By
The Editors
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Date Published: January 21, 2025 - Last Updated January 21, 2025
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Comments
Each year, the contact center community comes together to shine a spotlight on the individuals shaping the future of our industry. After receiving more than 200 nominations, we’re thrilled to unveil ICMI’s 2025 Top 25 Thought Leaders!
This year’s honorees were selected based on four key criteria: thought leadership, industry impact, knowledge sharing, professional achievements, and leadership impact. These individuals consistently drive positive change, share their expertise, and raise the bar by achieving measurable success in customer experience and contact center excellence.
If you’re not already following these leaders, now’s the time to check out their profiles and work below. Join us in celebrating their contributions and congratulating them on this well-deserved recognition!
Mike Aoki
"Mike is a well-recognized and well-respected ICM thought leader who is consistently engaged in new learnings and ready to present new ideas to help us shape the industry more broadly. His collaborative style, along with his deep domain expertise, make him a go-to expert."
Follow Mike on LinkedIn | Visit Mike's Website | Watch This Video From Mike
Sangeeta Bhatnagar
"From her work with GTACC to her work as a trainer and everything in between, Sangeeta bring a wealth of knowledge and information to all of the areas she works in and people she works with. Her experience and dedication alone make her a top candidate."
Follow Sangeet on LinkedIn
Follow Sangeeta on LinkedIn | Visit Sangeeta's Website | Read This Blog Post By Sangeeta
Vicki Brackett
"Vicki is a recognized thought leader in work-at-home strategies, employee engagement, and leadership development. Her insights have been featured in ICMI, HDI, Contact Center Pipeline, and CCNG blogs. She’s also a highly sought-after speaker at industry events, sharing her expertise both in person and virtually."
Follow Vicki on LinkedIn | Visit Vicki's Website | Read Vicki's Book
Nate Brown
"Nate is arguably one of our industry's most respected and well-known voices. From MCing ICMI events to writing, speaking, and leading the CX Accelerator community, he gives so much of himself to help make the contact center profession stronger."
Follow Nate on LinkedIn | Visit Nate's Website | Join Nate's CX Accelerator Community
Brad Cleveland
"As a pioneer in the contact center and customer experience industry, Brad’s thought leadership has shaped how organizations approach service delivery and operational excellence. We often refer to his book, Contact Center Management on Fast Forward, as our industry's bible. Brad’s influence is undeniable, with his work inspiring both seasoned professionals and emerging leaders to prioritize exceptional customer experiences. His commitment to advancing the industry makes him a standout among ICMI’s Top 25 Thought Leaders."
Follow Brad on LinkedIn | Visit Brad's Website | Read Brad's Books
Neal Dlin
"Neal has been a leader in this space for over 30 years and continues to deliver large scale transformation projects, exceptional customer experience, organizational value and thought leadership. He shares these success stories via Social media and podcasts to help the next generation of CX leaders thrive."
Follow Neal on LinkedIn | Visit Neal's Website | Read This Blog Post By Neal
Rob Dwyer
"Rob is a rockstar across all four criteria. In his Next in Queue podcast, Rob expertly hosts meaningful conversations on Contact Centres, CX innovation, and leadership. He's a Community Facilitator with the CX Accelerator; Rob helps support and move our industry forward. His podcast is epic and known globally! He is a Customer Experience Program Advisor at Missouri State University; he mentors future CX leaders, shaping the industry’s next generation, and on a personal note, has always had time to share his knowledge with me. Rob's influence is undeniable."
Follow Rob on LinkedIn | Check Out Rob's Podcast | Read This Blog Post By Rob
Bob Furniss
"Bob is a longtime influencer for the contact center industry, particularly ICMI. He's been a consistent leading voice in this community. He's a former ICMI Lifetime Achievement winner and continues giving so much to this community through his podcast."
Follow Bob on LinkedIn | Listen to Bob's Podcast | Learn About Bob's Nonprofit
Nick Glimsdahl
"Nick exemplifies leadership in the contact center industry through impactful thought leadership, including articles, an influential podcast, and an upcoming book on AI in customer service. They have driven meaningful transformations, guiding teams and clients from legacy systems to cloud-based, automated solutions that elevate customer experience and efficiency. Actively sharing knowledge, they engage widely through industry events, social media, and advisory roles, making complex topics accessible to peers."
Follow Nick on LinkedIn | Visit Nick's Website | Check Out Nick's Podcast
Jeremy Hyde
"Jeremy is the epitome of a thought leader. He regularly shares his original takes on LinkedIn and is never shy about pushing people to think differently. He's been a consistent, trusted voice in the industry, regularly speaking on webinars and actively involved in the leadership team for the MWCCA & as an ICMI awards judge."
Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn | Read This Article By Jeremy | Visit Jeremy's Website
Luke Jamieson
"Luke is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring CX and EX leaders I’ve had the privilege to know. His ability to challenge conventional thinking and create innovative strategies, like gamification and LEGO® Serious Play®, has transformed how companies approach engagement and belonging. Over the years, he’s not only made a huge impact in the industry but has also generously shared his knowledge, mentoring countless professionals and driving positive change. His achievements, including award-winning engagement frameworks, truly set him apart as a thought leader who’s shaping the future of work in meaningful ways."
Follow Luke On LinkedIn | Visit Luke's Website | Read Luke's Latest ICMI Blog Post
Beth Gauthier-Jenkin
"Beths's team at Gopher Sport won the coveted Best Small Contact Center Awards this year, proving that her leadership is making a difference in this industry and community. She's continually stepped up to speak at ICMI events, serve on the advisory board for ICMI, and in leadership roles for the Midwest Contact Center Association (MWCCA). She's doing big things in the industry and wholeheartedly deserves more recognition! Gopher Sport is a shining example of excellence in the contact center industry."
Follow Beth on LinkedIn | Visit the MWCCA Website | Read This Article By Beth
Afshan Kinder
"Afshan has demonstrated exceptional dedication and expertise through her impactful E2G (Elevate to Great) work, her pivotal contributions to the CEB (Customer Experience Blueprint) framework, and her leadership in Coach the Coach initiatives, fostering growth and development at every level. Her insightful articles, compelling speaking engagements, and successful consulting assignments have amplified her influence, establishing her as a thought leader who consistently drives innovation and excellence while inspiring others to achieve their best."
Follow Afshan on LinkedIn | Visit Afshan's Website |Check Out This Tip of the Week From Afshan
Rosetta Carrington Lue
"Rosetta exemplifies thought leadership through her pioneering work in government customer experience, co-founding the National 311 Executive Leadership Council and the 311 Government Professional Association. Her innovative strategies across all levels of government have transformed public sector customer service, setting new industry standards. A prolific writer and thought leader, Rosetta has authored numerous articles and blogs, sharing her expertise and mentoring emerging leaders."
Follow Rosetta on LinkedIn | Visit Rosetta's Website | See Rosetta in Action
Michael Mattson
"His thought leadership shines through initiatives like the 2020ish series, where he co-hosted a fresh, forward-thinking CX series that sparked meaningful industry conversations. With a proven industry impact, Michael has driven transformative outcomes for US Post and Travelers, elevating customer and employee experiences alike. As a mentor, he exemplifies knowledge sharing through Walk a Mile CX, empowering others to see CX through diverse perspectives. His professional experience blends years of expertise with a track record of measurable achievements. Michael is a connector of people and ace presenter and worthy recipient!"
Follow Michael on LinkedIn | Visit Michael's Website | Check Out This Podcast Episode With Michael
Leslie O'Flahavan
"Leslie O'Flahavan is the first person I think of when I think of a contact center thought leader. Leadership: regularly publishes helpful articles on ICMI and LinkedIn. Impact: Thousands have taken Leslie's LinkedIn Learning courses. Sharing: Presents at ICMI, SOCAP, and other industry events. Achievements: ICMI lifetime achievement award winner."
Follow Leslie on LinkedIn | Read This Article By Leslie | Visit Leslie's Website
Doug Rabold
"Doug Rabold is a committed CX/ITXM Leader, recently named Evangelist for the USA launch of XLA Institute, which promises to evolve support to be more outcomes driven. His impact has been as a leader of award-winning global support teams and as a CX portfolio leader in healthcare, and his aim is to converge the worlds of Contact Centers and Service Desks!"
Follow Doug on LinkedIn | Check Out Bold Ray Consulting | Listen to This Podcast Episode Featuring Doug
Bryant Richardson
"Through his articles, ICMI presentations, and LinkedIn contributions, he offers valuable insights on emotional agility and CX strategy. Bryant mentors the CX community by sharing practical advice on podcasts and in discussions. With over three decades of leadership experience, he champions continuous improvement and authentic engagement. His commitment to helping businesses create meaningful customer connections makes him an outstanding candidate for the 2025 ICMI Top 25 Thought Leaders."
Follow Bryant on LinkedIn | Visit Bryant's Website | Read This Article By Bryant
Stacy Sherman
"Stacy’s keynote speeches and workshops are incredible. Her workshops are packed with practical tools that leave you feeling confident and inspired to improve your customer experience. Beyond her live events, her award-winning "Doing CX Right" podcast, LinkedIn Learning courses, and book Transformative Experience provide even more valuable insights. Stacy’s expertise and passion for CX are unmatched, and she absolutely deserves this recognition."
Follow Stacy on LinkedIn | Visit Stacy's Website | Listen to Stacy's Podcast
Jacob Shields
"Jacob is a conscientious thought leader who is aware of the global CX community and its importance. He shares stories, objectives, and values from his daily work as a practitioner. He often draws from his service in the US military and ties in lessons in leadership and service from the military that apply to CX."
Follow Jacob on LinkedIn | Read Some of Jacob's Work | Get to Know Jacob
Dan Smitley
"Dan is a REMARKABLE thought leader when it comes to WFM and many other contact center disciplines. He is extremely generous with his knowledge and has helped me with all kinds of things and offered great feedback over the years. Dan is a go to-resource for all things workforce management. Beyond that, he is an exceptional leader and sphere of influence who can be counted on at all times to be both positive and honest. He is more than willing to share his thoughts and expertise with others."
Follow Dan on LinkedIn | Visit Dan's Website | Check Out This Podcast Episode Featuring Dan
Josh Streets
"We are not contact center experts, but Josh has been great at teaching us directly and indirectly whenever we engage with him or his content. We recently went through AI training with him via ICMI & I could see that we weren't the only ones who felt this way about Josh. A true thought leader who has been in our roles before and can always use real-life stories or experiences to explain things more simply as a result. He is like a translator between I.T., industry, and customer experience for us. Whether or not we were a consulting client, we'd still nominate him and often say we'd be a reference to anyone on his or ICMI's behalf."
Follow Josh on LinkedIn | Visit Josh's Website | Read This Article By Josh
Amas Tenumah
"Amas is the real deal! He's not afraid to give an unpopular take. His podcast with Bob Furniss is excellent. They brought a lot of energy to the ICMI Contact Center Expo this year, and for years now, Amas has shared year-round insight that has made this community better."
Follow Amas on LinkedIn | Visit Amas' Website | Check Out Amas' Podcast
Jeff Toister
"From his books to his weekly customer service tip newsletter, blogs, speaking engagements, and LinkedIn posts, Jeff lives and breathes thought leadership. Very few people in the industry do as much as Jeff, and everything he shares is genuinely practical and useful."
Follow Jeff on LinkedIn | Visit Jeff's Website | Check Out Jeff's Books
Neal Topf
"Neal Topf exemplifies thought leadership through innovative insights on customer experience strategies. His impact is evident through Callzilla’s award-winning service and his role as Chair of the Judging Committee for the Stevie Awards’ Customer Service & Contact Center Achievement categories. Neal shares knowledge through speaking engagements, articles, and frequent social media posts on LinkedIn. With decades of experience and a proven record of achievements, Neal Topf is a great choice as an ICMI Top 25 Thought Leader."
Follow Neal on LinkedIn | Visit Neal's Website | Listen to This Podcast Episode With Neal