Crossover Conversations: Design Culture Transformation

Join us at the Kiln Theater where industry leaders will discuss the intersection of design and culture transformation. Dive into thought-provoking discussions, gain valuable insights, and network with like-minded professionals. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired and connect with the design community!

Is Design the Key to Transforming Work Culture (and the world)?
Join us for an engaging conversation about how we believe the design industry has a unique opportunity to transform our culture and society at large.

At Smith & Connors, we’ve developed a methodology and ethos for transforming our world through vulnerability, team and culture building, and open and honest conversations. We call it Design Therapy. It began as an experiment in building our own culture at our founding, 11 years ago. We have continued the experiment by extending this deeper process to engagements with clients and their organizations. We’ve seen first hand how transformative it can be. We believe that as designers, we have a unique opportunity to positively influence our community, our industry, and ultimately the world around us.

Our discussion will explore:
How the design process can lead deeper conversations with your colleagues, bosses, and clients and their communities to create transformation and alignment.
How you can influence culture within your organization through vulnerability and directness.
What culture change might look like in the design agency and industry.

Smith & Connors is a brand and digital agency in Portland, OR that solely partners with purpose-driven organizations and businesses across sectors to create the new world.

Speakers from Smith & Connors
Talie Smith, CEO & Chief Creative Officer
Scott Smith, Partner, Strategy Director
Robyn Baker, Creative Director
Madison Whitmarsh, Designer

Don't miss this chance to learn, share, and connect with fellow design professionals and the broader community!

Retaining a Full Palette of Team Members
Hosted by Dr. Curtis Bullock - Employee experience consultant // Doctoral research on the intersection of workplace experience and retention for people of color.

Organizations run on talent, but the works can slow down really quickly when employees keep walking out the door. We recruit, we outreach, we survey, we team-build, we off-site, we interview, we exit interview, but turnover just keeps happening; especially for BIPOC, female, queer, and international talent.

So, how do we fix it? In this conversation, we will explore ways that talent acquisition and talent retention are evolving, and we will pay particular attention to how organizations can welcome and support talent with non-dominant identity characteristics:
- How are organizations attracting great, diverse talent right now?
- What elements of the employee experience are positively or negatively impacting retention decisions for diverse talent?
-How can leaders (and employees themselves) facilitate conditions where diverse talent can thrive and do their best work?