▁are ▁also ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁un list ed ▁" secret ▁private " ▁con ferences . ▁The ▁names ▁of ▁these ▁con ferences ▁are ▁public , ▁but ▁the ▁contents , ▁hosts , ▁and ▁members ▁are ▁restricted ▁to ▁members ▁of ▁a ▁particular ▁conference . ▁M emb ership ▁in ▁private ▁con ferences ▁is ▁by ▁inv itation . ▁W E LL ▁members ▁may ▁open ▁their ▁own ▁new ▁public ▁or ▁private ▁independent ▁con ferences . ▁ ▁Policy ▁and ▁govern ance ▁The ▁direct ors ▁of ▁The ▁W E LL ▁have ▁included ▁Matthew ▁Mc Cl ure ▁and ▁Cl iff ▁Fig allo , ▁both ▁veter ans ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁commune ▁called ▁The ▁Farm , ▁and ▁G ail ▁Williams , ▁previously ▁known ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁princip als ▁in ▁the ▁political ▁sat ire ▁group ▁the ▁Pl ut on ium ▁Play ers . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁The ▁W E LL ▁h ired ▁Christian ▁R uz ich ▁and ▁D ary l ▁Lyn n ▁Johnson , ▁who ▁have ▁over ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁of ▁combined ▁experience ▁on ▁The ▁W E LL , ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁General ▁Man agers . ▁The ▁couple , ▁who ▁met ▁on ▁The ▁W E LL , ▁will ▁draw ▁on ▁their ▁years ▁of ▁market ing ▁and ▁online ▁community ▁experience ▁to ▁help ▁The ▁W E LL ▁become ▁the ▁prime ▁destination ▁for ▁prem ium ▁online ▁conversation ▁and ▁discussion . ▁ ▁The ▁community ▁for ums , ▁known ▁as ▁" con ferences ", ▁are ▁super vised ▁by ▁" con ference ▁hosts " ▁who ▁guide ▁convers ations ▁and