TEDxCoconutGrove
Before there was TEDxRansomEvergladesSchool, there was TEDxCoconutGrove, aiming to engage the Coconut Grove community in discussion of ideas, to expand perspectives and to make a philanthropic impact. From 2014 to 2018, TEDxCoconutGrove achieved this mission & collaborated with Ransom Everglades School faculty and students.
Connections 2014
Introduction to stomp out hunger
Joshua Williams founded Joshua's Heart Foundation (JHF) at the tender age of four and a half when he gave a homeless man the $20 his grandmother had recently given him as a gift. Even at that tender age, Joshua was passionate that no child should ever go hungry. Joshua's Heart Foundation (JHF) provides foods to low-income children, youth, seniors and families residing in South Florida and Jamaica West Indies through community-based sites and schools. To date, Joshua's Heart Foundation has distributed over 500,000 lbs of food to over 20,000 low-income individuals living in South Florida and Jamaica since 2005 with the help of over 600 youth volunteers. Joshua has received numerous awards for his work in the community and enjoys reading, speaking, sailing, travelling and playing basketball.
Dodging the meteor
Jay teaches Ecology, Environmental Science Honors and AP Environmental Science at Ransom Everglades School. He received a Bachelors of Science from the University of Maine and holds a Masters of Science from Florida State University and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Maine. Jay was teethed on a canoe paddle growing up on the banks of the Penobscot River in Orono, Maine. He hiked to the top of Mount Katahdin and to the end of the Appalachian Trail at age 6, and took a 100+ mile two week wilderness canoe trip at age 7. He has been barely missed by bear, moose, mountain goats, poisonous snakes and several species of sharks. Jay SCUBA dived for bodies of drowning victims at 16, crossed Canada on a motorcycle and froze, crossed the south on another motorcycle and sunburned the skin off his face. Jay can operate about any boat, tie most knots, fillet any fish and skin any mammal. Jay has three college degrees in science, but may be most proud of being an Eagle Scout along with his son.
Innovative approaches to hearing loss
Fred F. Telischi, M.E.E., M.D., FACS, is the chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology at the Miller School of Medicine. As a professor of otolaryngology, neurological surgery and biomedical engineering, he has been practicing otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery for more than 20 years in his previous capacities as director of the University of Miami Ear Institute and interim chair of the department. Dr. Telischi is recognized internationally for his expertise in treating disorders related to the ear, hearing loss, and cranial base tumors. He has mentored many medical students, residents, and postgraduate fellows in the art of microsurgical dissection within the temporal (ear) bone.
Talking with strangers
Riccardo was born in Colombia, and received his materials science and engineering degree from MIT, as well as an MBA from the Harvard Business School. After working in Colombia as a manager in a diversified manufacturing company, he moved to Miami with his family. He was Project Manager of Engineering America and later founder and CEO of various Internet companies. He is the president of Fractals Corp, an engineering consulting firm. As a hobby he is an adjunct professor of mathematics at Broward College. He lives with his wife, Raquel, and together they enjoy the quest for knowledge, travel, and good friends.
Rumbles in the deep
Erica Staaterman is fascinated with the voices of our planet's creatures and habitats, which form the basis of underwater soundscapes. While most marine scientists and enthusiasts focus on their visual and tactile senses, Erica explores auditory scenes in the ocean: the clicks, chirps, and growls of a world that was once thought to be silent. As a PhD Candidate at University of Miami's Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, her dissertation examines the role of coral reef soundscapes in larval fish navigation. Previously, Erica has studied acoustic communication in shrimp and lobsters, and hopes to broaden her research to other animals after her PhD. Erica is also the director of the Beneath the Waves Film Festival, which brings the stories of marine scientists and conservationists to global audiences through film festivals and innovative public outreach events worldwide.Visit Erica's website at: http://ericastaaterman.com.
Overcoming the fourth wall
Carolina Ribeiro is a senior at Ransom Everglades School, where she serves as president of the Drama Club. Caro has been involved in theatre since the age of seven and has performed in numerous plays at Ransom Everglades. She earned top ratings at the state level and was named "All Star Cast Member" at the 2012 District 8 One Act Competition. She has also been in shows at Miami Children's Theater, Actors' Playhouse, Area Stage Company, and French Woods Festival for the Performing Arts. Last summer she attended a workshop on Theatre of the Oppressed and has ever since been inspired to use this art form as a means for social change.
Trust and design
In 2001 David Martin had the idea of founding a property business that did more than simply build things. As the President, Co-Founder and Owner of Terra Group, David and his team have redefined the South Florida skyline and, by extension, the way in which people live. David holds a Masters Business Administration and Law degree with a concentration in land use planning from the University of Florida. David has led Terra Group's operations, sales, and marketing initiatives, and oversees international and domestic investment and development projects, working in partnership with government agencies, businesses, and educational and cultural organizations. With more than four million square feet of residential and commercial space under development, including Grove at Grand Bay, GLASS, and Atlantic 15, Terra Group continues to evolve the way in which people live and work, creating new and innovative ways for the urban landscape to engage and enrich people's lives.
The power of stories
Nigel Duara is a reporter in the Portland, Oregon, bureau of the The Associated Press, where he covers legal affairs and federal crime. His stories have included an investigation into Portland's dope king, the cross-border marijuana trade with Idaho and the Boy Scouts' efforts to cover up their secret "perversion" files. Duara is a 2005 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He is a recipient of fellowships from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Kiplinger Program. He has appeared on PBS Newshour and Oregon Public Broadcasting. He lives in Portland with his fiance, Molly, and their horrible yellow lab.
Rising pride
John D'Eri and Tom D'Eri are a father-and-son team that founded Rising Tide Car Wash, a social enterprise dedicated to providing gainful employment for people with autism in a premium car wash brand while simultaneously inviting the community to see the potential this talent pool has to offer. This business was inspired by watching John's other son, and Tom's younger brother, Andrew, struggle to find his place in the world as a person with autism. John and Tom hope to leverage this business to fundamentally shift the way society views autism and inspire other entrepreneurs to create a diverse ecosystem of opportunities where people with autism can thrive.
Urban analytics - the right place
Hillit Meidar-Alfi is a wife and mother of four children aged 6 to 15, trained architect, tech entrepreneur and Philadelphia-raised daughter of Israeli immigrants. Hillit received her Bachelors of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University in1994 and her Master of City Planning in 2000 and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. Prior to returning to school for her MCP, Ms. Meidar-Alfi worked abroad in Israel for several architectural firms. Upon completing her Master's degree Ms. Meidar-Alfi joined the Healthcare Practice Group at Hillier. Her dissertation research focused on the impacts of infrastructure on daily life, specifically the effects of infrastructure investments on quality of life measures. The study is based on a case study in New York City.
Storytelling in science
Rik Myers holds a B.S. in Microbiology from Iowa State University (paid for by playing guitar in rock bands) and a M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Illinois. He was post-doc at the University of Oregon (while playing with a popular African rock band) and worked at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. In 1997, Rik joined the University of Miami's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where his honors include the Stanley Glaser award for outstanding research productivity and achievement (1999), recognition as an "outstanding student mentor" (2002, 2005), and the 2013 Faculty Senate Outstanding Teaching Award. His lab studies genetic recombination in stem cells and bacteria and develops innovative genetic systems for studying human diseases. Rik consults in the biotechnology industry and is co-inventor on patents for genetic engineering technologies. His classes discuss ethics and public service to balance the excitement of scientific discovery with its impact on society.
Community building with films and feasts
Born and reared in Miami, Florida, Keith's mother was from Bimini, and father from Nassau, Bahamas. He is the youngest of seven children and was born on Easter Sunday. Keith received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Human Studies with specialization in social networking from California State University Dominguez Hills. As founder and current director of three local organizations: Miami Jazz Society, LLC; Miami Jazz and Film Society, Inc; and Community Cultural Discovery Exchange, Inc., Keith promotes quality live jazz concerts, film screenings, and community-building and educational activities. He believes in using the arts and humanities to entice people to fall in love with all members of the human family.
Fast trains
College counseling connects the subjects that Steve has always enjoyed: geography, statistics, and cross-cultural psychology. Steve was born in Italy and grew up in a Taiwanese-American household, primarily in Alabama and Florida. At Washington University in St Louis, Steve graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Russian and Art History & Archaeology; his graduate work explored the usages of Native American portraiture within various Lewis & Clark Bicentennial exhibitions. Steve previously worked in college admissions at his alma mater, focusing on multicultural recruitment. He coaches over thirty students on the Ransom Everglades academic team, and he is the current Chair of Research for ACCIS, the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools.
Side by side
Tashi graduated from Ransom Everglades School in 2008, and Brown University in 2012 with a BA in Psychology. While at Brown, she also studied gender and sexuality and learned a smattering of three additional languages. A semester in Amsterdam pulled these disparate interests together. Tashi now lives in New York City and works as a case manager for individuals with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Tashi is currently applying to graduate school for a doctorate in clinical psychology hoping to fulfill her dream of becoming a therapist. In her free time, Tashi enjoys cooking for friends, listening to dubstep, and discussing identity politics, midwifery, social justice, and cats.
Forecasting truth
John Morales has been a familiar face and reassuring presence in South Florida for 22 years. He guided viewers through Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and throughout the numerous hurricane landfalls in the mid 2000's. Since 2009 he's been the Chief Meteorologist for NBC-6. Born in Schenectady, New York of an Irish-American father and a Puerto Rican mother, John was raised in Puerto Rico and later returned to his roots in upstate New York to attend the meteorology program at prestigious Cornell University. Prior to his TV career, John Toohey Morales was a forecaster for NOAA and the National Weather Service.
An insurgency of the rational
Charles Wheelan is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College. His most recent book, The Centrist Manifesto, was published in April of 2013 by W.W. Norton. The book calls for a new political party "of the middle." Wheelan is also the author of Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data, which reached the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction shortly after publication. His first book, Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science, is now published in 12 languages, including Arabic and Hebrew. From 1997 to 2002, Wheelan was the Midwest correspondent for The Economist. He holds a Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Chicago, a Master's in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. He lives in Hanover, New Hampshire, with his wife and three children.
Random acts of clicking
In 2008, Boo (Province) Zamek founded JustAskBoo LLC, an exclusive (but very friendly) online forum in which sophisticated individuals exchange resources, ask other readers for advice, sell items via classified ads, promote charity events, advertise, and more. The company is now a 15 person operation with 30,000 subscribers in South Florida. Boo's accolades include recognition by the Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge (2009) and the Junior League of Miami (2010), and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce as finalist for the Diamond Awards (2010), Businesswomen of the Year Competition (2011 and 2012), the Rising Star Award (2011). In 2013, Boo adjudicated for the Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards, and was an honoree of The Achiever, Miami Today, and the Chapman Partnership's Take a Walk in Her Shoes / Womenade.
Poetry rules
Campbell McGrath is the author of ten books of poetry, including Spring Comes to Chicago, Florida Poems, Seven Notebooks, and most recently In the Kingdom of the Sea Monkeys (Ecco Press, 2012. He has received many of America's major literary prizes for his work, including the Kingsley Tufts Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur "genius" Fellowship, a USA Knight Fellowship, and a Witter-Bynner Fellowship from the Library of Congress. His poetry has appeared in the New Yorker, Harper's, The Atlantic and on the op-ed page of the New York Times, as well as in scores of literary reviews and quarterlies. Born in Chicago, he lives with his family in Miami and teaches at Florida International University, where he is the Philip and Patricia Frost Professor of Creative Writing.
RE Combo Jazz Highlights
Director Jon Alex Hamm has been forming and leading traditional Jazz Combos at every school where he has worked starting in the late 1970's. He formed the RE Combo upon his arrival at Ransom Everglades in the fall of 1997. The group gave the first performance of his tenure here when they played for the groundbreaking of the new Arts buildings that same fall. Since that time the group has performed for formal concerts and events such as the RE Parent's Association International Treats each year for the past 16 years. They have also performed at local venues such as Vizcaya, for off campus fund raising events in support of the RE Annual Fund, and for Hillary Clinton at the Women of Vision Luncheon. The group has distinguished itself by earning straight A's at both District and State festivals of the Florida Bandmaster's Association each year for the past four years. Distinguished alum Diego Aldarondo '13 is taking a year off before going to Princeton next year to study Jazz Saxophone. Aldarondo is co-leading the group this year while mentoring under Hamm. Other members have earned numerous national awards including a soloist award in the June 2010 issue of Downbeat magazine. RE Combo alums have gone on to major or minor in music at colleges such as Northwestern, Vanderbilt, the University of Southern California, and Columbia.
Boundaries 2015
Standing Up for Those Who Can't
Having been paralyzed making a tackle while playing the game he loved, Marc Buoniconti considers the boundaries he faces and those he is helping others to overcome. A 1985 spinal cord injury left Marc Buoniconti unable to move a muscle below his neck. Yet, each day he moves people; moves them to understand the tragedy of paralyzing SCI -- and to join him in finding its cure. Marc serves as President for both, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, The Miami Project’s fundraising arm. With an Honorary Doctor of Public Service from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina and a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from the University of Miami, Marc works tirelessly to overcome paralysis.
Chasing Perfection
Athletes and their achievements offer a mathematical record of human physical achievement. Is there a final limit to those achievements beyond which humankind cannot pass? If there is a hard limit to physical achievement, what does that mean for us? Mike Becker has been a mathematics instructor and track and field coach at Ransom Everglades since 2004. From 1988-2004, Mike developed an appreciation of the seemingly incongruent fields of mathematics and athletics; while teaching math and coaching track and field at Florida International University. At FIU, Mike developed and mentored a number of All American and Olympic athletes, and directed the Student Athlete Support Unit of the University . Mike is a graduate of Princeton University with a degree in Biology and Certificate in Science in Human Affairs and earned a master's degree in mathematics education from FIU.
Boundaries on surgical invasion
Frank Civantos considers the progress achieved in head and neck cancer surgery. At times, a patient's goals of cure and quality of life create a surgical conflict, but head and neck surgeons have made great progress towards being able to achieve both. Frank Civantos, MD is a board certified ear, nose and throat specialist. He co-directs the division of head and neck surgery. His practice includes surgery of benign and malignant tumors of the parathyroids, thyroid, parotid, and neck, as well as cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the sinuses, skull base, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and oral cavity. In addition, he treats advanced skin malignancies and has a research interest in Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy, and minimally invasive endoscopic surgery. He also maintains a practice in the surgical treatment of Zenker’s Diverticulum.
Transformative listening
As a choral conductor, Marian Dolan examines silences broken by stories told through song and the level of understanding and compassion we can achieve if we listen. These musical stories give us an opportunity to better the world by listening and allowing others to heal by sharing their stories. Marian Dolan is a musician. When asked what she plays, she smiles and answers: people. She’s a choral conductor, so her ‘instrument’ is literally a very human one. Together, a chorus and director are artistic storytellers, singing stories-in-song, whether from the 9th or the 21st centuries, whether from Estonia or Korea or South Africa, whether embodied in stories of courage from 9-11 or in stories of transformation from gender violence survivors. Breaking boundaries to sing stories means being a bridge-builder of connection and community. Founding Artistic Director of The Choir Project (Naples, FL) and former university professor, Marian has conducted or given workshops in Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Philippines, South Africa, Canada, Argentina and Sweden. She holds graduate degrees from Yale School of Music, where she received the first doctorate in choral conducting granted to a woman.
Towards the search for life on other earths
Sara Seager examines her pursuit of an Earth Twin. Looking at Earth from the perspective of outer space may allow us to recognize and to identify characteristics of life that may be present in outer space. She offers a look into her "squiggly line" science that may be the key to recognizing Earth Twins outside our solar system. Professor Sara Seager is a planetary scientist and astrophysicist. She has been a pioneer in the vast and unknown world of exoplanets, planets that orbit stars other than the sun. Her ground-breaking research ranges from the detection of exoplanet atmospheres to innovative theories about life on other worlds to development of novel space mission concepts. Now, dubbed an “astronomical Indiana Jones”, she is on a quest after the field’s holy grail, the discovery of a true Earth twin. Dr. Seager earned her PhD from Harvard University and is now the Class of 1941 Professor of Planetary Science and Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professor Seager is a 2013 MacArthur Fellow and was named in Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential in Space in 2012.
From chaos to calm
Eric Lang is Fire Chief for the Village of Key Biscayne and has developed a model for decision making based on his experiences in resolving life and death crisis issues. To make better decisions in a crisis, as well as every day life, Eric suggests we can shift our perspective, recognize our place in the emergency, and use techniques to move towards calm and strategy to maximize the chances of the best possible outcome. Critical decisions are part of life for Eric Lang. He is a founding Paramedic/ Firefighter for The Village of Key Biscayne and is passionate about strategic thinking. After completing his MBA at the University of Miami he integrated the connections between emergency decisions that are made in business and daily life. Presently, he is the Key Biscayne Fire Chief, where he applies “Critical and Strategic Thinking” on a daily basis. It could be an emergency response or more traditional organizational decisions that need to be made and executed. The challenge of managing budgets, union contracts, crisis communications, and leading people requires a plan of action that is efficient and effective. Eric has combined his skills and knowledge to teach these strategic thinking concepts to create the right plan for any circumstance, business, or goal.
The new guy code
Ché Scott considers the change in tone among young men discussing women while in group settings, and why that tone has become so negative. Ché challenges us to change that tone to recall that every women is a daughter or sister or mother and should be honored by men in our society as well as themselves. Ché Scott was born in a small town in Jamaica. Without any football background, Ché walked onto the University of Miami football team in the midst of their latest dominance of college football. That segment of the team’s history produced more NFL players than any other team in the history of college football. Ché has kept close relationships with many of his former teammates and knows a face on almost every team in the league. After graduating college with a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology and minor in Economics, Ché worked as a licensed General Contractor in South Florida, and helped in the building of projects such as the United Way Center for Excellence. Ché a jack of all trades...is a licensed minister, a life coach, and a chaplain for the Miami Heat and Miami Hurricanes. He believes in challenging others to find a higher level of thinking. Ché recently published his first book I Like Girls: Honor The New Guy Code.
Fear of Falling
Susan Amat considers what makes an entrepreneur, or any problem solver, successful. The better developed the entrepreneur is as a person, the better equipped she might be to learn from failure and continue to take risks that disrupt traditional business models and make positive change. Susan Amat is the founder of Venture Hive, an entrepreneurship education company that supports governments and municipalities in developing innovation ecosystems through K-12, university, and incubator/accelerator programs. A serial entrepreneur, she built businesses in the entertainment industry for over a decade, including the first CD-Rom magazine and a national television show. After completing her MBA, Susan developed pediatric health monitoring products and earned a Ph.D. in Strategic Entrepreneurship (coursework in industrial engineering, business, and education). While teaching at the University of Miami, she founded The Launch Pad, which was considered the top model in entrepreneurship education. Her program and platform was replicated throughout the United States as Blackstone LaunchPads. In 2012, Susan was honored as a Champion of Change at the White House.
The boundaries we choose
Leonard Pitts, Jr. challenges us to consider how we identify ourselves and each other and how those identifiers limit our depth of understanding. Most of these identifiers are not ones we choose and may stand in the way of true human connection. In a career spanning more than 35 years, Leonard Pitts, Jr. has been a columnist, a college professor, a radio producer and a lecturer. But if you ask him to define himself, he will invariably choose one word. He is a writer, period, author of one of the most popular newspaper columns in the country and of a series of critically-acclaimed books, including his latest, a novel called Freeman. And his lifelong devotion to the art and craft of words has yielded stellar results, chief among them the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary.
Different Windows
Boby Duval challenges us to offer different windows, different perspectives, to children in need who have no hope. Through sports, music, art or anything, Boby asks us to connect with youth and show them what their lives can be so that they can develop the inner strength to develop dreams and see them through. Believing completely in a child's dream is essential to hope. Born in Haiti, Boby, as he is affectionately known, has devoted a major part of his life to the promotion of organized soccer and sports in his country. Boby played three Varsity sports at Nichols College in Massachusetts - soccer, basketball and baseball. In 1973 he became the National Inter-Collegiate soccer champion in Canada where he played for Loyola University based in Montreal. He became the National Champion of basketball in tournaments organized by the Haitian National Federation. Bobby’s very first summer camp for youth in Port-au- Prince was organized in 1981. In 1984, he became the President of Violette Athletic Club, and led them to the title of CONCACAF Champions League, only the second club to have made that achievement in Haiti’s soccer history. Bobby in 1995 officially created L’Athletique d’Haiti - a Soccer and Sport Academy for boys and girls ages 7 to 20. In 2007, Bobby was named a CNN Hero for his work with Haitian Youth.
Re-Write Your History
April Yvette Thompson performs a piece from her play "Liberty City" and then considers how she came to define herself not by where she began, but by who she has become, a writer. April Yvette Thompson is a Tony-winning producer, writer & actor working across media. April just wrapped filming of the new 20th Century Fox pilot Babylon Fields, and has also starred in many Broadway productions including Clybourne Park, and Vassar Voices. Her off-broadway credits include The Exonerated, Medea, King Lear, and Macbeth. April’s Film/TV credits include The Exonerated, Accidental Husband, Blue Caprice, Backwards, Blue Bloods, Law & Order, Third Watch et al. As SimonSays Entertainment Director of Development, April produced the award-winning Sundance features: Blue Caprice, Mother of George, Night Catches Us & Gun Hill Road. April was on the Tony-winning producing team of the longest-running Broadway production of Porgy & Bess. April is developing her second play in The Miami Trilogy, Good Bread Alley, with support from NYSF, NYTW, Arsht. Her first play, Liberty City was an Off Broadway hit nominated for Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Lortel & AUDELCO awards.
Jess Nolan Original music performance
Jess Nolan, a New Jersey native, has always found a home in soulful music. Since she began writing and performing as a pre-teen, she has been influenced by strong female songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Carole King and emulated expressive performers like Alicia Keys and Kimbra. Jess is currently enrolled in her final year at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami as part of the Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music Program. She competed in the past four Songwriter’s Showcases as part of Festival Miami and won this past year earning her a slot opening for Jorma Kaukonen, founding member of Jefferson Airplane. Her debut EP will be released this coming spring with the help of Brooklyn-based production duo, Noise Club.
Killian Smith Poetry Performance
Killian Smith performs Tim Minchin's "Storm" and explains why this particular poem appeals to him personally. Killian Smith is an eighth grade student at Ransom Everglades. He enjoys science, the history of invention, drama, and poetry. He likes a good debate on the subjects of spirituality and the origins of morality, as long as there is a sense of humor attached to it. In his spare time, he scuba dives, makes medieval weaponry, and plays Minecraft. Killian was the winner of the 7th grade poetry recitation contest at Ransom Everglades, reciting Tim Minchin's "Storm."
University of Miami Kappa Alpha Psi Step Performance
The brothers of the University of Miami Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity present a step performance including cane twirling, traditional to the fraternity since the early 1900s. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. is a fraternity of the National Pan-Hellenic Council founded on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana on January 5, 1911. Their official colors are Crimson and Cream and their motto is “Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor.” A major objective of the organization is to inspire service in the public’s interest. The Iota Chi Chapter was chartered on the campus of the University of Miami on December 1st, 1979. Since then, they have been assisting the aims and purposes of the university as a group of motivated young men.
Dream 2016
Listen Up!
Stephanie Ansin tells how dreams inspire creativity in her talk "Listen Up!" A native of Miami, and graduate of Ransom Everglades, Stephanie Ansin spent 14 years studying, acting, and directing in New England and New York before becoming a mom and moving back to South Florida so her family could participate in raising the first member of their next generation. Upon her return in 2004, she co-founded The PlayGround Theatre and focused on creating shows for young audiences. In 2011 the company was rebranded Miami Theater Center to reflect its inclusion of adult programming. Ansin holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Brown University and an MFA in Theatre Directing from Columbia University.
Common Threads
Maia Mora and Nikki Jagid speak about the dreams that unite us all in their talk "Common Threads.” Nikki Jagid is a ninth grade student attending Ransom Everglades School. Nikki was honored with the “Outstanding Student Award” in seventh grade. In eighth grade, she received the “Service Award,” for co-chairing Techo Service Club. Techo is a youth based non-profit organization that seeks to overturn poverty in Latin America by constructing transitional housing and implementing social inclusion programs. Nikki’s best experience to date was traveling to the Dominican Republic to build two homes with the money the club raised. Nikki enjoys playing piano, guitar, tennis, and taking part in drama productions at Ransom Everglades. Nikki plans to continue to dedicate her free time to helping people in need, and dreams to see a poverty free world someday. Maia Mora is a freshman at Ransom Everglades. She was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society in the 7th grade, and received the School Service Award for co-founding the Techo Club. Techo raises money to build houses for the underprivileged in Latin America in support of the "Un Techo Para Mi Pais" organization. She was first exposed to Techo in 6th grade on a building trip to Cartagena and shortly thereafter co-founded the club. This year they raised enough money to go to the Dominican Republic and with the help of 30 classmates and parents, they built two homes. Maia is an avid singer and piano player, and is currently learning to play the guitar. She loves to travel and is an explorer and entrepreneur at heart.
Dear Dre...How to Be Confident When You're Not
You’ve heard of the saying “Fake It ‘Til You Make It?” Dre Baldwin tells us why there is no such thing and how to harness the best version of ourselves in his talk "Dear Dre...How to Be Confident When You're Not" Dre Baldwin brought basketball training to the Internet, leveraging that foresight into brand names and a growing business empire. During his 9 years as a professional basketball player, Dre began publishing workout and motivational messages to YouTube in 2006. Dre now has over 4,000 videos online, and has been viewed over 30,000,000 times by his 100,000+ subscribers. Dre, or “Dre All Day” as his fans know him, brings his “Work on Your Game” brand and philosophy to his marketing, branding and professional speaking businesses. Dre has authored five books, including “The Mirror of Motivation”.
Outfitting Agents Of Change
Eduardo Balarezo explains how to empower students for an uncertain future in his talk "Outfitting Agents Of Change." Eduardo was inspired by Galapagos Islands' conservation-icon Lonesome George to found a global social enterprise combining apparel and education to empower students to become Agents of Change. Eduardo uses his passion for business, experiential learning and social entrepreneurship to teach youth about courage and compassion through his Academy of Agents of Change, which is now offered to high school students in South Florida. A leader in the social enterprise movement, Eduardo was nominated a "Remarkable Leader" in 2014 and is acclaimed as one of "100 Visionary Leaders" in 2015 by Real Leaders publication. Eduardo holds a BA from Brown; MS from UHCL and Global MBA Programme from IESE-Wharton-CIEBS.
Into the Night
Batia Cohen explains the importance of dreams to the Ancient Aztecs in her talk "Into The Night.” Batia Cohen embraced her first career as a graphic designer and developed a passion for Art History. She specialized in Mesoamerican Art earning her PhD from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Batia teaches in several continuing education programs including Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Miami, Florida International University and Nova Southeastern University. She writes for LetraUrbana.com, a specialized cultural magazine. Her first historical novel Una Amapola entre Cactus was published in 2012.
Music Heals
Corey Bergman tells how music helps and inspires, even in the toughest times, in his talk "Music Heals." Corey received his first guitar at the age of ten, just as the Beatles invaded the United States. He formed his first working band at the age of fifteen and later worked in the music industry as a concert coordinator for Hofstra Concerts. In 2010, after experiencing a personal family tragedy, Corey initiated and established a memorial fund in conjunction with the Make A Wish foundation in honor of his son Jared. In 2012, Corey and his wife Edda relocated to Miami, FL, where he began volunteer service. At Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, he was given the extraordinary opportunity to use his musicianship to aid in the palliative care and treatment of the children and their families. In 2013, Corey received the “President’s Volunteer Service Award”. In January 2014, Corey and his wife Edda founded the Ukulele Kids Club Inc.
Black Sky
Did you know the word amateur is rooted in the word amator, or lover. Amateur rocketeer, Derek Deville speaks about his passion for rockets in his talk "Black Sky” and how pursuing a hobby allowed him to achieve a childhood dream. Miami native Derek Deville received his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. Currently developing medical devices with Syntheon, Derek previously worked with Environmental Aeroscience Corporation in hybrid rocket propulsion research. As a highly accomplished hobby rocketeer, he has designed and built many of the largest successful amateur rockets. Having served on the Board of the Tripoli Rocketry Association and the NFPA Pyrotechnics Committee, Derek has been pursuing his love of amateur rocketry for 20 years.
Reading the Minds of Rats
Do sleeping rats dream? Matt Wilson explains how a surprise moment in the lab led to groundbreaking discoveries in the correlation between memory and sleep in his talk "Reading A Rat's Mind." With a background in Electrical Engineering, Matt pioneered the application of large-scale multiple electrode microarray implants for monitoring ensemble activity in the freely behaving rodent during awake and sleep states. Using these approaches he was the first to demonstrate the coordinated reactivation of memory patterns during sleep in the hippocampus and has continued to pursue the role of sleep in memory processing, and the study of sleep-regulation of brain systems. Matt is the Sherman Fairchild Professor in Neuroscience at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Happily Even After
On September 11, 2001, Tanya’s fairytale fell apart when her fiancé, Sergio Villanueva, a firefighter, never came home. Tanya Villanueva Tepper tells how creating and achieving new dreams inspired resilience that helped her cope with grief in her talk "Happily Even After.” Tanya is a 9/11 widow living happily “even” after who is featured in the Peabody award-winning documentary, Rebirth, which has a permanent home at the National September 11th Museum. Tanya is a senior advisor and speaker for the nonprofit organization Project Rebirth, and uses the film to give audiences a personal connection to September 11th while inspiring hope and encouraging resilience to those who are coping with grief and trauma. Tanya has written for the Huffington Post and loves her life in Miami with her husband Ray, two young daughters, and their baby bearded dragon.
Tiempo Libre Performance
Grammy nominated Tiempo Libre gave an electrifying performance of timba music, an irresistible, dance-inducing mix of Latin jazz and dynamic Afro-Cuban rhythms. Three-time Grammy-nominated Afro-Caribbean music group Tiempo Libre is one of the hottest Latin bands today. Equally at home in concert halls, jazz clubs, festival stages and dance venues, Tiempo Libre is celebrated for its sophisticated tropical music featuring an irresistible, exhilarating mix of jazz harmonies, contemporary sonorities and seductive Latin rhythms.
ELEW Performance
ELEW gave a thunderous performance of Rockjazz including interpretations of The Doors’ “People Are Strange” and Nirvana’s “Nevermind.” A modern day pop artist and musical revolutionary, piano iconoclast ELEW is making a substantial impression on the music world with a thunderous new style of playing: an inspired melding of ragtime, rock and pop that he calls Rockjazz. ELEW has toured the world, recorded, and performed continuously with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Elvin Jones, Roy Hargrove, and Cassandra Wilson, among others. He won the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, his mesmerizing piano theatrics even then hinting at the new musical paradigm he would one day create. Now, in the jazz tradition of interpreting popular tunes of the day, much like Art Tatum and John Coltrane, ELEW has turned to rock, combining a guitarist's approach to the piano with an explosively physical style of playing that would be at home in any arena. Filmaker Bobby Kennedy III just finished filming a documentary feature about the pianist.
Escape 2017
Taming Your Wandering Mind
Amishi Jha explains the benefits of mindfulness training in her talk “Taming Your Wandering Mind.” Dr. Amishi Jha has a Ph.D. from the University of California-Davis, post-doctoral training in brain imaging at Duke University, and was a faculty member at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania prior to her current post at the University of Miami. Her research focuses on the brain bases of attention, working memory, and mindfulness-based training. With grants from the US Department of Defense and several private foundations, her current projects investigate how to best promote resilience in high stress cohorts using contemplative/mind training techniques that strengthen the brain’s attention networks.
Anything but Perfect
Ransom Everglades student, Brezlan Malina, speaks about overcoming her fears of failure in her talk “Anything But Perfect.” Brezlan Malina is a sophomore at Ransom Everglades School. As an active participant on the robotics and debate teams, she has seen the ups and downs that occur in the competitive realm. Through this process she has learned to identify her biggest weakness: perfectionism. Her ability to be introspective and thoughtful about overcoming her fears of failure has brought her onto the TEDxCoconutGrove stage; yet another challenge she is willing to take on with what she’s learned. Here she talks about the societal expectations of perfectionism, their devastating impact on humanity, and how we can escape them.
Escape to the Present
Kristin Connor reevaluates what it means to be grateful and hopeful in her her talk “Escape To The Present.” Kristin Connor grew up in a family that cooked and dined together every evening. These experiences led her to a career in hospitality in Washington DC and New York City. Eventually, her hometown beckoned and she returned to Miami, where she opened Whisk Gourmet in 2006 with her brother Brendan. She learned in 2014 that success doesn’t necessarily mean happiness after a series of personal tragedies altered her life forever. Kristin reevaluates what it means to be grateful and hopeful.
Peyton Manna Performance
Peyton Manna accompanied by Canon Alan DePuy performs two contemporary songs at TEDxCoconutGrove ESCAPE. Peyton Manna is currently a sophomore at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Her voice was discovered at an early age but her attention was diverted to academics and athletics. She is an honor roll student, team member of Carrollton's Varsity soccer and track teams, and captain of her club soccer team. Engaged in academics and sports, she was unconsciously escaping her true passion. When her music teacher recognized her modern and mature vocal tone, Peyton was inspired to cultivate the gift of her voice.
Escape the Label
Special Olympics athlete and Best Buddies Ambassador, Daniel Fundora, tells how labels impact us in his talk “Escape The Label.” Born and raised in Miami, Daniel Fundora is very active in many communities throughout Florida and advocates for people with special needs as a Best Buddies Ambassador. He is a 13 time Olympic medalist through The Special Olympics of Florida and coaches bowling when he is not at work. Daniel enjoys encouraging and inspiring people who need guidance and has established himself as a local celebrity amongst his constituency. He is an avid Star Wars, Wrestling, and Super Hero Fan, enjoys playing video games, and loves to travel the world.
I'm Not Talking about Classical Music
Zach Manzi, Clarinet Fellow with the New World Symphony, introduces new ways to hear music in his talk “I’m Not Talking About Classical Music.” Zach is a Clarinet Fellow with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach and has performed summer seasons at the Lucerne Festival Academy in Switzerland, the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, and the Brevard Music Institute in North Carolina. A passionate educator, he was one of twenty students awarded a Morse Teaching Artist Fellowship in 2014, with which he taught music to third graders in an underserved New York City public school. Zach received his Bachelor of Music from The Juilliard School in 2015. When away from the clarinet, Zach enjoys writing, traveling, and being outdoors.
Voices from the Inside
Dean of Students and teacher of English literature at The Ransom Everglades School, speaks about the impacts of a writing program that pairs students in correctional facilities with students enrolled in colleges and high schools in his talk “Voices from the Inside.” Dr. Josh Stone teaches English and serves as the Dean of Students at Ransom Everglades School. In addition to helping students use literature to expand their understanding of themselves and of the world they inhabit, Josh is a founding member of “Exchange for Change,” a non-profit organization that offers writing courses in correctional facilities situated in South Florida. Many of these courses include a writing exchange that partners students on the inside with students enrolled in colleges and high schools. Josh holds a BA in English from Emory University, and an MA and a Ph.D. from the University of Miami.
Learning from History, Preparing for the Future
Amy Padolf, Director of Education at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, outlines their collaboration with NASA scientists on researching edible plants in space through a partnership with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden STEM education program, Growing Beyond Earth. Amy Padolf is the Director of Education at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, FL where she oversees multidisciplinary environmental science programs for students ranging from pre-kindergarten through post graduate studies, as well as programs for teachers, adults, and community gardeners. For nearly 20 years, Ms. Padolf has been developing and implementing science education programs with and for local, national, and international audiences. She’s launched initiatives including the Million Orchid Project and a lofty collaboration with NASA to engage school children in high-reaching science exploration. She holds a BA in Rhetoric from the University of Pittsburgh and a MS in Science Education from Duquesne University.
Sometimes You Can't Escape
Willy Ferrer tells a riveting tale of a case that led to the conviction of Eriberto Mederos, a former nurse at Mazorra Psychiatric Hospital in Havana in his talk “Sometimes You Can’t Escape.” Willy has clerked for District Judge Stanley Marcus and has been a White House Fellow and Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno, and Chief of the Federal Litigation Section at the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office. As Assistant U.S. Attorney, Willy handled money laundering, health care fraud, narcotics, human rights abuses, immigration, and firearms offenses. In 2010 President Obama appointed him US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, the third largest US Attorney’s office in the country. Willy recently joined the firm of Holland and Knight as a partner to head its Global Compliance and Investigations Team. Willy received the University of Pennsylvania Law School's Alumni Award of Merit and was recognized by the Hispanic National Bar Association as the Latino Lawyer of the Year in 2015.
The Magic of Not Giving a F***
Warning: Strong Language
Best selling author, Sarah Knight, outlines her “Not Sorry Method," a plan for how to stop spending time you don’t have doing things you don’t want to do in her humorous talk “The Magic of Not Giving a F*ck.”
Freedom from the Housing Trap
Zack Giffin is a well known advocate of the tiny house movement and host of the popular television show, Tiny House Nation. A home builder and carpenter by trade, Zack has worked his life around outdoor adventures, eventually turning his passion for backcountry skiing into an occupation. A longtime practitioner of simple living Zack was naturally drawn to the Tiny House movement and in 2011 built his own tiny ski chalet on wheels. Zack’s function-based use of space and inventive multi-purpose designs have become a calling card of his work and reputation.
Zombies Are Already Here! (But It's Not What You Think)
Steve is assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a child psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. He studied literature and biology at Stanford, and taught high school English. He earned his M.D. at Brown and trained in psychiatry. Steve writes about the interface of popular culture with medicine, and he also writes fiction. George Romero optioned Steve’s first novel for film. He teaches psychiatry, and a horror film seminar, for Harvard undergraduates. He has helped to design science education video games, and he has participated in research examining mental health stigma. He also writes maybe too much about zombies.
Eureka 2018
Eureka, Insanity or Inspiration
Annabelle Gurwitch reminds us that eureka moments don't come with a guaranteed outcome and you don't know what that eureka will ask of you. Annabelle Gurwitch is an actress, Thurber Prize for American Humor Writing finalist, and New York Times bestselling author. She is the author of four books, most recently, the essay collection on the subject of family, Wherever You Go, There They Are. Her writing appears in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The New Yorker; she was the long-time co-host of Dinner & a Movie on TBS and a former NPR commentator. She regularly performs at arts centers around the country. She is a Jewish mother, a reluctant atheist, and an ardent environmentalist. Annabelle Gurwitch is an actress, Thurber Prize for American Humor Writing finalist, and New York Times Bestselling author. She is the author of four books, most recently, the essay collection on the subject of family, Wherever You Go, There They Are. Her writing appears in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The New Yorker; she was the long-time co-host of Dinner & a Movie on TBS and an NPR commentator.
Meet Technobiology’s Wireless Messenger: The Nanoparticle
Professor of Electrical Engineering and Cellular Biology at Florida International University, Sakhrat Khizroev, explains the fascinating field of Technobiology and the potential for medical advances in the treatment of cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Sakhrat Khizroev is a professor of Electrical Engineering and Cellular Biology at Florida International University. A Fellow of National Academy of Inventors, he holds 33 US patents in the field of nanotechnology. His research focuses on the intersection of nanotechnology and medicine. His team has developed special multifunctional nanoparticles to treat cancer, HIV/AIDS, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Their research on nanoparticles to wirelessly control the neural circuit for pinpoint treatment at the single-neuron level and reverse engineering the brain was listed among the top 100 science stories of year 2015 by Discover magazine.
Why We All Need to Become Vacation Superheroes
Josh Leibowitz, Chief Strategy Officer at Carnival Corporation and Senior VP at Cunard NA, gives three key tips for making the most out of time away from work and achieving vacation goals. Josh Leibowitz speaks and writes passionately about the need to take time to relax and recharge having dedicated the past three years of his life to understanding the psychology of vacation needs and wants. Josh is the chief strategy officer at Carnival Corporation and senior VP at Cunard NA, a global cruise company and one of the largest vacation companies in the world. Prior, he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company and a Managing Director at idealab!, an innovation incubator. Josh received an A.B. degree in Economics from the University of Chicago, Phi Beta Kappa and holds an MBA with high Distinction, Baker Scholar, from Harvard Business School.
Why Nothing Changes (Until It Does)
Science writer, Jennifer Ouellette, illustrates how in science and life meaningful change ultimately boils down to the physics of transitions. Jennifer Ouellette is a science writer and the author of four popular science books: Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self (2014); The Calculus Diaries: How Math Can Help You Lose Weight, Win in Vegas, and Survive a Zombie Apocalypse (2010); The Physics of the Buffyverse (2007); and Black Bodies and Quantum Cats: Tales from the Annals of Physics (2006), all published by Penguin. She also edited The Best Online Science Writing 2012 (Scientific American Books/FSG). She is former science editor of Gizmodo, a popular technology/science daily news blog that garners over 35 million page views per month. Her freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times Book Review, Discover, Slate, Salon, Smithsonian, Mental Floss, and New Scientist, among other venues. She holds a black belt in jujitsu, and lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Caltech physicist Sean (M.) Carroll.
Mapping The Natural World
Roberto Rovira, Associate Professor and former chair of Landscape Architecture at Florida International University, reveals his comprehensive design and visualization tool, The Ecological Atlas, which connects the power of data, design, and technology to allow any user a better understanding of our natural world. Roberto Rovira is principal of Studio Roberto Rovira, Associate Professor and former chair of Landscape Architecture at Florida International University. A landscape architect with a design, engineering and fine arts background, his teaching, research and creative work explore the intersection of the built and the natural. Roberto has been internationally recognized for his work as an educator and professional, and was honored as an Emerging Voice by the Architectural League, one of the most coveted awards in North American Architecture. He was additionally identified by Architect’s Newspaper in 2017 as having one of the five most exciting design firms in Miami.
Everyone’s Needed, No Skills Required
Global humanitarian, Alison Thompson, shares her life-changing experiences providing disaster relief and how there are no limitations to how we all can help when it is needed. Alison Thompson is a full time humanitarian volunteer who has run refugee camps and field hospitals in every major natural disaster around the world, including Syria, for the past 18 years. In 2001 Alison's life changed direction after she rollerbladed to the WTC and worked as a first responder at Ground Zero. Following, Alison founded the 'Third Wave' volunteer' organization which has a network of over 30,000 volunteers and followers from all over the world. Born a preacher's daughter, she grew up on mission trips living in the jungles of Asia and in 2015 received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in the Humanities from Loyola University. She is the first official Ambassador to the Haitian Ministry of Environment and received the Order of Australia from Queen Elizabeth the 2nd in honor of her work for humanity. Her varied careers include math teacher, rescue paramedic, investment banker, film director and author.
Guitars Over Guns Alumni Band Performance
The Guitars Over Guns Alumni Band, Unistiq, perform three adaptations of contemporary songs at TEDxCoconutGrove EUREKA. The Alumni Band features the vocal talents of Santamarie Arocho, and Gio Anthone who are accompanied by Jean Petit-Homme on keyboard, Caleb Alcime on drums, and Gabriel Pierre on bass. Guitar Guitars Over Guns’ (GOGO’s) mission is to deliver high impact arts based development to at-risk students as an alternative to the negative and harmful influences that can dominate their environment. Guitars Over Guns Organization (GOGO) believes that all young people should have the opportunity to reach their full potential through the transformative nature of music and the arts and the power of mentorship. GOGO delivers high impact arts-based youth development to at-risk youth as an alternative to the negative and harmful influences that typically dominate their environments. Professional artists are paired with small groups of students for the school-year, using GOGO's unique research-based curriculum to build strong mentoring relationships. Through this connection, mentors are able to help their students navigate and overcome the obstacles standing between them success. Since 2008, GOGO has increased the academic achievement and engagement for over 2,000 students.
Brandon Goldberg Performance
Brandon began to play piano when he was three years old. He loves to play jazz and compose his own music. Recently, he finished recording his first album. Brandon has appeared on the Harry Connick Jr. Show, NBC’s Little Big Shots and the Steve Harvey Show. Brandon has performed at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center with Monty Alexander, The Apollo Theater, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York and the Litchfield Jazz Festival. Brandon works with the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) and performed at New York’s Apollo Theater where he presented McCoy Tyner with a Lifetime Achievement Award.