State of the Presentation Industry, Thursday, September 25

About the event

Looking back, Launching Forward: What is the State of the Presentation Industry 

The Presentation Guild is turning ten, and with it comes not only a milestone celebration but also a chance to reflect, learn, and look ahead at what’s next for our profession. The upcoming anniversary event, The State of the Presentation Industry, is designed as more than just a retrospective — it’s a gathering of voices across the industry, weaving together the past, present, and future of presentation design.

This event is free and open to all presentation professionals! Attendees will receive a free copy of the 2025 State of the Presentation Profession Report, a $50 value!

Register Now

Event program

Thursday September 25, 12.00 - 2.00 pm ET

Setting the Stage

The event kicks off with a spark of creativity when our host, Glenn Gibson, author of Before the Mic, Principal Advisor and Presentation Coach at Hyland will invite participants to join a collaborative mural, contributing hopes, dreams, and predictions for what presentation industry might look like ten years from now. Our mural will be live throughout the whole event will grow into a collective vision of the future — to be revealed at the end of the session.

The Past: Once Upon a Slide

Every profession has an origin story, and ours is rich with transformation. We will take a quick look back at how the presentation industry has evolved — from cave paintings to overhead projectors, from bullet points to design thinking, and into the digital age of cloud collaboration.

We will ask ourselves – what “era of origin” do we come from — the Transparency Era, the Bullet Point Boom, the Slide Zen Era, or today’s Cloud Deck Era.

We will also do a quick highlight of the founding of the Presentation Guild itself and how the word “guild” is a nod to centuries-old traditions of mentorship, credentialing, and community.

The Present: Taking the Pulse

What does it mean to be a presentation professional right now? That’s where the Guild’s State of the Presentation Profession Report comes in. Based on data collected across the field, Monica Longoria, the Presentation Guild Research Director and Head of Marketing Insights, LG Ad Solutions, will provide a benchmark for the present day:

• Compensation & Career Paths: Where salaries and hourly rates stand — and how professionals can advocate for themselves.
• Tools & Workflows: PowerPoint still dominates, but Google Slides and other platforms are on the rise.
• Professional Growth: Data on education, training, and certifications show how designers build their skills and careers.
• Shared Realities: From freelancers to in-house specialists, the report underscores both the diversity and the common challenges within our field.
• Recognition & Value: Insights to help explain to clients, managers, and stakeholders why presentation work matters — and why it deserves respect.

This snapshot of “the now” not only helps professionals understand where they stand but also arms them with knowledge to shape their future.

The Future: Fast Forward

The final act of the event is about looking ahead and discussing the forces shaping the next decade: the rise of AI, the demand for accessibility, the blending of data storytelling with interactive media, and the increasing recognition of presentation design as a strategic discipline.

A live panel discussion, with our amazing panelists PK Steffen, Principal and Owner, PKdigital, Courtney Allen, CEO & Presentation Specialist at 16X9 and Dekishea Gordon, Presentation Designer, OneRail, and Kirk Patel, Co-founder M'idea Hub, will continue to expand on these themes, with speakers exploring questions such as:

• How AI will shift the designer’s role from “slide maker” to strategic communicator
• Why accessibility and inclusivity will become non-negotiable
• The growing role of storytelling in transforming complex data into understanding
• How evolving recognition could open doors to leadership roles and specialized career paths

The event culminates with a return to the collaborative mural. What recurring themes — creativity, recognition, technology, and growth — can we find as well as fun surprises that reflect the passion of the presentation professionals.

More Than an Event

This anniversary gathering is not just about looking back; it’s about building momentum. The Presentation Guild has always been about community, craft, and progress, and this event reflects that spirit. By weaving together history, current insights, and a collective vision of the future, it’s both a celebration and a launchpad for the decade ahead.

This event is free and open to the public. Attendees will receive a free copy of the 2025 State of the Industry Report, a $50 value!

The State of the Presentation Industry Details:

Register Now

Speaker Bios

Glenn Gibson | Emcee & Moderator

Glenn Gibson is an award-winning presenter, keynote speaker and author of the book highly rated presentation book Before the Mic. Glenn is a full-time presentation coach and works with executives from some of the world’s leading organizations. Glenn loves everything about the art and science of presentations and especially enjoys finding creative ways to engage the minds of his audiences by turning information into inspiration. 

Monica Longoria | Presenter State of the Presentation Profession Report

I love using presentations to make information clear and meaningful. Over my 15+ years in cable, broadcast, and streaming TV, I’ve focused on helping brands better understand audiences and make smarter decisions using data and insights. As Head of Marketing Insights at LG Ad Solutions and Research Director on the Presentation Guild Board, I bring together my passion for data, design, and storytelling to uncover what truly matters. 

Courtney Allen | Panelist

I fell in love with presentations when I realized they could be more than bullet points — they could wake people up, spark curiosity, and inspire action. That realization turned into 16X9, the global design firm I founded to help leaders tell stories that stick. Along the way, I became one of Upwork’s top earners (over $2M in earnings), expanded to Seoul in 2021, and had my journey featured in Fortune, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider. What excites me most is transforming complex ideas into slides that don’t just inform an audience — they captivate them. 

Dekishea Gordon | Panelist

I’m a Presentation Designer with over 15 years of experience creating impactful presentations. I began my career in marketing and communications, but during the pandemic, I pivoted into presentation design and never looked back. Since then, I’ve freelanced for brands across industries and worked in-house at an agency serving major pharmaceutical and medical clients. Today, I bring that same creative energy to OneRail, a leading omnichannel fulfillment solution that combines software and logistics to help businesses deliver on their delivery promise. At the core of my work, I love turning complex business ideas into memorable stories and using animations to make each point resonate.   

Kirk Patel | Panelist

I love helping founders and investors turn complex ideas into clear, compelling stories that resonate. Too often, great companies undersell themselves with decks that are too academic or cluttered to connect with investors. That’s why Harry and I started M’idea Hub, a niche presentation design studio for startups, VCs, and PE firms. With my engineering background and Harry’s creative expertise, we blend structure and storytelling into every deck we design. 

PK Steffen | Panelist

Crafting story is as important for me as building beautiful, unique and impactful visuals. A great story is the starting point for every great presentation. I build pitch decks for an audience of one to opening keynotes for audiences in the thousands. I also like to step out from behind the screen to lead training, emcee and present.