Appearances

I am an accomplished speaker sought after to talk about trends and the future of AR/VR/XR. Experience ranges from engaging with intimate groups (or Zoom!) to large stages as a speaker, moderator, interviewer or panel participant. Appearances include TEDx, AWE 2020 and 2021, VRTO, Facebook Reality Labs; and being a featured guest on a number of podcasts. 

Speaking engagements include:

Speaking topics include:

• The Coming Experience Wars: How Brands Can Survive and Thrive in the Future of XR
• A long term vision: the impact and opportunities of immersive technologies 5-10 years out
• Let’s Make Lots of Money – Opportunities and Strategies for Monetizing VR
• Augmented reality, digital intimacy, and the future of brands & interaction
• How VR Will Supercharge Grassroots Movements
• My VR Vacation
• Music’s Interactive Future
• The Future of VR/AR and Entertainment

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2020

9/22/20 Podcast interview, We Get Real AF

Privileged to be featured as one of the inaugural guests on a soon to be launched podcast about High Tech + Cool Women. We Get Real AF Podcast  focuses on Women and Girls in Emerging Tech, XR, AI, and Futurism.

The hosts Sue Robinson and Vanessa Horta Alava are exploring how cutting-edge science and technology impact culture and humanity, as told through the voices of influential women. They focus on how science & tech can be used for good, and dive into ways that future tech and innovation will influence the values that connect us globally.

We spent about 60 minutes talking about “Immersive Branding, Redefining Authenticity, and the Future of Interactive Film & TV.” Subjects ranged from “what is authenticity in a world where digital human influencers are a thing, to “how do brands engage consumers in a 3D world.” Such a fascinating subject – we had a great time talking about a wide range of things related to XR. They called me a “badass” – I’ll take it!

Listen here:

6/16/20 Speaker, VRTO 2020

VRTO is Canada’s premiers Immersive technologies event. It is a unique, international exhibition of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, professional conference and solutions-focused symposium exploring arts, culture, society, humanities, ethics and sciences through immersive technologies.

I gave a 20 minute presentation titled “Let’s Make Lots of Money” – discussing monetization strategies for Virtual Reality. It was super fun to see my video in the VR space; “walking the walk” as the organizer Keram Malicki-Sanchez said when he asked me to present there. Well done all round, it’s a fantastic, well organized, really interesting event.

5/27/20     Speaker, Augmented World Conference & Expo (AWE)
“Augmented reality, digital intimacy, and the future of brands & interaction“

I’m extremely honored to have presented at Augmented World Conference & Expo on May 27th, 2020 . It’s the leading AR/VR event series in the world. and the epicenter of Spatial Computing; an event that brings the entire AR/VR industry together.

I explored the digital intimacy created by AR, and extrapolate how these new realities will change the way brands and consumer relate. Join me as I explore the future of what brand means in an immersive world.

2/20     Co-author, “The Handbook of Research on the Global Impacts of Immersive Media,” published by IGI Global. Chapter title: “Immersive Media and Branding: How being a brand will change and expand in the age of true immersion.“

I also examine the rise of virtual influencers, how they will affect social media marketing—and how artificial intelligence will ultimately enable true one-to-one interaction with customers through virtual avatars. Finally, I outline and discuss the risks, rules and recommendations for how to successfully proceed as a brand curious about how to best harness the technologies.

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2019

11/18/19      Speaker, TEDx RoseTree
“How VR Will Supercharge Grassroots Movements“

The theme of TEDxRosetree was around the subject of Grassroots; my goal was to inspire people who aren’t in the Immersive Tech field with a vision of how virtual reality can, and will increasingly be used to connect people from all around the globe. I truly believe social VR is a paradigm shift that will be rocket fuel for good.

8/19/19     Quoted in Bloomberg article, “Deepfakes Can Help You Dance“

“Linda Ricci, a consultant who’s worked in virtual reality and film, says Hollywood will eat up GANs technology, and that may not be a good thing. “The technologist and the artist in me thinks this is fantastic,” she says. “The flip side: It’s a scary, scary trend.”

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2018

5/11/18     Speaker, Creative Tech Week NY

Lightening talk, “My VR Vacation“

I gave a lightening talk at Creative Tech Week 2018 around my artist journey with the Google Tiltbrush as part of my 5 day “VR Vacation“.

This fish is the first thing I made in Tiltbrush; I talked about the shift from object creation / CAD mindset, to a world building one. The narrative explored how, as an experienced 2- and 3D artist I was exploring Tiltbrush’s “special sauce”; how each medium has something it’s particularly good for, and my journey to find it.

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2017

5/18/17     Fireside chat / interviewer, Propelify Conference

Fireside chat  around “Music’s Interactive Future” with headlining performer Beatie Wolfe, in advance of her performance.

“Beatie Wolfe is an Anglo-American singer songwriter with a raw, acoustic, indie rock sound.  An innovator as much as a musician, described as “extraordinary” by Forbes, “ingenious” by Fast Company and “bleeding-edge” by WIRED, she is at the forefront of pioneering new formats for music. Wolfe has created a series of world’s-first designs that bridge the tangible and digital, including. the world’s first live 360 ̊ AR stream.  Her work has been featured in the world’s leading museums, festivals, conferences and received nominations across the music, tech and art fields. “

5/21/17     Panelist, Creative Tech Week NY
“The Future of VR/AR and Entertainment ”

5/21/17     Speaker, Empiricist League
“The Paradox of Time: The Future of 3D Printing and How It Will Change The Way We Think About Everything”