Five Incredible People the Convening Class Should Know- January 2026 Edition

TED's Monique Ruff-Bell, Event Industry New's Adam Parry, Value Graphis's David Allison, South Beach and NYC Wine and Food Festival's Lee Brian Schrager, and Chexology's Derek Pacqué

We spend a lot of time talking about formats, technology, stages, and strategy. But gatherings are still shaped most by people — often the ones who don’t seek the spotlight, don’t keynote, and don’t announce themselves as “leaders.” This is a short, curated group of people influencing how rooms are designed, protected, funded, facilitated, and remembered — whether or not their titles reflect it.