Episode 19: Building In-Person Events that Matter - Michelle Jones & Jeff Smith, Innovation Network Gathering

In this joyful, wide-ranging conversation, Michelle Jones and Jeff Smith, co-producers of the Innovation Network Gathering, sit down with Patty to share the story behind an event built to do justice to the brilliant people and ideas it brings together. Friends and collaborators for more than a decade since meeting through a TEDx event in Portland, Oregon, Michelle and Jeff reveal how their very different strengths combine into a remarkably complementary partnership. 

You’ll hear Michelle, Jeff, and Patty dig into why they call it a “gathering” instead of a conference, how small groups and deep-dive teams can move the industry from talking about problems to solving them, and the thinking behind Whale Tank, a pitch experience built for complex B2B innovation. They also explore what it takes to keep human connection at the center in an era dominated by digital interactions. This episode explores how intentional, empathy-driven design can turn a few days together into a catalyst for meaningful change in clinical research. 

What you’ll hear about 

• What would the best industry event in the world actually look like? 

• Why do small group conversations drive more progress than big stages? 

• How can startups pitch complex B2B innovations to the right audience? 

• What makes a creative business partnership between opposites truly work? 

• How do you keep human connection central in a digital world? 

• How can the industry move from discussing problems to solving them? 

This episode is intended for clinical research executives and innovation leaders, offering a clear perspective on how intentional collaboration and cross-industry connection can accelerate real solutions. 

Timestamps 

00:25 – The origin story of Smith & Jones Innovation 

02:25 – Why a gathering, not a conference 

05:05 – Beyond ING: gratitude, community, and new ventures 

07:25 – Opposites in partnership: Jeff’s superpowers 

10:40 – Michelle’s superpowers 

15:30 – Connecting the dots behind the main stage 

21:25 – Designing a different kind of event 

22:25 – The team behind the experience 

25:00 – Why everybody is a VIP 

27:25 – The search for the best event in the world 

31:55 – Big groups, small groups, and productive chaos 

33:05 – Why a Whale Tank instead of a Shark Tank 

40:55 – Leading with empathy 

44:05 – What’s next for the Innovation Network 

Guest Biographies 

Michelle Jones is Co-producer of the Innovation Network Gathering, where she brings the rigor of a seasoned complex-event organizer to every detail of the attendee experience. A former TEDx organizer in Portland, Oregon, she is driven by a passion for humanity and for creating experiences that genuinely impact people’s lives. Whether leading a community gratitude initiative or a multi-day industry gathering, Michelle works to remind people why their work matters. 

Jeff Smith is Co-producer of the Innovation Network Gathering, which he launched to create an event truly worthy of the brilliant people working in clinical research. A Portland native and entrepreneur who previously co-founded and sold a software company, he is known for connecting complex ideas across disciplines at remarkable speed. Through initiatives like the Whale Tank pitch experience, Jeff is focused on helping good ideas move faster from conversation to real-world impact.