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).

Kenney Auditorium - Johns Hopkins Nitze Building
1740 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, District of Columbia, 20036
United States

Adriano Pianesi

The leadership and innovation practice Adriano Pianesi co-founded in 2009—ParticipAction Consulting, Inc.--is focused on co-design, a topic that lies within the blurred boundaries of innovation, learning, power and collaboration. In the past 15 years, Adriano has designed and facilitated over 200 collaborative working sessions in different countries and cultures to address a variety of problems: from conceiving, designing, and launching new products, services, or policies to strategy formulation; from leadership development to individual and group learning, from organizational change to business model redesign. His approach to co-designing personal and organizational change comes from a very unorthodox perspective on the architecture of collaboration built as a manager in large organizations and as an immigrant to the United States. This perspective is based on the wisdom of large group methods, adaptive leadership and design thinking. Adriano’s clients include CEOs and top managers of some of the most admired organizations in the world. Before founding ParticipAction Consulting, Adriano spent 15 years working in four different countries using the four languages he speaks for Procter and Gamble, Philip Morris, and William Grant & Sons. His international experience is reflected in the range of projects that have taken his practice across 15 countries in Europe, the United States, South America, and the Middle East. He holds a degree in Political Sciences from the University of Rome and a Master Degree from the University of Milan. He is the co-author with Jill Hufnagel of the e-book: “Teaching Moments of Leadership,” of numerous articles on innovation, large group methods and organizational change.

Anna Fitzgibbon

Anna Fitzgibbon is the Founder and Owner of OutGrowth, a company that partners students with socially-conscious farm businesses for out-of-the-office internships. With a strong focus on experiential learning, social impact and purpose-driven professional development, OutGrowth strengthens businesses while growing the next generation of leaders and environmental stewards. Outside of OutGrowth, Anna is a corporate wellness + fitness coach, a recent MBA graduate of the JHU Carey Business School, a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and an avid traveler. Wholeheartedly believing in the value of adventure, she spent five years post-undergrad traveling through 25 countries, working in the education, event, theatre, hospitality and adventure tourism sectors. Anna started her career in higher education at Johns Hopkins University before transitioning into entrepreneur life, where she is proud to be today.

Dan Zachary

Daniel (Dan) S. Zachary is a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University (Advanced Academic Programs) of the Krieger School of Arts and Science and the Director of the Energy Policy and Climate program. Dr. Zachary holds a BSc in Physics – Gravity Waves (MIT), an MSc in Space/Atmospheric Physics (MIT), and a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics, Energy-Density (MIT). From 1995 to 1997 he was a Post-doc at the European Center for High Energy Physics (CERN, Switzerland) and then lectured mathematics (statistics) at the University of Geneva. Dr. Zachary is author/co-author of nearly a 100 scientific publications including more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and over 25 symposium papers, some chosen for international research awards. His current research interests are in mathematical and physical modeling, geo-statistics, and earth-atmosphere systems and the connections with anthropogenic emissions.

David Taylor

David A. Taylor is a writer and educator whose books on innovation and history include the award-winning Ginseng, the Divine Root and Soul of a People: The WPA Writers’ Project Uncovers Depression America, ranked among the Best Books of 2009. His work appears in Smithsonian, Science, National Geographic, The Washington Post, and Washingtonian. His documentary films have aired on National Geographic, PBS, Discovery and Smithsonian Channels, and have garnered CINE Golden Eagle Awards and TIVA-DC Peer Awards. His adaptation of Soul of a People received a Writers Guild of America award nomination. David teaches with the Johns Hopkins Science Writing Program and The Writer’s Center in Bethesda. His latest book, Cork Wars, is forthcoming from the Johns Hopkins University Press.

Dawn Graham

Dawn Graham is the Career Director for The MBA Program for Executives at The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania, where she partners in setting strategy and supporting the EMBA students in achieving their career objectives through extensive programming and individual coaching. She also hosts a national call-in radio show on Sirius XM (Channel 132) called“Career Talk,” writes regularly for Forbes.com under their leadership channel, and teaches Persuasive Communication to Wharton undergrads under the Management Department. Dawn’s book “Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers and Seize Success” (HarperCollinsLeadership/ AMACOM 2018) engages her background as a career coach, licensed psychologist and former corporate recruiter to provide a roadmap for career switchers to get beyond the hiring bias and land the job they want. She received her PhD (Psychology) from the University of Denver, her MS (Applied Behavioral Science) from the Johns Hopkins University, and her BA (Psychology) from Seton Hall University.

Farouk Dey

Named one of the 2018 LinkedIn Top Voices in Education, Farouk Dey is a nationally recognized leader in higher education circles for his leadership and advancement of career and experiential education. As the inaugural Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design at Johns Hopkins University, Farouk is developing an inclusive college roadmap that integrates curricular and experiential learning with life aspirations and networks to ensure that all students, postdocs, and alumni across the university’s divisions achieve their life purpose. Author of articles and book chapters and keynote speaker at conferences around the world, Farouk has held senior leadership and board roles at Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Florida, the National Association for Colleges and Employer, the American CollegePersonnel Association, and various startups and non-profit organizations. He has a PhD and EdS in Education, MBA, MEd in Counseling Psychology, and BBA in Finance.

Hassan Tetteh

Dr. Hassan Tetteh is a U.S. Navy Captain and Associate Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and adjunct faculty at Howard University School of Medicine. Currently, Tetteh is a staff Thoracic Surgeon for MedStar Health and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He leads a Specialized Thoracic Adapted Recovery (STAR) Team, in Washington, D.C., and his research in thoracic transplantation aims to expand heart and lung recovery and save lives. Tetteh is board certified in thoracic surgery, general surgery, clinical informatics, and healthcare management, and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American College of Healthcare Executives.

Jack Speer

Jack Speer is an NPR newscaster in Washington, D.C. with previous experience as a correspondent on NPR's Business Desk. His work involved traveling the country reporting on a wide range of stories, including one-on-one interviews with CEO's and a day in the life of one of the last door-to-door Fuller Brush salesmen. Honors Speer has received include American Universities 14th Annual Journalism Award for Excellence in Personal Finance Reporting and the Best Editorial Commentary award from the Washington Journalism Society. Speer was among the group of NPR journalists who received a Peabody Award for coverage of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Jack is also an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School where his areas of expertise include crisis communications and media convergence.

Jamila Sams

Ms. Sams is a proud native of Philadelphia and firstgeneration college graduate of Lincoln University, PA class of 1997. She obtained her Master’s degree in Educational Administration & Supervision from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She has over 15 years of experience in education leadership, youth development, nonprofit management and strategic partnership development. In 2015, Jamila Sams became the founder and CEO of Go To Ms. Sams Inc., an education consulting firm. Go To Ms.Sams Inc. was created in response to the need for schools, nonprofits and the business community to establish positive, meaningful connections with young people and provide strategies to close the opportunity gap; especially within marginalized communities. In addition to being an entrepreneur, Ms. Sams serves as the Chairman for the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Baltimore’s Program Committee and the YMCA of Baltimore.

John Lim

John Lim is an entrepreneur and a self-proclaimed expert on career wanderlust. He is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, The Georgetown University Law Center, and The University of Pennsylvania. He is the co-author of the adult coloring book, Corporate Clichés, and the executive producer and host of the podcast series, Moving Forward. John describes his career journey as a fun, wacky roller coaster ride. After practicing law in the DC area, John worked for over a decade with a prominent Fortune 500 company before becoming a serial entrepreneur. John is also known to many sci-fi fans for his role as “Young Lt. Cmdr Sulu,” opposite legendary actor, George Takei, in the award-winning production of Star Trek: World and Enough and Time.

Louise Schiavone Schiavone

Louise L. Schiavone is a member of the full-time faculty and Senior Lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Baltimore, Maryland. Schiavone teaches “Business Communication” and “Business Leadership and Human Values” to graduate level students at the Baltimore and Washington D.C. campuses. For the last two academic years, she has received the Dean's Award for Faculty Excellence. A career journalist, Schiavone was educated at Columbia University in New York City, where she earned an MS in Journalism. An on-air veteran of CNN, ABC News, and the Associated Press, Schiavone is currently a newscast anchor at NPR and the SiriusXM “P.O.T.U.S.” Channel. She also writes for print media, most recently National Geographic’s “The Plate.”

Maya Ajmera

Maya Ajmera is President and CEO of Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of its award-winning magazine, Science News. Maya also founded and led for 18 years the Global Fund for Children, a nonprofit organization that invests in innovative, community-based organizations working with some of the world’s most vulnerable children. Maya is an award winning children's book author of 20 titles, including Children from Australia to Zimbabwe and To Be an Artist. Additionally, Maya authored “Invisible Children: Reimagining International Development at the Grassroots.” From 2011-2014, Maya was a Visiting Scholar and Professorial Lecturer at SAIS. She continues to serve as an adjunct on the International Development Program faculty at Hopkins and teaches the course, "Social Innovations in International Development for Children and Youth."

Melissa Brenner

Melissa started her Hopkins career at the Carey Business School before transitioning to her current role as a Finance Analyst for the Radiology Department at the School of Medicine. Melissa is graduating in May with her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Minor in Software Design and Coding. She is currently finishing her Master’s Degree in Business and Technology Management at Stevenson University. After years of personal experience and self-reflection, she is now a self-proclaimed “Smile Freak” and wants to help others learn how to decompartmentalize their emotions and take charge of their own happiness.

Rick Milter

Richard (Rick) G. Milter, Ph.D. joined the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School as a professor in 2006, following previous positions at institutions as varied as Ohio University, Universiti Teknologi MARA (Shah Alam, Malaysia), and Janus Pannonius University (Pecs, Hungary). Rick’s research and publications parallel his consulting activity in the areas of leadership, executive judgment, strategy, team decision-making processes, management information systems, negotiation strategies, managerial ethics, and innovative learning platforms. Among his numerous accomplishments, Rick was co-founder and director of an MBA program that earned best practice status for technology-mediated learning by AACSB and APQC. He designs, builds, and facilitates leadership development programs for both government and corporate enterprises and serves as a coach to executives engaged in enhancing their leader capabilities.

Sandy Grigsby

Sandy Grigsby is a personal brand portrait photographer, author, and motivational speaker. She is the founder of Brio Five, LLC, a leading branding photography studio focused on industry experts, women’s empowerment, and an authentic online image. Her passion is to show people their true power, beauty, and radiance. Sandy regularly donates photo sessions to those in need, through various non-profit organizations, to empower women to achieve economic independence through discovery of their self-worth and confidence, by transforming the way they see themselves.

Stacey Lee

Stacey Lee is an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. She also holds a joint appointment at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Stacey teaches graduate courses in business law, negotiations, and healthcare law. She was recently selected to join the Fulbright Specialist roster for her expertise in health care law and negotiations. Stacey’s research interests focus on pharmaceutical manufacturers’ international and domestic influence on the access to medicines. Year after year Stacey has received the Excellence in Teaching Award at both Bloomberg and Carey for her courses. Before entering academia, Stacey practiced law for over ten years. She began as a securities litigator and later became in-house counsel for two of the country’s largest healthcare corporations.