Theme: Stories That Inspire

TEDxNatick is an independent grass-roots event, organized by a group of enthusiastic and highly-qualified local volunteers. The event will, once again, be a full TED experience with compelling speakers, live music, complimentary lunch, and many opportunities to network with fellow attendees. TEDxNatick 2018 was our third year and it was a great success! We had the support of over 100 volunteers, local municipal and educational leaders, and numerous generous sponsors and vendors.

Bringing "Stories That Inspire" to Natick and Metrowest!

Join us at TEDxNatick 2019 as we present:
Captivating speakers - Some of the region's greatest innovators and visionaries from a wide spectrum of disciplines across our community
Music and Entertainment
Full day of speakers
Delicious Boxed Lunch
Opportunities to mix and mingle with fellow TEDsters!

Natick High School
15 West St
Natick, Massachusetts, 01760
United States

Adam Wise

Student, Advocate

Adam Wise is a junior at Natick High School in Massachusetts and is dedicated to advocacy for the LGBTQ community and the arts. He’s a firm believer in the power of stories and the written word to change the way people think about others and themselves. Along with writing, Adam pursues drawing, dancing, acting and choral singing.

Amanda LeClair

Design Specialist & Analyst

Amanda LeClair is a Research Analyst at Forrester Research where she focuses on how our jobs and our everyday working environment are changing and how this will change our future workplaces.

Dimitar Sasselov

Astronomer, Origins of Life Scientist

Dr. Sasselov is a Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University and Director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative. He has discovered hundreds of exoplanets outside our solar system. A TED speaker and author of The Life of Super-Earths, Dimitar's research is focused on the next frontier for astronomy.

Erin Baumgartner

Startup Entrepreneur, Big Data Expert

Erin Baumgartner and her husband co-founded Family Dinner to apply their expertise in big data analytics to connecting produce from local farms to families. Erin spent 11 years at MIT, most recently at the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and as the Assistant Director of the MIT Senseable City Lab.

Jill Maron

Neonatologist, Researcher

Dr. Maron is Executive Director of the Mother Infant Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center, which focuses on the lifelong consequences of the biological relationship between mother and baby. Dr. Maron’s research is devoted to finding novel approaches to understanding what is troubling a newborn baby.

Kishana Smith

Author and Domestic Violence Advocate

Kishana Smith is an author and domestic violence advocate at Network/la Red and REACH Beyond Domestic Violence -- non-profit organizations providing safety and support to survivors of abuse. Recently, she published her book, Diary of a Codependent: Reclaiming Smith, where she tells the story of incarceration, codependency, and reclaiming one’s identity.

Rachel Herz

Neuroscientist, Author

Dr. Herz is a leading expert on the psychological science of smell. Her published books include "Why You Eat What You Eat", "The Scent of Desire" and "That’s Disgusting". She’s written numerous research papers and articles and has been a guest on shows including "On Point" and "Science Friday". Dr. Herz is an adjunct faculty member at Brown University and Boston College and she advises many companies about enhancing consumer experiences.

Rainer Weiss

Nobel Laureate in Physics

In 2017, Dr. Weiss was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Kip Thorne and Barry Barish, for seminal contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves. Dr. Weiss is Professor of Physics, Emeritus, at MIT.

Stephen Brecher

Microbiologist, Humorist

Dr. Stephen Brecher is Director of the Microbiology Laboratories of the Boston VA Healthcare System and Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine. He is a frequent speaker on antibiotic resistance and microorganisms of all varieties.

Susan Retik

Non-profit Co-founder, Leadership Coach

Susan Retik is a Leadership Coach and the co-founder of Beyond the 11th, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness and addressing the plight of impoverished Afghan widows. She's a winner of the Presidential Citizen’s Award, presented by President Barack Obama in 2010. Susan is the subject of the award-winning documentary film, "Beyond Belief".

Victoria Waterman

CEO of Girls Inc.

Victoria Waterman is CEO of Girls Inc. of Worcester, a nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be "Strong, Smart, and Bold" through direct service and advocacy. As a speaker, she is a frequent presenter on topics including: issues affecting girls, women’s leadership, and business acumen for nonprofits.