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).

The Loft
1021 Heavenly Village Way
South Lake Tahoe, California, 96150
United States

Ed Scott

Ed Scott has been called Silicon Valley’s most effective giver and his catalytic approach to philanthropy has had a transformative impact on poverty and disease on a global scale. After a successful career in the United States government civil service culminating with a position as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Administration, Ed left Washington, DC to work in the emerging field of computer technology. In 1995, he co-founded a software company called BEA Systems. BEA soon became one of the fastest companies ever to reach $1 billion in sales and Oracle purchased the company in 2008. Ed later became a primary funder behind StubHub, the online ticketing service later purchased by eBay.

Heidi Hill Drum

Heidi Hill Drum came to Lake Tahoe in 1995 to snowboard for the season. Growing up in Florida, it was definitely supposed to be just one winter. But she fell in love with Tahoe, got married and had two Tahoe boys. She has worked at Sierra-at-Tahoe, the League to Save Lake Tahoe and the Center for Collaborative Policy, at Sacramento State. Heidi is now happily the CEO of the Tahoe Prosperity Center (TPC), a regional triple-bottom line non-profit organization.

Jameson Stafford

Jameson is passionate about all forms of technology, whether it’s consumer applications, SaaS platforms, or digital filmmaking. He has the good fortune to spend his days following this passion, building an exemplary career around it. Jameson has founded multiple businesses, including several tech startups, two of which were acquired by larger, publicly-traded companies. He has grown and managed US and international teams in excess of 50 employees both pre and post-acquisition.

Jamie Orr

Dr. Jamie Orr is a successful entrepreneur, physicist, and educator with expertise across a wide range of technical fields. She is passionate about helping young companies and students alike to thrive and discover their potential. She is founder & CEO of Tahoe Mountain Lab, South Lake Tahoe's first coworking space and innovation hub and provides workforce development expertise for the California Community Colleges as a regional director for the Energy, Construction, & Utilities sectors, which includes one of the coolest job titles out there, “Deputy Sector Navigator.” Passionate about nature and science from an early age, she received her BS in physics from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Jamie then went on to obtain a M.S. in experimental condensed matter physics studying the fabrication and characterization of magnetic nanostructures followed by a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from UC Davis focusing upon protein folding models associated with amyloid diseases.

Marina McCoy

Marina McCoy was raised in the green mountains of Vermont, where her love for the outdoors and environmentalism began at a young age. After graduating high school, she headed west to attend Sierra Nevada College (SNC) in Incline Village, Nevada. While attending SNC, Marina received numerous academic awards including Most Innovated Student of the Year, Inspiring Community Impact, Notable Achievement Award, Outstanding Achievement Award and Who’s Who Among Students in America. Marina graduated Cum Laude in May 2016 with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies in Sustainability and a BSBA in Ski Business and Resort Management.

Pat Moore

Pat Moore has been a professional snowboarder for over 10 years appearing in many films such as The Art of Flight. His accolades include multiple X Games medals including a Gold in 2014 Real Snow Backcountry, many showings in Snowboarder Magazine’s top 10 riders of the year, and starred in his own Volcom produced film Mr. Plant.

Raoul De La Sota

Raoul De La Sota was born into a bilingual family with English as a second language and with his Mexican grandmother entertaining him with ancient stories and philosophies of the indigenous people of the Americas. As a result of terrible Asthma which kept him from attending school during early childhood he had a lot of time to himself imagining flying off to fresh green places. He spent much time drawing these imagined experiences. Art would be his constant companion as he finally went to high school and college. Having earned a Master in Arts degree from UCLA, he received a Fulbright Fellowship for study in Peru. After his return he began his teaching career at Los Angeles City College teaching studio art and Mexican Art History for 46 years. His interest in other cultures has also led him to organize and lead art tours to 5 foreign countries.

Reema Chitalia

Reema Chitalia is an entrepreneur, a professional speaker, and a consultant with Deloitte, the world's largest accounting firm. For the past 3 years, Reema has been giving speeches at various schools, start-ups, entrepreneurs across The USA and India about failure, and why should failure be the most coveted 'accomplishment' of your life. She is known to present the act of failing in a very different light making failure 'desirable' instead of something unpleasant.

Rick Gunn

Rick Gunn is an award winning photographer, writer, adventurer and public speaker based of South Lake Tahoe, California.