Thought-provoking conversations with influential designers, business leaders and more than a few rule-breakers who are exploring, shaping and changing the ways we live, learn and work.
Marc Newson is exceptional at making products that are both coveted and technically accomplished. Hear from the trailblazing designer about the inspiration and innovation behind his newest design for Knoll, the Newson Task chair.
Guest Speaker
Marc Newson
Industrial Designer
Moderator
Courtney J. Martin
Director, Yale Center for British Art
What motivates us to work? Who is responsible for job satisfaction? Dr. Raghu Kishnamoorthy returns to k. talks to discuss the impact of ‘the great resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’ on businesses—and how leaders can change the game.
Guest Speaker
Dr. Raghu Krishnamoorthy
Senior Fellow and Director of the Chief Learning Officer doctoral program, University of Pennsylvania
Moderator
Veronica Littleton
Marketing Manager, Knoll
The influence of hospitality today extends far beyond the concierge desk, becoming expected in nearly every customer experience: from a restaurant to the workplace.
Join Knoll and Kevin Yi, Senior Manager at Tao Group, as we explore how materiality, our everyday influences, and a craving for on-demand service is driving hospitality design today.
Guest Speaker
Kevin Yi
Senior Manager Design & Development , Tao Group
Moderator
Veronica Littleton
Marketing Manager, Knoll
As organizations lean into hybrid workplace strategies, many leaders still beg the question: How do we build our culture in a phygital world?
John McCabe, Design Manager at IBM, has spent much of his professional career designing both physical and virtual environments. Join Knoll and John for a conversation around how design, leadership, and fostering equitable human connection amplifies culture across distributed work.
Guest Speaker
John McCabe
Design Manager of the Watson Studio at IBM and co-founder of SHiFT
Moderator
Veronica Littleton
Marketing Manager, Knoll
Our everyday choices around color are personal, yet the traces we leave behind are felt by all. Join Knoll and Jessica Jones, Nike Global Design Director of color, for a dynamic dialogue on how color influences work, life, and play.
Guest Speaker
Jessica Jones
Global Design director of color; Mens Apparel, Nike
Moderator
Veronica Littleton
Marketing Manager, Knoll
World Monuments Fund (WMF) is the leading independent organization devoted to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places in order to enrich people’s lives and build mutual understanding across cultures and communities.
Guest Speaker
Dr. Jonathan Bell
Vice President of Programs, World Monuments Fund
Moderator
Veronica Littleton
Marketing Manager, Knoll
The Covid-19 pandemic caused a major shift in the global workforce, as millions of women - faced with challenges of managing work-from-home, remote learning and/or caregiver duties - decided to leave their jobs.
Join us as we explore the ways that employers and colleagues alike can support and empower women who are transitioning back to work - and help them thrive once they get there.
Guest Speaker
Mita Mallick
Head of Inclusion, Equity and Impact, Carta; LinkedIn Top Voice; Co-Host of Brown Table Talk podcast
Moderator
Veronica Littleton
Marketing Manager, Knoll
One obstacle many experienced during the pandemic was translating well-established workplace rituals to our home environment. Now as a highly distributed workforce begins returning to the workplace in varying fashion, the question emerges: How do we balance old and new rituals in the evolving world of hybrid work?
Join Knoll for a conversation with Dr. Sally Augustin, Principal at Design with Science, and Rebecca Horton, Workplace Well-being Advisor at MillerKnoll, as they share the science behind developing meaningful rituals across the workplace ecosystem and identify key environmental influences to nurture our well-being in those spaces.
Panalists
Dr. Sally Augustin
Principal, Design with Science. American Psychological Association Fellow.
Rebecca Horton
Wellbeing Advisor, MillerKnoll
Moderator
Veronica Littleton
Marketing Manager, Knoll
Tune in to get an insight into the world of renowned industrial designer, creative director, artist, and musician, Ini Archibong. Ini's work is characterized by a deep interest in master-craftsmanship and its intrinsic relationship to technology.
With the recent introduction of the Iquo Collection with Knoll, you'll hear more about the genesis of the design, the origin of the name and how this collection is set to be a new contemporary icon.
Guest
Ini Archibong
Industrial Designer, Creative Director, Artist, and Musician
Moderator
Norman Teague
Designer and Educator
What’s the best way to boost innovation in the workplace?
According to organizational psychologist Markus Baer, constraints, daydreaming and standing meetings have all been shown to contribute to increased creativity in the knowledge economy.
Get a window into the power of the mind at work as Baer shares insights from his research and provides tips on how organizations can nurture ideas from inspiration to implementation.
Guest
Markus Baer
Professor of Organizational Behavior
Washington University, St. Louis
Moderator
Carolyn Cirillo
Workplace Research Manager, Knoll
From the classroom to the dorm room, college life has changes dramatically for Generation Z. We have witnessed a significant shift in how this generation is learning and socializing on campus.
Join author Meghan Grace for a panel discussion with campus planning experts as we explore learning methods, mental health and future forecasting of Generation Z.
Moderator
Meghan Grace
Author and Generational Researcher
Panelists
Derrek Niec-Williams
Executive Director, Campus Planning, Architecture & Development, Howard University
Erin Gillespie
Project Manager, Interior Design Planning, Design & Construction, Temple University
Has the pandemic permanently shifted the talent dynamic?
Whether the Great Resignation materializes or not, few doubt that Covid's remote work experience has led to profound and lasting changes in the employer/employee power structure.
Former LinkedIn HR leader Steve Cadigan will share insights from his new book, "Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of Covid-19 to Create a Better Model of Working," and why humanity, culture and learning will be what move organizations forward in the future.
Guest
Steve Cadigan
Talent Strategist & Company Culture Expert
Moderator
Carolyn Cirillo
Workplace Research Manager, Knoll
As more and more individuals, communities, and companies turn their focus to the importance of improving the environment, how do we prioritize our commitment to carbon reduction and align a common approach to progress? Uncover the strategies trail blazing organizations are taking to protect the planet for generations to come.
Guests
Michael Shank, PhD
Director of Communications, Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance
Dennis Wilson
Vice President, Sustainability & EHS, Saint-Gobain North America
Moderator
Kimberly Smith, LEED AP
Senior Director, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Mid-sized cities have increased in popularity as new technologies and the rise of work from anywhere have shifted our views on where we live and work. Join us as we explore the impact of this urban migration and rise of new destination cities.
Speakers
Andy Warren
Director of Real Estate Research, PwC
Scott Dobbe, AIA
Executive Director, Omaha by Design
Moderator
Jade Franklin
Director of Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Whether it be an organic collaboration, serendipitous socialization or actual "face time"; there is a certain energy when people come together that cannot be replicated in a remote reality.
Join us for a conversation centering around mobile mentoring to discuss strategies for engaging, developing and mentoring employees in a digital-first reality.
Speaker
Veronica Littleton
A&D Manager & Workplace Leader, Knoll
Join Kylie Roth, Knoll Vice President of Research, for a discussion with author and speaker Alexandra Samuel about her new book Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work…Wherever You Are. In this Q&A session, Alexandra will reveal simple strategies, habits and tools leaders and employees can use to excel while working remotely.
Alexandra is co-founder of pioneering social media agency Social Signal, she creates digital content and workshops for companies including Google, Discovery and Sprinklr. Her writing on digital productivity appears frequently in the Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review, and she is a digital columnist for the CBC.
Speakers
Alexandra Samuel
Co-Founder, Social Signal
Kylie Roth
Vice President, Research, Knoll
As we migrate through the pandemic, rethinking norms amidst growing pressures of social unrest, many organizations seek to broaden their talent recruitment initiatives through an inclusive lens. How can we power a company culture of equity through inclusivity and diversity?
Join us as we pose some challenging questions and discuss opportunities to create a more respectful workplace built on empathy and fairness.
Panelists
Mita Mallick
Head of Inclusion, Equity and Impact, Carta
Megan Lawrence, PhD
Senior Accessibility Technical Evangelist, Microsoft
Jamell G. Mitchell, MBA
NCoE Chief Talent/Strategy Leader, EY
Moderator
Kimberly Smith
Senior Director, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Join Knoll as we host a panel discussion on the issues, drivers and challenges of designing spaces for the future legal workplace. Through discussion and an in-depth case study, we’ll look at the benefits of hoteling and strategies to design and implement updated environments that support the nuances of the modern law office.
Panelists
Marty Festenstein
Practice Leader, Legal, Nelson Worldwide
Sheri Thome
Attorney at Law, Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP
Moderator
Carolyn Cirillo
Workplace Research Manager, Knoll
Join as we share the Thriving Workplace, our recent research on new ways of workplace thinking and space planning. We’ll present opportunities for organizations to redefine, reshape and improve how we work, where we work and build truly flexible, hybrid office environments that help people thrive.
Speakers
Kylie Roth
Vice President, Research
Tracy Wymer
Vice President, Workplace Strategy
After a year of work-from-home, will athleisure become standard in the office? Will the post-pandemic workplace resemble your living room? Hear from a leading social psychologist and an architect on the overall trend toward casualization and how that affects our productivity and performance at work.
Panelists
Barry Richards
Principal & Studio Leader, Rockwell Group
Professor Adam Galinsky
Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics, Columbia Business School
Moderator
Carolyn Cirillo
Workplace Research Manager, Knoll
2020 was a challenge to say the least. Work from home, learn from home and stay at home orders forced most of us out of our wellness rituals. As we head into the new year, let’s recalibrate and hear from a diverse panel of wellness experts as they share their insights on how individuals and companies can thrive in the new year.
Panelists
Greg Kunkel
SVP & Co-Founder, Next Jump
Dr. Katy Kamkar, Ph.D., C. Psych.
Clinical Psychologist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Dona Anjali Fasano
Youth Market Director, American Heart Association
Moderator
Jade Franklin
Director, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Join Copenhagen-based designer and trend forecaster Nina Bruun as she shares her history, her convictions and reveals some key trends to watch.
Nina has worked with companies such as FilzFelt, Muuto, Allermuir and Menu. In this Q&A session, she will reveal insight and predictions within the fields of color, product-design, graphics and visual brand identity.
Speaker
Nina Bruun
Founder and CEO, Nina Bruun Design Studio
Moderator
Traci Roloff
Co-Founder and VP Marketing, FilzFelt
Join Knoll as we host a panel discussion on the challenges of an expanding industry under the curtain of Covid-19. The ever-present challenges of growing within zoning regulations, balancing light manufacturing to wet lab deployment in a technology rich environment are made more complex by simply keeping employees safe in advancing science today. Listen as a panel of experts share their experiences.
Panelists
Michele Spangier Hodge
Senior Director, Global Real Estate & Facilities, 10x Genomics
Amy Steigerwalt
Vice President, Human Resources, Orasure
Kathy Weber
EVP of Molecular Solutions & Services, DNA Genotek
Moderator
Tracy Wymer
Vice President, Workplace, Knoll
The design of the healthcare built environment is experiencing ongoing change, due both to the current Covid-19 crisis and its impacts, but also as the result of the rise of the patient as a consumer. Hear what our live panel of healthcare design leaders predict about these dual impacts on the design of healthcare environments from ambulatory to acute care facilities.
Panelists
Laura Morris, CHID, LEED AP BD+C, IIDA, Lean Green Belt
Principal and Interior Design Director, Array Architects
George Tingwald, MD, AIA
Director of Medical Planning, Stanford University Medical Center
Franne Stewart, ASID, CHID, IIDA
Director of Health Interiors, Houston Office, HKS
Moderator
Kylie Roth
Vice President, Workplace Research, Knoll
Join scholar Ricardo Gomes, director of the Design Center for Global Needs, School of Design at San Francisco State University, as he shares the Seven Principles of Universal Design, and how we can design more inclusive physical environments that meet the needs of today’s diverse population.
Speaker
Ricardo Gomes
Professor/Director, Design Center for Global Needs, School of Design, San Francisco State University
Moderator
Tracy Wymer
Vice President, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Will your office feel like Saturday morning on a Tuesday afternoon? With fewer people, higher partitions, more hard surfaces and lots of signage and hand-sanitizer, the new workplace will not only look different, but will sound different than the 2019 office. Hear from acoustics expert and sound engineer Victoria Cerami on creating an auditory experience that’s right for your organization as you phase back to the office.
Speaker
Victoria Cerami
CEO, Cerami
Moderator
Kimberly Smith
Senior Director, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Barry Richard is known for his multi-faceted design skills. Get a peek inside his ideation process as he talks about his approach to design, what inspires his work and what we can expect from the next generation of designers.
In addition to his work on Rockwell Unscripted for Knoll, Barry’s projects span set design, the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, the Walt Disney Family Museum, the breakthrough Imagination Playground initiative, Capital One Café prototypes and more.
Speaker
Barry Richards
Principal & Studio Leader, Rockwell Group
Moderator
Barbara Weinreich
Director of Undergraduate Programs, New York School of Interior Design
The Covid-19 pandemic sent office workers around the world to work from home. Many left cities and took shelter in less populated areas. Join our live panel of real estate and urban planning experts as they discuss the impact of the coronavirus on urban and suburban corporate real estate and how the pandemic may drive changes in where we spend our time.
Panelists
Benjamin Grant
Urban Design Policy Director, SPUR
Grace Paul
Americas Experience Leader, EY
Tracy Wymer
VP Workplace, Knoll
Moderator
Andrew Farah
CEO, Density
COVID-19 has disrupted the world of work across the globe and created many questions about what the post-pandemic workplace will look like. One segment that may emerge in a new light is coworking. Hear predictions from in-the-know founders on future space-as-a-service models and what strategies are being put in place to ensure a healthy workplace and fiscally sound business.
Panelists
Ryan Simonetti
Co-Founder & CEO, Convene
Tim Rowe
CEO, Cambridge Innovation Center
Liz Elam
Founder, GCUC (Global Coworking Unconference Conference) & Partner at the Co.RE Opportunity Fund
Moderator
Kylie Roth
Senior Director of Workplace Research, Knoll
Join designer Marc Krusin as he talks about how living from the present moment has influenced his design process....and his life.
Marc Krusin designs spaces and products for clients around the world from his London studio. For Knoll, Krusin has designed the Krusin Chair and Table collection, the Anchor storage system, and Pixel™, a portfolio of performance tables for the entire office with a focus on training and classroom spaces.
Speaker
Marc Krusin
Designer
As workers worldwide contemplate returning to the office, new norms will likely emerge to address employee health and safety. Get up to date with our live panel of leading design thinkers as we explore their thoughts on what the future might hold. Hear experts’ considerations about planning and design, and how the impact of social distancing and work-from-home will re-shape the future of real estate and workplace decisions.
Panelists
Mark Morton
Principal, Gensler
Sharon Johnston
Founder, Partner, Johnston Marklee
Moderator
Benjamin A. Pardo
Executive Vice President, Design, Knoll
The future of higher education lies at the intersection of on-campus and online learning. Learn how these two worlds are converging, how the pandemic is accelerating and decelerating trends reshaping higher education, and how colleges and universities must reimagine their positioning, programs, people, and places as a result.
Speaker
Elliot Felix
Founder & CEO, brightspot
Moderator
Carol Crane
Vice President, Education / Healthcare, Knoll
Join New York Times best-selling author Gretchen Rubin as she shares simple ways to add a dose of happiness to your day, even in stressful, uncertain times. In this Q&A session, she will reveal her research-based tips on how to be healthier, more productive, organized and creative, and how by changing our habits, we can change our lives.
Gretchen is the author of The Happiness Project; Happier at Home; Better than Before; The Four Tendencies; Outer Order, Inner Calm
What makes a successful team? Hint: it’s more than great chemistry. Learn the five characteristics of highly effective teams that Google’s “Project Aristotle” research revealed.
Presenters
Kimberly Smith
Senior Director, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Jade Franklin
Director, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Generation Z is not just another cohort of Millennials. In this session, we hear their stories, learn about their values and aspirations, and understand how they’re changing the world and why the workplace will never be the same.
Presenters
Kylie Roth
Senior Director, Workplace Research, Knoll
Carolyn Cirillo
Workplace Research Manager, Knoll
Distractions are stealing our time, focus and productivity. In this session, we discuss the two primary sources of distractions—People and Objects, explore where those two sources come together and how we can mitigate them within space.
Presenter
Tracy Wymer
Vice President, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Designing and implementing a plan for remote work is both a challenge and an opportunity. Join us for a live panel discussion with leading flexible workplace strategists and researchers to learn how to jumpstart success for you and your team.
Panelists
Cali Williams Yost
Founder and CEO, Flex+Strategy Group
Kate Lister
President, Global Workplace Analytics
Tracy Wymer
Vice President, Workplace Strategy, Knoll
Moderator
Kylie Roth
Senior Director, Workplace Research, Knoll