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).

Oak Hall, Rm #101
363-367 Fairfield Way
Storrs, Connecticut, 06269
United States

Erin Smith

Erin is a Performance Psychologist and Executive Coach who boasts 15+ years in corporate America, predominantly in private equity and hedge funds. Since 2017 she has been running a thriving private coaching practice that most notably focuses on guiding women towards leadership roles in male-dominated fields. With her personal experience and hundreds of hours of researching successful women Erin is uniquely qualified to help high performers rise above the usual barriers into highly visible roles in leadership in male dominated fields. She has a special knack for rapport-building and trust-cultivation that her clients love, which aids in translating leadership challenges into actionable insights, and above all, lasting change.

Kate Hoffert

Kate Hoffert is a sophomore at the University of Connecticut. Majoring in Geography and Geographic Information Science, Kate is interested in the cartographic sciences with regards to urban systems and regional planning. They have previously worked as part of a team of Stormwater Mapping interns with the Western Connecticut Council of Governments, where their team worked on field data collection of stormwater infrastructure. They recently presented their team’s work at the 2023 New England ArcGIS Regional Conference in New Haven.

Lili Romann

Lili Romann is a master’s student in the Department of Communication studying computer-mediated communication and health communication. She serves as a teaching assistant of Feminisms and the Arts in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. She graduated from UConn with a B.A. in psychology, communication, and a minor in cognitive science. Lili holds TEDxUConn very near and dear to her heart! This wonderful organization helped her realize her passions for collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving and realize the true practical potential that such "ideas worth spreading" have. Her research projects focus on how social learning occurs in the virtual environment, specifically regarding how health information and experiences are disseminated and communicated about online. Additionally, she is interested in promoting the importance of internet and social media safety and policy, especially in regards to psychological wellness, technology addiction, mental health treatment, and data privacy.

Martina Villa

I was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of eight, and had the chance to sit on the other side of that very same testing table fifteen years later when I decided to join a research team investigating reading (dis)abilities. Now, I am pursuing a PhD in developmental Psychology at the University of Connecticut. I am part of the Landi Lab, where I try to detangle the genetic and environmental mechanisms by which we (fail to) learn to read, understand how to develop better interventions, and study what happens to children with dyslexia when they grow up.

Nicole Alioto

With 25 years of research experience, Dr. Nicole Alioto spent the majority of her career working in higher education and K12 to use data for improving student outcomes and institutional effectiveness. In 2017 she started Alla Breve Educational Consulting to help public sector organizations and educational institutions cut time with strategic planning and analysis and get laser focused on answers empowering them to be effective. Working with education and public sector agencies, she focused on improving efficiency and effectiveness regarding data driven decisions. Before IBM, she was the Coordinator for the WSWHE BOCES Data Analysis Service, assisting districts in the analysis, interpretation, and use of data. Nicole completed her Ph.D. in Social Psychology at the University of Connecticut, focusing on attitude and behavior change. Specifically, she applied social psychology theories to advertising and evaluated their effectiveness using structural equation modeling.

Rashana Weerasinghe

Rashana Weerasinghe is a multi-hyphenate. She is a Product Manager, Adjunct Professor, and Researcher; fashioned from experiences spanning a number of industries, technologies, and growth stages - EdTech to E-Commerce, Autonomous Vehicles to Virtual Reality Headsets, and early to maturity growth stages. This tenure equips her with a deep-rooted focus on the human experience: be it customers, or students. Rashana’s main domain is consumer products, with an emphasis on emerging technology. Presently she works at Amazon, keeping close proximity to users to build automated processes infused with empathy.

Semaj Skillings

Semaj Skillings is a senior at the University of Connecticut pursuing a degree in English with a minor in Africana Studies. His research centers on the creation of anti-oppressive learning communities within youth and pop culture through radical imagination. Passionate about education and community building, Semaj has been actively involved in supporting the Hip Hop Youth Research and Activism Conference at Rutgers University since 2019. This year Semaj will co-direct an annual conference at Fordham University where he will actively engage with the global community of Hip Hop educators, and together they will explore innovative ways to reshape school curriculums across various disciplines.