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Celebrating the Rebels Who Embrace Chaos and Get Things Done
The Ruckusmaker Awards are here to spotlight the rule breakers, the wild idea makers, and the strategists using tech, guts, and grit to reimagine our industry.
This isn’t about polished press releases. It’s about people who made noise, shifted the game, and left the industry buzzing.
Congratulations to the amazing 2025 Nominees who made a RUCKUS:
THANK YOU TO OUR JUDGES
Not “veterans.” Not gatekeepers. Just bold voices who know when something’s real — and when it’s just noise.
⚡ Jay Schwedelson
Founder of GURU Media Hub, marketing rebel and email empire builder.
👉 Why he’s judging: Because no one can spot marketing BS faster — or reward the work that actually works.
⚡ Liz Irving
CEO of Clarion Events North America, strategy powerhouse with fearless focus.
👉 Why she’s judging:
Because she doesn’t just admire strategy — she demands it.
⚡ David Adler
Founder of BizBash and the industry’s original ruckusmaker.
👉 Why he’s judging:
Because he’s seen every awards show under the sun — and knows when someone is truly breaking the mold.
⚡ Cecilia Lavin
Global Strategic Growth Director at Evessio, Cecilia is a force for smart, scalable growth in the events world.
👉 Why she’s judging: Because she knows what truly moves the needle in growth and innovation.
⚡ Kathryn Frankson
VP of Marketing at Money20/20 and demand-gen queen.
👉 Why she’s judging:
Because no one spots a fake faster — and no one cheers louder for the real deal.
⚡ Adam Parry
Co-founder of Event Tech Live and spotlighter of the ones shaping what’s next.
👉 Why he’s judging: Because he lives at the edge of event tech — and can tell who’s making noise versus who’s making change.
⚡ Melissa Cohen
Rockstar strategist who can build brand experiences that hit both head and heart.
👉 Why she’s judging: Because she knows when a story is surface-level — and when it’s a ruckus worth remembering.
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