The International SPA Association (ISPA) has announced its opening and closing keynote speakers for this year’s ISPA Conference & Expo, set to take place 13-15 September at The Venetian in Las Vegas.

University of Houston research professor Dr Brené Brown will open the event, and leadership expert Simon Sinek will be closing as keynote speaker.

“With Brené and Simon we have great bookends to the Conference that will allow us to develop ourselves personally and professionally,” said ISPA president Lynne McNees. “Brené will encourage us to look at ourselves inwardly with openness to vulnerability and courage. Simon will challenge us to look at how we manage and lead people that will result in employees who are motivated to go to work each day.”

Dr Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, New York Times bestselling author, and CEO and chief learning officer of The Daring Way. The Daring Way is a training and certification program for professionals who want to facilitate her work on vulnerability, courage, shame, and worthiness. She will speak the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 13.

The 26th annual event will close with Simon Sinek, the New York Times bestselling author, motivational speaker and TED Talk participant. Sinek teaches leaders and organisations how to inspire people.

With a bold goal to help build a world in which the vast majority of people go home every day feeling fulfilled by their work, Sinek is leading a movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them. Sinek will present the morning of 15 September.