Schedule
Prepare to explore 6 powerful keynotes on the main stage, 2 spotlights, 16 breakout sessions, and 2 Lunch & Learns—bringing fresh perspectives, creative intersections, and new possibilities into orbit.
Day 2
8:00 AM -
8:45 AM
Registration
8:45 AM -
9:00 AM
Welcome to Day Two in Orbit
Emcee Paul Mendoza
9:00 AM -
9:45 AM
KEYNOTE: Many Hands: The Art, Craft and Science Behind Stop Motion Animation
Cami Kwan
The medium of stop motion animation is singular in how many different disciplines and skills it takes to create. Because of its physical nature, it relies on not just art and design, but also material science and engineering. It is a medium that can only be made with human hands. This presentation examines the hands, minds and skills it takes to create a stop motion animated film by examining Paper Daughter, a short film that uses the medium of stop motion animation to tell the story of Chinese immigration to the US in the 1920s.
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
KEYNOTE: Inside the Brand: The Art of Leading In-House Creative
Andrea Vega
In-house creative has the unique opportunity to know a brand from the inside out – and turn that proximity into creative excellence. Leading creative from inside a brand means balancing creativity, strategy, relationships and business goals everyday. I’ll share my perspective on leading and empowering a multidisciplinary creative team to push beyond execution and elevating work, partnering with stakeholders across multiple lines of business, and using creative strategy as a foundation for brand and creative excellence.
10:45 AM -
11:15 AM
TRANSITION BREAK
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
MORNING BREAKOUTS
Choose from one of four sessions in topic tracks: 1. Warp Speed (Software & Tools), 2. Mission Control (Business & Career), 3. Space Craft (Creativity & Craft), 4. Life Support (Culture, Community & Communication)
1. Stop Being a Human Compiler: Managing AI “Interns” in Your Orbit
Jessica Gerlach
When you work on a lean design team, you don’t just design. You format, edit, translate, and put out fires. Without account managers shielding you, designers often end up acting as human compilers, stuck making low-level edits instead of focusing on high-level craft. What if you built your own digital support team using AI as junior interns? In this live-demo workshop, Jess Gerlach shares a modular workflow developed out of necessity at the University of Arizona CALES. You’ll see how to pair conversational LLMs like Claude or Gemini for copy, Adobe Firefly for imagery, and Adobe Express to build brand-safe assets in 15 minutes. Reclaim your time, brief AI effectively, and step firmly into the role of Mission Controller.
2. Your Creative Ecosystem
Julie Bonner
We spend our days designing brands, products, and experiences for everyone else. But how often do we use that creativity to design something for ourselves? In this workshop, you will create a visual map of your creative ecosystem, identify opportunities already within your reach, and design small experiments that generate real momentum. As you do this, you will share ideas with other designers, form new connections, and find inspiration to develop a creative career that is dynamic, resilient, and all your own.
3. Orbit: Give and Receive with Nature
Eric Torres, Michelle Fehler, Danny Gregory
Danny, Eric, and Michelle orbit the topic of nature through different lenses. In short talks, three practitioners share their own paths back to nature: how awe, curiosity, and close attention become sources of inspiration, creativity, and calm. Each speaker brings a different lens, shaped by years of reconnecting to the natural world through observation, sketching, and mindful noticing. Together, we explore what it means to slow down, destress, and rediscover wonder, and consider what we owe back for what we notice: through gratitude, gift, or creative offering.
4: Who’s in Your Orbit? Mapping the Support System Behind Creativity
Barney Abramson, Alisha Abramson
Creative work doesn’t happen in isolation. Our careers are shaped by an entire orbit of collaborators, managers, clients, communities, tools, expectations, and relationships. Some help us do our best work. Others quietly drain the energy we need to keep creating. In this interactive Thriving Creatively workshop, attendees will map their own creative orbit to better understand the people, systems, and relationships influencing their energy and ability to thrive. Through guided reflection and a hands-on mapping exercise, participants will identify the forces that support them, the ones that deplete them, and the areas where their creative ecosystem may be out of balance.
12:00 PM -
1:30 PM
Lunch Break / On Your Own or Join a Lunch ‘N’ Learn
Walk to one of the many nearby restaurants in the area for lunch on your own, or pick up your preordered lunchbox and join Chuong Bui’s Lunch ‘N’ Learn session described below. (See “add-on’s” section of order form to preorder a catered lunchbox.) You may sit in on the Lunch ‘N’ Learn session without ordering a lunchbox, but please note that the convention center does not allow outside meals to be brought into the venue.
12:15 PM – 01:15 PM
LUNCH ‘N’ LEARN: The 4 Legal Foundations for Creative Businesses
Chuong Bui
Building a creative business takes more than great ideas and great work—it also requires a strong foundation. In this practical workshop, keynote speaker Chuong Bui of Counsel for Creators will unpack four essential legal pillars every creative business owner should understand. Whether you’re starting out or already established, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of the legal considerations that can help protect your creative practice and support its growth.
1:30 PM -
2:30 PM
AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS
Choose from one of four sessions in topic tracks: 1. Warp Speed (Software & Tools), 2. Mission Control (Business & Career), 3. Space Craft (Creativity & Craft), 4. Life Support (Culture, Community & Communication)
1. Designing for the Web in Framer
Michelle Torres
Curious about web design but don’t have a development background? This beginner-friendly session introduces Framer, a visual website builder that allows designers to bring their ideas from concept to live site. We’ll cover the fundamentals of designing in Framer, including layout, responsive design, interactions, and publishing, along with practical tips for creating polished, functional websites. Whether you’re a UX designer, visual designer, or creative looking to expand your skill set, you’ll leave with a better understanding of Framer and the confidence to start building for the web.
2. From Portfolio to Post
Mandy Hoskinson
Your work deserves more than a mockup and a “new project” caption. This session will show graphic designers how to turn their work, process, and point of view into content people actually want to see. You’ll leave with fresh inspiration, a practical playbook for getting your work noticed, and approachable ways to use social media to make industry connections, build relationships, and create new opportunities.
3. Dieline Not Included: Build One from Scratch
Lindsay Masten
Most packaging designs begin with a supplied dieline, but what do you do if you get the chance to make your own? In this hands-on workshop, participants will build and test their own custom package structure using chipboard and tape, then translate that physical prototype into a (hopefully!) accurate Adobe Illustrator dieline. You’ll leave with a physical prototype, a digital dieline, and a repeatable process for developing original packaging structures from scratch. Expect to cut, fold, tape, measure, troubleshoot, and make a small mess. Laptops required for the digital part.
4. Your Genius Deserves Your Full Attention!
Carrie Seid
Most people don’t lack talent; they lack permission. This workshop will unpack the invisible layers of self-sabotage that become habits: the identity traps, the perfectionism loops, and the negative message (from oneself and a slew of others) that get stuck in our brains only to concretize into the damaging beliefs that keep brilliant people playing small. In this session I will offer simple steps and solutions to reframing and reclaiming creative authority.
2:30 PM -
2:45 PM
TRANSITION BREAK
2:45 PM -
3:45 PM
SPOTLIGHTS: To be announced
4:00 PM -
5:00 PM
CLOSING KEYNOTE: 26 Trips Around the Sun: Studio Stories from Mission Control
Don Clark
While we make every effort to confirm speakers and schedules in advance, all programming is subject to change without notice. Speaker presentations and viewpoints are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of AIGA Arizona. Presentation content may include adult language, visuals, or topics.
Some speakers may choose to share their presentations with attendees after the conference, while others may restrict sharing of proprietary content. No livestream, recording, or virtual attendance options will be available.
Get Your Boarding Pass Now!
Get your boarding pass now—you won’t want to miss the mission. Join Arizona’s creative community for two days of ideas, connection, and collective momentum. Secure your seat and get ready to enter orbit.