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 five 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.
Kathleen's past talks include: Presentense®, A Place Called Now®, Being Human, Becoming Human and Beyond Human® IRL vs. XR®, The Future and Present Converge(s)®. and Meet Your Digital Twin®, a talk about the land rush to recreating humans.
AWE 2025: Behind the Scenes of “Bono: Stories of Surrender”
Join Kathleen Cohen for a fireside chat with Elad Offer, the Creative Director of the 90 minute immersive version of “Bono: Stories of Surrender.” The 2D version of the film is premiering at Cannes, with the immersive version premiering on Apple TV+ on May 30 viewable via the Apple Vision Pro headset. It’ll be the first feature-length film in Apple Immersive Video, a 180-degree VR format, featuring both 8K picture and spatial audio, placing viewers onstage with Bono. The film is the first feature length film of its kind and Elad worked closely with Apple to develop the technology to pull off this tremendous feat – because the technology didn’t exist previously.
AWE USA World Expo 2025
🚀 Catch me at Augmented World Expo (AWEXR.com) next week June 10-12!
Still need tickets? Use my code: SPKR25D for a discount.
I’m thrilled to be hitting not one, but two stages alongside some insanely talented folks:
✨ Day 1: Igniting Cultural Institutions: AfroFuturism & Lincoln Center
With the legendary Nona Hendryx (Dream Machine), the visionary Sutu . – (EyeJack | Sutu Eats Flies) and the brilliant Mengtong Guan (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts)
🎤 Day 2: Behind the Scenes of “Bono: Stories of Surrender (Immersive)”
With creative powerhouse Elad Offer diving into the Apple Vision Pro Bono project. We are living in a creative renaissance — the next 25 years are going to be wild…
SXSW 2025: Reclamation City: A Digital Twin Project
Digital twins, a virtual tool used to simulate real environments, are being used by professionals across industries; but what if we took the technology out of the board rooms and into our community centers? The Reclamation digital twin project trains community partners to create sensor-monitored digital twins, and uses the designs to transform blighted urban areas into immersive green spaces. By creating replicable workflows, workshops, and an educational toolkit, the project teaches meaningful tech skills to the community and nurtures a sustainable future for their neighborhoods. Hear from stakeholders about how to implement digital twins for your communities and businesses.
SXSW 2025: Featured Speaker: Kathleen Cohen
Kathleen Cohen is known as a Tech Humanist, an XR/AI Immersive Strategist and Educator with over 25+ years building both user and guest experiences in media, gaming, world-building, theme parks and location-based entertainment.
Her consultancy, The Collaboratorium, focuses on three areas; XR/AI Research, Client Projects and Public Engagement. Kathleen’s clients range from megacity, gigacity projects to media & entertainment and health & wellness implementations. Her XR/AI Research focuses on key learnings from indigenous wisdom, neurodivergence and conscious leadership.
Currently, Kathleen is teaming up to build a City of Los Angeles Reclamation project – helping to turn abandoned parcels of land into immersive, urban sanctuaries.
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.
AUREA Award: MackNeXT Honours International Pioneers of AR/VR Technology
January 19-20, 2021
Panel Discussion – The Essential Role of Storytelling in a Pandemic and Post Pandemic World. A passionate discussion from women in XR during Covid.
Moderator: Kathleen Cohen
Panelist: Cathy Hackl, Emily Olman and Amy Jupiter
Meet The Digital Embalmers Helping Celebrities, Brands And Individuals Plan Their Digital Afterlives
What happens when a company’s CEO who’s active on social media passes away? Does his family or the brand own what he said, tweeted, uploaded while he worked in the c-suite? Can the CEO be brought back as a hologram for a shareholders meeting?
holoride Taps Russo Brothers and AR/VR Pioneers for Strategy Board
When holoride showed off its in-car VR entertainment solution last year, it was clear the Audi spin-off was planning to turn famous Hollywood properties into interactive 3D experiences that will thrill backseat passengers…
