Whether a meeting planner is looking to motivate employees, inspire an audience or educate C-level executives on the latest marketing strategies, hiring a professional speaker is often easier said than done.

Often, the right keynote speaker is a woman, not necessarily because of her gender but because of her unique history, expertise and message.

As the meeting industry continues to evolve during its post-recession recovery, one significant new trend is the increase in the use of hybrid meetings that cater to two distinctly different kinds of audiences — live and virtual.