People. Purpose. Impact.

A Storytelling Series

The Meeting Makers

Stories About the People Behind Great Events

From the Walk • Think • Grow™ Studios  ·  Dallas, Texas

Portrait of Shakara Shelton

Shakara Shelton

Visionary. Collaborative. Empowering.

Some people promote destinations. Shakara Shelton helps people envision what’s possible. As Vice President of Sales for Choose Chicago, Shakara represents far more than hotels, meeting space, or convention centers. She helps organizations see the opportunities that emerge when a city, its people, and its partnerships come together around a shared vision. In this episode of The Meeting Makers, Doug Rice explores how Shakara’s career has been defined by building relationships, developing talent, and creating lasting impact. From leading high-performing hospitality sales teams to helping position Chicago as one of the world’s premier meeting destinations, her leadership demonstrates that the best business results begin with trust, collaboration, and investing in people. Because the most successful destinations aren’t built by buildings alone—they’re built by leaders who help others unlock potential.

The greatest destinations aren’t defined only by the places we visit—but by the people who help us see what’s possible once we arrive.

  • Organization: Choose Chicago
  • Title: VP of Sales
  • Building partnerships that elevate destinations and strengthen the meetings industry.: Building partnerships that elevate destinations and strengthen the meetings industry.
  • Based In: Chicago, Illinois
  • Connect on LinkedIn
Doug Rice, creator and host of The Meeting Makers

Curious about the voice behind The Meeting Makers?

The Meeting Makers is produced by Doug Rice and Walk · Think · Grow™—a keynote experience in motion that helps leaders, teams, and organizations transform insight into action through the power of movement.

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About The Meeting Makers

The Meeting Makers is a storytelling series that shines a light on the people behind great events — the planners, producers, and leaders whose work turns meetings into moments that matter. Rooted in hospitality and built on relationships, each episode celebrates leadership with purpose: real stories from real people who bring conferences, meetings, and live events to life. Because great events don’t happen by accident — they happen because of people.

Listen. Watch. Be Inspired.