Theme: Reinvent

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).

Memorial Hall
1225 Elm Street
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202
United States

Audrey Jacobs

Audrey Jacobs is a 6th generation Texan and single mother to three sons. When she was 17, she wrote her personal mission statement: “To be a catalyst for positive change by educating and inspiring individuals and communities.” For the last 30 years, she’s been this catalyst by matching people to ignite their love, dreams, and professions. Today she is the founding partner of OurCrowd, Israel’s global equity crowdfunding investing platform which has match 25,000 investors from 112 countries to invest $650 million in 145 technology startups. Audrey is also the founder of “Audrey’s Tent,” inspired by Abraham’s biblical tent. In her tent, she gathers wandering Jews to her home to find friends, inspiration, romance and community. Audrey believes humans are programed with the will to connect. Each of us should embrace our inner matchmaker to connect humans to enhance their lives. She’s helps thousands of people find jobs, friends and hobbies and has six marriages she matched. Beyond her role as a mom and matchmaker, she’s also a runner, singer, dancer, storyteller, writer and world traveler. You can follow Audrey on her blog: www.medium.com/crowdfunddiva, Twitter: @crowdfunddiva, Facebook: Audrey.jacobs613 and on LinkedIn.

Badd Bob

Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A.) is a worldwide motorcycle organization who works with children who have been abused. We help them gain the courage and self-esteem so they can go court and tell their story. More importantly, we help them understand it wasn't their fault and they are now part of a family of B.A.C.A. brothers and sisters who are their for them. They are not alone. We work in conjunction with the courts, children's agencies and other groups in the community to assure the child has the resources available to be successful. We currently operate in 47 States within the United States and in 17 countries around the world. I am BaddBob, the State Sgt. at Arms for the State of Florida. I have ridden with B.A.C.A. for over 10 years. I have had the joy and privilege to meet and work with hundreds of children. Like many Members and Supporters, I have also have gone to court with our B.A.C.A. children throughout the U.S. When a child needs help, we get on our bikes. We always say "One B.A.C.A.", because if a child needs to travel to another State to testify in court, local Chapters always step up to join and support that child. We will ride through the Gates of Hell and back for one of our children, because we know they have experienced things no child should ever have to experience. They are our Heroes and our inspiration. When they look up and smile at us, we know they are stepping in the right direction. You can find us at www.bacaworld.org or on Facebook at Bikers Against Child Abuse International

Dr. Alan Shackelford

Dr. Alan Shackelford is a graduate of the University of Heidelberg School of Medicine in Germany and completed postgraduate medical training at major teaching hospitals of the Harvard Medical School, including a residency in internal medicine and Fellowships in nutritional and behavioral medicine as well as a Harvard Medical School research Fellowship. Since 2009, Dr. Shackelford has consulted with patients for whom the medical use of cannabis has been of great benefit in the treatment of serious medical problems, many of which were unresponsive to traditional prescription medications. He has also advised legislators in a number of states and several other countries on the medical uses of cannabis and has testified before state senate and house committees in Colorado, Connecticut and Pennsylvania during their deliberations on medical cannabis legislation. Dr. Shackelford is vitally interested in the scientific investigation of cannabis and its potential medical uses in both humans and in animals and in developing pharmaceutically appropriate products based on those studies.

Dr. Angelica Hardee

Dr. Angelica Hardee is a native of Cleveland, Ohio and moved to Cincinnati in 2009 to start her educational journey at the University of Cincinnati. At UC, Dr. Hardee completed her bachelors, masters and doctorate focused in public health, health policy and global health systems. Dr. Hardee’s has worked both domestically and internationally to serve communities focusing on public health. Currently, she is a part of the Gen-H (Generation Health) team at The Health Collaborative where she leads the Regional Community Health Needs Assessment which includes thirty-five hospitals within a twenty-six-county region including Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. In addition, Dr. Hardee leads place-based health solutions focused on providing data and technical assistance to local leaders in priority neighborhoods, and coordinating learning collaboratives to allow existing neighborhood initiatives to share best practices. She engages with community organizations in neighborhoods to identify their health & wellness priorities and data needs. Dr. Hardee also assists in implementing the national demonstration model across eight counties in Southwest Ohio connecting healthcare and social services resources. Dr. Hardee is dedicated to addressing health-related social needs in the community. Lastly, Dr. Hardee is passionate about her community and serves as Civic Engagement Chair for the Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Southwestern Ohio. With her involvement she plans to help young professionals become civically engaged to identify and address issues of public concern and make a difference in the community. Twitter: @dr_hardee, IG: @dr_hardee, LinkedIn: Angelica Hardee PhD, CHES, Website: doctorhardee.com

Dr. Jim Wells

As a Developmental Biologist, Jim Wells has spent the past two decades trying to uncover how a single cell gives rise to tissues, organs and eventually a whole organism. With this information as a roadmap, he has pioneered approaches to generate mini organs (organoids) from stem cells in the laboratory. Dr. Wells is now part of a team that is using tissue engineering to generate bigger and more functional organs in the lab that can be used for transplantation into patients in the future. Dr. Wells is a professor of Pediatrics at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is in the Division of Developmental Biology and where he established the human pluripotent stem cell facility. He is also the Director for Basic Research in the Division of Endocrinology and was appointed Chief Scientific Officer of the Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine.

Isabelle Weall

Isabelle Weall is a 14-year-old quadruple amputee from Derby, England. She got Meningitis in September 2010 aged 7 which left her with part of all four of her limbs having to be amputated. However, she doesn't let this stop her. Isabelle attends mainstream school, competes in trampolining, and has her own YouTube channel where she shares videos about life as a quadruple amputee. These include how she does her makeup, her trampolining successes and so much more. Isabelle believes that whatever happens to you that you should never give up and be a determined resilient person to achieve your goals in life. Push the boundaries and discover what's possible. The future is exciting! Follow Isabelle Weall on Instagram (@itz.izz), Twitter (@itz_izz) and subscribe to her YouTube channel (Isabelle Weall)

Jason "SoulGook" Nguyen

Blending sixteen years of training in Vietnamese traditional music with his love for a good groove, SoulGook (Jason R. Nguyen) creates music that complicates the artificial boundaries of traditional and contemporary, old and new, Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese. Having studied for years under a distinguished master of the single-string instrument known as "đàn bầu," he incorporates his fondness for traditional Vietnamese music into a repertoire that includes everything from R&B remixes of Vietnamese ballads to covers of pop-chart hits blended with the melodies of Vietnamese folk songs. Through performances that reach across genres and styles, SoulGook examines the social meanings we attach to music and engages with the nuances of cultural identity, hybridity, and history. Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/YouTube: @SoulGook Web: www.soulgook.com

Julian Zegelman

Julian is an experienced corporate attorney, serial entrepreneur and venture investor. He is a Managing Partner at Velton Zegelman PC, a boutique corporate and securities law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles (CA). Julian's practice focuses on corporate law, securities, venture capital, and the emerging field of cryptocurrency law. Julian is also a Founding Partner at TMT CryptoFund, a $60M blockchain focused VC fund and a private investor in numerous technology ventures. Last but not least, he is a sushi lover, father in training (X2), and ever curious student of life. www.vzfirm.com www.tmtcryptofund.com

Malak Alwawi

Malak Alwawi is a 17-year-old high school student residing in Cincinnati, Ohio. While studying overseas for 3 years, she began to write a poem for a school assignment and after submitting it, she realized she had a passion she couldn’t stop. Continuing on, she wrote many poems, influential quotes, drafts of short stories, ideas for novels, and even began her own novel called “Two Faced Reality”. A fiction book, it analyzes different problems in society such as racism, mental health, and much more. She hopes to publish it later in college. She has dreams of becoming a homicide detective and then later on become a lawyer, political figure, author, and activist. Passionate about what she loves doing and about the people who support her, she wishes to become an influential individual and role model to many.

Mike Zelkind

Mike Zelkind is the co-founder and CEO of 80 Acres Farms. 80 Acres Farms is an indoor farming company that grows the highest quality fruits and vegetables in an energy efficient, modular environment. These farms use 97% less water and yield 100 times more than traditional farming with ZERO pesticides, while operating year-round. 80 Acres was created to make a difference in our communities by providing affordable, fresh, local food. His passion for creating a better food supply solution developed into 80 Acres Farms. In his prior role, Mike was President, CEO of Sager Creek Vegetable Company, a Division of Del Monte Foods. He connected with many farmers along the way and valued the role of local food in enabling stronger and healthier communities. Over his career, he held Senior Executive roles within leading Domestic and International companies such as General Mills, Del Monte, BumbleBee, Advance Pierre and ConAgra Foods, as well as major Consulting and Private Equity Firms. Fun fact, Mike was a professional chess player in his late teens.

Tiffany Bowden

Tiffany Bowden, MA, PhDc is a diversity specialist and a Cincinnati, Ohio native. Her poetry has often focused on transforming our conversation around race, gender and class and has helped to give voice to the experience of being a Black Woman in the United States. Her humanistic approach is challenging and uniting. She has been published in Black Enterprise, Academic journals, the InterActivist and more and helps to support other artists nationally as a ghost writer. She has performed her poetry in several venues across United States. She has also leveraged her technical writing ability to assist organizations compete for RFPs on diversity based projects.She conducts diversity training workshops and does speaking and performances to further the cultural conversation

UC Dhadak International Dance Team

UC Dhadak is the University of Cincinnati’s Premiere Bollywood Fusion Dance Team. They are comprised of a diverse group of students who promote equity and inclusion, celebrate South Asian culture, and simply LOVE to dance! For the past nine years, UC Dhadak has been competing in the nationally competitive Bollywood Fusion Desi Dance circuit. This season, UC Dhadak has created a dynamic routine comprised of Indian genres such as Bollywood, Tollywood and Bhangra, while fusing it with Western genres like contemporary, jazz and hip hop! They also perform at various campus and community events, as well as parties and weddings. To learn more, please visit our social media platforms, and for inquiries, please email us at idt.dhadak@gmail.com.