Design For The Public 24

The vision

I organized a two-day unconference-style event to bring together civic technologists and designers who wanted to participate in conversations about what we build and envision future directions for public-facing work.

Event details

Over 80 participants from across the United States attended the October 16-17, 2024 gathering. The conference spanned two locations with an unconference format, splitting programming between venues to encourage diverse conversations and networking.

I coordinated speakers, selected locations, programmed the schedule, and delivered the opening keynote for day one.

Collaboration & timing

The event was co-produced with Technologists for Public Good and strategically timed to overlap with Portland Design Month’s inaugural year—an initiative I helped launch while serving as Board President of AIGA Portland.

Outcome

The event successfully created a gathering space for practitioners focused on designing technology and services that serve public interests, fostering meaningful dialogue about civic innovation and design’s role in shaping community futures.

Full programming details and speaker information available at designforthepublic.com

What this demonstrates

I can convene communities around shared purpose. I understand that advancing public sector design requires not just individual projects, but sustained community infrastructure that connects practitioners across contexts.