2026 SEGD Conference Experience Kansas City

Oct 22 – 24, 2026
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  1. 2026 SEGD Conference Identity Created by Studio Loutsis

Date

Location

Kansas City Marriott Downtown
200 W 12th St
Kansas City, MO
United States
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Meet Me in the Middle

Kansas City sits at the crossroads—geographically, culturally, and creatively. In 2026, SEGD brings its annual Conference Experience to this dynamic Midwestern hub to explore how place, community, and imagination shape experiential design.

This year’s theme, Meet Me in the Middle, is an invitation to explore convergence: where client vision meets user need, where culture meets place, where technology meets humanity, and where great ideas become meaningful experiences. Hosted in the heart of the country, the conference brings together designers, strategists, artists, and changemakers to explore how design creates connection across disciplines, communities, and increasingly complex worlds.

From iconic fountains and historic boulevards to revitalized arts districts, cultural corridors, and world-class sports venues, Kansas City offers a living laboratory for experience-led design.

Practice Areas

Focus Areas

Kansas City Skyline

Reserve Your Stay

Kansas City Marriott Downtown

SEGD has secured a discounted room block.

$217/night (plus tax and fees). Available through September 29, 2026, or while inventory lasts. If you need to call the hotel directly, please dial 816.421-6800.

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Explore the venue

Featured Speakers

  • Rick Smith

    Conference Co-Chair; Vice President of Experiential Design, Dimensional Innovations

  • Wendy Manning

    Conference Co-Chair; Managing Principal, Demeter Strategy Design

  • Jackie Berra

    Conference Co-Chair; Founder and Brand Experience Director, JBerra Consulting & Design

  • Cheryl Catterall

    Curated Technologies Strategy Lead, HKS, Inc.

  • Pan Hu

    Senior Wayfinding Designer, Populous

  • Nathan Lachenmyer

    Co-Founder & Technology Lead, Sitara Systems

  • Ezz Osman

    Senior Wayfinding Designer, Populous

  • Sarah van Haastert

    Global Director of Strategic Partnerships, AVI-SPL XTG

  • Joe Whitesides

    Director of Experience Technology, AVI-SPL (XTG)

  • Ashley Wysong

    Senior Wayfinding Planner, Populous

  • Bethany Foss

    Experience Design Leader, HOK

  • Kathy Nelson

    President & CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission & Visit KC

  • Erin Nybo

    Vice President, Client Leader; CannonDesign

  • Mara Sabatini

    Health Project Principal, HDR

  • Cynthia Sharpe

    Executive Creative Director/Senior Principal, TAIT

  • Dawn Taylor

    Executive Director, AIA Kansas City and Center for Architecture & Design

  • Tucker Trotter

    CEO, Dimensional Innovations

  • Aki Carpenter

    Vice President, Chief Creative Officer, RAA (Ralph Appelbaum Associates)

  • Valerie Chin

    Principal, batwin + robin

  • Maris J. Ensing

    Founder and Chief Architect, Mad Systems

  • Megan Gargagliano

    Principal, batwin + robin

  • Read more Abby Honor

    Abby Honor

    Founding Partner and Creative Director, Lorem Ipsum Corp

  • Lauren Kelly

    CEO of Wayfindit / Mustard Square

  • Jonna Mendez

    CIA Former Chief of Disguise

  • Jonathan Mugmon

    Principal and Wayfinding Director, Populous

  • Sara Pasch

    Director of Integrated Media, Obama Presidential Center

  • François Roupinian, IALD

    President, Lightemotion

  • Read more Joell Angel-Chumbley

    Joell Angel-Chumbley

    University of Cincinnati DAAP; City of Cincinnati; SEGD Board Member; SEGD Academic Task Force Chair

  • Lucy Holmes

    Founder & Creative Director, Holmes Studio

  • Taylor Loutsis

    Founder & Creative Director, Studio Loutsis

  • Lisa Maione

    Kansas City Art Institute

  • Paula Neston

    Cultural Practice Executive, Dimensional Innovations

  • Jeremy Shellhorn

    Professor of Design, University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design

  • Paul Skinner

    CEO, Tellart

  • Tom Waggoner, AIA

    Architect and Author, T Waggoner Design + Consulting

  • Neeta Verma

    Researcher / Designer / Educator

  • Read more Jonathan Jackson, FSEGD

    Jonathan Jackson, FSEGD

    Founder, WSDIA

  • Read more Donna Lawrence, FSEGD

    Donna Lawrence, FSEGD

    Founder, Donna Lawrence Productions

  • Read more Despina Macris, FSEGD

    Despina Macris, FSEGD

    Co-Founder, Dotdash

  • Read more Mark Ross, FSEGD

    Mark Ross, FSEGD

    Co-Founder, Dotdash

  • Read more Traci Sym

    Traci Sym

    Founder, Plus and Greater Than, SEGD Past President

Why Attend

As experience designers, we have always lived in the middle. Between client vision and user need. Between the built environment and the human spirit. Between the world as it is and the world as it should be.
Cybelle Jones, CEO

The spaces we create shape how people move, gather, learn, remember, and belong. They help strangers find their way, communities see themselves, and institutions tell stories that matter. In a time of growing complexity and division, the work of connecting people to place—and to one another—has never been more important.

The 2026 SEGD Conference Experience is an invitation to explore that responsibility together.

Through inspiring keynotes, hands-on workshops, behind-the-scenes tours, and honest conversations with leaders across design, culture, technology, and the built environment, we’ll examine some of the defining questions facing our profession:

  • How do we balance client vision, community voice, and user need without losing any of them?
  • When does place shape design, and when does design shape place?
  • How do we create experiences that don’t just inform, but foster belonging, understanding, and lasting impact?
  • What role can experience design play in bridging the divides that define our world today?

Join the global community of designers of experiences in Kansas City—the geographic heart of the country—to discover new ideas, strengthen your practice, and reconnect with the people shaping the future of our field.

Agenda

Learn More | Detailed Session Descriptions
Learn More | EXP Programs
Learn More | Pre-Conference Programs

NEXPO: The Industry Marketplace

NEXPO connects design thinking with making.

It’s the place to see, touch, and discuss the materials, technologies, and fabrication approaches that turn design concepts into built environments.

As the conference marketplace and showcase, NEXPO offers:

  • Direct access to products, materials, media, and services used in experiential projects
  • Face-to-face conversations with industry partners and makers
  • Opportunities to explore fabrication techniques, technologies, and workflows
  • A space where ideas move from concept to implementation

For attendees, NEXPO is where inspiration meets execution. For exhibitors, it’s where relationships begin and partnerships take shape.

Explore Exhibit + Sponsorship Opportunities

What’s Happening

Meet the Speakers

Our Partners

Presenting Sponsors

Lead Sponsors

Event Sponsors