In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

New World Stages
340 West 50th Street
New York, New York, 10019
United States

Adam Sobel

Adam Sobel is a professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He is an atmospheric scientist who specializes in the dynamics of climate and weather, particularly in the tropics, on time scales of days to decades.

Ayad Akhtar

Ayad Akhtar is an author, screenwriter and playwright whose debut novel American Dervish was named to several Best of 2012 lists, including Kirkus Reviews and O: The Oprah Magazine. His play Disgraced premiered at New York’s LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater in 2012, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 2013, and is currently on Broadway.

Ben Wellington

Ben Wellington is a computer scientist and data analyst whose blog, I Quant NY, uses New York City open data to tell stories about everything from parking ticket geography to finding the sweet spot in MetroCard pricing. His articles have gone viral and, in some cases, led to policy changes. Wellington teaches a course on NYC open data at the Pratt Institute and is a contributor to Forbes and other publications.

Benj Pasek

Benj Pasek & Justin Paul are the Tony-nominated songwriters of the Broadway musical, A Christmas Story. Their score for the show received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Music. They are also the composers behind the Off-Broadway musical Dogfight, a Best New Musical nominee for the Drama League, Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle awards.

Benjamin Scheuer

Benjamin Scheuer leads the band Escapist Papers and is the writer and star of autobiographical solo show The Lion, which debuted off-Broadway this year following runs in Edinburgh and London. He’s winner of the 2013 ASCAP Cole Porter Award for songwriting and the 2013 Musical Theatre Network Award for best lyrics.

Daniel J Watts

Daniel J. Watts is a performer, writer and activist with seven Broadway credits to his name including After Midnight, Memphis, In the Heights and Motown: The Musical.

Elliot Masie

Elliott Masie is an international expert in the fields of learning, workforce development and big data. He has also been a producer/investor in a range of Broadway productions (Macbeth with Alan Cumming, Godspell, Kinky Boots, Allegiance and An American in Paris).

Emily Simoness

Emily Simoness is the Founder and Executive Director of SPACE on Ryder Farm, a nonprofit artist residency program committed to supporting and developing artists and their work.

Justin Paul

Benj Pasek & Justin Paul are the Tony-nominated songwriters of the Broadway musical, A Christmas Story. Their score for the show received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Music. They are also the composers behind the Off-Broadway musical Dogfight, a Best New Musical nominee for the Drama League, Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle awards.

Kacie Hultgren

Kacie Hultgren works in Broadway set design (Disgraced, The Country House) and is a 3-D printing expert. Her use of early DIY 3-D printers for scale modeling led to an online following in the 3-D printing community, where she goes by the handle PrettySmallThings.

Kevin Lyman

Kevin Lyman is the creator and producer of the Vans Warped Tour, the longest running traveling music festival in North America today. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the tour has played to over nine million fans.

Kirsten Sabia

Kirsten Sabia is Vice President of Marketing Services for the PGA TOUR, where she oversees marketing efforts for the tour’s owned and operated tournaments.

Laura Heywood

@BroadwayGirlNYC runs one of the most-followed theater accounts on Twitter. She leads interactions between fans, shows, industry insiders and performers in the world of “showcial” networking.

Laurie Santos

Laurie Santos, Associate Professor of Psychology at Yale University, is a cognitive psychologist who studies the evolution of human cognition by exploring how animals think about the world. She was recently voted one of Popular Science magazine’s Brilliant 10 Young Minds.

Leslie Koch

Leslie Koch is president of the Trust for Governors Island, which is responsible for the planning, redevelopment and operation of the 150-acre section of the island being transformed into a New York destination.

Osh Ghanimah

Osh Ghanimah is an actor and the Founder and CEO of Broadway For All, a NYC-based nonprofit born out of his fellowship through the Office of the President at Harvard University.

Phoebe Robinson

Phoebe Robinson is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who both TimeOut NY and Flavorpill.com have named one of the top ten comics working in NYC.

Sree Srinivasan

Sree Sreenivasan is Chief Digital Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2009, he was named one of AdAge's 25 media people to follow on Twitter; in 2010 he was named one of Poynter's 35 most influential people in social media; and in 2014, he was named one of the most influential Chief Digital Officers by CDO Club.