Theme: Unpacked

Join us at TEDxBellevueWomen 2019 for a celebration of ideas about the growth that comes when we “UNPACK.” Packing is often organized and methodical. Unpacking - well, that can get messy and uncomfortable - yet it is transformative and magical too! We look forward to a thought-provoking event, shining the spotlight on speakers who will share their ideas, rich in experiences and stories.

Bellevue Arts Museum
510 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, Washington, 98004
United States

Anne Simpson

Retired Airline Pilot + Athlete + Title IX Advocate + Board Member

Anne was born and raised in the Seattle area. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1978 with a BA in Physical Education. She was a varsity athlete on the Cal Women’s Crew and a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. While in college Anne also completed her flight training preparing her for the aviation career that followed. In January 1981, Anne was hired by Northwest Airlines becoming their 3rd female pilot and one of the first 30 women hired by a legacy carrier in the US. In her 35 year career with Northwest and Delta Air Lines she held many flying positions including 747 Captain. Anne is married and has two adult children. She is on the board of the Seattle Rep and the Museum of Flight where in 2016 she became the first female Chair of the Board of Trustees. Anne has always credited sport and competitive athletics for her success and passionately supports Title IX and the doors that it continues to open for girls and young women.

Daniela Luzi Tudor

Entrepreneur + Technologist + Health Advocacy + Addiction & Recovery Connector

Daniela Luzi Tudor is the co-founder and CEO of WEconnect Health Management, a technology company that is decreasing costs for addiction recovery across the United States by reducing risk of relapse. Daniella was inspired to create WEconnect based on her personal journey in long-term recovery from addiction and her realization of the lack of patient aftercare resources. Beyond WEconnect, she supports the recovery community as a board member for Unity Recovery, an organization that offers free community programming and peer recovery support. Daniela is an entrepreneur with a strong track record in the technology world; media features include Forbes, NASDAQ, TechCrunch, and The Seattle Times. Outside of the office she enjoys DJing and screenwriting.

Jean Thompson

CEO + Entrepreneur + Chocoholic

Jean Thompson is the owner and CEO of Seattle Chocolate Company. She is a self-proclaimed chocoholic and brings an amazing amount of enthusiasm and excitement to running the company. She is always thinking about being innovative and disruptive in an industry that has been around for centuries. Jean’s mission is to help people see chocolate in a different way and imagines a world where chocolate is celebrated and valued for its complexity.

Merf Ehman

Social Advocate + Lawyer

Merf Ehman is the executive director of Columbia Legal Services (CLS) leading organization-wide efforts to prioritize advocacy that supports community-led social justice movements that transform racialized systems and eradicate racism. More than 25 years ago, Merf was a client in a welfare-to-work program at a local legal aid office, and now leads a legal aid organization working to change the world for the better. Merf’s life experience has been informed by other people believing that Merf could be more, and do more, than the limited options that felt available. People and institutions supported Merf in moving beyond the challenges of poverty, mental illness, and substance abuse to an unimaginably wonderful life. Additionally, Merf prefers to be as pronoun free as possible.

Rizza Cea

Midwife + Doctor + Reproductive Health Advocate

Rizza has a bachelor's in both sociology and nursing, a master's in nurse-midwifery, and most recently a Doctorate in Nursing Practice. She has worked as a certified nurse-midwife for over 20 years, in New York and Seattle. Rizza also taught as an adjunct faculty in an undergraduate nursing program for eight years. Rizza’s current work is in clinical consulting on reproductive health. She has been married for 28 years and has boy/girl twins in high school, and three dogs. Originally from Hawaii of Filipino descent, Rizza comes from a family of five children. Rizza enjoys traveling, eating out, happy hour, real conversation, being an Uber driver to kids, long walks, podcasts, binging TV shows, steam rooms, family time, friend time, and alone time.