Santa Clarita’s most influential people of 2026 gathered for The Signal’s Top 51 luncheon on Thursday at Salt Creek Grille in Valencia. “These are the people that really are the catalysts for the thousands and thousands of other people that go out every day and do good things. The 51 are the people I call the tip of the spear, because they’re the ones that are really motivating everybody to do the work,” Signal Publisher/Owner Richard Budman said. “It’s an honor for me to bring all the 51 people together.” City of Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste took the No.1 spot of the Top 51 for 2026. For Weste, the recognition came as a bonus given the decades of leadership and advocacy she’s been devoted to, but at the core of her work is thinking about “what’s the next thing that will make Santa Clarita even better to live in,” she said. “I work on elements that make the community safer, more beautiful, able to enjoy within our valley.” Looking ahead, as the world constantly evolves and the way of life is different compared to how it was just a few years ago pre-pandemic, Weste believes the community needs to embrace those changes “and get ahead of that so we can keep the quality that we so appreciate here in our valley. I think we are in the prime position to meet the future,” she said. College of the Canyons Superintendent/President Jasmine Ruys was given the No. 19 spot, and to her, the recognition is also a recognition for the only community college within the Santa Clarita Valley. COC offers 105 associate degrees, one bachelor’s degree, and 205 certificates at both the Valencia and Canyon Country campuses and has an annual enrollment of 40,987 students, according to the college’s website. “We’re here for the community and all of its needs, whether that’s to train students, train businesses, teach people English or get them to transfer to their four-year dream school, so to be recognized in this way, it showcases that that’s what we’re doing for our community,” she said. Santa Clarita was named No. 46 in WalletHub’s safest cities analysis for 2026 published in October. But, even with being named most business-friendly city, city of the future, its award-winning economic development programs, and best quality of life accolades collected throughout the years, leaders still believe the job is not finished. Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, acknowledged that people are still struggling, and there are challenges to overcome, which is why “we have to show up for them. Make sure that we’re supporting our community,” she said. But during the luncheon, she was overall just happy to celebrate the milestone with everyone present from local school board members, to elected officials and business owners. Schiavo was No. 4 in this year’s Top 51 list. Dennis Verner, who was named No. 50 this year, was honored to make the list a second time. He serves on the board of the SCV Chamber of Commerce and the SCV Economic Development Corp., is a member of the Valley Industry Association and has served on the SCV Sheriff’s Foundation board. “It’s great to be with all these movers and shakers, and every one of them, I’ve worked with some way or some form over the last 20 years,” he said. Among the Top 51 was also Marlee Lauffer, who was given the No. 28 spot and was one of the three original people still on the list who were on the first Top 51 list 23 years ago, alongside Weste and Marsha McLean. Lauffer served as the president of the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation and vice president of marketing and communication for the hospital before she announced her retirement in June. The SCV is a place she’s called home for many years, and where she’s raised her daughter, which has allowed her to form meaningful relationships beyond the local hospital. “This is where organizations I care about are. So I think that’s what motivates me, and I have seen firsthand over the last 30-plus years that working together, we can get so much done,” she said. For many named in the Top 51, the local advocacy goes beyond the everyday work and bleeds into their volunteerism with local nonprofits and organizations that strive to make the SCV better for the future. “I want to make sure that I’m able to leave an imprint on the community that others coming up behind me, be it my kids, other women in the community who look like me, who didn’t really see themselves in a position to make an impact, make a difference,” said Di Thomspon, who was No. 37 on the list. “So I always wanted to be able to crack open the door for people and say, ‘You do make a difference. You do count. Your voice does count. And you belong at the table.’” To view The Signal’s online flipbook of the 2026 Top 51 special section, go to: tinyurl.com/mu5d9vv9. Signal Staff Writer Kamryn Martell contributed to this report. The post The Signal celebrates Santa Clarita’s Top 51 Most Influential appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal. ...read more read less