CTE Educators in the digital media space will have a rare opportunity to connect with key leaders in Kansas City’s digital media ecosystem on January 12th at KC IMAGINE’s “Creating the Future of Digital Media in Kansas City” Conference. The conference, sponsored by the Kansas City Institute for Media, Animation & Graphic Innovation in Education (KC IMAGINE) and KC Digital Drive features presenters who are the “Who’s Who” in digital media, digital media education and workforce development for our local industry.
A key theme of the conference is KC’s growing digital media industry and how we can feed the talent pipeline needed for that industry. See how you as a digital media educator can better serve your students and our industry by attending the conference.
Hear what KC’s leaders have to say about:
- jobs in digital media
- what recruiters look for
- certifications in digital media
- emerging digital technology
- digital media entrepreneurship
- and much, much more…
Bring Your Students
Help your students understand the opportunities available to them in digital media. Give them a close-up look at life in a digital media career. Students get a significant discount for registration fees.
If you have a student team wanting industry experience, we need a few teams to video record our sessions. Registration for those teams is free. Contact Ron Green at rronaldgreen@gmail.com if you are interested.
Mingle at Our Networking Fair
Network with other educators, digital media professionals, career development professionals, entrepreneurs and civic leaders and check out what our guest exhibitors have to show and share at our unique “networking fair.”
Have a program, project or student work you would like to share as a guest exhibitor? Contact Ron Green at rronaldgreen@gmail.com.
Here are the Details:
Thursday, January 12, 2023
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Plexpod Westport Commons
300 E 39th St., Kansas City, MO 64111
Standard Fee: $40
Student Fee: $25
(Students: use this promo code: FutureMedi@Person)
Connect with KC Leaders
Here’s who you can connect with and what they will be talking about that relates to your top interests:
Careers in Digital Media
| Presenter | Position & Organization | Conference Session |
| Carole Hollman | Cultural Practice Director, Dimensional Innovations | Digital Media & Architectural Engineering |
| Mary Fasone | Senior Visualization Designer, Burns & McDonnell | |
| Marvin Mastin | Assoc. Principal, Brand Activation Team Manager, Populous | |
| Ryan Tetrow | Architect, Multistudio | |
| Jeremy Davis | Program Officer, Kauffman Foundation | Digital Media Workforce in KC Area |
| Alan Boyer | Program Director, Digital Innovations Programs: K-State | |
| Clyde McQueen | President & CEO Full Employment Council | |
| Jeff Pinkerton | Director of Economic Research, MO Dept. of Econ. Development |
Career Readiness
| Matt Mills | Senior Vice President, Group Creative Director: Barkley | Keynote Speaker |
| Jake Akehurst | Executive Director, UMKC TalentLink | Certifications for Digital Media |
| Katherine Maloney | Vice-President, Workforce Development, Goodwill/Artemis | |
| Beth McCarthy | Director of Community & Industry Partnerships, PREP KC | |
| Alisa Morse | CAPS Network Coordinator, PREP KC | |
| Lee Ann Garrison | Director of School of Visual Studies, University of Missouri – Columbia | Recruiting for Digital Media |
| Natalie Nowak | Director of Recruiting, Barkley | |
| Kimberly Spencer | Talent Acquisition Group Director, North America, VMLY&R | |
| Megan Walker | Director, DEI&B, Talent & Culture, Andrews McMeel Universal |
Connections to KC Digital Firms
| Gerald Smith | Founder & CEO, Plexpod | Digital Media Entrepreneurship in KC |
| Cindy Augustine | President & CEO, Kazoo Marketing | |
| Kelsie Lauck | Owner, Wayfarer Creative | |
| Kevin McGinnis | CEO, Keystone Community Corp | |
| Jasmine Natasi | Owner & Producer, Stellar Image Studios |
Digital Technology
| Jim Starcev | Program Manager, KC Digital Drive | The Metaverse & Future of Digital Media |
| Michael Eichenseer | AR/VR Coordinator, UMKC AR/VR Lab | |
| Doug Hohulin | Technology & Innovation Advisor, Metaversity | |
| Robert Riccardi | Principal, Multistudio | |
| Joe Suchan | Senior XR Developer, Barkley |
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