The Art of Gathering

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker is a guide to transforming ordinary gatherings into meaningful, impactful experiences. Parker emphasizes the importance of intentionality, a clear purpose, and thoughtful design in bringing people together. Through practical advice and engaging stories, she illustrates how to create gatherings—whether meetings, celebrations, or workshops—that foster connection, challenge assumptions, and leave a lasting impression.

One of Priya Parker’s goals is to help us understand how anyone can take a collective meaning in modern life, one gathering at a time. She is great at handling tough situations, advising strategically, and has spent time working on improving race relations on American college campuses and peace processes in the Arab world, Southern Africa, and India. She is a founding member of the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network, a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Values Council and the New Models of Leadership Council, and an integral member at Mobius Executive Leadership. She graduated from MIT with a degree in organizational design, and then went on to Harvard Kennedy School to study public policy. She also studied political and social thought at the University of Virginia.

Her book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, is one of Amazon’s Best Business Books of the year. She has given popular TedX talks, and has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Ted.com, Forbes.com, Oprah.com, as well as several other renowned publications. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two children.