Kansas Health Foundation HealthRise 2025

The HealthRise annual event gives Kansas Health Foundation the chance to inspire the state’s health leaders with a meaningful, interactive experience.

Following up on the inaugural HealthRise, this year’s theme was upward mobility— helping Kansans access the full spectrum of resources across the state. Our challenge was to help attendees feel the community collaboration and catch the vision of the event’s theme statement: “we all rise together.”

To play out that idea, our concept toyed with perspective. Our visual design adopted a layered, multicolor look for invitations, pathways, and the stage itself. Attendees received glasses with either a blue or red filter, revealing specific graphics and wayfinding for a two-way walkthrough experience. On stage, colored lighting shifted with each speaker, reinforcing the effect and allowing participants to literally and metaphorically see through different lenses. What initially appeared as chaotic colors, dots, and lines turned into clarity.

Attendees took home a fresh-off-the-press copy of Ed O’Malley’s book, Leading Health, with a custom HealthRise cover. The book served as a tangible connection to the event, extending the experience beyond the night itself.

Creative Direction and Graphic Design: Gardner Design; Video and Motion Design: Justin McClure Creative; Sound & Lighting: Kent AV; Event Logistics & Planning: Dot Strategies