Digital Scene - KC: Hallmark
How do you build a national reputation for creative excellence from the heart of the Midwest? Find out on Thursday, September 10, 2026, when DIGITAL SCENE KC comes to the Hallmark Visitors Center. Co-hosted by KC IMAGINE and KC Digital Drive, we’re bringing together the city's top digital media practitioners and educators for networking focused on innovation, design, and community impact.
Join Kansas City’s leading digital media professionals and educators for an evening of collaboration and insight. Whether you’re interested in Hallmark’s decades of world-class creative work or its deep roots in the KC community, this gathering is designed to spark new ideas and local partnerships. Enjoy the Hallmark Visitors Center’s immersive look into Hallmark’s 116-year history through interactive displays, a collection of historic Keepsake Ornaments, and the famous star-shaped bow-making machine. Connect with KC area professionals in a casual networking setting while you explore a staple of Kansas City's creative scene.
· Connect & Collaborate: Network with KC’s top-tier professionals and creative innovators.
· Enjoy Free Food & Drink: Fuel your happy hour with complimentary soft drinks, and snacks.
· Fuel Your Inspiration: Learn how Hallmark continues to drive creative and digital excellence from Kansas City.
· Explore the Venue: Check out the Hallmark Visitors Center and see how a legendary brand tells its story of innovation.
· Grow Your Circle: Expand your professional network in a dynamic, collaborative setting.
Who Can Attend?
Digital media professionals and digital media educators. This event is free, but you must REGISTER to attend.
Host Profiles
Tim Bodendistel is a Master Designer in Licensing at Hallmark Cards, Inc., where he specializes in bringing beloved pop culture icons to life. With an extensive background that spans illustrative products, greeting cards, educational books, plush toys, and even digital media like gaming interfaces, Tim works with world-renowned licensed characters such as Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh. He is also a celebrated Hallmark Keepsake artist, frequently collaborating to create intricate, magic-infused holiday ornaments that incorporate interactive sound, light, and motion technology. Known for his ability to tell a compelling story through every product he designs, Tim focuses on capturing the distinct personality and nostalgia of each character to forge meaningful connections with audiences of all ages.
Lynette Morse is Manager of the Hallmark Visitors Center and Kaleidoscope, where she is dedicated to creating memorable, inspiring experiences that connect visitors to Hallmark’s rich heritage, creative spirit, and core values through the company’s two public exhibit spaces. Since assuming the role in 2022, she has led a team of full- and part-time staff in delivering engaging programs, exhibits, and meaningful moments that welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Kimberly Watt has deep roots with Hallmark Cards, having grown up in the Southmoreland neighborhood surrounded by career Hallmarkers who worked across the company's manufacturing, distribution, and design departments. From art collections and museums, Kim joined the Hallmark Visitors Center with a leadership role as Guest Experience Supervisor in 2024. She oversees visitor engagement, customer service, and coordinates group experiences within this exhibit space, expressing a strong appreciation for Hallmark's long-standing tradition of local outreach and global connectivity.
About Our Host Company:
Founded in Kansas City in 1910, Hallmark Cards, Inc. has grown from a teenager’s shoebox of postcards into a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise and a pillar of the Midwest's creative economy. Headquartered right here in KC, the company boasts one of the world's largest in-house creative communities, employing an elite team of roughly 900 artists, designers, stylists, writers, and photographers. Beyond its iconic greeting cards and keepsakes, Hallmark has continuously evolved its digital media footprint through global brands like Crayola, Hallmark Media, and its streaming platform Hallmark+. Hosting this event at the Hallmark Visitors Center gives the local digital media community a firsthand look at how a legacy brand bridges storytelling, art, and modern technology to inspire meaningful connections worldwide.