I am currently co-hosting the webinar series “Becoming a Designpreneur” with esteemed Canadian designer John Arnott. This 12-part webinar series is focused on supporting designers on the journey of starting and sustaining their own design business. As the co-host, I support John by moderating the conversation and support audience engagement, as well as managing the backend technical event planning. This series allows me to stay at the forefront of design entrepreneurship trends and best practices.

As the Conference Committee Chair for IDSA, I gave the opening remarks for the 2024 IDSA International Design Conference, touching on the theme of "Design Disrupted." In my remarks, I explored what these unprecedented changes mean for the industry, as we grapple with rapid technological evolution, economic uncertainty, and an urgent need for sustainable solutions. I encouraged the audience to remember that we are not just witnesses to the disruption of design - we are its architects.

I presented the 2024 State of Women in Design at the Women in Design Deep Dive, exploring data that reveal the current state of women in the industry with an audience of design practitioners, academics, students, and more. I moderated an interactive workshop exploring the document that I co-created with Lea Stewart and Kristi Bartlett, which uncovers trends in attrition as well as hopeful indicators for progress as we strive for equity in the industry. Participants actively engaged in co-creating solutions for the future.

I had the opportunity to join Jordan Taylor, the co-founder and CEO of Vizcom AI, in a conversation exploring the synergistic relationship between artificial intelligence and modern design practices. We discussed how designers today are using these new tools as collaborative partners in the creative process, reshaping the way designers approach and execute their ideas. We also touched on the future of how Vizcom will grow and change as the technology continues to develop, and designers create new collaborative workflows with AI tools.

I moderated two engaging panels at the 2023 IDSA Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive. The first was a conversation with Eric Chan, the visionary founder of Ecco Design, who shared his rich experiences both starting and running a studio for 30+ years as well as nurturing startups to full-fledged maturity. The second panel was an in-depth exploration of design economics with John Arnott of the Arnott Design Group, providing valuable insights for entrepreneurs and freelancers navigating the dynamic design industry.

I had the honor of delivering the opening remarks for the 2023 IDSA International Design Conference. Emphasizing the pivotal role of design resilience, I spoke about the existential threats that organizations face, from the ongoing climate crisis and pandemic, to rising geopolitical tensions, stressing the need for nimble and creative responses empowered by design. We have a unique opportunity to collectively shape the future, and I encouraged attendees to use design as a tool to create more resilient futures.

I delivered the closing remarks at the IDSA Women in Design Deep Dive in 2023, highlighting the importance of equity and allyship in our field. I urged attendees to actively foster environments that promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Reflecting on the event's discussions, I emphasized our collective responsibility to challenge biases, elevate diverse voices, and ensure every person in this industry feels seen, valued, and empowered, inviting attendees to co-create next year’s event.

As a panelist for this 2022 mini-conference, I shared my experiences navigating the exciting yet challenging landscape of user-centered health and wellness products. We discussed various challenges facing the industry today, and how designers can become better advocates for a wider range of patients and end users. During the conversation, we emphasized the importance of collaboration and offered practical recommendations for the effective implementation of user-centered design in healthcare and medical device development.

As the emcee for the IDSA Women in Design Deep Dive in Columbus, Ohio in 2022, I had the honor of leading discussions centered around the themes of equity and allyship. I highlighted connections between the speakers who passionately shared their experiences and insights, fostering a space that encouraged inclusivity and mutual respect in design. The event served as a powerful reaffirmation of our commitment to promoting equitable practices, while celebrating the work of women changing the field of industrial design today.

I delivered this 2022 lecture on Human Centered Design, helping guide Offsite students and attendees to prioritize users in their design work. These designers learned how to understand users deeply to create better, more equitable, and desirable products that address real-world issues. This session equipped them with new skills ranging from collaborative design practices, to the ability to tell compelling user-focused narratives while engaging business stakeholders throughout the design process.

I moderated this 2022 discussion on designing for digital and physical experiences at the Industrial Design Technique Deep Dive event, touching on the convergence of UI and hardware design. We explored innovative design techniques and shared practical tips on merging these two dimensions for a seamless user experience. Panelists and attendees alike left with a newfound understanding of the importance and complexity of creating cohesive digital and physical design experiences.

At the 2021 Advanced Design Square One conference, I had the privilege of being part of the "Tales of Design and Neurodiversity" panel hosted by Alex Lobos. We explored our personal experiences and how an individual’s unique brain function can lead to new ways of thinking and approaching problems, often overlooked due to misunderstanding or misrepresentation. The panel underscored the importance of embracing divergent modes of thinking and working as a design superpower, transforming how we approach problem-solving and design.

In this 2021 panel, I had the opportunity to join five experienced designers to discuss our intersectional experiences, highlighting the equity challenges that are still prevalent in the industrial design industry. Through each of our personal narratives, we illuminated the hurdles we’ve faced and envisioned a more equitable future alongside our audience. Our discourse contributed to a call for industry-wide inclusivity, underscoring the need for a transformative shift in the landscape of the design industry.

At the World Design Organization's 2021 celebration for World Industrial Design Day I delivered a talk as the co-founder of Design Allyship, sharing frameworks and resources to empower attendees in building critical allyship skills. My aim was to foster a culture of diversity within their individual design practices and beyond. Through my presentation, I strived to shed light on the importance of embracing inclusivity and promoting equitable design environments.