Theme: Thinking Outside the Box

We will be hosting innovate ideas that align with TED's purpose "to bring all the motivational speakers together and establish a community that is the epitome of harmony, positive attitude, and curiosity."

Laurel Ridge Community College - Fauquier Campus
6480 College St
Warrenton, Virginia, 20187
United States

Alexander Olesen

Alexander Olesen is the CEO & Co-Founder of Babylon Micro-Farms Inc. They build and operate a distributed network of on-site vertical farms that allow food service operations to grow fresh produce and ingredients in a safe, reliable, and convenient way, benefiting consumers and the planet. He founded the company as a student at the University of Virginia while studying social-entrepreneurship. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, including being listed on Forbes 30 Under 30, and a keynote speaker on climate technology and vertical farming.

Ashleigh Clyde

Ashleigh Tamia Clyde is a dedicated youth advocate, journalist, and researcher. Passionate about shedding light on important issues, she advocates for the youth community. Recognized for her leadership and historic speech win, Ashleigh received a commendation resolution from the Virginia House of Delegates. As co-founder of The Adventure Prayer Journal: For Kids, with her twin sister Kristine Clyde, she fosters spiritual growth and creativity in young minds. Her podcast, "Ashleigh On Air," features insightful conversations with top industry professionals. With aspirations to be a broadcast journalist, Ashleigh's work aims to protect children and create a safer world for the younger generation.

Daphne B. Latimore

Daphne B. Latimore is your go-to expert for boosting productivity and performance. As the Founder and Managing Partner of D.B. Latimore Professional Services Group, LLC, she leads a boutique firm specializing in Management Consulting, Professional Coaching Services, and Workforce Development. A passionate advocate for advancing the HR profession, Daphne firmly believes that "PEOPLE" are an organization's most valuable resource. Through her groundbreaking framework, "Productivity Powered by P.E.O.P.L.E.®," Daphne revolutionizes workforce productivity for individuals and organizations. Her expertise lies in creating sustainable productivity programs and seamless enterprise-wide transitions. Daphne's captivating presentations are laced with humor and storytelling, making her a relatable professional and colleague. Drawing from over 30 years of HR experience, including nine years at the executive level, she provides innovative strategies for productivity improvement.

Dr. Courtney L. Sexton

Dr. Sexton is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She earned her PhD from the George Washington University Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, where her dissertation explored co-evolution, interspecific communication, and social relationships between humans and dogs. A Diverse Intelligences and AAAS Mass Media Fellow, she is currently working on the Dog Aging Project, and is especially interested in One Health applications of canine science research. An accomplished writer, Dr. Sexton is passionate about scientific outreach and journalism, and is also the co-founder of the Washington, DC-based literary arts nonprofit, The Inner Loop.

Dr. Steven Shepard

Dr. Steven Shepard is the author of more than 100 books, as well as a photographer, speaker, audio producer, and educator, with more than 40 years in the technology industry. Dr. Shepard received his undergraduate degree in Spanish and Romance Philology from the University of California at Berkeley (1976), his master’s degree in International Business from St. Mary’s College (1985), and his PhD at the Da Vinci Institute in Rivonia, South Africa (2009). Dr. Shepard specializes in international issues in technology strategy, with an emphasis on the social, geopolitical, economic, and competitive implications of technological change. Thanks to a childhood in Spain, Steve routinely publishes and delivers presentations in Spanish. He lives in Vermont with his wife Sabine, who has put up with him for more than 45 years.

Glenn Quader

A native of Washington DC, Glenn Quader is a Maryland based conductor, performer and recording artist who has enjoyed a lifelong pursuit of multiple genres. Currently he leads numerous ensembles in the greater DC/Baltimore region to critical acclaim, including Warrenton’s own Piedmont Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his career he has collaborated and performed with numerous Grammy winning artists in multiple formats throughout the US and Europe, often fusing genres with full orchestra. Along with a rigorous conducting schedule, Glenn is an in-demand electric/synth bassist for studios and large-scale festivals. He has trained in orchestral conducting and jazz at the Peabody Institute of the John Hopkins University (M.M) and the universities of Indiana, Illinois, Miami and Florida International (B.M.). Glenn has also received the conducting diploma, awarded by Catania University International Conducting Institute, in Sicily.

Harish Bikmal

FOUNDER & CHIEF EMPOWERMENT OFFICER

Harish has helped them with business growth through new products, operational excellence, and building a culture of acceptance and inclusion at organizations such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CVS Health, & Four Seasons Hotels. Harish has spoken about people with disabilities & their “hidden” talent at various companies and forums, including IBM, Freddie Mac, Stanford University, UNC Chapell Hill, and MIT Enterprise Forum. Harish’s younger son, Himal, has become a prolific artist despite the significant challenges due to his severe autism—recognition of his art boosted his self-esteem and positively impacted his family. Ignited by the desire to bring a similar transformation to others like Himal, Harish founded Zenaviv. This social enterprise has impacted hundreds of artists & their families, as well as thousands of employees in dozens of businesses. MBA, Duke University M.S. Computer Science, University of Hyderabad B.S. Electronics Engineering, Osmania University

Ken Falke

Mr. Falke is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Navy Special Operations Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community and retired Master Chief Petty Officer. During Ken’s career, he made over 1000 parachute jumps and roughly, the same number of underwater military dives. Ken led thousands of high-risk operations to include rendering safe unexploded ordnance, landmines, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Ken is highly respected around the world as an innovative and forward-thinking leader. Ken is a serial entrepreneur. He founded two for-profit and two nonprofit companies. As the Founder and CEO of his first company, A-T Solutions, the company, is a recognized international expert and valuable global asset in combating the war on terrorism. At the forefront of providing training and consulting services in the Counter-Terrorism industry, Ken also founded Shoulder 2 Shoulder, Inc. a multimedia technology company and prior to selling his share of the company, he served as the CEO for six years. In addition, Ken founded and led the EOD Warrior Foundation from 2004-2020. Ken’s passion is taking care of his fellow combat veterans and their family members and is founder and chairman of Boulder Crest Foundation, an organization focused on the wellness teachings of Posttraumatic Growth. In addition to his family’s personal philanthropy, Ken has raised and distributed over 170 million dollars for nonprofit organizations.

Lisa David Olson

Lisa David Olson is the (practically) world-famous business humorist, interactive speaker, author, podcaster and performer who shares how humor saved her life. A multi TEDx Speaker who loves to guide others to their own talk, Olson is also a speaker-trainer, and professional nag. LDO’s interactive presentation style, and tools from the stage to real life, are sought out to re-energize stale thinking. Olson is an improv ninja who demonstrates how humor is a genuine connector, with a bonus of health benefits.

Lisa TheLandstronaut Alcindor

Lisa TheLandstronaut Alcindor is one of less than 10 melanated women in the world that have reached astronaut candidacy up to the year of 2023 and has 13 years of experience working with the Department of Defense. Lisa TheLandstronaut is also the founder of a new-start Space science and technology corporation, Landstronaut® set forth to revolutionize the way humanity evolves through investing in companies, technologies, people, places, and things that progress humanity’s ability to survive in irregular environments from “Land to Space.” By founding Landstronaut, Lisa TheLandstroaut Alcindor creates strong Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA) initiatives through meaningful partnerships in the promotion of human space exploration and travel with focus on Space Infrastructure Futurism (SIF) as a foundational layer to building the woman spacesuit.

Marianne Clyde

Besides her 30 years as an award winning therapist and business person, best selling author and speaker, Marianne Clyde has served as a consultant to World Hope International, inspiring and equipping people to live their best and most empowered lives. In her travels to developing countries, teaching victims of war and poverty how to overcome trauma, she discovered how closely related we really are to the stars. She demonstrates how we can pull inspiration from that connection and shine like a Supernova, even in the darkest corners of the world, creating a powerful and lasting impact. As the co-founder of Isn't She Amazing, she currently focuses her empowering message of transformation to women over 50 to live "full out" for the rest of their lives. She's completed her first marathon, climbed Mt. Fuji, trekked to Mt. Everest basecamp, jumped out of airplanes (all over 50) and she's just getting started.

Patricia Bartell

As an orphan from a third-world country, Patricia Bartell rose to become a music and business powerhouse. Her journey, marked by resilience and fierce determination, has inspired a movement beyond her successes as a world-class musician and bestselling author. Through her innovative Bartell Music Academy, Accordion Life Academy, and her 'Crush It on Stage' program, Patricia challenges traditional education norms. Her talk, 'Rethink the Way We Teach Music,' underscores her commitment to holistic learning approaches. Embracing 'Crush it' as her mantra, Patricia calls on everyone to shatter their limits and seize their full potential with passion.

Paul Perrone

Engineer, innovator, and entrepreneur, Paul is a voice in the tech realm, with three decades under his belt as an author, speaker, and media muse. Family man to humans and felines, he crafts robots and rhythms, devours history, and broadcasts his insights from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains a stone’s throw from Charlottesville, Virginia.

Sharon Krasny

Sharon Krasny has worked as an educator for over twenty years in Virginia and abroad teaching in both Hungary and the Czech Republic. She discovered a love of oral history, from the people’s enthusiasm in retelling their knowledge of old. As an Advanced Placement Literature and Research English teacher, she has spent years encouraging students to take risks, look closely at the smallest details, and determine hidden meaning found within the text. Her own writing reflects these values. Her debut novel is the award-winning Silver Finalist of IBPA Benjamin Franklin's Best New Voice in Literature with Iceman Awakens. Sharon lives and writes in Northern Virginia with her husband Prokop and their rescue pets: Teddy and Bonnie Rose.