CoDesign Conversations:
The Hope for Human-Centered Design

Name: CoDesign Conversations: The Hope for Human-Centered Design
Start: 2026-02-18T13:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-18T13:45:00-05:00

Join us on February 18 for our LinkedIn Live conversation series that explores the dynamic intersection of public and private sector innovation.

Closeup of the columsn of a government building

There is no question that the field of human-centered design has changed over the past several years. We watched our lives go online in response to the pandemic, increasingly automated our homes and our cars, and saw dramatic upticks in social media and AI chatbot usage. In 2025, we saw the dismantling and early rebuilding of digital services teams within the federal government and the appointment of our first Chief Design Officer. The job market is erratic, and AI is popping up in every area of design, leaving a lot of talented people questioning their future in the field as well as the future of the field. What’s ahead for us? For our first episode of 2026, we’ll survey the landscape and make some educated guesses.

Moderated by Melissa Casburn, VP of Design at Coforma, this episode brings together forward-thinking leaders at the intersection of sustainability, curriculum, and strategic design. Together, they’ll discuss how to navigate these systemic shifts and where the opportunities lie for practitioners to inject rigor, empathy, and equity back into a field increasingly pressured by speed and automation. Guest speakers include:

Eric Corey Freed is a Principal and Director of Sustainability at CannonDesign. A renowned architect and visionary, Eric has spent his career at the forefront of regenerative design and carbon-positive solutions. He is the author of eleven books, including “Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies,” and is a frequent speaker on how design can solve the most pressing challenges of the climate crisis. At CannonDesign, he helps organizations integrate sustainability into the core of their physical and digital infrastructures.
Elissa Olinsky is the Director of Product at Factal, a breaking news technology company that helps the world’s largest organizations protect people, avoid disruptions, and expedite disaster relief when global events put them at immediate risk. Prior to Factal, Elissa led teams of researchers and communicators focused on making government websites and APIs meet real user needs. She holds a Master’s degree in Museum Education and began her career at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, where she designed digital and physical in-museum experiences that centered learning, memory, and human impact.
Jennifer Rittner is the Assistant Dean of Curriculum + Learning and an Assistant Professor of Strategic Design + Management at Parsons School of Design. Her work focuses on the social and political implications of design, examining how design can be used to foster equity or reinforce systemic bias. Jennifer is a writer, educator, and consultant who has dedicated her career to helping designers understand their ethical responsibilities and the transformative potential of human-centered practices in shaping public discourse.
Jabali Williams is a Chief Experience Officer with over 20 years of experience leading brand and digital projects that align organizational goals with customer needs. As a leader in digital innovation, he focuses on elevating strategy through data-driven and user-centered decision-making. Throughout his career, Jabali has guided successful digital transformation projects for government agencies and non-profits, including the Department of State, the Federal Trade Commission, and No Kid Hungry. A designer at his core, he is a passionate advocate for empowering people and making a positive impact on those in need of support.

February 18, 2026, 1pm ET / 10am PT | Live on LinkedIn

Join us for a timely and solution-forward conversation, presented in partnership with Coforma, about the future of our field and the evolving role of design in shaping a more equitable world.