Theme: Perceptions

More than 300 people came together in Buffalo, NY on a fall night to hear about amazing journeys, smart ideas, and calls to action at TEDxBuffalo 2016, the sixth annual TEDx event in the city.

Asbury Hall
341 Delaware Ave.
Buffalo, New York, 14202
United States

Allison Sagraves

Chief data officer

Allison Sagraves is the Chief Data Officer for M&T Bank, thought leader and change agent in the field of data. Allison has a Harvard MBA and is a frequent speaker on data, leadership, and innovation. Her talk on women’s leadership was named Best of 2014 by Ellevate Network. She has served on the White House staff as Assistant Staff Secretary to the President, and is a strong proponent of the transformational power of data for public good. With the rise of mobile devices, data is becoming democratized and Allison will talk about how we can all contribute to a better world by becoming Citizen Data Scientists.

Dr. Mark Montgomery

Professor, not-for-profit administrator

Dr. Montgomery is a member of the Genesis Group, Coordinator of Student Success Initiatives at Alfred State College and is an Education Consultant and Retention Specialist. Dr. Montgomery, a survivor of scarcoidosis [pronounced SAR-COY-DOSIS] (a pulmonary disease and form of Leukemia) founded The Montgomery Experience which has morphed into Joseph’s Experience, a local not for profit which aims to positively impact people who suffer from diseases such as Cancer and Leukemia.

Fotini Galanes

Artist and teacher

Fotini Galanes studied at Pratt Institute and worked as an illustrator and muralist. In 2009 Fotini abandoned representational work to communicate tolerance through her sensitivity to the deformation of the human body. Now, as an exhibiting artist, her drawings are procured in private collections, the permanent collection at the Burchfield Penney Art Center and the Luciano Benetton Imago Mundi collection. Fotini teaches art and gives workshops, lectures and lessons in values, questioning where beauty is found and identifying the importance of our individual mark making.

Jamie O'Neil

Artist & inventor

Jamie O'Neil is an artist and inventor working with real time video/audio and tactical media for the last 20 years. He is an Associate Professor of Digital Media Arts at Canisius College.

Jason Briner

Arctic and climate research

Jason P. Briner is an Associate Professor of Geology at the University at Buffalo. Briner’s research expertise lies in glaciers and climate, specifically in Arctic regions. His passion for Arctic environs obviously explains why, in 2005, Briner moved to Buffalo, NY. Briner has been above the Arctic Circle more than 35 times for his research, in the remote corners of Alaska, Arctic Canada, Greenland and Norway.

Jim Cielencki

Long-distance runner

Jim Cielencki is a former pro BMX bike rider, turned runner. His background is in geology, urban planning, and photography. Cielencki currently works in a running store and is always looking for something new to do.

John Johnson, PhD

Economist/Statistician & Writer/marketer

John H. Johnson, PhD is an expert economist and statistician. He is also the founder of Edgeworth Economics, a consulting firm based in Washington, DC.

Jonathan Rajewski

Digital forensic investigator and instructor

Jonathan Rajewski is the Director of the Senator Patrick Leahy Center for Digital Investigation at Champlain College. Jonathan leads cyber security and digital forensic research projects and investigations for corporate, nonprofit and governmental entities. He has a passion for helping others understand extremely complex technical topics and cybercrime investigations, which fuels his abilities to teach, empower and advise organizations on how to properly approach the ever-evolving threats on the Internet.

Mike Gluck

Mike is an award-winning writer and marketer who specializes in making complex topics easy to understand. He is also president of Gluckworks, a copywriting firm in Buffalo.

William Capozzi

Digital artist & 3-D modeler

William Capozzi is a digital and traditional artist, musician, and woodworker. He has worked professionally for over 20 years as a 3D Modeler and Animator. History and passing along stories are of great interest to him.