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).

Sining River Live
526 E College St
Florence, Alabama, 35630
United States

Dr. Gale D. Satchel

With more than 27 years of hands-on educational experience ranging from early-childhood education to post-secondary education to District Superintendent, Dr. Satchel has had the honor of many diverse opportunities to serve stakeholders in a multitude of ways. People to People, Inc. -- As delegation leader, Dr. Satchel has travelled to Canada, Australia and European Countries. These educational tours have afforded her many diverse cultural experiences. At the discretion of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Dr. Satchel serves on the Alabama Partnership for Children Board of Directors, and the Superintendents’ Board for the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Dr. Satchel currently serves her community on several not-for-profit organizations including Listerhill Credit Union, Helen Keller Birthplace Foundation, Sheffield Kiwanis Club, Tuscumbia Lions Club, Greater Shoals Rotary Club, and Helen Keller Hospital Foundation. As the first African-American woman to be elected as Superintendent for the Colbert County School District, Dr. Satchel served 2700 students, 407 employees and supervised 43 bus routes. Of the eight schools in the District, five are Title I elementary schools (pre-k through 6 grade). The three high schools serve students in grades 7 through 12. Dr. Satchel is principled, courageous and dynamic and continually raised the bar. As a solid leader, she and her team have an array of accomplishments. To name a few: Established a Student Ambassador Program Established an Education Foundation (awarded more than $28,000 to classroom teachers via grants) Renovated six of eight cafeterias Upgraded science labs in our three high schools Addressed Financial Literacy by partnering with First Metro Bank to host a branch at each of our three high schools Partnered with Listerhill Credit Union to provide sneakers for ALL students through Kicks for Kids Program Decreased chronic absenteeism from 24% to 4.9% Increased enrollment over the last five years Increased the number of teachers who are Nationally Board Certified Increased the number of Pre-K programs from one to nine Hosted the National Healthcare Science Teacher Hosted five Eagle Scouts Increased the average ACT scores Increased the graduation rate from 57% to 89% Dr. Satchel’s honesty, integrity and leadership has shattered all glass ceilings. She is 100% committed to the next generation, and has an authentic purpose in her quest to address injustice, prejudice and inequalities for all students and staff

Gary Padgett, Ph.D.

Dr. Gary Padgett has over twenty years of experience in the field of education working in magnet schools, Title I schools, Renaissance schools, in tribal education systems, and in higher education. In addition to his role as a professor at the University of North Alabama, Gary is the Director of the South Eastern Ecoliteracy Project and a permaculture ambassador for the International Permaculture Education Center. As an award-winning professor, Gary has worked with and mentored some of the best emerging teachers and researchers. His research interests involve mindfulness and ecopedagogy, which currently has him creating and conducting research about school gardens throughout Northwest Alabama. Gary hopes to increase students’ awareness of their connection to each other, their communities, and to the natural world around them. As a member of the National Qigong Association and his mindfulness based stress reduction training through the Palouse Institute, Gary utilizes literal and metaphorical gardens to ground students in the present moment and encourages them to be aware of their actions and their effects on others. The impact of mindfulness and interacting with nature on students’ classroom behavior, health, and positive interactions is encouraging for those working with children. The findings from his research have been published in peer-reviewed journals at the national and international level. Gary is also the husband of Ana Maria and the father of Tomás and Miranda. When he is not coaching his children, Gary can be found outside hiking, kayaking, or, of course, gardening.

Michaud Garneau

Michaud Garneau is a professional facilitator with over a decade of teaching and training experience. He's created and facilitated workshops for Fortune 500 companies, not-for-profits, as well as developed curriculum for elementary, high school and post-secondary institutions. Michaud draws on his experience as an award-winning performance artist to create highly engaging and memorable learning experiences. Michaud likes to shake things up. He’s no stranger to helping leaders stretch comfortably into uncomfortable situations. And as founder of Weird is Nrml, he’s on a mission to disrupt the conventional norms of leadership. Professionally trained as a clown and with a background in theatre, he has a gift for teaching people how to trust themselves, take bigger risks, and genuinely connect with others. In 2018 Michaud founded Weird Is Nrml (WIN) because he saw a huge disconnect between organizations asking for creativity, collaboration and innovation from their teams and the way those organizations interacted with and led the humans that make up those teams. Having been a leader in highly creative and collaborative fields, i.e. clowning and experimental puppet theatre, Michaud knew a thing or two about building creative and collaborative cultures and wanted to help. The idea: take the leadership beliefs and processes that worked in art and transpose them to the business world. The result: people are raving about the program as life-changing and that it not only helps in their work life, but their personal relationships too. Building empathy, collaboration, communication and a willingness to be uncomfortable is at the core of the WIN training programs. With a hands-on approach to learning, participants are given the opportunity to practice and develop their skills in a safe and encouraging space. Michaud believes a willingness to be uncomfortable is not some innate bravery, rather, a skill that can be developed through exposure and practice. WIN provides that exposure and practice in a supportive environment that builds teams equipped to handle the challenges of the future. To learn more about Michaud and Weird Is Nrml visit www.weirdisnrml.com or follow him on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/michaudgarneau/

Michelle Eubanks

Michelle Rupe Eubanks is a native of Florence, Alabama, having attended the city schools, graduating from Coffee High School in 1992 and from the University of North Alabama in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Professional Writing. Eubanks also has a Master’s of Arts degree in English, with an emphasis in Southern Literature, from Mississippi State University.

Shannon Milliman

Shannon Milliman is a performance artist celebrating creativity and artistic expression. She is a Certified Professional in Talent Development and seeks opportunities to merge improv, creativity and art into adult learning; she works at Amazon as a Senior Trainer, recently relocated her family of 7 across the country from Portland, Oregon to Florence, Alabama with the encouragement of Remote Shoals. She is eager to observe and capture the south through art and word. She is a playwright, published poet, essayist, and performs an original, autobiographical, one woman play called Not So Supernova which is a raw, emotional story about the jagged edges of motherhood and marriage. Her play emphasizes finding humor and believing in the healing power of hope when life doesn't go as you plan. She hopes to create a play dedicated to each of her children so hopefully she lives a long life. Shannon enjoys community theatre, has modeled for Aveda salons, performed as a lead dancer in a Wieden & Kennedy artist created music video, has danced in flash mobs to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Shannon appreciates the outdoors: hiking, gardening, fishing and swimming in natural water. Favorite memories are watching baby turtles hatch and make their way into the ocean, fishing in the Kenai River, swimming with dolphins and walking in the mountains of her father’s homeland. Shannon is a mother of five (ages 19, 17, 15, 13, 11) and wife to a musician/photographer. Shannon has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brigham Young University, studied memoir at Attic Portland, Oregon’s Attic Institute and is writing the life story of her grandparents. Through the efforts of interviewing her grandparents, and numerous elder relatives including great aunts/uncles/second/third/first and second once and twice removed cousins Shannon unearthed questions and answers and direction that she did not expect. Through the documentation and process of capturing elder’s stories she began to interpret nuance, wisdom and complexity and found a deep appreciation for facilitating problems she encountered in her own family and self. Shannon promotes the undeniable power of listening and capturing stories of older generations.

Stephanie Edwards

Stephanie is a wife, mom and business owner in little Leoma, TN. She studied Journalism and Studio Art at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and pivoted into retail. Stephanie now owns two ecommerce brands: Highland Ridge Decor specializing in handmade goods made locally in Tennessee, and Jubilee Trading Co. featuring handmade goods made by her partner in Morocco. Her work has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens DIY Magazine, Apartment Therapy and Buzzfeed. She believes in the dignity that work provides and the rejuvenating impact that it can make on a life, a family, and an entire community-- and that we each get to participate in that narrative as we choose where to spend our money.