Dr. Deana McDonagh

Dr. Deana McDonagh

Keynote Speaker: Empathic Design Research Strategist

Dr. Deana McDonagh Biography

Dr. Deana McDonagh is a professor of industrial design and School of Art and Design, and Health Innovation Professor at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is a faculty researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and the founder of the (dis)Ability Design Studio at the Beckman Institute, which supports interdisciplinary design research centered around the lived experiences of people with disabilities. In 2022, McDonagh won the Beckman Institute Vision and Spirit Award for exemplifying excellence and interdisciplinary research collaboration.

As an empathic design research strategist, she focuses on enhancing the quality of life for all through more intuitive and meaningful products, leading to emotional sustainability. Her research concentrates on emotional user-product relationships and how empathy can bring the designer closer to users, authentic needs, ensuring both functional and emotional needs are met the material landscape.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Dr. Deana McDonagh and other top speakers and celebrities.

Dr. Deana McDonagh Speaking Topics

Empathic Design Research Strategy

Transforming Invention into Innovation. Ensuring that inventions are transformed empathically to integrate into the lives of real people. Empathy provides the bridge between the development of technology and the lived experience of people.

Supra-Fuctionality

Supra-Fuctionality refers to the needs of people that are existing, emerging and unforeseeable. These needs include emotional, social, cultural and aspirational. If a product, service or environment only meets functional needs (and neglects the supra-functional) then a disconnect can be generated that demises the impact of the design outcome.

Disability and Design

Bringing diverse people into the designing process ensures that a portal to a higher level of innovation is achieved.

How do I book Dr. Deana McDonagh to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Dr. Deana McDonagh for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Dr. Deana McDonagh, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Dr. Deana McDonagh or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Dr. Deana McDonagh for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Dr. Deana McDonagh, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Dr. Deana McDonagh are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Dr. Deana McDonagh, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Dr. Deana McDonagh speak about?

Dr. Deana McDonagh is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Disability, Personal Growth, Emotional Intelligence, Innovation, Women, Inspirational, Motivational, Inventors, Diversity & Inclusion, Health & Wellness, Professors, Science and Technology.

Where does Dr. Deana McDonagh travel from?

Dr. Deana McDonagh generally travels from Champaign, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Dr. Deana McDonagh?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Dr. Deana McDonagh for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Dr. Deana McDonagh for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Dr. Deana McDonagh or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Dr. Deana McDonagh is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Disability, Personal Growth and Emotional Intelligence. The estimated speaking fee range to book Dr. Deana McDonagh for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Dr. Deana McDonagh generally travels from Champaign, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Kavita Shukla, Gitanjali Rao and Ayanna Howard. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dr. Deana McDonagh for an upcoming event.

Dr. Deana McDonagh Speaking Topics

  • Empathic Design Research Strategy

    Transforming Invention into Innovation. Ensuring that inventions are transformed empathically to integrate into the lives of real people. Empathy provides the bridge between the development of technology and the lived experience of people.

  • Supra-Fuctionality

    Supra-Fuctionality refers to the needs of people that are existing, emerging and unforeseeable. These needs include emotional, social, cultural and aspirational. If a product, service or environment only meets functional needs (and neglects the supra-functional) then a disconnect can be generated that demises the impact of the design outcome.

  • Disability and Design

    Bringing diverse people into the designing process ensures that a portal to a higher level of innovation is achieved.

  • How do I book Dr. Deana McDonagh to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Dr. Deana McDonagh for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Dr. Deana McDonagh, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Dr. Deana McDonagh or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Dr. Deana McDonagh for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Dr. Deana McDonagh, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Dr. Deana McDonagh are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Dr. Deana McDonagh, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Dr. Deana McDonagh speak about?

    Dr. Deana McDonagh is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Disability, Personal Growth, Emotional Intelligence, Innovation, Women, Inspirational, Motivational, Inventors, Diversity & Inclusion, Health & Wellness, Professors, Science and Technology.
  • Where does Dr. Deana McDonagh travel from?

    Dr. Deana McDonagh generally travels from Champaign, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Dr. Deana McDonagh?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Dr. Deana McDonagh for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Dr. Deana McDonagh for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Dr. Deana McDonagh or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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DR. DEANA MCDONAGH

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