Theme: IDEAS UNCHAINED

TEDx was created in the spirit of TED’s mission, “ideas worth spreading.”

TEDxTurtleRock is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. The TED conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program.

We create memorable experiences that bring our community together to listen to amazing speakers or entertainers.We share ideas and encourage conversations, during our events and throughout our community. We create community, while we’re being created by the community.

Eureka Building
1621 Alton Pkwy
Irvine, California, 92606
United States

Christina Boudreau

Social Influencer

Christina Boudreau is a 28 year old international plus size model, speaker, author and spoken word poet who is passionate about bringing change in the world. After recovering from eating disorders at the age of 18, a fire sparked in Christina’s heart. Looking around, she saw a lot of models and supermodels but not enough role models. So she decided to become just that, a role model to the young women of this generation. Becoming a plus size model was Christina’s first step in doing that. It was her desire to show girls that beauty didn’t have a number or body type attached to it, like the media says it does. Through her journey Christina as been able to share her story of overcoming eating disorders, cutting, depression and suicide by speaking on TV shows, Radio shows, conferences, rehabs, group homes, sex trafficking recovery homes and much more.

Hongli Chen

Head Coach of Global Center of Chinese Well-being (GCCW), Professor and Author

Hongli Chen is a gifted and talented educator, mentor, healer and coach. As a life coach, her unique blend of art and science in psychology, sociology, behavior science, oriental philosophy and power of energy resulted in great coaching competencies and magic programs to help people to move through issues. Thus she create HLC coaching system. Now she devotes herself to human well-being and positive education. Hongli also offers I Ching consulting and training both in USA and China which gives one advice about the way one should act in order to avoid failure and it helps in any life situation. She has practiced Tai Chi and tea ceremony for years . Hongli’s I Ching program is designed to help people to understand where you are and how to act, build balance in mind, body and spirit, and promote positive changes in one’s life.

Jason Geng

Founder and CEO

Jason is the Founder and CEO of Data Application Lab which provide big data， AI and data science trainings and consulting service. As 2018 committee chair of International Data Engineering and Science Association (IDEAS), Jason organized series of AI, data science and blockchain conferences at Dallas, Boston, New York, Sillicon Valley, Chicago and Los Angeles. Jason is adjunct professor at University of Southern California. When worked at Symantec as principlr data engineer and scientist, Jason designed and built many AI and big data applications.

Keith Booher

Post-Doc scientist

Keith Booher has completed his dissertation research in the field of cancer cell metabolism at University of California, Irvine in 2011. After completing his PhD, he then accepted a Post-doc position developing methods and assays for the investigation of epigenetics at Zymo Research Corporation. Along with colleagues, he contributed to a high impact study evaluating methods for DNA methylation validation in 2016. He continues to conduct research in a commercial setting in his role as services projects manager at Zymo – with particular emphasis on epigenetics and microbiome analysis. His presentation will focus on the ability to quantify aging based on changing DNA methylation patterns at gene loci putatively involved in the aging process.

Kevin Krusiewicz

Chief Storyteller @ TELL and TRAiN

Recovering jerk, husband, father, and Chief Storyteller @ TELL and TRAiN, Kevin Krusiewicz is never satisfied with a cursory level of understanding. Whether it’s discussing marketing, philosophy, theology, or psychology, he enjoys getting to the bottom of things, talking them through with thoughtful friends, and reflecting on their applications in professional and personal contexts. Kevin believes that words are powerful and important, so he helps corporations identify and articulate a brand or product story that connects to something deep within their clients, moving them to action. Kevin married his High School sweetheart, Christina, in 2002 and is the father of Joshua (2003) and Samuel (2005). He constantly strives to walk his talk and improve his most cherished relationships every day.

Lucian Toma

Sustainability & Permaculture Designer / Educator / Consultant - Founder / Owner of “About And For Sustainability” & “reEarth Consulting”

Lucian is a sustainability and permaculture designer, educator and consultant with over 8 years of professional experience in the design, development and implementation of regenerative programs in academic, government, business and nonprofit environments. He has led over 200 workshops, lectures and courses, on various sustainability related topics, touching the lives of over 5000 individuals. Lucian is the founder and executive director of “About And For Sustainability” and “reEarth Consulting”. He is also a college professor. He holds a BA in International Relations and a MA in Global Leadership and Sustainable Development from Hawaii Pacific University. Currently he is working on his vision and passion to establish a network of educational hubs around the world, that inspire, empower and support regenerative and sustainable transformations of individuals and our shared environment and community.

Sara Safari

an author, speaker, mountain climber, college professor, Electrical Engineer and advocate for women empowerment

The avalanche and the earthquake didn’t stop her… Sara will be the first Iranian in history to climb the Seven Summits, the seven highest peaks in each continent. She is climbing on behalf of all the women who don’t have the opportunity to live fully self-expressed around the world. She also has received the award for Outstanding Practice with Broad Impact in the area of women and leadership from International Leadership Association in 2017. She is working on a documentary film with a talented team of directors and producers who have extensive experience working on complex social justice issues.

Tony Teravainen

CEO & Co-Founder at Support The Enlisted Project (STEP)

STEP is a San Diego based 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to providing southern California junior military and recent veteran families financial grants in times of crisis AND working with them to achieve financial self-sufficiency. Southern California has a cost of living 30% higher and housing rates double the national averages. These families have some of the lowest income imaginable, in fact, most are Low Income per HUD standards. They are put through enough hardship where they should not have to deal with evictions, car repossession, utility termination, lack of food and the like. STEP provides immediate and permanent relief for these types of emergency needs and we continue to provide one-on-one case management for each family to help to build a path to financial self-sustainability.

Ville Houttu

Passionate CEO at Vincit Software Company

Ville Houttu is the Founder and CEO of Vincit California, Inc. Previously, he worked as the Head of Business Development at Vincit Group, helping the Finnish company to reach 350 employees and make it public in Nasdaq First North marketplace. During last few years Vincit’s leadership model has received several recognitions, including Best Place to Work in Europe 2016, Workforce Game Changer 2016 and the Best Workplace in Finland 2016, 2015, 2014. After the IPO, Ville moved to California to start Vincit’s local subsidiary. During the first year of operations, he built a team of 20 developers in Irvine, acquired OC’s hottest digital branding agency, XTOPOLY, and was named the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce. Ville has an M.Sc. in Engineering and is passionate about creating lean working environments and scaling operations without creating policies. He is also one of the few Ironman triathletes who plays steel guitar on several albums on Spotify.