Evo Heyning

A dedicated advocate for open, ethical ecosystems in the spatial web, Evo serves as the Vice President of the XR Guild. Her pioneering work across virtual environments, practical R&D, and civic engagement earned her the 2023 Community Leadership Award from the Academy of Immersive Arts & Sciences. Evo has produced award-winning campaigns and features and architects creative endeavors from first ideas to production and public engagement.

With over 25 years of experience, Evo has designed and produced immersive experiences that bridge real and virtual worlds, including more than 500 hours of live, interactive virtual events and groundbreaking XR and VR projects. Her work has spanned sectors from public health-contributing to the Affordable Care Act's launch campaign-to education, cleantech, and civic technology, consistently leveraging emerging media to solve real-world challenges.

Evo's academic contributions include teaching XR, AI, and engagement design to producers, Fortune 1000 companies, and government agencies, as well as authoring Promptcraft, a guidebook on creative production with AI tools. She is a frequent speaker and moderator at global conferences including CES, AWE, and the World Government Summit, sharing insights on virtual engagement, collaborative worldbuilding, and the future of public media systems.

Evo Heyning as InKenzo in early virtual worlds. Today she curates the Virtual Worlds Museum and interviews worldbuilders in the award-winning Spotlight Series.

Previously, Evo co-founded Toyshoppe Systems, a practical effects and R&D studio that contributed to over 100 major media projects, including sci-fi films, theme parks, and AR/VR product development. Her leadership extends to serving as Vice President and Board Member of XR Guild, where she advocates for ethical engagement in the XR industry.

Currently, Evo's R&D at Realitycraft is centered on developing sustainable, AI-powered solutions for affordable, climate-resilient housing, exemplified by her project GrowAHome.org-a hemp-based ecovillage and immersive educational series utilizing XR and AI tools.