By
The Editors
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Date Published: January 18, 2024 - Last Updated January 18, 2024
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Comments
Each year, we ask the contact center and customer experience community to nominate their choices for ICMI’s Top 25 Thought Leaders list. From more than 150 nominations, we’re pleased to present the 2024 list. If you aren’t already following the leaders on this year’s list, click on their profiles below to give them a look, and be sure to congratulate them for their service to the CX and contact center industries.
Top to bottom, right to left: Mike Aoki, Sangeeta Bhatnagar, Vicki Brackett, Nate Brown, Brad Cleveland, Chris Crosby, Jenny Dempsey, Neal Dlin, Rob Dwyer, Luke Jamieson, Afshan Kinder, Sally Mildren, Leslie O’Flahavan, Micah Peterson, David Powers, Bill Price, Doug Rabold, Justin Robbins, Stacy Sherman, Jake Shields, Dan Smitley, Josh Streets, Jeff Toister, Jeremy Watkin, Jeannie Walters
Mike Aoki
X | LinkedIn
“Mike is a very generous and knowledgeable thought leader in our industry. He’s always willing to serve, volunteer his time, and share his knowledge and research through online articles, webinars, and at conferences. You’ll never see him without a smile on his face; he has such a positive attitude and outlook on life.”
Sangeeta Bhatnagar
X | LinkedIn
“Aside from being an incredible force for change in communities globally, Sangeeta is someone who really understand people and contact centers, more specifically how to develop culture and people. She leads through example, with a learner’s mindset, and she’s never stopped evolving what she brings to the table.”
Vicki Brackett
X | LinkedIn
“Vicki is genuinely curious, collegial, and giving. She broadly shares her knowledge and wants to know what others can offer, too! She offers meaningful, practical suggestions about leading teams that thrive.”
Nate Brown
X | LinkedIn
“From his impeccable taste in suits to his delightful personality, Nate effortlessly fosters an environment where everyone feels not only welcomed but also genuinely cared for and respected. He’s not just a professional in the customer experience realm; he’s a true maestro, orchestrating connections and leaving an indelible mark on all those fortunate enough to engage with him.”
Brad Cleveland
X | LinkedIn
“Brad is a tried and trusted resource for all things CX and CC/UC. He continually explores the newest trends and ideates about potential changes in the industry. He does an outstanding job of expressing his ideas, both verbally and in written form. He's also a great guy – generous with his time and knowledge, and always a pleasure to interact with.”
Chris Crosby
X | LinkedIn
“Chris’s posts and comments are unfiltered and based on first-hand experience. He tells it like it is in the realm of CX, which is refreshing.”
Jenny Dempsey
X | LinkedIn
“Jenny is just amazing. Such a kind and helpful person, and so generous with her knowledge.”
Neal Dlin
X | LinkedIn
“Neal has always been ahead of the curve looking for ways to improve the employee experience and customer experience. He’s definitely innovative!”
Rob Dwyer
LinkedIn
“Rob’s content is awesome, and he’s a great community builder. He’s helping to push the boundaries of traditional CX is a good healthy way.”
Luke Jamieson
X | LinkedIn
“Luke is a powerful influencer and thought leader on the international CX stage. Not only has he expanded my CX world – he’s expanded the CX world.”
Afshan Kinder
X | LinkedIn
“Afshan has been a consistent thought leader in the call center/contact center world for over 30 years. She's always been ahead of the curve and on top of what makes for excellence.”
Leslie O’Flahavan
X | LinkedIn
“Leslie exhibits the best thing that she so handily teaches: authentic communication made plain. All of her interactions are refreshingly honest, professional, and charged with a desire to help like-minded individuals – no head-spinning snake oil sales or corporate cliquey-ness. In short, Leslie is what all leaders ought to be: skilled, supportive, and sound.”
Sally Mildren
X | LinkedIn
“Sally stands out for her empathetic leadership, recognizing everyone as individuals with their own experiences. She understands and respects that we all have our highs and lows, and she brings people together in a way that’s truly awe-inspiring.”
Micah Peterson
LinkedIn
“Great webinars that open the door to a stellar network of CX experts.”
David Powers
LinkedIn
“As a practitioner, David brings a unique perspective to supporting the home services industry. He’s a thought leader worth following.”
Bill Price
X | LinkedIn
“Bill is just an amazing thought leader. His approach to CX delivery for large organizations is so simple yet all-encompassing. He possesses such insight only because of his deep experience and an ‘always-learning mode’ to stay on top of recent trends.”
Doug Rabold
LinkedIn
“Doug uses his skills and human understanding to add a distinct customer experience approach to all aspects of leadership, especially within a support environment.”
Justin Robbins
X | LinkedIn
“Justin is disrupting the CX landscape in many cool ways. He has remarkable content and has helped so many folks along in their CX careers.”
Stacy Sherman
X | LinkedIn
“Stacy is so uplifting and inspiring. She has great advice and guest speakers in her podcast, really making you think about our world and how to experience life (both professionally and not) in the most meaningful way.”
Jake Shields
X | LinkedIn
“Jake is on the front lines as a practitioner. He knows more than most thought leaders that haven't stepped foot in a contact center or spoken with a customer in years. He's knowledgeable and cares about the betterment of the CX community.”
Dan Smitley
LinkedIn
“Dan is instantly likeable. And because he's so likeable, he's easy to listen to. And once you start listening to what he has to say, what he says has an easy-to-absorb impact. Every single post is something I want to read, and then I find easy to pass along to others and/or adopt myself.”
Josh Streets
X | LinkedIn
“Josh takes the 'thought leader' title seriously. He shares the bad with the good and the complexity of our industry. He’s not a speaker first, following a formula, but a leader making unique arguments. All authenticity, zero gimmicks.”
Jeff Toister
X | LinkedIn
“Jeff is a prolific writer and a true thought leader. He's both inspirational and well-researched.”
Jeremy Watkin
X | LinkedIn
“Whenever I have questions, Jeremy’s my go-to person. He's consistently willing to brainstorm and collaborate on problem-solving, and he’s not only friendly and down-to-earth but also always ready to offer support.”
Jeannie Walters
LinkedIn
“Jeannie shares great content about CX in a lot of different formats.”