Top 34 Influencers

Influencer: Love it or hate it, the term is here to stay. No industry or special interest is immune from the influence of the influencer. In the language industry, influence often stems from thought leadership — the hard work of identifying best practices, priorities, and goals — more than from product sales or personality promotion. And when you consider the reach of these language professionals, one thing is clear: Their impact cannot be denied.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve asked our readers to nominate and then vote for their peers who have most empowered them or steered their thinking on the great issues of the day. And you came out in force to do just that.

The 34 most supported individuals — MultiLingual’s 2024 influencers — work in diverse roles and domains, and come from all over the world. Despite their differences, they have a lot in common. All are leaders, entrepreneurs, mentors, and advocates in their own way — striving to make their corner of the industry the best it can be.

Some of the influencers are well-known names who have devoted long careers to the industry — including four with more than 30 years of experience — while three are newcomers who have spent five or fewer years in the field. Most of the influencers represent the vendor side, but three are buyers and eight work independently. Many are CEOs piloting companies toward innovation; others generously share their knowledge through writing or teaching. Their expertise spans everything from gaming and technology to healthcare and public service.

Most importantly, all are passionate about what they do. In the following pages, they share the motivations, inspirations, perspectives, and dreams that earned them the title of influencer.