Meet the Speakers

Key Note Presenters

Verge Leadership Lab

Gillian Bellinger

Angie Flynn-McIver

From Chaos to Catalyst: Turning Uncertainty into Strategic Opportunity
How forward-thinking leaders reframe disruption to drive growth

When change feels like whiplash, most people reach for the familiar and brace for impact. In this lively, co-led keynote, improv strategist Gillian Bellinger and communication expert Angie Flynn-McIver invite you to move past the reflex, showing how disruption can become raw material for innovation. Through a variety of business case studies, plus on-your-feet improv demos, they will give you the mindset and tools to spot possibility in the unknown—and move on it fast.

What you’ll experience & take away:

See the curve, steer the course. Recognize the natural stages of change, spot where progress stalls, and apply practical tactics to restart momentum.
Improv tools for serious business. Fast-paced, on-your-feet activities let the audience experience rapid iteration and the art of letting go in a safe, energizing setting.
From idea to action. Leave with tools that help you pressure-test, refine, and share new concepts quickly, keeping everyone aligned and engaged.

Featured Guest — Alex Matisse

Gillian and Angie will discuss a case study featuring Alex.

In 2009, Alex purchased an old tobacco farm just north of Asheville in the mountains of Madison County, North Carolina and founded East Fork Pottery. He built a 36-foot long wood-burning kiln and a series of rudimentary workshops which served as the original site of East Fork from 2009 until 2018. His then partner (now wife) Connie Coady became more involved in the business and he was joined in 2013 by a friend and fellow potter John Vigeland. The three of them shaped what East Fork is today.

Today East Fork is one of the largest dinnerware manufacturers in the US, making a beloved and collectible assortment of pottery in Asheville, North Carolina with clays from from the American Southeast.

More About Our Key Note Presentors

Gillian Bellinger

Artistic Director of Misfit Improv

As a corporate trainer and owner of Misfit Improv, Gillian crafts experiential programs that help business leaders and creatives alike flex their “adaptability muscle.” Gillian has a coaching certification from the Flow Coaching Institute, accredited by the International Coaching Federation, and BA in Communications from Hamline University. Her facilitation résumé spans 20 years across a variety of industries. Clients include: PwC, Lockheed Martin, Kaiser Permanente, Nissan, and Fidelity. Audiences value her knack for turning discomfort into discovery: yes-and becomes strategic insight. Gillian looks to empower people to choose change on purpose.

Angie Flynn-McIver

Founder & President of Ignite CSP

Angie Flynn-McIver founded Ignite CSP on a radical premise: intentional communication is a fundamental pillar of leadership. Dubbed a “detective of human behavior,” Angie blends performance savvy from her theatre roots with her professional coaching toolkit to help leaders translate vision into impact. Her workshops and one-to-one engagements have traveled from Big Four boardrooms to international keynotes. Recent clients include IQVIA, Giant Bicycle, ZRG, TerraPower, and the Juilliard School. Angie has an MA in Organizational Development & Leadership from Fielding Graduate University, and is the author of the book Before You Say Anything, which is a practical playbook celebrated by communication pros and first-time presenters alike

2025 Asheville Summit Speakers

Bill Gilliland

In the Moment:
Unscripted and Unstuck

Key Takeaways:

• See what’s really holding you back—and how to move through it

• Learn how coaching reveals solutions faster than overthinking ever will

• Walk away with a new perspective on leadership, decision-making, and growth

• Understand how to apply The Coach Approach to your own team or business

• Leave with immediate next steps you can act on that day

Maureen McCarthy and
Zelle Nelson

Create a Resilient Culture -
Mindfully design how you work together

Recognize Culture as a Living System Participants will:

• Learn to create a workplace culture that isn’t fixed, but constantly co-created through everyday interactions, habits, and shared narratives

• Discover how the decision-making atmosphere, emotional tone, and relational rhythm are impacted by every member of the team

• Learn how to view stress (individual or group) as a signal of what matters, and upgrade your way of working together

Reggie Tidwell

Forget the Future,
Remember the Vision

We spend countless hours trying to pursue a future that is untold, forcing us along a path with little room for flexibility.

We’ll discuss how Branding can be used to uncover and amplify one's core strengths, rather than trying to fit an aspirational mold.

Takeaways:

• Embrace the idea of being agile and able to course-correct

• Adapt to evolving opportunities

• Realign with your purpose and find clarity

• Evolve based on your current experiences

• Learn to lean into your gifts

Jacqueline Boone

Leading the Innovation (Re)volution

Innovation Starts Here!
• Reimagining the future of business with Asheville at the epicenter for what's next.

• How to leverage your community and create Dream Clients locally and worldwide.

• Digital Marketing for future forward entrepreneurs.

Murphy Funkhouser

How to Disrupt in a Disruptive Market

“How to Disrupt in a Disruptive Market” is for anyone wondering what’s actually worth your time in a world of AI, TikTok trends, and ever-shifting algorithms.

Murphy is both a seasoned marketing expert and storytelling pro who can teach you time-tested tricks that still work beautifully in today’s chaotic world.

You’ll leave with:

• Clear, honest guidance on what to do (and what you can ignore).

• Smart ways to use new tools without losing your brand's voice.

• Old-school strategies that still build trust and visibility.

Jeremy French

The Business of Flourishing

What happens when business is structured to serve life? How can business and work serve a personal journey to be whole in life, regardless of the nature of the work?

Reflections, observations, and insights from 10 years of Making Whole, a business designed to realize life.

Jeff Makey

Building Professional Relationships That Work

The most important skill of any professional is the ability to build relationships. Clients, vendors, and partners all need validation. This presentation will focus on the best types of

communication to motivate people and partners in helping you achieve better business

goals.

Takeaways:

• Ways to define relationships.

• Strategies to effectively communicate.

• Buying people and partners into your business goals.

APPEARANCE FROM

Justin Powell

Resilience at the intersection of Crisis, Healing and Business Leadership

Before the Keynote, join Justin for a 10-minute insight-packed talk that blends healing, leadership, and purpose. Drawing from post-hurricane relief work, time at Kripalu, and his own entrepreneurial journey, Justin explores how business owners can lead with intention and resilience and use their companies as forces for good.

VIP DINNER ONLY

Leah Wong Ashburn

VIP DINNER ONLY

Leah is a second-generation family owner, President and CEO of Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC. Founded by her father in 1994, Highland is the first legal brewery in Asheville since Prohibition and in the nation’s top six breweries led by women.

Her board service includes the NC Brewers Guild, local chamber, tourism, and community college, and currently, the UNC-CH Board of Visitors.

Recognitions include Woman Executive of the Year from the Asheville Chamber and James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist.