CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
SAN FRANCISCO // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
LONDON 2026 // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
DUBAI // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
OCTOBER 28, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO
SAN FRANCISCO
LONDON
DUBAI
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
2026 // CRESCENDO LIVE // DUBAI
2026 // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
CRESCENDO LIVE // 2026 // CRESCENDO LIVE
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
SAN FRANCISCO // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
2026 // CRESCENDO LIVE // LONDON // CRESCENDO LIVE
CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE //
SAN FRANCISCO // CRESCENDO LIVE // CRESCENDO LIVE
REQUEST A SEAT
SoMa, San Francisco
Thursday May 21, 2026
9:00 AM — 6:00 PM PST
An operator-led conversation on delivering customer experience at scale. Hosted in the heart of the tech ecosystem.
Get clear on the new CX standard
Cut through AI hype and see what’s working today
Learn how teams pair automation with human judgment
Hear real stories from experienced operators
Spend a day with peers facing the same pressure
THE NEW STANDARD
How speed, consistency, and trust have reset the CX baseline, and where many organizations quietly fall short.
AI. IRL.
How leaders are moving AI from experimentation to execution without breaking trust or chasing vanity metrics.
BUILD SMARTER TEAMS
How teams are pairing automation with human expertise to deliver faster decisions and stronger CX outcomes.
Speakers / Speakers / Speakers / Speakers / Speakers
Karan Singh
COO
Morgan Donaldson
Chief Commercial Officer
Hemant Taneja
CEO, General Catalyst
James Green
Chief Customer Officer, Squire
Chris Jocson
Chief Operating Officer
Jessica DiLullo Herrin
CEO & Founder
Oliver Hart
Customer Experience Manager
Kevin Rury
Manager, Workforce Management
Chelsea McGrath
Sr. Director, CS Operations
Lynn Cherepy
Board Advisor
Matt Price
CEO
Anand Chandrasekaran
Co-Founder
Andy Lee
Founder and Chairman, Alorica - Crescendo
Shervin Talieh
Board Advisor
Tod Famous
Chief Product Officer
AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA
Detailed event agenda below *
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Breakfast & registrations
Kick off your morning with bold Mexican-inspired flavors from loaded breakfast bowls and fresh tamales to California burritos. Pair it all with craft coffee and specialty lattes from our on-site espresso bar.
10:00 – 10:10 AM
The Industry Has a Problem. And This Room Has the Answer.
For decades, CX leaders have been sold the same story in a new wrapper. New platforms, new promises, same broken outcomes. Michelle Donnelly opens Crescendo Live 2026 by calling it what it is: the way companies buy, deploy, and manage customer experience is fundamentally shifting. AI is rewriting the rules, and the leaders in this room are the ones proving what's possible. This is the opening conversation that sets the tone for the entire day.
Michelle Donnelly
Chief Revenue Officer, Crescendo
10:10 – 10:45 AM
From $2B Without AI to AI-Native: A Founder's Guide to What Comes Next
Jessica Herrin built Stella & Dot into a $2B+ brand long before AI entered the picture. Now she's building Marklo.AI from the ground up. She shares what it looks like to carry two decades of customer-first instincts into the age of AI, and why the companies that win will treat AI as a transformation of the customer experience, not just a cost play.
Jessica DiLullo Herrin
CEO & Founder, Marklo.AI & Stella & Dot
10:45 – 11:00 AM
Networking Break
11:00 – 11:35 AM
When the Whole Company Transforms: Headspace's Playbook for Going AI-Native
Headspace is rewriting how it delivers care and scales its member experience from the ground up. Karan Singh shares what it takes to run two transformations at once, from bringing clinicians along to partnering with Crescendo on a hybrid human-plus-AI model. The real operational story behind going AI-native.
Shervin Talieh
Board Advisor, Crescendo
Karan Singh
COO, Headspace
11:35 – 12:30 PM
What Good Actually Looks Like: Inside the AI That's Already Working
Forget the hype. This session is about what AI in CX is actually doing right now, for real companies, at real scale. Anand, Matt, and Todd pull back the curtain on the Crescendo platform with the outcomes that matter. Reduced costs. Faster resolution. Revenue unlocked. Not a live demo, but a direct look at what's coming next for the teams in this room.
Anand Chandrasekaran
Founder, Crescendo
Matt Price
CEO, Crescendo
Todd Famous
Chief Product Officer, Crescendo
12:30 – 1:30 PM
Lunch
Grab a plate of Southern comfort or build your own gyro bowl with all the fixings. Think crispy chicken and waffles, sizzling shawarma, and fresh falafel.
1:30 – 2:15 PM
Unscaled: A Conversation on What Comes Next
A fireside chat with one of the most influential investors of a generation. Hemant Taneja has backed companies like Anthropic, Stripe, and Snap, and authored the bestselling book The Transformation Principles. He sits down with Crescendo co-founder Andy Lee, who built Alorica into a $2B+ global leader before setting out to reimagine customer service entirely. Together, they explore the role of AI in building resilient, human-centered companies and what it takes to lead through a period of rapid technological change.
Hemant Taneja
CEO, General Catalyst
Andy Lee
Founder and Chairman, Alorica - Crescendo
2:15 – 3:15 PM
Breakouts
First Floor
Support That Feels Like the Brand
Support That Feels Like the Brand
What does it look like when every customer interaction reflects the heart of your company? In this session, hear from leaders who have built support teams that don't just resolve issues, they reinforce the brand promise. A conversation about intentionality, consistency, and what it really takes to make customers feel seen.
Second Floor
The Moment You Decided to Stop Doing What Everyone Else Was Doing
The Moment You Decided to Stop Doing What Everyone Else Was Doing
An exclusive gathering for Crescendo customers. James Green joins Anand and Andy for a candid conversation about what it actually takes to walk away from the legacy model and what happens on the other side. Plus a direct look from the product team at what's coming next, and a celebration of the milestones your teams have already hit.
Intro by Matt Price
CEO, Crescendo
Intro by Anand Chandrasekaran
Founder, Crescendo
Demo by Todd Famous
Chief Product Officer, Crescendo
3:15 – 3:40 PM
Networking Break
3:40 – 4:10 PM
The CXO Playbook: We Made the Bet. Here's What Happened.
Two operations leaders, two very different businesses, one shared conviction: AI is not a cost-saving measure, it is a revenue model. Chris Jocson of Good Eggs and Morgan Donaldson of Cntrl+ don't speak in generalities. They bring the numbers, the decisions, and the honest account of what they learned along the way. Morgan also shares how her team balances AI-driven efficiency with the deeply personal customer experience that wellness demands, because not every interaction should feel automated. This is for the leaders still weighing the call.
Chris Jocson
COO, Good Eggs
Morgan Donaldson
CCO, Cntrl+ Inc.
4:10 – 4:40 PM
Built Different: Stories from Teams Who Refuse to Settle
Join these customer experience leaders from wildly different industries as they share what drives their teams to go above and beyond. This panel gets into the mindset, the strategies, and the moments that turned good support into something customers actually talk about, including how they are thoughtfully integrating AI into their workflows to amplify what their teams do best.
Oliver Hart
Customer Experience Manager, POLYWOOD,
Chelsea McGrath
Sr. Director, CS Operations, BentoBox
4:40 – 5:00 PM
Closing Remark & Customer Awards
You've heard the case. Now here's what comes next.
Matt closes Crescendo Live 2026 by connecting the threads from the day — and making the case for what every leader in this room does tomorrow. Then we celebrate the customers and teams who already made that choice: the ones who moved first, proved the model, and raised the bar for what great CX looks like when AI and humans work together.
Matt Price
CEO, Crescendo
5:00 – 7:00 PM
Happy Hour
Close out the conference with Japanese-inspired bites and an open bar. It's the perfect mix of bold flavors, great drinks, and good vibes.
* Subject to change
AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA
Full agenda coming March 2026. *
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Check in and networking
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10:00 – 12:00 PM
Main stage content
12:00 – 1:30 pM
Lunch
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1:30 – 2:30 PM
Breakouts and workshops
2:30 – 4:30 PM
Main stage content
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4:30 – 4:45 PM
Awards Ceremony
4:45 – 6:00 PM
Cocktail reception
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* Subject to change
FAQ / FAQ / FAQ / FAQ / FAQ / FAQ / FAQ
Who is Crescendo Live for?
Anyone who is interested in exploring and building a community in the world of AI and CX. (and anyone who likes dogs, of course)
Can I bring someone with me?
Only if they're cool.
Sick of conferences that are 90% vendor booths and 10% actual insights?
Yeah. Us too.
THIS ISN’T OUR FIRST RODEO.
Crescendo Live 2025 hit the road from coastline to coastline. Check out our San Fran and NYC events.
AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA / AGENDA
9:00 –10:00 AM
Breakfast & registrations
Kick off your morning with bold Mexican-inspired flavors from loaded breakfast bowls and fresh tamales to California burritos. Pair it all with craft coffee and specialty lattes from our on-site espresso bar.
11:20 – 12:20 PM
What Good Actually Looks Like: Inside the AI That's Already Working
Forget the hype. This session is about what AI in CX is actually doing right now, for real companies, at real scale. Anand, Matt, and Todd pull back the curtain on the Crescendo platform with the outcomes that matter. Reduced costs. Faster resolution. Revenue unlocked. Not a live demo, but a direct look at what's coming next for the teams in this room.
Lor
VP, Sales at Crescendo
11:20 – 12:20 PM
What Good Actually Looks Like: Inside the AI That's Already Working
Forget the hype. This session is about what AI in CX is actually doing right now, for real companies, at real scale. Anand, Matt, and Todd pull back the curtain on the Crescendo platform with the outcomes that matter. Reduced costs. Faster resolution. Revenue unlocked. Not a live demo, but a direct look at what's coming next for the teams in this room.
Lor
VP, Sales at Crescendo
1:30 – 2:10 PM
Big Bets, Bold Moves: Vinod Khosla on Building the Future with AI
Don’t miss a rare opportunity to hear from Vinod Khosla, one of tech’s most visionary thinkers, in a candid conversation about where AI is headed—and what it takes to lead the charge. From early bets on unproven ideas to building businesses that shape entire industries, Vinod will share his perspective on the risks, breakthroughs, and big-picture thinking behind AI’s rapid rise. The session will dive into how today’s innovations are redefining not just customer experience, but the future of business itself.
Fareed Zakaria
Founder and Chairman, Alorica - Crescendo
Andy Lee
Founder and Chairman, Alorica - Crescendo
2:10 – 2:40 PM
Networking Break
2:40 – 3:05 PM
Peak of CX Performance in the AI Era
Customer expectations are rising fast but legacy tools and bolt-on bots can’t keep up. This session reveals how the first AI-native contact center is redefining customer service with outcome-based solutions, auto-tuning AI Assistants, and seamless human support. Learn how to achieve peak CX performance, with measurable results, rapid value, and the ultimate customer experience.
Howard Dawber OBE
Deputy Mayor of London
3:05 – 3:35 PM
AI in Action: Building Better Customer Journeys with Crescendo
What do fashion and dating have in common? More than you think—especially when AI is involved. Join this lively conversation with leaders from Grindr and Cuyana as they share how they’re using Crescendo AI to transform the customer journey. From helping users discover the perfect product to sparking meaningful relationships, this panel will reveal how AI can create smarter, more satisfying experiences across industries.
Matthew Walsh
Director of Data and Retail at IMRG
3:35 – 4:05 PM
Networking Break with Interactive Demo Sessions
4:05-4:45 PM
CX in the Boardroom: A C-Level Conversation on AI and Experience
Customer experience is no longer confined to marketing or support. It now sits at the center of the boardroom agenda. In this session, C-level leaders will discuss why CX has become a shared priority across the executive team and how it is shaping enterprise strategy. They will share how AI-driven insights and cross-functional collaboration are transforming decision-making and why putting the customer at the center drives growth, builds loyalty, and creates lasting competitive advantage.
Mark Jackson
Head of Future Workforce at Nationwide Building Society
Alba Cardarelli
Head of Customer Service, EMEA at Dr. Martens
Moderated by Michelle Donnelly
Chief Revenue Officer, Crescendo
4:45 – 4:50 PM
Closing Remarks & Cocktail Reception
Matt Price
CEO, Crescendo
* Subject to change