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).

Kingsway Campus, University of Chester
Kingsway
Chester, Cheshire West and Chester, CH23LB
United Kingdom

Cat Williams

Psychotherapist, Speaker & Author specialising in self-confidence & relationships

Cat is a clinical hypnotherapist, transformational therapist, author and keynote speaker. Cat works with people of all ages to free them of their lack of confidence by teaching them how to work with their minds. She uses her knowledge, clinical and personal experience and professional training to help others achieve their highest potential.

Cel Spellman

Actor and Environmentalist

Cel Spellman — an actor, presenter, and proud ambassador for numerous wildlife and conservation charities which include the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), The Wildlife Trusts, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Young People's Trust for the Environment, and many more.

Chiedza Ikpeh

Director of the RARA Education Project

Chiedza Ikpeh is a Zimbabwean-born education activist dedicated to driving meaningful change across the education landscape and beyond. With a rich academic background spanning Psychology and Human Resource Management, she is currently the Director of the RARA Education Project, an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Consultant, a podcast host, a Doctoral Researcher, and a Multi-Academy Trustee Director.

Dale Whelehan

CEO 4 Day Week Global ; Lecturer and Researcher Behaviour Science

Dr. Dale Whelehan is a Social Entrepreneur and Doctor of Behavioural Sciences who graduated from Trinity College, Dublin. Dale became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the not-for-profit organisation 4 Day Week Global that aims to create a million new years of free time.

Eleanor Lewis

PhD Socioeconomics of Industrial Decarbonisation

Eleanor Lewis is a third-year PhD student studying the role of socioeconomics on industrial decarbonisation at the University of Chester, on the organising committee for the Postgraduate Research Conference programme, and one of the student deputy chairs for the Office for Students on the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) panel. Alongside her PhD, Eleanor has worked as a consultant on several decarbonisation projects, including ones for the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre, and the Welsh Assembly on their Net Zero Scenarios.

Eunice Simmons

Vice-Chancellor, Chief Executive, Professor of Sustainable Environments

Professor Eunice Simmons leads the University of Chester as Vice-Chancellor, Chief Executive, Professor of Sustainable Environments, and Chair of Mersey Forest Partnership and of the national charity TASO: Transforming, Access and Student Outcomes. She is committed to delivering the university’s Citizen Student strategy, whilst ensuring the university delivers social value and economic uplift in Chester and in its University Centres in Warrington, Birkenhead and Shrewsbury.

Kate Manton

Market Research Project Management and Operations

Throughout her career, Kate Manton has travelled extensively and worked in a number of countries leading Project Management and Operations Teams in the Market Research Industry. Currently taking a break in her career, Kate is looking to the next steps in her profession and is currently involved in book writing and publishing. With much of her childhood spent in Africa, Zambia-born Kate currently resides in North Wales with her husband, Colt. With her experiences, she is keen to promote open and transparent discussions around topics that can be considered polarising and complicated in our world, in order that individuals can have informative discussions before making opinions.

Michal Izak

Professor of Organisation Studies

Professor Michal Izak is a Professor of Organisation Studies at the University of Chester, an editorial board member of Organization Studies and an Associate Editor of Management Learning.

Michelle Pretorius

Senior Lecturer in Musical Theatre

Dr. Michelle Pretorius is an esteemed lecturer, researcher, theatre creator, and performer of musical theatre who specialises in the academic study of musical theatre, contextual studies, as well as vocal technique and coaching. Within her research, she focuses on musical theatre within the realm of popular culture and celebrity culture’s effect on the field of musical theatre.

Patrycjusz Szubryt

Artificial Intelligence

Patrycjusz Szubryt specializes in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning within the finance industry, product development, and leadership. Flourishing in high-stakes initiatives, he demonstrates a knack for steering ground-breaking technologies across diverse industries. With an Executive Certification in AI Leadership from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and also being a Research Group Team Leader in the Centre for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP), Patrycjusz’s passion for knowledge has now taken him on the journey to pursue a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) with a focus on the identification of the potential strategy for improving AI introduction in UK organisations.

Toluwani Aliu

Student

Aliu Toluwani Victor is one of the driving forces behind the Upsurge Foundation, an NGO dedicated to fostering global leaders among the youth through the African Royal Leadership Fellowship bootcamp, as well as the Aliu Empowerment program which offers tuition-free scholarships to numerous secondary and tertiary schools since 2022. With a passion for empowering the younger generation worldwide, he strives to make lasting impacts with multifaceted approaches and initiatives that focus on youth empowerment, leadership development, problem-solving skills, and entrepreneurship.

Victoria Ridgway

Associate Dean Faculty Health Medicine and Society

Professor Victoria Ridgway is a Professor of Nursing, and is currently, the Associate Dean in the Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Society at the University of Chester. Having been a qualified nurse since 1993, she worked in acute care before becoming a lecturer in 2003. Upon completing an MA in Gerontology in 2002, Victoria’s passion and interest were ignited to further study the field of ageing and later life, which led to her achieving her PhD with a thesis titled – “Visual Perceptions of Ageing”. At present, she considers herself a pedagogic researcher as her current research work, in partnership with the Philip Barker Centre for Creative Learning, focuses on the development and evaluation of a creative health placement.