Kathleen Cohen

Kathleen Cohen is a tech humanist and XR immersive strategist with a career spanning more than 25 years in user and guest experience design. Cohen began as a traditional fine artist before transitioning to digital art, training as a VFX animator and working across multiple platforms and verticals within the digital ecosystem. Her background includes roles as an artist and creative producer for DreamWorks Interactive, IBM Centers for Innovation, and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, providing her with multidisciplinary expertise in storytelling, technology, and large-scale experience design. She also served as vice president of digital innovation and integration for the National Constitution Center, contributing to the contemporary interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.

Cohen is the founder of The Collaboratorium, a consultancy specializing in spatial computing, XR research, XR strategy and production, and public engagement. Her clients include projects in megacity and gigacity development, health and wellness, and media and entertainment. Her XR and AI research draws on indigenous wisdom, neurodivergence, and conscious leadership, offering a unique perspective in the immersive technology sector. Cohen completed the first immersive artist-in-residency project for a National Endowment for the Arts–funded organization, Surel's Place in Idaho, collaborating with the University of Idaho's Virtual Technology & Design Research Lab and BlackBox VR, and incorporating principles from indigenous science and the neurodivergent community.

Cohen serves on the advisory board of holoride, a Munich-based spinout of Audi innovation that integrates real-time, map, car, and motion data with XR passenger experiences. She is also the annual jury chair and keynote speaker for the AUREA Award, an immersive conference and awards show hosted by Europa-Park in southern Germany. Cohen has appeared at global events such as SXSW, the Milken Institute Global Conference, and AWE, where she has spoken alongside figures such as Deepak Chopra to discuss the future of the metaverse.

Cohen is involved in building a City of Los Angeles reclamation project, transforming abandoned parcels of land into immersive urban sanctuaries. She has hosted a fireside chat with the creative director of the immersive version of "Bono: Stories of Surrender," a 90-minute immersive experience available on the Apple Vision Pro headset. Her signature talks, including "Meet Your Digital Twin," "IRL vs. XR," and "Being Human, Becoming Human and Beyond Human," explore the intersection of humanity and technology. As a keynote speaker, Cohen addresses topics such as blockchain, futurism, modern media, STEM, strategic leadership, and virtual reality, providing insights for audiences navigating the evolving landscape of immersive experience design.