New York Times best-selling author and top TED Talk speaker Susan Cain will be the opening keynote speaker at the 2019 ISPA Conference & expo taking place 11-13 September 2019 in Las Vegas, US. The event’s theme, ‘Evolve’, will highlight the growth of the industry and the positive road that lies ahead.

Cain is the author of Quiet: The Power of introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking and Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts. Her first book has been translated into forty languages and is in its sixth year on the New York Times best-seller list. It was also named #1 best book of the year by Fast Company magazine, which also named Cain one of its 'Most Creative People in Business'. With her books, Cain explains how society undervalues introverts and what we lose by doing so.

In her 2012 TED Talk – which has been viewed over twenty million times – Cain argues that introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world and should be encouraged and celebrated. This TED Talk still stands today as one of the most viewed of all time and was named by Bill Gates as one of his all-time favourite talks.

“We are honoured to welcome Susan Cain as our opening keynote speaker at the 2019 ISPA Conference & Expo,” said ISPA president Lynne McNees. “How we communicate with diverse spa teams, customers and professionals plays an integral role in the success of our industry. We are confident Susan’s expertise will elevate our ISPA community even further.”

Cain, an honours graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, practiced corporate law for seven years and received Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership. After practicing law, she founded a negotiation consultancy firm before becoming a writer.