Noon: Welcome and Networking Reception
1-2PM
Reinventing Cities, Towns and Rural Region with Creative Placemaking
Moderated by James V. Denova
Vice President, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Come out and join the conversation about how creativity can revitalize our communities ~ all communities ~ from urban to rural. Learn from and talk with national experts from Americans for the Arts and regional leaders who driving this work.
Alisha Wormsley, Artist, Pittsburgh, PA
Alisha is an interdisciplinary artist and cultural producer. Her work is about collective memory and the synchronicity of time, specifically through the stories of women of color.
Jennifer Goulet, President & CEO, Creative Many, Detroit, Michigan
Jennifer leads Creative Many’s research, advocacy/public policy, professional practice, funding and communications efforts advancing Michigan’s creative economy and the creative many that make Michigan a creative state
Lori McKinney, Co-Founder, RiffRaff Arts Collective, Princeton, West Virginia
Lori directs a cooperative and interdisciplinary group of artists based in a multi-faceted creative zone in downtown Princeton, West Virginia.
Theo Edmonds, Chief Imaginator + Co-Founder, IDEAS xLab, Louisville
Born and raised in the Appalachian mountains of south eastern Kentucky, Theo is an artist, healthcare professional and social entrepreneur who was selected as one of "50 People Changing the Face of the South" by Southern Living Magazine.
Walter J. Burlack, Director, Community Growth Fund and the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group, Johnstown, PA Walter is the Community Liaison for the Johnstown Vision 2025 Community and Economic Development.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR FREE NOW
2-3PM
The New Culture of Creativity:
From the Information Age to the Imagination Age
Moderated by Kim Chestney
Author and Founding Director, CREATE! Festival + Mystic Studios
What comes after the Information Age? As we approach the singularity, assets like creativity, intuition and innovation are becoming the new holy grail of cultural and technological progress. Join us for a talk on what that means, and how we can prepare for the next era.
Emmai Aliquiva, CEO of Ya Momz House Pittsburgh, PA
Emmai is an Emmy Award-winning film director, composer and mentor known for his
impact across mixed-media art platforms.
Jesse Schell, CEO & Founder, Schell Games, Pittsburgh PA
Jesse Schell leads a team of more than one hundred people who strive to make the world’s greatest educational and entertainment games. Jesse also serves as Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon University and is the author of the award-winning book The Art of Game Design.
Jody Fisher, Chief Wonderer, BeAWonderer.com, Pittsburgh, PA
Jody is a workshop designer, facilitator and trainer, specializing in creative thinking.
Jonathan Glus, Director of Cultural and Creative Economy, Sacramento, California
Jonathon moved to Sacramento after serving as CEO at the Houston Arts Alliance and Executive Director of Arts and Culture with the City of Pasadena.
Susan Soroko, Director of Creative Economy, Arlington, Virginia
Susan is the Director of Creative Economy in the Department of Economic Development of Arlington County, Virginia and co-leader of the national Creative Economy Coalition.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR FREE NOW
3-4PM
Virtual Realities:
The Future of Technology and Digital Media
Moderated by Audrey Russo
President and CEO, Pittsburgh Technology Council
The future of entertainment promises to deliver technological and creative innovation that borders on magic. What does the future of this industry, that we all know and love, look like? What new opportunities for creative expression are embedded in the new era of entertainment media?
Jaehee Cho, Creative Director, Stitchbridge + CMU's Entertainment Technology Center
Jaehee is a Pittsburgh-based game designer and story teller using new technology platforms, such as virtual reality and augmented reality.
MaryAnn Lombardi, Chief Creative Economy Officer, Washington, DC
Maryann is the Chief Creative Economy Officer at the DC Office of Cable TV, Film, Music and Entertainment where she is working to grow the local creative economy, and manages the DC 202Creates brand and activities.
Carl Kurlander, Executive Director, Steeltown Entertainment, Pittsburgh, PA
Carl Kurlander is an American television writer, producer and screenwriter. Carl is best known as a screenwriter who co-wrote the semi-autobiographical hit St. Elmo's Fire and for his work on teen sitcoms including Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Hang Time, USA High and Malibu, CA.
Peter Rudge, Professor of Motion Picture Industries, Staffordshire University, UK
Peter is the founder of the Moving Image Cluster, and has worked in Hollywood for major studios including Universal and Columbia Tri-Star Pictures. A longstanding member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Peter has served on the Council of the Academy as well as being a BAFTA Mentor, working with young filmmakers at the start of their careers.
Kathyrn Spitz Cohan, Executive Director, Film Pittsburgh, PA
Kathryn has been executive director of Film Pittsburgh since 2001 overseeing Pittsburgh Shorts, the JFilm Festival and ReelAbilities Pittsburgh.
