Evidence over opinion
People who use evidence to improve decisions instead of relying only on hierarchy or confident opinions.
Optimizers ConferenceWest · March 3-5, 2027
West · March 3-5, 2027 · Santa Cruz, California
Where optimizers find their people.
Spend three days with curious practitioners who improve digital products, customer experiences, and organizations through better questions, stronger evidence, and continuous learning.
Want the numbers first?
Two hotel nights, meals, sessions, and evening activities included.
Who is coming
You will meet people who challenge assumptions, look for evidence, share what worked and what did not, and care more about learning than defending a job title.
People who use evidence to improve decisions instead of relying only on hierarchy or confident opinions.
Practitioners willing to share successes, failures and the useful lessons in between.
People interested in perspectives outside their own discipline and comfortable saying “I don’t know yet.”
Attendees who come to contribute, compare notes and help other optimizers move forward.
Find your people
Expect mid-to-senior individual contributors, managers, directors and technical specialists from product, design, research, analytics, engineering, AI, experimentation and growth.
Curious who else is joining? Get speaker, ticket and community updates by email →
Different disciplines. Different perspectives. One shared love for optimization and growth.
What previous attendees say
“By far the best conference I’ve ever attended in the States. Being ‘on an island’ was perfect; there’s as much together-time as you want, to learn from each other and build relationships. 10/10 recommend!”
“This was unlike any other conference I've attended, but its unique format helped me make so many connections with folks with all different kinds of backgrounds and perspectives.”
“At most conferences, you hope for one good lesson. At this conference, there were strong takeaways from each session that you could apply immediately. I'm going back better at my job and with a new network to reach out to. I can't wait until next year.”
“This event is the future of industry conferences. The format is all about building and renewing connections, which is where the value is for any event. If you want to dive headfirst into the experimentation community I heartily recommend it!”
“When they say it's the can't-miss experimentation and optimization event of the year, they truly mean it! Absolutely nailed it. I wouldn't choose another event after seeing what Ton and Kelly have achieved here.”
“This conference was a blast. It was super fun to reconnect with so many wonderful people as well as make new connections and go deep on memorable conversations. The conference strikes a perfect balance between professional keynotes and open-ended, informal conversations.”
“This conference was something different our industry has been needing. The conversations and brainstorming are something I won’t forget and I will use so much of what I learned in growing myself and my career.”
Use the arrows to hear from more attendees.
What to expect
The stage matters, but the format is built around what happens when thoughtful people have enough time to compare notes, challenge each other, and keep talking after the formal sessions end.

Learn differently
Hear honest stories about organizational change, consumer psychology, successful experimentation, growth, learning loops, AI and better decision making. Speakers are selected because they have something worth teaching - not something to sell.

Challenge your thinking
Attendee-led unconference sessions create space for the questions that matter right now. The best discussions often happen without slides, when people compare experiences, challenge assumptions and solve real problems together.

Stay for the conversations
Everyone stays at the same resort. Speakers do not disappear into a green room. There are no VIP areas and no pressure to “network.” Shared meals, evening activities, walks and late conversations create the connections people remember.
The theme for 2027
Optimization is full of myths, assumptions, black boxes and confident opinions. Throughout the event, speakers and attendees will help demystify organizational change, consumer behavior, experimentation, growth, AI, learning loops and better decision making.
The theme is our creative hook-not a costume party. It gives us a playful way to question what seems obvious, investigate what is hidden and replace stories with clearer evidence.
Every attendee joins a small event team designed to create safe, new connections. Direct colleagues and close competitors will not be placed together.
Teams meet early, take on a few light challenges along the way and give everyone a trusted group of optimizers to return to throughout the three days.
The people behind the experience
Meet the first four keynote speakers joining us in Santa Cruz, alongside the performers who shape the full three-day experience. More 2027 speakers will be announced over the coming months.

Two #OCW2027 attendees without lots of keynote experience will earn a main-stage slot, speaker coaching with Michael Aagaard, and an extra Tuesday night plus VIP dinner on us.

Data Science Manager · Apple
Demystifying Stories of Experimentation
More about this speaker →
Chief AI Officer · Seer Interactive
Demystifying AI Search
More about this speaker →
Partner, CoreAI · Microsoft · Former Director of Experimentation · Netflix
Demystifying Originality
More about this speaker →
Author of Self-Advocacy · Former Head of Data at Strava
Demystifying Self-Advocacy
More about this speaker →
Share what you know and join or lead a discussion
Unconference Sessions: It’s time to dive into details
More about this speaker →
Josh: Partner @ From the Future
Rachael: Partner @ Truth & Consequences
Creativity, play, and just enough chaos
More about this speaker →
Founder · Test & Learn Community
Building a community, not just an audience
More about this speaker →
Founder · Conversion Hotel
Three days designed for better conversations
More about this speaker →
Director of Personalization · VistaPrint

Behavioral Scientist · 1Lab

Experimentation Leader · Atlassian

Product Director · YETI

Founder · Frictionless Commerce

Senior Conversion Specialist · Spotify

Senior Director Digital Research · Hilton

CEO · Milam & Greene
Draft schedule
The exact keynote and activity details will evolve. This draft shows the rhythm: focused stage time, attendee-led discussions, generous breaks, shared meals and evenings together.
March 3, 2027
March 4, 2027
March 5, 2027
Our Santa Cruz venue
Chaminade Resort & Spa is set among the redwoods overlooking Monterey Bay. It gives us the space to step away from everyday routines and focus on learning, connection and great conversations.
One ticket. The complete three-day experience.
Every ticket includes your two-night hotel stay at Chaminade, all meals, activities, and access to the complete keynote, unconference and community program.
Prices shown are for in-house attendees. Agencies, consultants, contractors, and vendors pay a $500 premium. Non-sponsoring vendors may only attend when they bring a client.
Not ready to book your spot yet? Join the email list and we will keep you posted →
Wednesday and Thursday night at Chaminade Resort & Spa.
Shared meals throughout the event, from arrival through Friday.
Keynotes, unconference sessions, team challenges and activities.
Add an early arrival, extended stay or +1 in your room, and apply to help as crew, become a new speaker, or join a main-stage panel.
Ended August 1
No speakers announced yet. Trust the community, the format and the place.
No longer availableAugust 1-September 30
The first speakers were announced.
No longer availableOctober 1-November 30
More keynote speakers are now announced, with more still to come.
Register nowDecember 1-January 31
The full speaker program is available.
Not available yetFrom February 1
For the final available places.
Not available yetFrequently asked questions
Built with our partners
We deliberately keep the partner group small. They support the experience, join the conversations, and help us invest in the things attendees actually notice - without turning the conference into a sales floor.
Partners who support the overall #OCW2027 experience and bring deep experimentation knowledge into the room. Interested in becoming an Event Partner? Contact us →

A full-stack experimentation and optimization platform. Their support helps us keep the room small, practical, and focused on intentional learning.
Visit Conductrics ↗
A warehouse-native experimentation, feature flag, and product analytics platform. They also sponsor the New Speaker Showcase, helping create two main-stage opportunities for new voices.
Visit GrowthBook ↗A deliberately small partner group, so partners become part of the community rather than a row of booths.
Ask about an Event Partner place →Partners who make a concrete part of the attendee experience better. Interested in becoming an Experience Partner? Contact us →

A specialist experimentation consultancy. Their support ensures every attendee gets access to the 2027 keynote videos, slides, and summaries included with their ticket.
Visit Creative CX ↗Help fund something useful, memorable, or delightfully unexpected for the people in the room.
Ask about an Experience Partner place →Newsletters, communities, podcasts, and independent voices who help the right optimizers discover the event. Interested in becoming a Community Partner? Contact us →
Previous US events
Optimizers Conference West builds on our 2025 and 2026 US events. The name changed because the community grew beyond experimentation; the format that people loved stays: one place, several days, generous time together and conversations that continue long after the stage sessions.

More moments from the community
The event starts before Santa Cruz
Our event app helps the community start connecting before arrival, keeps schedules and communication in one place during the conference, and makes it easy to stay in touch afterwards.
Also coming in 2027
Our West edition in Santa Cruz is the current focus. Optimizers Conference East is planned for the end of August 2027, bringing the same three-day retreat format to the East Coast.
Want to know when East takes shape? Join the email list for East Coast dates, speakers and ticket news →
Get in touch
Send us a message and the team will reply by email. Questions about tickets, the program, partnerships, travel or accessibility are all welcome.
Prefer email? Send your message through the form and we’ll reply directly.
March 3-5, 2027 · Santa Cruz, California
Join a community of practitioners who cannot help but make things better.
Register for an Early Bird ticketNot ready to register yet? Join the email list for speaker announcements, ticket rounds and future editions.
2027 keynote
Author of Self-Advocacy · Former Head of Data at Strava
Great work doesn't always speak for itself.
Many of us like to believe that delivering results is enough. That the best ideas naturally get noticed. That promotions, opportunities and influence simply follow good work.
Reality is usually more complicated.
Shailvi Wakhlu has spent nearly two decades leading global data and analytics organizations at companies including Meta, Strava, and Salesforce. Along the way she discovered that one of the most overlooked professional skills isn't technical at all; it's learning how to communicate your value without becoming "that person."
Today Shailvi is an international keynote speaker, has delivered more than 100 talks worldwide, and is the bestselling author of Self-Advocacy: Your Guide to Getting What You Deserve at Work.
At Optimizers Conference she won't teach you how to brag.
Instead, she'll show how authentic self-advocacy helps people build trust, create stronger relationships, gain influence across an organization and ultimately make better decisions together.
Because the best experimentation ideas only create impact if people are willing to listen.
Calculate your #OCW2027 costs
Choose your options. The calculator creates a clear total and an optional budget request.
#OCW2027 registration
Keynotes worth discussing, small-group conversations, wonderful food, drinks, views, and two nights with people who love making products and organizations better.
Do you have a special circumstance or question we can help with? Use our contact form.
Registration received
We received your #OCW2027 registration and sent a copy to your attendee email.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible with the next steps and invoice/payment details.
Santa Cruz. Redwoods. Great people. Three days to learn, talk, eat, drink, and leave with new ideas and new connections.
We reserve the right to decline registrations to protect the attendee mix and the quality of the conversations.
Stay in the loop
Join the Optimizers Conference email list for useful updates about speakers, ticket rounds, this event and future editions. No unrelated third-party promotions.
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New Speaker Showcase - made possible by GrowthBook
It's important to get new speakers on the stage because the next big idea that inspires us all may just come from someone who just needs that spotlight. We want #OCW2027 to help create the space for those new speakers.
Apply before December 1. Attendees can submit an idea during registration. We will invite the strongest topics - ideas that extend the conference knowledge - to share a short video pitch.
We will select two winners. Each gets a main-stage slot, speaker coaching with Michael Aagaard, and an extra Tuesday hotel night plus VIP dinner so there is time to prepare and connect before the conference starts.
The showcase is intended for people without lots of conference keynote experience. If you already have many main-stage appearances, leave these two places to someone whose voice deserves a first bigger stage.
GrowthBook makes the showcase possible with their generous sponsorship.