More than 400 agency owners and senior leaders are expected to gather in Denver this spring for the annual Build a Better Agency Summit (BABA) to learn how to adapt to the current chaotic business environment.
Hosted by the Agency Management Institute (AMI), the summit will run May 18-20, 2026 at the Westin Denver Downtown.
“It feels like this is a year when the status quo won’t be enough, and I want to make sure you’re ready for 2026,” said Drew McLellan, CEO of the Agency Management Institute.
Several new speakers have been added to the program, including:
Kelly Galligan is an equity partner at Rutan & Tucker, Orange County’s largest full-service California law firm. A leader in the firm’s mergers and acquisitions practice, Galligan represents founder-led companies in transformative transactions ranging from $5 million to $500 million, and serves as outside general counsel to private companies across industries, including private equity, beauty, food and beverage, and manufacturing.
Lori Highby solves the problem of digital overwhelm with a no-nonsense approach to strategy. As a national speaker and founder of Keystone Click, Highby specializes in breaking down complex marketing ecosystems into simple, actionable steps. Having taught thousands of professionals—from Fortune 500 executives to agile entrepreneurs—she focuses on the practical intersection of AI innovation and the customer journey.
Corey Morris is a best-selling author, speaker, and marketing leader. He is the creator of the START Planning Process and the founder of Digital Marketing Success Plan. He is the owner and president/CEO of VOLTAGE, a specialist digital agency focused on digital strategy, search/AI marketing, and websites. With more than 20 years of experience, Morris has led award-winning initiatives for brands at local, national, and global levels, helping leadership teams align marketing execution with measurable business outcomes.
Mary Ann Pruitt is the president and CEO of Mosaic Media, a performance-driven media agency serving national and international brands. She began her career as a senior sales executive with some of the nation’s largest media organizations, where she developed a deep understanding of how media, revenue, and growth intersect at scale. Pruitt founded Mosaic to deliver advanced strategy across traditional, digital, and programmatic channels. Under her leadership, Mosaic has achieved sustained year-over-year growth and evolved into a platform built for scale, supporting both organic expansion and strategic agency acquisitions.
Susan Baier is the founder and CEO of research agency Audience Audit. She’s been a marketing strategist and researcher for 40 years and helps agencies understand their audiences, support clients, and build their reputation and ROI with research. She has partnered with the Agency Management Institute for over 12 years to conduct the annual Agency Edge research study for agency leaders.
The presenting sponsor for the conference is White Label IQ. The supporting sponsors are HighLevel, workamajig, teamwork.com and Boostability. Some 20 other sponsors will participate in the summit and be available to serve as resources for agency leaders.