The 2015 TEDxCharlotte speakers were announced during their Kickoff Party at Birdsong Brewery on Wednesday. If you don’t know about TEDx conferences, google it and get cooler. This event will be held on October 23rd at Label (outstanding venue). Early bird tickets are currently on sale for $40 (Agenda pro tip: get your company to pay). Event organizer is Winn Maddrey. Here are the speakers!
Welcome Talk
Jenifer Daniels, Founder and Principal of Good+SmartCo
Jenifer is an award-winning strategist, educator and speaker. She founded Good+SmartCo, where she hosts a virtual classroom, produces attendee-driven conferences, advises brands and speaks about the evolution of PR and marketing.
Speakers
John Austin, Founder of Adventure Resources
John founded Adventure Resources in 2012. Prior to that, he was Executive Director of Family Services at the YMCA of Greater Charlotte from 2006-2012. He also served on the Young Life staff for 28 years, including 15 years as the Charlotte Young Life Area Director.
Damon Barron, Co-Founder of Treecycle America
Damon is creating the next generation of Urban Forestry. He has over 15 years of experience in commercially forested lumber and wood products.
Allison Billings, Vice President for Neighborhood Development, Transportation & Sustainability at Charlotte Center City Partners
Allison has over 15 years of experience improving livability of cities. As part of her role at Center City Partners she is responsible for advocating for five urban neighborhoods and the small business in those neighborhoods.
Deborah Bosley, Owner and Principal of The Plain Language Group
Deborah has devoted her entire life to words. She has worked as a bookbinder, professor at UNCC and is a published poet. She started The Plain Language Group which helps Fortune 100/500 companies, non-profits and government agencies create written information that is easy to understand.
Brandon Cullen, Founder and CEO of MADabolic Inc
Brandon Cullen has years of experience in the fitness industry as a professional athlete, personal trainer, gym owner and now Founder and CEO of MADabolic Inc.
Richard Israel, Photographer
Richard Israel has been a working photographer for 25 years. His work is frequently described as fashionable, timeless and emotive. He has a passion for film, antique cameras, and handmade prints.
Dee Lanier, Executive Director at Uncommen
Dee is a passionate and energetic communicator with over a decade of instructional experience in both education and ministry. He is a self-dubbed “sociologist turned technologist”.
Oliver Lewis, Former Artist-in-Residence at the McColl Center for Visual Art…and robot builder?
Oliver Lewis was an Engineering and Pre-Med student at Penn State when he decided to quit school and road trip for a few months. On this trip he discovered his artistic talents and eight months later his work was featured at the McColl Center for Visual Art…where soon after he became part of their Artist-in-Residence program. He also builds robots.
Twyla McDermott, Civic Tech Strategist and Entrepreneur
Twyla is the Corporate Technology Program Manager for the City of Charlotte.
Reggie Nious, Former Young Life leader and Former Executive Director at The King’s Kitchen
Andrea (Andi) Stevenson, Executive Director, The Lee Institute
Since 2012, Andi has overseen the strategic and administrative operations of The Lee Institute, a Charlotte nonprofit that provides consulting services for nonprofits, government agencies and philanthropies throughout the Carolinas. Her responsibilities include business development, marketing, project design and service delivery in The Lee Institute’s core areas of strategic planning, organizational development, facilitation, public engagement and project management.
Joel Tracey, Creative Director of Culture Initiative
Joel is Creative Director of Culture Initiative. He is also Owner and Creative Director at Right Industries Design Studio.
Robbie Warren, Medicine Woman, traditional Shaman and interior designer
Robbie is a native Charlottean who owns an interior design business. She practices “Earth Medicine” and was given the medicine name “Otter Woman Standing” by her ancestors and spirit guides. She is a modern day medicine woman and a traditional Shaman.
Sam Wazan, Founder of MindsRising and combat-zone survivor
Sam Wazan is the founder of MindsRising™, a best-selling author, inspirational speaker, founder of Parenting for Humanity. He is a civilian survivor of a combat zone who immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon in 1989.
Entertainment
The Possibility Project-Charlotte
The Possibility Project-Charlotte will be doing an interactive performance illustrating how friction is a necessary catalyst for creativity and activism in this generation.
Chris Hannibal, Magician, Storyteller, Mentalist and Comedian
Chris Hannibal began as a street magician and now appears at exclusive private and corporate events around the world.
