*AUREA Awards Jury: Cathy Hackl, Futurist; Kathleen Cohen, Jury Chair; Tech Humanist, Thomas Wagner, CEO VR Coaster; Frederic Lecompte, Co-Founder Blacklight VR/AR; Frank Govaere, VFX Supervisor UFA Berlin
Kathleen Cohen Profile Photo

Kathleen Cohen

Immersive Design
and Experience Strategist

Kathleen Cohen is known as a Tech Humanist and an XR Immersive Strategist with over 25+ years building both user and guest experiences.

Founder of The Collaboratorium, a consultancy focusing on Spacial Computing, XR Research, XR Strategy & Production, as well as Public Engagement - Kathleen's clients range from Megacity, Gigacity projects to Health & Wellness implementations, as well as Media & Entertainment. Her XR Research focuses on key learnings from both the Indigenous Science and the Neurodivergent communities.

Kathleen’s background as a Creative and a Producer includes: DreamWorks Interactive, IBM Centers for Innovation and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Kathleen also was the former Vice President of Digital Innovation & Integration for The National Constitution Center helping to tell the contemporary story of the U.S. Constitution. Kathleen sits on the Advisory Board of holoride (Munich); a spinout of Audi innovation, think passenger entertainment, or XR in your car. For the past eight years, Kathleen has also been the Jury Chair and Keynote Speaker for the AUREA Award, a conference and awards show, focusing on global excellence in immersive XR entertainment, hosted by Europa-Park.

Currently, Kathleen is an advisor to auraengine.com. Aura Engine uses GIS, gaming tech, and AI to simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios for cities, helping planners and leaders visualize the impact of policies and infrastructure before they’re built. Aura creates digital twins of urban landscapes.

The City That Plays: Digital Twins Reimagining LA & Beyond

The City That Plays: Digital Twins Reimagining LA & Beyond

Los Angeles is a vibrant playground for innovation where data, design, and community imagination converge. Powered by cutting-edge Earth-observing satellite systems, digital twins are transforming how LA plans for resilience, equity, and the joy of the games. Join us to explore groundbreaking projects—from wildfire recovery to creating green space networks—that leverage user-friendly immersive technology to connect AI, local stories, and spatial data. Discover how these immersive tools are shaping a smarter, more resilient city ready for the Olympics and the complex challenges ahead…

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AI And The Artist Journey: Renaissance or Reckoning?

AI And The Artist Journey: Renaissance or Reckoning?

When anyone can generate anything, what makes art matter? This panel examines how AI is changing the artist journey – from ideation to audience – and asks what must remain human if creators want their work to resonate, not just multiply.

Fri 3/27, 3:00 pm – 3:50 pm
JUMP 5th floor : The Move Room

With Panelists: Kathleen Cohen, Elizabeth Rodgers, Christie Wright, and Jamie Baumgardt…

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TEA Webinar: AI and the Creative Toolkit

TEA Webinar: AI and the Creative Toolkit

Are you already using AI in your development process? Want to learn more about the possibilities? Think AI is a fad?

Save the date for a virtual session on AI in themed entertainment April 15, at 4p PT.

The TEA Western board Education Committee invites you to use the comments section below to provide topics and questions in advance. If you are already using AI tools, we want to hear what’s working – and not.…

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Lincoln Center Presents: The InBETWEEN Music & Tech Innovation and Convergence in Immersive Experiences

Lincoln Center Presents: The InBETWEEN Music & Tech Innovation and Convergence in Immersive Experiences

Join us for an extraordinary evening with visionary leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences: Amy Jupiter (Disney Imagineer), Kathleen Cohen (Tech Humanist and an XR Immersive Strategist), Ari Melenciano (Artist and Researcher), and Jalina Stewart (XR Producer and Immersive Technologist).In this dynamic conversation, our panelists will explore, dissect, and discuss the transformation of storytelling…

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Aurea Award 2022

AUREA is the leading European conference in VR, AR, XR, MR, and immersive entertainment. It’s a global community of leaders at the intersection of immersive technology, a forum for creators to build the products of tomorrow, and a space for for innovators to interact, engage, and learn. We strive to highlight the latest trends, celebrate excellence, and kickstart collaboration. Building on the success of our digital event last year, the 4th annual AUREA Award will combine physical, virtual, and digital formats. The event is presented by Europa-Park, whose industry-leading expertise offers attendees a chance to experience the latest entertainment.

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DreamWorks Interactive Logo
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Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Logo
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