The TEDxDayton lineup of speakers for this year’s event was announced last night. All are from or connected to the Dayton area and were selected from a rigorous application and audition process. They’re coming to the stage in the TED spirit of ideas worth spreading and sharing. “We’re really happy about this year’s lineup, and are proud of the hard work our speakers have put into getting ready for the talk of their lives,” said John Owen, co-chair of this year’s event. “Nearly 200 people applied to give talks this year. We’re working with an outstanding group.”
Here are the people who will appear on this year’s TEDxDayton stage:
- Amateur photographer Adam Alonzo will talk about how to see and appreciate the beauty all around us.
- Performer Montrea Blackshear will lead Dayton’s own TRSS Drum Corps in a show-stopping blizzard of percussion.
- Tiffany Clark, a painter and mural artist, will talk about how creating public art helped her beat drug addiction.
- Educator Kevin “Mister C” Cornell will show how to get kids excited about learning science.
- Radio personality Faith Daniels will talk about the dangers of depression within the broadcast industry.
- Attorney Barbara Duncombe will talk about her career journey from typist to rainmaker, fighting gender bias along the way.
- Mark Fogel, a former Air Force pilot, will talk about how trust is built between a jet-fighter pilot and his wingman.
- Student and TEDxYouth@Dayton performer Shawn Gardner will perform one of his own original spoken-word compositions.
- Student and TEDxYouth@Dayton performer Yash Gupta will perform his special brand of beatbox.
- Physician Andre Harris will talk about how hormones can affect our health, happiness – and sex life.
- Elizabeth Horner will talk about the journey a family takes when a child tells their parents they’re transgender.
- Survivor John-Michael Lander will talk about the hidden world of sexual abuse of elite male athletes.
- Organizer Rose Lounsbury will talk about how to strip away all the clutter that surrounds you and live a minimalist lifestyle.
- Journalist Ray Marcano will talk about the two things that are the greatest threats to American democracy.
- Engineer Dennis Ong will unlock the mysterious workings of the next great change in cybersecurity – blockchain.
Tony Award-winning actor Alice Ripley will talk about how she transforms into a character, and how to apply those skills to your own life.- Michael Roush will talk about all the things he’s learned about life, family and love from his autistic daughter.
- Programmer Adam Sobol will talk about how technology can help people with dementia continue to lead fulfilling lives.
- Veterinarian Julie Servaites will talk about what doctors who treat animals can teach us about how to have a good death.
- Flight enthusiast Andrew Shepherd will talk about how to get Americans excited again about the wonders of flight.
- Teacher Stephanie VanHouten will talk about better, more creative ways to educate kindergartners and help make them valuable future citizens.
TEDxDayton is 1-6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, at the Victoria Theatre in downtown Dayton. According to event organizers there are about 300 tickets left for the event. To buy tickets, go to http://www.tedxdayton.com and follow the link to Ticket Center Stage.
