Rachael is currently only available for limited speaking engagements. Please reach out at rachael.dietkus@gmail.com.

Select Past Events

May 23 + 24 in Brooklyn, New York // Fortune Brainstorm Design

Rachael shared the stage with designer Jason Mayden to talk about trauma in the context of design and a call to action for design leaders. She also led a Care by Design workshop for design leaders.

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Co-Creation School Spotlight: A Conversation on Trauma-Informed Design with Rachael Dietkus // April 21, 2022 // Online

What does "trauma-informed design” mean? What are its basic principles? As someone professionally involved with co-creation, what is it that I should be aware of? How does trauma-informed design translate in real cases? Rachael Dietkus, a design research strategist and licensed clinical social worker, will address these questions in an open conversation format. This Spotlight is a great session for anyone who wishes to grow their awareness of trauma-informed design, as well as grasp the challenges and opportunities that lies with it. Time: Thursday, April 21st at 12PM ET (New York), 6PM CET (Paris), 10PM IST (Delhi). Please note that this Spotlight is *not* a course about trauma-informed design. Shall you wish to dive deeper in this topic, we can point you to good quality courses. Register for free here or here.

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Mad*Pow’s Health Experience Design (HXD) Conference // April 11-12, 2022 // Cambridge, MA

As the annual conference hosted by Mad*Pow’s Center for Health Experience Design, the Health Experience Design Conference provides a unique crossroads for a diverse community of executives and practitioners in design, innovation, research, strategy, and technology to help accelerate the transformation of our health system. Rachael will be speaking as part of the Equity by Design track on day 1. Details are here.

Rosenfeld Media’s Advancing Research Conference // March 9-11, 2022 // Online

Advancing Research 2022 is the third edition of the ground-breaking conference created by researchers for researchers. This year’s event focuses on the opportunities research practitioners and teams have to enable businesses to both do good and do well. Rachael will speak on a panel with fellow trauma-informed design researchers and practitioners. Additional details are forthcoming. Register here: https://rosenfeldmedia.com/advancing-research-2022/register/

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Doing Design Festival // Feb 11, 2022 // Online

The Doing Design Festival is a one-day learning event with practical tools and fresh perspectives exploring how compassion, dignity, and play can help us be 'Better Together.' Rachael will be presenting on trauma-informed design and explore how to work with individuals and communities that have experienced impacts from a breadth of trauma, responding with compassion and dignity. Please note AED time zone! Register here: https://www.thisisdoing.com/the-doing-design-festival

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People Over Playbooks: The Corporate Playbooks Used to Combat Organizational Trauma and Why They’re Not Enough. // January 18 // Online

This will be a big and timely conversation on 1/18 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. CST with Vivianne Castillo from HmntyCntrd®, Alison Taylor from Augur, and Rachael Dietkus. We'll be diving deep into organizational trauma, the playbooks that often cause harm, coping and healing from workplace hardships, and strategies to overcome these difficulties and heal. Read the report by Alba Villamil and Karen Eisenhauer. Register for the event here.

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Trauma-Responsive Design Research: A New Model for Change, hosted by the SDN NYC Chapter // January 18, 2022 // Online

Trauma-Responsive Design Research: A New Model for Change, hosted by the SDN New York Chapter on 1/18 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. CST. This talk will share a new trauma-responsive design framework and include examples of how this framework allows for emerging practices to be integrated throughout the design process. Register here.