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).

Austin Public Central Library
710 W Cesar Chavez Street
Austin, Texas, 78707
United States

Amy Stansbury

Amy Stansbury is a local journalist with a passion for increasing civic engagement… especially amongst her fellow millennials. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the Austin EcoNetwork, a local environmental news source, as well as a co host of Shades of Green, a live environmental talk radio show broadcasting out of KOOP 91.7 FM. In 2018, Amy co-authored “A Beginner’s Guide To Local Government,” an activity book that teaches millennials in Austin how to get involved in local government and make a difference in their community. Today, she is the Co-Founder of A Functional Democracy, an organization with the same mission as the book - to inspire and educate millennials to become civic leaders in their local community.

Diego Corzo

DIEGO CORZO is a 28 year old Forbes-Featured entrepreneur and DACA recipient. Diego was born in Lima, Peru and moved to the United States with his family when he was 9 years old. Diego’s parent told him that the United States was the land of opportunity and that with hard work and determination all his dreams will be possible. Now, Diego is a realtor for Keller Williams alongside an incredible team. Also, he currently owns 12 rentals properties. Diego is on a path to financial freedom and aspires to help others, especially millennials, become financially free and reach their full potential.

Judith Knotts

Judith Knott’s professional career has centered on education as a consultant to schools, school head, and writer. She is interested in how human beings develop and become who they are. Dr. Knotts’ journey into the homeless world began when she was in her sixties and continues into her seventies. She believes that change always brings with it an invitation to become our best selves. "You Are My Brother, Lessons Learned Embracing a Homeless Community" is her third book.

Lesley Ryan

Lesley Ryan is a mother of two incredible children, a wife to an incredible husband and fellow school leader, the Principal at Eanes Elementary in Austin, Texas, and an art advocate and enthusiast! She revels in the creative process, loving the experience of creating something beautiful that positively impacts the lives of others. She enjoys painting with acrylics and resin, and her favorite medium is acrylic pouring. In addition to painting, she enjoys sewing and graphic design. As the mother of a childhood cancer survivor, she believes strongly in artistic therapies - not only for those undergoing significant, medical intervention but also for the family members supporting the children during these grueling treatments. She actively works with Central Texas organizations which support children undergoing cancer treatment and their family members. Additionally, Lesley Ryan has been a guest speaker at adult learning engagements via Learnshop and Creatives Meets Business. At her core, Lesley believes that creative expression and art education positively impact the lives of our children.

Noah Levine

NOAH LEVINE is a 16-year-old multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Austin, Texas. He learned to play guitar when he was 9 years old and released his first album, Sounds From Within, when he was 14. Since then, Noah has written, recorded, and produced two E.P.’s (Sounds From Within, and Feel) available on digital music platforms everywhere. Noah is pleased to be performing his original music with his band, Noah in the Open, and hopes to attend Berklee College of Music after he graduates from high school.

Rohit Srinivasan

ROHIT SRINIVASAN is a cofounder of Trashbots - a company that was born as a result of his insights from teaching STEM and robotics for over 4 years all over the world and particularly in deeply underdeveloped communities. At Trashbots, he works on mechanical design, customer outreach and business development. Rohit Srinivasan is currently a freshman in the class of 2022 at the University of Texas at Austin where he is studying Mechanical Engineering and Plan II. He recently was selected as one of the Top 15 innovators Reshaping Texas by Texas Monthly and as one of 25 Entrepreneurs under 25 by Austin Inno. Trashbots was recently selected as one of the top 10 Edtech startups in North America by Global Edtech Startup Awards. In his free time, Rohit enjoys working his 3D printer and playing Racquetball. Rohit also volunteers with The Miracle Foundation and works with the Longhorn Entrepreneurship agency.

Sara Bawany

SARA BAWANY is a social worker, a writer, and a poet with a passion for bringing to light some of the most taboo issues in the South Asian and Muslim community. A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Sara received her Master’s degree in Social Work and her Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Islamic Studies. She currently serves as a clinical social worker at the Muslim Community Center for Human Services, providing free mental health counseling and mental health education to the community. She published her first poetry book recently, titled - “(w)holehearted” which you can find on Amazon. The book touches on themes of identity, mental health, domestic violence, femininity, relationships, spirituality, forgiveness, and a variety of social justice issues.

Sean Gulick

Research Professor SEAN GULICK, his students, and colleagues are working on tectonic and climate interactions in the St. Elias Mountains and Surveyor submarine fan, geohazards and margin evolution of subduction and transform faulting in Alaska, Sumatra, and Japan, and the geologic processes and environmental effects of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Chicxulub meteor impact. To test some key hypotheses of how glacial erosion can perturb tectonics in 2013 Sean served as co-chief on the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 341: Southeast Alaska tectonics and climate. In 2014, Sean led the seismic imaging in a multidisciplinary cruise to the unexplored Sabrina Coast shelf in East Antarctica. In 2016, Sean served as co-chief scientist on the joint International Ocean Discovery and Continental Drilling Programs Expedition 364: Drilling the K-Pg Chicxulub impact crater.

Zach Horvath

ZACH HORVATH is the founder of LIVE A GREAT STORY, a lifestyle brand focused on inspiring people to be the hero of their story. Zach has been on the entrepreneurial journey for over a decade, starting his first business in high school. After returning from an extended travel experience in 2013, Zach spray painted LIVE A GREAT STORY on a wall in Austin, TX and people started sharing it on social media and the inspiration started spreading. Five years later, LIVE A GREAT STORY has grown to be a globally recognized lifestyle brand that spreads a ripple effect of inspiration through products and stories.