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).

Queens Hall Auditorium
1-3 St. Ann’s Road, St. Ann’s
Port of Spain, Port of Spain, 00000
Trinidad and Tobago

Agyei Archer

Designer

Agyei Archer is a designer based in Trinidad and Tobago. He studied Visual Communications at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, and typeface design at The Cooper Union. His interests include language, culture, and technology, especially as they relate to the Caribbean. Agyei has 12 years experience in creating brand identities, websites, digital products, publications, and event invites— all with a focus on solutions that integrate meaningful, considered graphics, strong typography, and nimble, well-written code. Agyei's passion can be seen in the thought put into his work with organizations such as the Caribbean Mental Health Foundation. In addition to client work, Agyei is a founding member and current co-director of Design Objective, Trinidad and Tobago’s non-profit graphic design membership organisation.

Carver Bacchus

Sustainability Educator

Carver Bacchus holds a BSc in Communications, a Diploma in Film Production and has over 15 years of professional experience in the areas of Management and Marketing. He has worked in both the public and private sectors in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and North America. Carver is Managing Director of Sustain T&T, a not-for-profit that develops creative communication tools for environmental and sustainability education. In particular, Sustain T&T has developed the only environmentally focused film festival in the English-speaking Caribbean - Green Screen Environmental Film Festival. Carver also leads the film production arm of Sustain T&T which has produced several sustainability-focused documentaries since 2012 in collaboration with agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, the German Embassy Port of Spain and the University of the West Indies and FilmTT.

David Abdulah

Economist

David Abdulah’s life has been spent in pursuit of social justice and the transformation of Trinidad and Tobago. An economist by training, he became interested in social issues during the 1970s as a member of the Students’ Guild at The University of the West Indies St. Augustine. The four decades after graduation saw David at the heart of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) where he served in various capacities from Executive Treasurer to Chief Education and Research Officer and retired as its General Secretary. At 22, he unsuccessfully contested parliamentary elections for the Tunapuna seat for the political party, United Labour Front. Several decades later in 2010, he registered the Movement for Social Justice, a political party which he continues to lead.

Elizabeth Montano

Entrepreneur

After graduating with Distinction from Mausica Teachers College in 1971, Elizabeth Montano (Lady) started her career as an educator and teacher. In 1977 she made the University’s honourable performance list when she received her Certificate in Education with Distinction. By 1979 she was awarded her Degree in Education; also with Distinction. That was quickly followed by her appointment as a Guidance Officer, a position in which she served for nine years before taking early retirement in 1989. Her career has juxtaposed Academia and supporting the meteoric rise of her son’s career. Under her guidance, Machel became one of the most successful Soca/Calypso artists in the world. As if she wasn’t busy enough, Lady found time in 2006 to dive back into academia at the University of the West Indies and graduated with a Diploma in ACEM (Entertainment Management with Distinction).

Gregory Aboud

Business Man

Gregory E. Aboud was born in, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago in 1956. He attended, St Monica’s Prep and St Mary’s College then studied in Canada for six years graduating with an Honours degree in Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. Gregory has worked within the family business group since his early childhood, during school holidays, he filled in where needed and eventually became a permanent member of staff upon graduation in 1978. He has worked in numerous roles within the group, learning the processes firsthand, from Export Shipping Clerk, Wholesale Officer, Retail Officer, Export Sales Team Member and eventually Export Team Lead. On the passing of his father in September 2014, he became Managing Director. Gregory takes a keen interest in property development with a special focus on the preservation of old buildings and structures.

Imani Wilmot

Surf Instructor

Born and raised on the wave washed shores of Eight Mile, Bull Bay in St. Andrew, Jamaica, Imani Wilmot was a natural water baby. After watching her brothers surfing, Imani decided to take a crack at the sport at age 8. It was an instant connection that has shaped her life so significantly that she dedicated herself to motivating and empowering girls of all ages to try surfing. Imani is a world-renowned athlete and international role model. She is the founder of Surf Girls Jamaica and the featured face in the award-winning film ‘Surf Girls Jamaica’. She spends most of her time running the Jamnesia Surf Camp, Jamaica's first and only surf camp, and Creative Family Jamaica, a media production company. Partially due to having grown up in a creative family, Imani thrives as a filmmaker and film producer having worked on notable Caribbean films such as Better Mus’ Come (Storm Saulter) and the Candy Shop (Joel Burke).

Kari Cobham

Journalist

Kari Cobham is a leader in the digital news space with over a decade of experience in journalism, digital storytelling, and newsroom leadership. She has mentored some of the most accomplished women in journalism after attending and serving as faculty at the ONA-Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media. She is the senior associate director of The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism and Media at The Carter Center where she oversees programme development in the United States and abroad. She was previously Cox Media Group’s senior manager of digital content, leading their newsrooms’ content strategy and training. Throughout her career, Kari has covered government and women’s issues in the Caribbean and Florida as a reporter, worked on tools to aid refugees in Italy, and managed media relations for former Philadelphia 76ers president, Pat Croce.

Lasana Liburd

Journalist

Lasana D. I. Liburd is the Founder, CEO and Editor of Wired868.com, which is Trinidad and Tobago’s first online news source that specialises in sport, satire and opinion. He has more than 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international media houses, such as the BBC World Service, The Guardian Newspapers of London, ESPN, Reuters, Play The Game and the Trinidad Express. Lasana was a contributor to British investigative journalist Andrew Jennings’ critically acclaimed book on FIFA, Foul, as well as American Huckster by Mary Papenfuss and Teri Thompson, which was the result of an investigation into American soccer official, Chuck Blazer. He was also one of several international investigative journalists who co-authored a book on sport corruption entitled ‘Korruption Im Sport’ which was published in Germany.

Onika Henry

Sexologist

Onika Henry lives on the island of Tobago, and is a Widener University trained sexologist (M. Ed.) and qualified Sex Coach (Sex Coach U), who has a B.A. in Theatre Arts, with a minor in Psychology. She uses this combination of specialties for the benefit of her clients who need to talk about sex and sex-related issues, in an environment that is healthy, fun, productive and most of all, safe and non-judgemental. After completing her BA, Onika got a job in the field of Arts & Culture, but soon found herself extremely frustrated with the work environment and left. She was referred to the Tobago HIV & AIDS Secretariat. Although the position as an Information, Education and Communications Officer seemed to be a far cry from her training, she took the job, excelled at it and was hooked.

Ryan Alexander (aka Dj Private Ryan)

DJ

Ryan Alexander more commonly known as DJ Private Ryan is an internationally acclaimed, well respected, and sought-after Caribbean DJ. DJ Private Ryan has built a dedicated global audience both on and offline which he uses to promote music from the Caribbean region. His podcasts boast of over thirty-six million (36,000,000) downloads, while his social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Sound cloud) have attracted more than two hundred and seventy thousand (270,000), followers. Mr. Alexander is the winner of the Global Spin Award Caribbean DJ of the Year 2012, a finalist for International DJ of the Year 2013, and honoree as the most outstanding FCSA alumni at the 42nd annual Florida Caribbean Students Association (FCSA) conference at the University of Tampa. He is recognized worldwide for his versatility in interpretation and mixes of different genres of music.

Siana Teelucksingh

Sustainable Energy Strategist

“Energy underpins the success of every economy. Access to clean, affordable, reliable electricity is essential for economic progress and quality living”. This statement fuels the work of Siana Teelucksingh throughout the region. She is leading the way to bring renewable energy into the mainstream and adapting business processes to facilitate successful energy transitions. Siana Teelucksingh obtained her MSc. in Sustainable Energy Futures from Imperial College, London. For the past four years, she has been working with the Clinton Climate Initiative’s Islands Energy Program providing technical advisory to island governments and electric utilities. As a renewable energy consultant, she has facilitated multi-stakeholder decision making amongst island governments and utilities in St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, and Dominica.

Susan Francois

Attorney

Susan S. François is an Attorney-at-Law with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Corporate and Commercial Law focusing on Corporate Finance and Offshore Company Finance. She has coordinated numerous sensitization programmes on anti-money laundering, terrorism and its financing and related matters at domestic and international fora, including the International Criminal Court, CARICOM, the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the Financial Investigations Division of Jamaica and the Financial Sectors. In 2011, Susan was appointed Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, she has received certification in AML/CFT technical fields such as Financial Analysis and Investigations, Tactical and Strategic Analyses, Illicit Finance & Criminal and Terrorist Networks, Prevention of Corruption on Public Procurement and holds an ICA Specialist Certificate in Terrorism Financing.