just sayin’ WHAT WORTH IT REALLY MEANS In every issue of Ignite, we have the privilege of sharing stories about the incredible people who make our industry stronger. We celebrate innovation, leadership, collaboration and the countless ways our planner and supplier partners elevate the business events profession. This issue is different. This issue is personal. On June 21, our industry lost one of its greatest champions. Just three days before her 50th birthday, Jennifer Beatty passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. While many knew Jennifer through her leadership roles with TIAC, Tourism Calgary, Travel Alberta and MPI, I knew her as someone who genuinely cared. I first met Jennifer back in 2009, and over the past 16 years I watched her career flourish, her leadership grow and her passion for this industry inspire everyone around her. Jennifer had a remarkable ability to light up a room, making everyone laugh and feel welcome, and reminding you why you loved this industry in the first place. Last fall, Jennifer joined Laura Bickle and me on the Ignite Your Events podcast. We spoke about her remarkable career, but more importantly, we talked about advocacy. Even while living with cancer, Jennifer chose to use her voice to help others. She was determined to raise awareness of triple-negative inflammatory breast cancer and advocate for greater research in the hope that one day others might have an outcome different than hers. Last October, she spearheaded the “In Her Own Words: Tea for Advocacy” brunch at the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, raising over $71,000 for cancer research. As an industry made up largely of women, Jennifer’s story hit especially close to home. It also reminded me of something we don’t often stop to think about. As business event professionals, we design the spaces where researchers, physicians and healthcare professionals come together to share discoveries, challenge ideas and advance medicine. Every medical conference, research symposium and scientific meeting has the potential to change lives. We may not be the ones searching for a cure, but we create the environment where it becomes possible. We often say meetings change the world. Jennifer reminded us that they can. But beneath that warmth and optimism was someone who never shied away from difficult conversations. Jennifer understood that advocacy isn’t about saying what’s easy; it’s about saying what’s necessary. She was willing to be vulnerable, shine a light on uncomfortable truths and challenge the status quo because she believed that’s how progress happens. It’s a philosophy that resonates deeply with me because it’s also at the heart of our Worth It initiative. Whether we’re talking about compensation, burnout, attracting the next generation or elevating our profession, meaningful change only happens when we’re willing to have conversations that aren’t always comfortable. We don’t ask hard questions to criticize our industry. We ask them because we care enough to make it stronger. Looking back on Jennifer’s career, I don’t think her greatest legacy will be found on a resume or a list of accomplishments. It will be found in the countless people she encouraged, mentored and inspired along the way. Perhaps the greatest tribute we can pay Jennifer isn’t simply remembering her. It’s continuing the work she cared so deeply about, lifting others up, advocating for our profession, creating spaces where important conversations happen and leaving this industry stronger than we found it. Jennifer reminded us what Worth It really means. Debbie Van Der Beek President + Chief Visionary Officer Fall 2026 | Ignitemag.ca | 3
