Theme: Press Play

What does “Press Play” mean to you? Before the internet arose, this term would have been nonsensical; now after technology, the term "press play" is commonplace in the English language, signifying the start of something. More than that, it implies a choice to begin, to take on a challenge, and to progress to another stage. We hope this open-ended phrase catalyzes an idea that you feel you must share. The point of our theme is not to dissuade speakers who feel that their talk does not exactly fit within our theme. Instead, we hope our theme can act as a point of connection between a myriad of talk topics that span many industries and focuses. As a way to show that across the stories told there is a unifying human element to all of them. We embrace your unique perspective and encourage your creativity.

Robsham Theater Arts Center
Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave.
Chestnut Hill, MA, Massachusetts, 02467
United States

Jeremy Woodward

Trainor, Coach, and Author

Some might say Jeremy is a miracle but no one can deny that he is an inspiration. After barely surviving 2 heart failures and open-heart surgeries in Boston Hospitals Jeremy has continued to accomplish amazing athletic feats while leaving a trail of inspiration along the way. Just 3 years after his last open heart surgery, Jeremy not only finished Ironman Lake Placid but was one of the top fundraisers and has been a member of Tedy Bruschi’s team at the Boston Marathon for 6 years! Jeremy is the creator of Live Life To The Fittest®️ program, an Author, Trainer, multi sport Coach, a 6th Degree Black Belt in Karate and has a Black Sash in Kung-Fu. •Medtronic Global Hero Award (one of 25 in the world) •2017 Quarterfinalist for the Men’s Health Ultimate Guy. •Jeremy has been featured in over 100+ media networks that include CNN, NBC, Sports Illustrated. Jeremy lives in Concord, NH where he lives with his family: wife Brook and three daughters Elliana, Bryn and Isla.

Jesse Janelle

Founder at Jesse Janelle Coaching

Jesse Janelle is an ICF certified coach for soul-searching millennials who want to live extraordinary lives. She has been working in the coaching industry for over a decade, serving leaders from companies such as, McKinsey, Harvard Medical School, The Walt Disney Company, Massachusetts General Hospital, Amazon, and many others. Last year, she was selected to be a founding member of Forefront, powered by Marshall Goldsmith and the 100 Coaches agency, for her contributions to the field of leadership coaching. Jesse holds a BA in Psychology from Boston College and completed her Ontological coach training with the Newfield Network. She is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher and has completed extensive training in meditation, mindfulness, and somatic practices.

Kristie Dickinson

Adjunct Professor of Design Thinking & Entrepreneur in Residence

Kristie is the Adjunct Professor of the first-ever Design Thinking course in the Carroll School of Management where she teaches creative problem-solving skills using the powers of empathy, inclusive design, and storytelling. She also leads popular workshops like “How to Give the Pitch of Your Life” as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Shea Center. Before returning to BC, Kristie worked on the Apple Marketing Team in Cupertino, where she led third-party Apple Watch app strategy for Worldwide Developer Relations, and consulted for startups and Fortune Global 500 companies on product strategy and UI/UX design. Inspired by her beloved BC students, Kristie is now launching a new kind of experience design consulting firm. Surprise & Delight Studios™️ will specialize in transforming ineffective corporate meetings, unimaginative private gatherings, and even awkward date nights into unforgettable moments with authentic human connection.

Lauren Blodgett

Founder at The Brave House

Lauren is an immigration attorney and founder of The Brave House. She was previously an attorney & Equal Justice Works fellow the Safe Passage Project, where she provided legal representation to refugee children & youth fleeing gender-based violence. She co-founded Las Mariposas, a girls empowerment group at Safe Passage, where she organized monthly activities aimed at wellness and community, such as self-defense, photography, and dancing. She was honored on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Law and Policy and was in the NY Times regarding the challenges that immigration attorneys face during the Trump Administration. She graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she served on the board of the Harvard Immigration Project and worked in non-profits in Morocco, Thailand, Jordan, Tanzania and Cambodia on various human rights issues. She has also spent a year as a Fulbright scholar in Innsbruck, Austria, and worked at a refugee center in Cape Town, South Africa.

Mabel Bassi

Student at Boston College

Mabel Bassi is a senior at Boston College, majoring in Neuroscience. She is from Huntington, Long Island. At school, she is involved with BC Campus Ministry as a Kairos Co-director and she is also a Thrive mentor in the Women's Center. Mainly, she is passionate about spirituality, self-reflection, and introspection. She will be delivering "How the Butterfly Effect and Mindfulness can Empower us and Fuel Change". She loves listening to Ted Talks because the Tedx platform gives people the ability to listen and learn from other people's experiences. People can feel connected to one another, even if there is no personal relationship with the speaker.

Sandra Ferreira

Psychologist and Writer

Sandra Ferreira is a Brazilian-American psychologist with over 30 years of experience in the clinical mental health field. Her vast academic background includes graduate degrees in music therapy, psychology, piano, and voice through the Pontific Catholic University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo State University (USP), New York University, The Boston Conservatory, and Northeastern University. She currently sees clients at her private practices in Needham, MA, and Huntington Beach, CA, and collaborates with Brazilian newspapers, radio stations, criminal and family courts from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Orange county, and the Consulates General of Brazil in Boston, and Los Angeles, providing information, courses, workshops, direct assistance, and treatment to the community on mental health matters.