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).

Barrington Area Library
505 N. Northwest Highway
Barrington, Illinois, 60010
United States

Charlie Donlea

USA Today and international best-selling author

Charlie Donlea is the USA Today and #1 International bestelling author of Summit Lake, The Girl Who Was Taken Don't Believe It, Some Choose Darkness, The Suicide House, and Twenty Years Later. His seventh thriller, Those Empty Eyes, was released in April 2023. A late bloomer, he was twenty years old when he read his first novel, The Firm by John Grisham, and knew he would someday write thrillers. his books have been translated into twenty languages across nearly forty countries. Praised for his "soaring pace, teasing plot twists" (BookPage) and talent for writing an ending that "makes your jaw drop" (The New York Times Book Review), Donlea has been called a "bold new writer...on his way to becoming a major figure in the world of suspense" (Publishers Weekly). He resides in Chicago with his wife and two children.

Kateryna Mazhuha

Artist, philanthropist

Kateryna Mazhuha is an artist who creates oil paintings using a style called "tunnel vision." Her bright palette of colors becomes more abstract the further it gets from the center of the painting. Kateryna's paintings reflect various plant life stories. These paintings reflect the idea of a "whole," and bring out the spectacular effects of each of her organic subjects. Kateryna was born and raised in Chernihiv, Ukraine. As a child, she demonstrated passion in the visual arts, and took part in many exhibitions in her city. In 2016, Kateryna was awarded "Woman of the Year" from the City Council of Chernihiv and NGO's "Union of Women of Chernihiv Region" for her public activity and high professionalism. In 2019, she moved to the United States, where she began working as a full-time artist. This allowed her to further develop her personal style. Painting continues to be an integral part of her life and each artwork never fails to incorporate her spirit and passion.

Rekha S. Rajan

Award-winning author and musician

Dr. Rekha S. Rajan is a nationally-recognized musician and STEAM early childhood educator whose work has been featured by NPR, the National Head Start Association and many more. She is a STEM/STEAM curriculum advisor to multiple states and agencies including the California Department of Education and the Illinois Department of Education. She is the author of a number of adult books including The Read Aloud Factor and six academic books on how to integrate the arts into other subjects. Rekha's children's books are heavily influenced by her deep STEAM expertise. Some of these titles include Amazing Landmarks, This is Music: Drums and the chapter book series Disaster Squad. She holds a Doctorate and Masters in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Masters in Early Childhood Education from Roosevelt University. She lives in Chicago with her husband, three kids, two dogs, a bird, a bunny and a hamster. Shen she isn't writing she is probably playing an instrument.