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).

Marquette High School Theater
2351 Clarkson Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63017
Chesterfield, Missouri, 63005
United States

Beth Damsgaard-Rodriguez

Beth Damsgaard-Rodriguez is the CEO and Interfaith Consultant for Interfaith Quest. She has been committed to interfaith work for over 15 years and is a well-known leader in interfaith youth work. She is respected locally for organizing interfaith volunteers to complete community service projects to meet the needs of the underserved in many areas of the St. Louis area, including the urban core. Her work in community building has spanned over 30 years, in various positions in the non-profit arena, locally, nationally and internationally, including serving in the US Peace Corps. Beth established Interfaith Quest to provide interactive leadership opportunities for youth representing a diversity of faith, race and culture together for the purpose of interfaith conversations and service. In her role at Interfaith Quest, she has assisted several organizations and houses of worship in creating interfaith experiences that build bridges of understanding through activities that focus on common faith values. Her work includes creating interfaith experiences includes the YMCA of Greater St. Louis, playing a key role in establishing the Faith Advisory Board for St. Louis Children’s Hospital, working with a team of national leaders with the Aspen Institute’s Justice and Society Program to explore effective approaches to religious diversity training in youth development programs. During her time as Executive Director, Interfaith Partnership/ Faith Beyond Walls received FOCUS St. Louis What’s Right with the Region Award as well as The Distinguished Community Service Award from the Anti-Defamation League. Beth was in the inaugural Impact Fellows group of FOCUS St. Louis that addressed issues raised in the Ferguson Commission with local community leaders. She has served on the Board of Directors of Room at the Inn, International Partners in Mission, Mountain TOP, and the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution. She is also a member of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s Community and Faith Community Advisory Board.

Cathy Farrar

Dr. Cathy Farrar is currently in her 18th year of teaching. She has taught science at both the high school and college levels. Most recently, she has started the Authentic Science Research courses at Marquette High School, as well as teaching AP Biology and Honors Biology. She holds a Bachelors of Science Education, M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction, and a Ph.D. in Science Teaching and Learning Processes with an emphasis in Assessment and Science Literacy.

Chris Lukose

Chris Lukose is a Doctor of Pharmacy graduate who currently works at biopharma, AbbVie. He also volunteers with the Isha Foundation, an international non-profit organization. In 2016, Chris spent almost a year in India training to teach Classical Hatha Yoga and working with the foundation to offer holistic programs for personal well being, incorporating eastern and western medicine, yoga, meditation, etc. Chris continues to teach Classical Hatha Yoga both independently and for the Isha Foundation.

Connie Chi

Connie Chi is a serial entrepreneur and speaker. In 2016, she founded The Chi Group an award-winning marketing and branding agency humanizing lifestyle brands. This year Connie has started her fifth business as the co-founder of Cutie Con, a global cute expo featuring all things cute from fashion, tech, media, books, film, beauty and more. She’s been featured in Thrive Global, Elite Daily, Wealthy Gorilla, Money Inc, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, Readers Digest, and many more media outlets. She’s also authored a book, “Branding Without A Brand,” where she shares her secrets to creating brands and hosts a podcast called The Brand Academy Podcast.

Daniel Wallock

Daniel Wallock is a marketer, heart condition survivor, and published author. Daniel’s done projects with over 50 companies including BMW i Ventures, BigCommerce, The American Heart Association, Amazon Studios, Girl’s Inc, and Sarah Lawrence College. Daniel has been interviewed about his work in The Huffington Post, Forbes, TheNextWeb, and he has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Entrepreneur, Inc, and Yahoo News.

Rasheen Aldridge

Rasheen Lamont Aldridge Jr, a Progressive Democrat, was born and raised in the 5th Ward of the City of St. Louis. He was a leader in the local Fight For 15 movement known as Show Me 15. Aldridge was an activist during the Ferguson uprising, and was later appointed by Gov. Nixon to serve on the Ferguson Commission. He met with President Obama in 2014 to discuss community & policing relationships. Aldridge ran for 5th Ward Committeeman during the 2016 Primary Election & won in a Special Election after a court ruling for a new election making him the second youngest elected official and the youngest African American Committeeman St. Louis City history.

Simon Kelly

Simon Kelly is Curator and Head of Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Saint Louis Art Museum. He has published many books and articles on nineteenth and twentieth-century art including Impressionist France: Visions of Nation from Le Gray to Monet (2013), Degas, Impressionism and the Paris Millinery Trade (2017), and the forthcoming Millet and Modern Art: From Van Gogh to Dalí (2019). He has curated numerous exhibitions, most recently on the prominent contemporary artists, Kehinde Wiley and Rachel Whiteread. Simon is English, has a BA from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from the University of Oxford. He is married to Cleo and has a three-year-old daughter, Juliana.

Wade Self

Wade has dedicated the past 10 years to research focused on developing new treatments for neurological diseases. Wade received his PhD in Neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, where his research focused on improving clinical trial design for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Wade is now a scientist at Abbvie Inc., where he helps develop new treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease. As Wade walks into the laboratory each day, he thinks about the incredible individuals who courageously endure suffering at the hands of neurological disorders. He fights for them every day, and will continue to do so throughout his scientific career.