Kerry Persen of Meta appointed as Co-Chair for VR/AR Association's Education Committee

We are thrilled to have Kerry Persen join the leadership for our Education Committee and help lead our community.

Kerry works on the Global Policy Campaigns and Programs team at Meta and is focused on AR/VR, particularly on its application to education and upskilling. Kerry is excited to engage with the VR/AR education community on the future of the space and the opportunities to develop the AR/VR ecosystem for education.

Kerry  is a Security Fellow at the Truman National Security Project and an affiliate at the Center for International Security and Cooperation. She has previously worked at the Institute for the Future and at RiceHadleyGates LLC, a strategic consulting firm led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. She has also been a Minerva Fellow at the U.S. Institute for Peace, a Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs at Georgetown University, and a Fulbright Scholar in Indonesia.  

Kerry received her Ph.D. from the Department of Political Science at Stanford University, where her research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Horowitz Foundation, and the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), among others. She graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College with a double major in Government and Economics. 

Doug Hohulin Appointed as Co-Chair for VR/AR Association's Generative AI Committee

We are thrilled to have Doug Hohulin help lead our community for Generative AI.

Doug brings extensive experience and expertise to the position, having worked for 33 years at Nokia/Motorola in Strategy, Business Development, Account Management, and Engineering roles. He is a Generative AI Consultant and Innovation Advisor and focuses on Generative AI, XR/Metaverse, Digital Health, Telehealth, Education, Telecommunication (5G/6G, WiFi, Cable/10G), Sustainability/Energy/Smart Grid, and Public Policy projects. Additionally, Doug frequently shares his knowledge on Generative AI through workshops, webinars, and panel discussions.

“I am excited to co-chair the AI committee because it provides an incredible opportunity to bring together professionals, researchers, and organizations to harness the immense potential of Generative AI in the XR domain. Together, we can innovate, collaborate, and drive the industry forward, paving the way for groundbreaking solutions that will reshape our digital experiences and interactions. The AI market is expected to reach $42.6 billion by the end of the year, growing at a compound annual rate of 32% to $98.1 billion by 2026, according to PWC/PitchBook Data Inc. This presents a significant business opportunity for those involved in Generative AI, and being part of this committee will enable members to stay at the forefront of this rapidly evolving industry, leveraging insights and networking opportunities to drive success and growth.”

— Doug Hohulin

UL8400 safety standards around immersive technologies for AR/VR/MR head-mounted electrical equipment

Exciting times for safety standards for VR/AR! Ibrahim Jilani takes us through UL Solutions continuing efforts in establishing UL8400 safety standards around immersive technologies to increase public safety of all VR/AR Association (VRARA) members as well as help manufacturers mitigate the unique safety risks associated with AR/VR/MR head-mounted electrical equipment. Listen to our interview with Ibrahim here.

See Ibrahim speak at our annual Enterprise & Training Forum on May 24.

Advances in 5G and Wi-Fi 6 technologies combined with more affordable and compact devices are driving rapid innovation and adoption of AR/VR/MR technology. However, there are safety hazards related to the use of an AR/VR/MR headset that need to be addressed.  Particular aspects addressed by this standard include the means to reduce, as far as practicable, the effects of visually induced motion sickness, visual opacity (luminous transmittance, spectral transmittance, and relative visual attenuation quotient), flicker, skin compatibility, heat exposure to the eye, biomechanical stress, mechanical robustness, and optical occlusion to some extent (enhanced spatial perception).

VRARA recognizes UL Solutions as an organization whose mission is working for a safer world, and a global leader in safety, security, and sustainability.  Several VR/AR Association members participated in the UL 8400 standard development, the world’s first safety standard dedicated to VR/AR/MR equipment.  We want our members to have greatly reduced risk from injury from safety hazards related to VR/AR/MR equipment and support that all VR/AR/MR equipment demonstrate 3rd party certification by an OSHA National Recognized Testing Laboratory to UL 8400 and be  certified 1 year after date of publication noted above.

We look forward to working with UL Solutions in advocating for safety that will help to advance the VR/AR/MR technology in a transparent way that the public, stakeholders & regulators can trust. 

Regards,

Kris Kolo

VRARA

1140 people joined our Education Forum 2023 from 61 countries!

Our annual Education Forum 2023 was a full day event for immersive learning, VR/AR, and metaverse that brought together 70+ speakers and 1140 attendees from the academia and industry, including Harvard, Stanford, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Lenovo, Dell, Magic Leap, Unity, ArborXR, Full Sail, NYU, CMU, University of California, FIU, UCF, Univ College of London, and 100+ other schools and organizations.

To purchase access to video recordings, see here

Top countries and top sessions/speakers shown below:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Some of the positive feedback we received includes:

• Diversity of contents, time precision and great set of speakers.

• The diversity of people and backgrounds in attendance

• The vast amount of topics focused in XR for education and the speakers that gave specific examples of their work, and their approach towards XR implementation and challenges they solve.

• I learned so much, it is hard to describe. Thank you to the speakers who were so informed and free with their knowledge and time. I am just blown away, thank you so much.

• The connections and content were quite nice.

• Plenty of networking time!

See our upcoming events here

Michael Cohen appointed as VR/AR Association Co-Chair for Hospitality #VRARA @michaelccohen

We are thrilled to have Michael Cohen help lead our community in the Hospitality industry vertical.

Michael Cohen is a veteran executive and innovation leader within the global travel, hospitality and MICE industry, with a specialized focus on web3, VR and AR. He is the Managing Partner @ Growth Advisors International Network - GAIN, a global advisory group focused on innovation and growth within the travel, hospitality and meeting tech space, as well as a Mentor and Speaker at the NYU Tisch Center of Hospitality.

“ I am pleased to announce my appointment as Co-Chair of the VRARA’s Hospitality Committee. As VR and AR technologies continue to revolutionize engagement and customer loyalty within the travel, hospitality, and food service industries, I am excited to contribute to the committee’s leadership efforts in driving innovation and enhancing guest, patron and passenger experiences through these emerging mediums.”

— Michael Cohen

Bob Cooney appointed as Co-Chair of VR/AR Association Location-Based Experiences Committee

We are thrilled to have Bob Cooney help lead our community for LBE! Join our weekly Online Meets!

For more than 35-years, Bob has accurately predicted the impact of bleeding edge tech on entertainment business trends. He’s the founder of an INC 500 company with a successful NASDAQ IPO to his credit. He has emerged as one of the leading voices in the virtual reality and metaverse space.

Cooney is the go-to-market strategist behind the launch of some of the world's most successful location-based VR companies He is the author of the book Real Money from Virtual Reality, and co-author of The Guardians of the Metaverse, a think-tank report from Laval Virtual.

Bob is widely considered the world's foremost expert on location-based virtual reality, having founded the VR Arcade Game Summit, the biggest dedicated location-based VR conference in the US.

“I am honoured to have been invited to chair the LBE committee for the VRARA. I am excited to support this group of experts and work together to advance the VR industry’s offerings in location-based entertainment. Together, we will explore new technologies, innovative ideas, and best practices, all aimed at delivering high-quality and engaging experiences for consumers.”

— Bob Cooney

Hermes Frangoudis appointed as Co-Chair of VR/AR Association WebXR Committee

We are thrilled to have Hermes Frangoudis as co-chair for our Industry Committee and help lead our global community with regards to WebXR!

Hermes is the Co-Founder and CTO of Arlene, where he and his team have developed webXR.tools, a no-code web AR/VR toolkit for digital creatives to extend reality. Hermes started his journey in XR as a solutions engineer at Blippar and later went on to become Director of Developer Relations and Partner Engineering at Agora.io, supporting many of their AR/VR partnerships. With over 18 years of experience in web technologies and almost a decade working with AR/VR, Hermes has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field.

Hermes is a respected speaker in the industry, having presented at conferences. Throughout his career, Hermes has worked with many Fortune 500 companies and top brands spanning a wide range of industries, including fashion, automotive, and CPG brands to launch immersive experiences.

“I’m excited to co-chair the committee because I believe webXR is quickly evolving and revolutionizing the future of immersive experiences.”

— Hermes Frangoudis

Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) becomes a sponsor for our VRARA Enterprise Forum 2023

Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) becomes a sponsor for our VRARA Enterprise Forum 2023. Don’t miss their keynote presentation!

For nearly 40 years, CGS (Computer Generated Solutions) has enabled global enterprises, regional companies, and government agencies to drive breakthrough performance through software and business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing services.

CGS is wholly focused on creating comprehensive solutions that meet clients’ complex, multi-dimensional needs, and support clients' most fundamental business activities. Headquartered in New York City, CGS has offices across North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

TeamworkAR

Your people power your business. Whether the goals are onsite repairs, new training, remote assistance or enabling a dispersed workforce, TeamworkAR™ is how you can give your people the support they need.

Through innovative technology with practical functionality, TeamworkAR can make employees more efficient, more effective, and more confident in their work. With real-time learning, expert guidance and seamless collaboration, they can do what your business needs and be safer while doing it.

Learn more about CGS AR product offerings here https://www.cgsinc.com/en/enterprise-augmented-reality-for-business or watch video below.

Skip Kimpel appointed as chair of VR/AR Association Hospitality Committee

We are thrilled to have Skip Kimpel chair our Hospitality Committee and help lead our community in this sector.

Skip Kimpel is a restaurant and hospitality technology evangelist and an industry known thought leader. Kimpel is currently the Principal of Independent & SMB Consulting for ConStrata and has held previous roles as the CIO and senior technology roles for 4R Restaurant Group, Technology for Virtual Dining Concepts and for Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. His responsibilities have included all areas of strategy and operational technology not only at the restaurant level but also within the various corporate departments. He views data as the number one asset that a company has at its disposal that allows them to leverage this for honing in on business strategy and solid pro-active decision making.

Kimpel is also the creator and host of The Tech Chef Podcast, which is a restaurant and hospitality technology show and is one of the most popular places to get the latest information on operational and technology driven solutions solving for the complications brands are currently experiencing. Skip actively sits on the Board of Governors for the Restaurant Technology Network (RTN) as well as the marketing and allied member committees and previous board member for the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). He is heavily involved with anything that is hospitality technology driven and has been instrumental in creating industry standards as well as the restaurant industry’s first standardized open API.

“I am excited to chair the virtual reality and augmented reality committee for hospitality because it provides an incredible opportunity for this vertical to explore new ways of engaging with customers, creating immersive experiences that are tailored for their needs and interests in addition to training programs that usually involve complex and dangerous skill sets that can be achieved, safely, through a virtual platform. Companies in the hospitality sector can create innovative experiences to delight their customers and unlock new revenue streams that will quickly be adapted once shown the possibilities and the ROI. Currently, this area is completely unexplored in the hospitality sector”

— Skip Kimpel

Dave Alpert appointed as Chair of VR/AR Association AEC Committee

We are excited to have Dave Alpert help lead our community for AEC.

Dave Alpert, CEO and Co-Founder of Geopogo AR, is an award-winning building architect and inventor with granted patents in AR and the Metaverse. Following  decades of experience leading landmark design projects like the California Supreme Court and the Lucasfilm Executive HQ, Dave co-founded Geopogo AR to apply the power of AR to solve chronic problems in the design and construction process. His team has launched two successful products and is partnered with Magic Leap, Oracle, and Siemens. Dave has been an active thought leader in the design tech community, organizing meetups for the AIASF Design Tech Committee and speaking and presenting at CES, AWE, DevWeek, AIA conventions, IFMA, and other events. He is personally committed to inclusion, collaboration, and transparency in his quest to democratize access to 3D creation and visualization.

“I’m excited to co-chair the AEC and Real Estate committee because I believe in working together with peers and mentoring new members of the community. By collaborating, we can all make more effective progress in the enterprise adoption of AR and VR. Please join me by proposing monthly topics of value to you, presented by experts who you know, especially by end users in enterprise.”

— Dave Alpert

Alexander Jones appointed as Co-Chair of VR/AR Association's Universities & Colleges Committee

We are thrilled to have Alexander Jones be a key part of our Universities & Colleges Committee.

Alexander possess over fourteen years of extensive experience in career/workforce development, cultivating industry partnerships, professional development programming, and collaborating to create career pathways for diverse learners. My higher education experience includes research, program development, and program evaluation for The Bay Area Community College Consortium, College of Marin’s Work Experience, Career Services and Career Education programs, and the San Mateo Community College District’s Cooperative Education Department and Apprenticeship Programs. Working together with administrators, faculty and classified personnel, I have increased job placement rates, ensured students possess the requisite skills needed to secure their careers, and ensured that my efforts remained responsive to the needs of employers and community partners.

The successful and inclusive workforce development initiatives he has overseen have enhanced programming that bridged community college students to their career of choice, and is responsible for an influx of a younger and more diverse workforce into industries that have historically struggled to forge and sustain lasting relations.

“I am excited to co-chair the VRARA University & College Committee, and look forward to creating similar programming that is effective, sustainable, and robust for VRARA members/communities and students.”

— Alexander Jones

VR/AR Association will host its annual Enterprise Forum on May 24, 2023

Get ready for a full day of best practices, guidelines, and insights as we bring together industry leaders in VR/AR, smartglasses, and digital transformation. Our virtual forum will bring together leading digital transformation vendors and end-users/brands from across the world! We expect 1,000+ audience and 60+ speakers.  In addition to keynotes, rapid presentations, sessions, demos, expert panels, we will have the best-in-class online networking where you can build meaningful connections!

Our previous forum in 2022 had over 1370 attendees from 70 countries and speakers included Paul Jacobs

Apply to Speak, Sponsor, Get Tickets here

Brooke Meredith appointed as Chair of VR/AR Association's Location-Based Entertainment Committee

We are excited to have Brooke Meredith help lead our community for Location Based Entertainment.

Immersive experiences designed for participants who are in the same physical and virtual location have a unique set of affordances and challenges. Join representatives from different organizations to develop best practices and guidelines for LBE. Part of the mission of the Location Based Entertainment. committee is be to develop relationships between content creators and venues and to lower the barrier of entry for indie developers. 

“Brooke is ecstatic to co-chair the Location Based Entertainment Committee. With the launch of VPS, Sky Segmentation and other location based technology advancements we have the ability to dynamically insert entertaining and engaging content experiences anywhere and everywhere. The world becomes a creative canvas and it’s exciting to think how we can layer virtual elements on top of our physical environments to share stories, interact and educate.
”

— Brooke Meredith

With expertise in innovation, creative strategy and business development, Brooke Meredith is an award-winning cross-channel marketing executive. Over the course of her career, she has worked with a number of notable clients, including Verizon, Saks, Walmart, Diageo, American Express, Visa, HBO, and PWC. She is recognized as an industry expert and she has served on a panel at the AR/VR Association's 2021 conference on Augmented Reality and Paid Media: How Augmented Reality is Determining the Future of Paid Media. Brooke joined Aircards in 2022 as the Vice President of Client Partnerships, joining an incredible team to spearhead projects that deliver interactive, impactful and immersive experiences for marketing, advertising, and business to business clients. With the launch of numerous location-based augmented reality initiatives, Aircards has helped users augment their real worlds, share their experiences, and reengage with their surroundings. Brooke is passionate about augmented reality and specifically how brands can engage and interact with their users in an authentic, dynamic and enriched manner wherever they are.

Alicja Jaworska appointed as Co-Chair of the VR/AR Association Healthcare Committee

We are thrilled to have Alicja Jaworska join the leadership for our Healthcare Committee and help guide our community.

“ I am so excited to co-chair the VRARA Healthcare committee. I am passionate about bridging the gap between technology and healthcare. Virtual and Augmented Reality has a lot of potentials to revolutionize many aspects of healthcare, from patient care to medical education. By introducing different vendors, products, and innovations through our monthly meetings, I hope we can share expertise and inspire each other. I look forward to meeting future healthcare leaders and helping prepare the roadmap of the healthcare VRAR system. ”

— Alicja Jaworska

The VRARA Healthcare Committee is committed to creating and sustaining the conditions that enable all healthcare practitioners to facilitate the transformative power of VR/AR to improve patient care worldwide.  We do this through our commitment to educate and unite healthcare providers around the globe on a single mission to disrupt current standards of care. Our Committee is striving to become the number one network providing invaluable in- depth information for anyone looking to engage VR/AR technology for social impact within the realm of healthcare.

Alicja is a Clinical Psychologist, Executive Partner certificated in Coaching and Mentoring at Cambridge Management and Leadership School/ member of the Association for Coaching and Healthcare & Ethics Committee. She focuses on life science, healthcare, and biotech projects and has developed an extensive international network of industry partners and clients, to a large extent, thanks to creating informal groups and knowledge-sharing communities. She was also Head of the Life Science Practice. She likes staying close to the business, asking probing questions, providing honest feedback, and inspiring transformation, helping organisations find the Leaders of tomorrow.

Alicja worked as a Business Manager for a rapidly expanding boutique agency specialising in global healthcare recruitment. She was responsible for business contacts and contracts with hospital HR departments from Saudi Arabia and UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, and Qatar). Alicja also led a multinational team (Ukraine, Egypt, and Turkey) to deliver strategic solutions for the market.

Alicja has an MA in Psychology from the University of Lodz, an M.Sc. in Professional Communication, and an MBA from Clark University, USA.

Alicja is a member of several professional associations, including the British Psychological Society and the psychometric testing body MPA, Health Technology Assessment International, the Worldwide Association of Female Professionals and SHEXO Deloitte. 

Today she is exploring and validating immersive therapies for psychological treatment.

Call for Sponsors for "The Retailer’s Guide to AR and VR in 2023"

The Retailer’s Guide to AR and VR in 2023

Stores, E-commerce, Web3, and Beyond

(VRARA Retail publication)

Call for Participation

Interested in becoming a sponsor for our white paper? Sponsors get their logo on the cover, one featured page, and promotion via our channels, plus the contact list of people downloading the paper. Our publications are downloaded by 1000’s of professionals. Email info@thevrara.com

Below is more info on this publication (intro, authors, and TOC).

Intro

The VRARA Retail Committee consistently gets the same questions from retailers looking into AR and VR. This guide is designed as a resource for those considering creating AR/VR use cases for their business projects. Project leaders and innovation teams can use this guide to:

• Locate keywords and key concepts while building a business case and evaluating options for their investment in AR/VR tech. 

• Explore use cases and problems solved with 3D, AR, VR and Web3 in retail

• Review examples of 3D, AR, VR and Web3 in retail

• Utilize the quick reference guide on relevant 3D, AR, VR and Web3 technologies

Authors/contributors include:

• Sonia Schechter, Marxent

• Sarah Ennis, Intergalactic Agency 

• Ben, Niantic

• Lucky Gobindram, CemtrexXR

• Alan Smithson, MetaVRse & TheMall 

• Vanessa Mullin, Agora

• Hassaan Iftikhar, Aequilibrium 

• Navjeet Chhina, Genius Ventures Inc 

• Jessi Sparks - Magnetic Mobile

Table of Contents includes:

Introduction

Why we made this guide

Why retailers should join the metaverse

5 things to know about getting started with AR,VR, Web3

Overview of AR/VR and Web 3 in Retail

Benefits

Use Cases

Examples

Planning Tips

Lead with your audience

Follow the data

Consider your investment level

Quick Start Project Guide

1. Identify a project

2. Learn about 3D content and technologies

3. Formulate a strategy

4. Develop a business case

5. Make a “build or buy” decision

6. Research vendors

7. Create a project charter

8. Develop a project plan

9. Measure success and evolve your strategy

10. Distribution and awareness strategy

Focused specifically on the metaverse? Use this project planning guide

Glossary of terms

Metaverse 101: What is a metaverse?

AR Lunch and Learn for brands with glossary and examples:

Overview of 3D technologies through a retail lens

VRARA Members Specializing In Retail Experiences

Call for Participation - Contributors and Sponsors - in the VR/AR Association Energy Sector white paper

Call for Participation

Interested in becoming one of the authors/contributors to our white paper or a sponsor (get your logo on the cover, plus one featured page, and promotion for your service/product)? Our publications are downloaded by 1000’s of professionals. Email info@thevrara.com

Below is more info on this publication (intro, authors, and TOC).

Introduction

VR/AR have the potential to revolutionize the way energy sector professionals learn and train. By providing immersive, hands-on experiences, VR and AR can help learners better understand complex concepts, procedures, and equipment in a safe and controlled environment. These technologies are engaging and impactful for all stages of the employment cycle, from recruiting, screening, and onboarding to knowledge transfer and reskilling.  They are further invaluable in providing access to virtual training environments from anywhere in the world, reducing the carbon footprint of many traditional training scenarios, and introducing more sustainable solutions. 

In 2021, the VR/AR Association Energy Committee released the first in a series of Whitepapers outlining VR/AR utilization and opportunities in the sector.  It presented essential features of the emerging technologies of VR and AR, underlying considerations pertaining to Energy Industry and how such immersive technologies may help in overcoming challenges faced by the industry. The paper also highlighted several VR/ AR Use Cases in the Energy Industry which demonstrated the above points.

The objective of this Whitepaper is to provide guidance on what Energy organizations should consider when looking to leverage VR/AR solutions to address challenges in acquiring and maintaining skilled staff.  We will outline and describe key considerations in the process of identifying Use Cases, drawing out Specifications, identifying Functionalities, and selecting Hardware.  Further, we will address aspects of VR/AR solution deployment and managing the change process.

It is intended that these two papers will serve as reference documentation for both end users as well as VR and AR Solution providers. Taken together, they help to frame requirements in a productive way, by helping companies engage with solution providers using shared language and understanding. 

Authors & Contributors include:

- Susan Spark – Schlumberger

- Vi Kellersohn – Oberon

- Ray Deatherage - GTI 

Table of Contents:

Contents 1

Introduction 2

Principal Considerations 3

Learning Objectives 5

Type of Content to Develop 7

Technical training (e.g., tools, equipment, fittings, procedures, etc.) 7

Soft skills (e.g., empathy, communication, etc.) 8

Informational (e.g., tour of facilities, sites, etc.) 8

Hardware Equipment 8

Desktop deployments 13

Other Considerations Impacting Hardware Selection 13

Comparison of types of equipment (how much detail?) 14

Content Distribution 14

Company platform 14

Third-party platform 14

Data and Scoring 14

Functionality 15

Integration Support 15

Hardware Equipment 15

Content Licensing 15

Content Development 16

Human Factors - Ensuring best impact 17

Dr Bianca Wright appointed as Chair of VR/AR Association's Metaverse for Good Committee

We are thrilled to have Dr Bianca Wright help lead our community and chair our Metaverse for Good Committee. As part of this role, Dr Wright will host our Online Meets with guest speakers and the committee will create best practices and guidelines for our industry.

Dr Bianca Wright is passionate about investigating the possibilities, challenges and risks of new and emerging technologies including immersive: XR, virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality and gaming, particularly in the context of tech for good. She has led and worked on a range of projects in academia and industry, most recently focusing on immersive technologies, including the Google Digital News Initiative-funded project Playing the News VR: Coventry Blitz and the development of a unit in Tech for Good mobile app development for the Prince’s Trust.  Bianca is the Curriculum Lead: Immersive (Associate Professor - Academic) at Coventry University and leads the immersive strategy for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

An award-winning technology journalist and analyst whose work has appeared in consumer and trade magazines and websites in the US, the UK, Australia, South Africa and Europe, Bianca was first runner-up in the print business magazine category at the 2002 Telkom ICT Journalist of the Year Awards. She also won second place in the 2002 AISI Media Awards special category IDRC Award For Reporting on Research and Innovation. She has written several white papers about technology and business and has covered the technology industry for publications such as IDG Connect, CIO, and Nearshore Americas. In 2012, she was selected as one of the Top 40 Under 40 business achievers by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber. She completed the VR Mobile 360 Developer nanodegree through Udacity. Bianca's PhD focused on serious games and gamification.

“I am honoured to be joining VRARA’s Metaverse for Good committee. We all have a responsibility to build an inclusive, sustainable metaverse that serves the needs of all and works to address the very real challenges we face as a society and as a community. I look forward to working with the team and all VRARA members to help make this vision of a metaverse for good a reality.”

— Bianca Wright

Marsha Maxwell appointed as Chair of VR/AR Association's Diversity Committee

We are thrilled to have Dr Marsha Maxwell help lead our Diversity Committee. As part of this role, Dr Maxwell will host our Online Meets with guest speakers and the committee will continue creating best practices, guidelines for diversity in our industry.

With over twenty-five years of strategic, tactical and operational technology experience, Dr. Marsha Maxwell creates innovative environments and applications that harness the power of emerging technologies and neuroscience to enhance the educator's reach to better engage students and foster a culture of innovation in organizations. Her areas of interest include eXtended Reality, Augmented Analytics, Immersive Experiences, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, STEAM programs, and Smart Spaces.  Marsha has also been very active in bringing STEM/STEAM initiatives to life especially for underserved and underrepresented groups throughout their educational journey from kindergarten to university and beyond. Marsha has been a featured speaker for various organizations’ educational summits and workshops including Microsoft, Apple, and Google for her skills in education technology, innovation leadership, strategic analysis and decision-making, and equity & inclusion in technology.  

“ I’m excited to help lead the committee to create a community of educators using extended reality equitably to improve the lived experience of students worldwide.”

— Marsha Maxwell