience:
Derse
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2025 EDPA International Collaboration Award:
Storylink Creative and Von Hagen Design
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| to see pictures visit: https://iamnatjonesproductions.smugmug.com/EDPA/ACCESS2025 |
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