Theme: Shaping Tomorrow: Connecting Cultures, Ideas and Innovations

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).

The Biltmore Theatre
39 King St E
Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 1B2
Canada

Amy Ballantyne

Executive Life Coach

Amy Ballantyne is a TEDx Speaker, Executive Life Coach, Workplace Wellness & Emotional Intelligence Trainer, best-selling author and host of the podcast: Power To The People Pleasers. She is a dynamic and engaging speaker and trainer having spoken to companies and organizations internationally. Her mission is to inspire 10,000 humans to embrace their worthiness and release the daily overwhelm, pressure and stress that is preventing them from living the life they desire.

Atif Rashid

Inspirational Speaker, Coach

Atif Rashid, a proud public servant, is a Resilience Expert, Mindset Coach and Inspirational Speaker, sharing transformative stories of triumph over adversity. With an MBA and CPA from Saint Mary’s University, his journey from Pakistan to Canada, coupled with overcoming cancer and amputation, fuels his mission. Through his global movement, "Inspire 1 - Impact Billions!", Atif spreads positivity, fosters inclusivity, and empowers others to create lasting change.

Christine Gibson

Family Doctor, MD

Dr. Christine Gibson is a family doctor, trauma therapist, author, social media educator, and innovator. She works in equity-deserving spaces and studies complexity and complicity. As “tiktoktraumadoc,” she shares wisdom in The Modern Trauma Toolkit - a book that nurtures post-traumatic growth. She believes that healing is possible, even in these times, and her company Safer Spaces Training helps people create psychological safety and manage their distress.

Christine Samuel

Author, Coach, Facilitator

Christine Samuel is a coach, facilitator, author, and speaker. She dedicates her work to exploring these questions: What creates transformative human experiences? How can we bring Relational Intelligence into the way we work together? Through her guidance, individuals not only expand their capacity to trust themselves more fully but also develop the ability to listen to themselves and others. Her book, “The Heart Space: Living with Grace and Ease in an Era of Uncertainty,” launches on April 20, 2024.

Collette Wayne

Wellness Scientist

Dr. Collette Wayne, founder of Oceans of Grace Consulting, blends her extensive expertise in animal and environmental wellness across academia, government, and non-profits with her personal journey of overcoming adversity. Her unique perspective fuels her passion and drive for creating holistic ecosystem wellness solutions that intertwine human, animal, and environmental health. Her visionary work champions the creation of resilient, thriving ecosystems worldwide.

Diondra Filicetti

Workshop Facilitator, Inspector and Speaker

Diondra Filicetti is a professional workshop facilitator, instructor and speaker in the personal and professional development space. Diondra has worked with colleges, universities and small businesses within the GTA to deliver engaging educational and transformational learning experiences that empower participants to make material changes in their lives. Diondra is also the author of the Self-Awareness and Reflection Journal titled "Illuminate Your True Self." This insightful journal serves as a guide for individuals seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their life's journey.

Fatu Kaba

Peace Felicitator

Fatu Kaba, from Liberia, survived the civil war before moving to the USA to pursue her Bachelor's in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from Manchester University. She moved to Canada in 2022 to pursue graduate studies at Sobey School of Business, Halifax. She's also the Communications Coordinator for the Black Business Initiative and a Hub Lead Research Facilitator for the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub at the University of Alberta. Fatu is Passionate about storytelling, nonviolence activism and promotion of underrepresented voices.

Karol Brown

Story Teller, Speaker, Coach

Karol is a seasoned health educator, author, and captivating storytelling artist. For over 23, she has passionately shared the inspiring stories and wisdom of Harriet Tubman. Karol is the author of two impactful books, "30 Lessons in Love, Leadership, and Legacy from Harriet Tubman" and "The Harriet Tubman Way: An Inspirational Guide to Self-Love, Empowerment, and Legendary Leadership for Girls." She has coauthored three other books: "Rise Up" with Lisa Nichols, “Live Love, Prosper," with Authors Who Care, and together with professional storytellers, "How to Be A Storyteller."

Manuel Delmonte (Gonzamonte)

Coach, Entrepreneur

Manuel Delmonte is a coach, investor, and entrepreneur. Hungry to overcome his anxiety, stress, and ADHD caused by a broken home, he studied Clinical Psychology and gave his first seminar on his learnings about how the brain works at just 19. His mission is to help people discover the immense power of the brain and the capacity it has to help us achieve any goal, when given the right tools.

Nicholas Varas

CEO Moduleaf

Nicholas Varas is a Mechatronics Engineering graduate research student at Ontario Tech University and the Chief Executive Officer of Moduleaf. With an ever-growing vision to develop a universal platform for food security, he is at the forefront of revolutionizing the farming industry. He combines his academic and technical expertise in robotics with a profound commitment to sustainable farming, ultimately leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance the efficiency of agricultural practices worldwide.

Rhonda Davison

Spiritual Guide, Author, Transformational Coach

Rhonda Lynn Davison merges spiritual guidance with tech proficiency, leading the charge at Spiritual Fitness Warriors. With 30+ years in IT and a zeal for spiritual growth, she's a Lisa Nichols Certified Transformational Trainer. A best-selling author, she blends transformational wisdom with healing, guiding others from corporate burnout to spiritual enlightenment. Rhonda encourages manifesting, meditating, and maximizing potential, turning life's hurdles into a journey towards a joyful, purposeful life.

Richard Harbridge

Chief Technology Officer

In an era increasingly shaped by AI, Richard Harbridge, Chief Technology Officer and celebrated speaker, presents a new vision at TEDx. Advocating for AI that enhances human interactions and amplifies intentions, he shifts the focus from authenticity to the crucial importance of positive intent, relationships, and novelty. These priorities, he argues, are keys in connecting rather than dividing us, maintaining their significance in our digital future.

Sabrina Greer

Author, Speaker, Podcast Host

Sabrina Greer is an author, speaker, podcast host and mentor to creative entrepreneurs. She is also the visionary behind fEMPOWER Publications—a community and publishing house empowering female leaders. At her core, Sabrina is a mother x3 and a homesteader. As an ex-model and survivor of 20+ years in the fashion and beauty industry, she is passionate about positive body image advocacy and empowering women’s self worth.

Sandra Pierce

Portfolio Manager at RBC Dominion Securities

Sandra Pierce is a Portfolio Manager with RBC Dominion Securities, providing investment leadership for forty years and has an enviable reputation as an advocate for the empowerment of women. She is known, colloquially and in the media, as “The Bag Lady of Bay Street. For decades Sandra has passionately pursued her mission to give women a voice in the investment world. Sandra has been in the trenches driving real change on Bay Street to narrow the gender investing gap.

Sarah Lewis

Poet, Activist

Sarah Lewis is an Ojibwe and Cree spoken word poet, activist, community organizer and mother from Curve Lake First Nation. She earned her BSW at Trent University and served as Peterborough's inaugural Poet Laureate from 2021-2022. Sarah has been featured on CBC Arts, Global News, and stages across the world. She utilizes poetry as an act of resistance, and healing giving voice to Indigenous resurgence and reclamation of identities, culture, strength and sovereignty.

Sveta Manorathan

Bharatanatyam Performer

Sveta Manorathan is a student at York University in Psychology(BSc) focused on Autism and child development. Introduced to Bharatanatyam at 6 years old, Sveta has dedicated over 15 years to mastering this art form at Kalai Natiyalaiya Fine Arts under the guidance of guru Smt. Kalaimathy Vageesan and completed her Arangataram in 2019. Since then, she aims to blend developmental therapy with the creativity and discipline of Bharatanatyam.

Zehra Mahoon

Transformational Trainer, Author, Speaker

Zehra Mahoon is a Certified Transformational Trainer, Author, Speaker & Coach. Her mission is to guide others to stop making mistakes that prevent them from their success and happiness by teaching them the power of self-talk based on her signature Heart and Mind Alignment Method. The author of 19 books, Zehra shares her personal journey to help people with theirs.