PUBLIC SPEAKING, MODERATING and FACILITATING
Hitesh has a global reach and is a well sought-after International Speaker and Moderator. Mr. Mehta has presented as a Keynote Speaker/Guest Speaker, acted as Panel Moderator and Facilitated Seminars in over 75 Conferences, Seminars in 34 countries including five IFLA, three ASLA, two FLASLA, three APA, two AIA and 4 LABASH conferences. He is/was invited to the following international conferences, workshops & seminars:
2013
- Guest Lecture: 5th Graders, IBA Program, Carrolwood Day School, Tampa
- Steering Committee: The International Ecotourism Society’s (TIES) annual conference 2013- Nairobi, Kenya
- Keynote Speaker: Third IFLA Seminar on “Education in Landscape Architecture in Africa” in Lagos, Nigeria.
2012
- Guest Lecture: “Metaphysics in Ecological Planning”, Lousiana State University
- Convenor and Speaker: Ecolodge Planning, Design and Operations Workshop II. TIES annual conference – Monterey, CA
- Speaker: IFLA’s World Congress on “Landscapes in Transition” in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Public Lecture: “Towards an Authentic ecoArchitecture in Kenya” Nairobi, Kenya
- Guest Lecture: – “Authentic Ecotourism” Bogor Agricultural University, Java , Indonesia.
- Public Lecture: – “The Magic of Bamboo”, Uberlingen, Germany
- Speaker: “Authentic Ecotourism and Ecolodges” – Eastern Black Sea Ecotourism Conference, Trabzon, Turkey
- Key note Speaker: “Metaphysics in Ecological Planning”, El Yunque Forest Service Seminar, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour –San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Guest Lecture: “Authentic Ecolodges – Taking Green Architecture to the next level”, San Juan Polytechnic, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Guest Speaker: Virtual Skye presentation to LA students at Mississippi State University
2011
- Speaker: ASLA’s Annual Conference and EXPO on “Winds of Change” in San Diego
- Co-Organizer: Second IFLA Seminar on “Education in Landscape Architecture in Africa” in Juja, Kenya
- Keynote Speaker: Second IFLA Seminar on “Education in Landscape Architecture in Africa” in Juja, Kenya.
- Conductor of Master Class on Eco-Design: Second IFLA Seminar on “Education in Landscape Architecture in Africa” in Juja, Kenya.
- Conductor of Master Class on Graphics: Second IFLA Seminar on “Education in Landscape Architecture in Africa” in Juja, Kenya.
- Speaker and Panel Facilitator: The International Ecotourism Society’s (TIES) annual conference – Hilton Head. SC
- Convenor, Facilitator and Speaker: Ecolodge Planning, Design and Operations Workshop.
- TIES annual conference – Hilton Head. SC
- Keynote Speaker: Philippines MICE Annual Conference “iShare..youConnect..weChange” in Cebu Island
- Panel Moderator and Speaker: Florida ASLA’s Annual Conference and EXPO on “Growing Diversity” in Boca Raton
- Panel Member: Landscape Architects without Borders. IFLA’s World Congress in Zurich, Switzerland.
- Speaker: Florida Atlantic University and Queensland University of Technology “Sub -Tropical Cities Conference” – Ft. Lauderdale, USA.
- Speaker: The Liveable Cities Summit “ Livable City of the Future: a chinese case study”. – Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.
- Plenary Roundtable Participant: The Liveable Cities Summit “Building the Green City: Utilizing Technology to Protect the Environment” – Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Florence, Italy
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Jupiter, Florida, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – House + Earth, Austin, Texas, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Bookpeople, Austin, Texas, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Hong Kong , China
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Shanghai ,China
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Gainesville, Florida
2010
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Johannesburg, South Africa
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – London, United Kingdom
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Los Angeles, California, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Tourism Victoria, Victoria Island, Canada
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Hospitality & Tourism, Victoria Island, Canada
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – TVIC, Victoria Island, Canada
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Seattle, Washington, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Bainbridge Island, Washington USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Menlo Park, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Miami, Florida, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Artserve, Ft. Lauderdale, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Urban Brew Café, Ft. Lauderdale, USA
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – Costa Rica, Central America
- Speaker: Authentic Ecolodges Book Tour – World Premier, Portland , Oregon, USA
- Keynote Speaker: Ecotourism Kenya Annual General Meeting – Nairobi, Kenya
- Guest Speaker: Naboisho Conservancy Symposium – Nairobi, Kenya
- Keynote Speaker and Panel Moderator: ASEAN Annual Conference – Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
2009
- Keynote Speaker and Eco-design Workshop
- Facilitator: Ecotourism Australia Global Conference – Alice Springs, Australia.
- Keynote Speaker: Adventure Travel World Summit – Quebec, Canada.
- Guest Speaker: Oshwal Women’s League Guest Lecture Series – Nairobi, Kenya.
- Keynote Speaker: Mali Ministry of Tourism Seminar – Bamako, Mali.
2008
- Keynote Speaker and Eco-design Workshop
- Facilitator: Ecotourism Australia Global Conference – Alice Springs, Australia.
- Speaker and Facilitator: The International Ecotourism Society’s annual conference – Vancouver BC.
- Keynote Speaker: Cornell University Central America Hotel Society Conference – San Jose, Costa Rica.
- Speaker: Guest Lecture Series – University of Buenos Aires – Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Speaker: Argentinean Institute of Architects Guest Lecture Presentation – Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Speaker: Annual Shanghai Design Week Conference– Shanghai, China.
- Speaker: Guest Lecture Series – University of Sydney – Sydney, Australia.
- Speaker: Autumn Semester Lectures – Lincoln University– Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Speaker and Conference facilitator (MC): First Gulf Landscape Architecture Conference – Dubai.
2007
- Keynote Speaker: Hospitality Design Asia Annual Conference and Expo – Hong Kong, China.
- Speaker: The International Ecotourism Society’s annual conference – Madison, Wisconsin.
- Keynote Speaker: Florida ASLA’s Annual Conference and EXPO on “Landscape Transformations..How shall we grow” in Miami.
- Keynote Speaker: US Landscape Architecture Students Annual Conference (LABASH) on “Survive”. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
- Book Study Tour Presenter: “Authentic Ecolodges” book progress presentations in San Francisco, California; Sumba Island, Indonesia; Sydney and Pt. Douglas, Australia; Avignon France; London, England; Toronto & Moose Factory, Canada; Lapa Rios, Costa Rica; Nairobi, Kenya; Singapore; Moscow, Russia and Jupiter & Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
2006
- Keynote Speaker: Costa Rica National Chamber of Ecotourism’s (CANAECO) International Forum on Ecotourism “The Challenges of Ecotourism” – Turrialba, Costa Rica.
- Speaker: AIA’s Hong Kong and Pacific Northwest Chapter Annual Conference “Pacific Crossings” – Hong Kong, China.
- Keynote Speaker: The American Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Panama’s VI International Tourism Forum “Defining Success” – Panama City, Panama.
- Panel Member: The Adventure Council’s annual Adventure Travel Professional Symposium, – Orlando, Florida.
- Guest Speaker: Coastal Zone Management Aruba’s 2nd Stakeholder’s Conference – Aruba, Dutch West Indies.
- Guest Speaker: Center of Ecotourism seminar presentation “What’s Hot”. Rishikesh, India.
- Guest Speaker: Center of Ecotourism presentation “Ecotourism and Ecolodges”. Uttaranchal State, India.
- Panel Moderator and Speaker: American Planning Association’s Annual conference. Presentation on “Ecotourism as a tool for indigenous cultural preservation” in San Antonio, TX.
- Speaker: US Landscape Architecture Students Annual Conference (LABASH) on “Be the Change”. Maryland.
- Speaker: Texas A & M University Annual Environmental Conference. Presentation on “Extreme Planning”.
- Speaker: Oman International Conference on “Ecotourism”. Muscat.
- Speaker: Dominica Dept. Of. Tourism Seminar Presentation – “A case for Ecotourism in Dominica”, Rousseau.
2005
- Keynote Speaker for 2 Presentations: Ecotourism Australia’s Annual Ecotourism Conference – “Ecotourism: Creating Unforgettable Natural Experiences.” Tasmania, Australia.
- Speaker: Tourism Tasmania workshop presentation “Trends in Eco-Architecture”.
- Speaker: Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service workshop presentation “Protected Area Planning Exemplary Practices”.
- Guest Speaker: Taras Foundation “Meet the Scientist” lecture series – “Ecotourism, Gorillas and Giant Pandas” in Jupiter, Florida.
- Speaker: ASLA’s Annual Conference and EXPO on “Winds of Change, Keys to the Future” in Ft. Lauderdale.
- Keynote Speaker and Speaker: The International Ecotourism Society’s conference – “Ecotourism in the US” in Maine, VT.
- Speaker: American Planning Association’s Annual conference “Making Great Communities Happen” in San Francisco, CA.
- Facilitator: Sustainable Tourism Workshop, Muscat, Oman.
- Speaker: World Tourism Organization’s Conference on “Built Environments for Sustainable Tourism”, Muscat, Oman.
2004
- Speaker: Sri Lanka Ecotourism Society’s seminar on “Ecotourism and Ecolodges”, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- Keynote Speaker and Workshop Facilitator: Ecotourism Australia’s Annual Ecotourism Conference on “Ecotourism – Leading the Business of Sustainability”, Blue Mountains, Australia.
- Keynote Speaker: Conservation International’s conference on “Tourism and Biodiversity”, Sichuan, China.
- Presenter and Facilitator: Ecotourism and Ecolodge Planning and Design Seminar, Awaji and Hokkaido, Japan.
- Panelist: Broward Women Council of Realtors seminar on “Urban Redevelopment”. Pompano Beach, Florida.
- Panelist and Guest Speaker: US Landscape Architecture Students Annual Conference (LABASH) on “Worlds Colliding”. Gainesville.
2003
- Guest Speaker: American Institute of Architects, Orlando Chapter Annual Meeting.
- IUCN’s World Parks Congress, Durban, South Africa.
- Workshop Facilitator: Conservation International’s seminar on “Making Biodiversity Work for your Travel Business – Increasing profitability while protecting the environment”. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
- Keynote Speaker:Utah State University’s 4th Annual Sustainable Landscapes Conference on “Uncommon Ground: Collaboration and the Nature of Design”. Logan.
- Speaker: US Landscape Architecture Students Annual Conference (LABASH) on “Fields Of Vision”. Raleigh.
2002
- Keynote Speaker: Fiji Hotel Association’s Annual Hospitality Forum in Fiji.
- Speaker: Ecotourism Australia’s International Ecotourism Conference on “Ecotourism – A World of Difference”. Cairns.
- Speaker: UNESCO’s conference on “Sustainable Planning and Design in World Heritage Sites”, Beijing.
- Speaker: Statement presentation at the World Ecotourism Summit, Quebec.
- Speaker. Saudi Arabia’s “Ecotourism Symposium” in Riyadh.
2001
- Speaker: ASLA’s Annual Conference and EXPO on “Culture and Nature” in Montreal.
- Speaker and Faciitator: American Planning Association’s Annual conference “New Orleans 2001: A Planning Odyssey” in New Orleans.
2000
- Speaker: ULI’s Fall Conference on “Real Estate in the New Economy”, Chicago.
- Moderator: EDSA’s Symposium on “Environment and Development: Where the Twain shall meet” in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
- Keynote Speaker: IFLA’s World Congress on “Conservation and Ecotourism” in San Jose, Costa Rica.
- Speaker: Florida Center for Environmental Studies Third Annual conference on “Ecotourism on Public and Private Lands in Florida” in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
- Speaker: BIOSFERA “World Ecotour 2000” conference in Salvador, Brazil.
- Speaker and Facilitator: Egyptian Tourism Development Authority’s (TDA) “Ecolodge Guidelines Forum” in Cairo, Egypt. for the panel on Design and Construction.
1999
- Keynote Address and Facilitator. Malaysia Ministry of Arts and Culture’s “World Ecotourism Conference” in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Also facilitated the Ecolodge Field Trip.
- Keynote Address and Facilitator. PATA Chapter’s workshop on “ Ecotourism/Ecolodges” in New Delhi, India.
1998
- Guest Speaker: George Washington University workshop on “ Ecotourism Planning and Management” in Washington, D.C.
1997
- Speaker: BIOSFERA “World Ecotour 1997” conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Speaker: The Ecotourism Society’s “Ecotourism at a Crossroads: Charting the way forward” conference and field seminar, Nairobi, Kenya.
1996
- Speaker: 2nd All Africa Seminar on “Green Architecture and Environmentally Sensitive Sustainable Development”, Nairobi, Kenya.
1995
- Speaker: The Ecotourism Society’s “Ecolodge Forum and Field Seminar”, Costa Rica.
- Speaker: Adventure Travel Society’s “Fifth Annual World Congress on Adventure Travel and Ecotourism”, Paradise Island, Bahamas.
1994
- Co-Organizer and Speaker: IFLA’s Seminar on “Education in Landscape Architecture in Africa” in Nairobi, Kenya.