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).

David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
4126 Executive Drive
La Jolla, California, 92037
United States

Arielle Ford

Queenager, Author, Thought Leader

Arielle Ford is a leading personality in the personal growth and contemporary spirituality movement. For the past 30 years, she has been living, teaching, and promoting consciousness through all forms of media. She is a celebrated love and relationship expert, author, and speaker. Her mission is to help people Find Love, Keep Love, and Be Love.Arielle is the author of eleven nonfiction books including the international bestseller, THE SOULMATE SECRET: Manifest the Love of Your Life with The Law of Attraction. Other books include Turn Your Mate into Your Soulmate: A Practical Guide to Happily Ever After and Wabi Sabi Love: The Ancient Art of Finding Perfect Love in Imperfect Relationships. Her twelfth book and debut novel, The Love Thief, is a spiritual romantic thriller that takes place in SanDiego and India and is described as Eat, Pray, Love Meets Dirty John. She lives in La Jolla, CA with her husband Brian Hilliard, and their feline friends. www.arielleford.com

Armand Lawrich King

Mentor, Author, Founder

Meet Armand Lawrich King, a transformative leader who has risen from a challenging past to make a global impact. With over a decade of dedication, Armand has reshaped communities as a nonprofit founder, consultant, author, and inspiring speaker. His expertise in entrepreneurship and team building has made him a sought-after mentor and a crucial figure in community service, serving on numerous government boards and commissions. Armand's deep commitment to youth empowerment led to the creation of Walk With Me Impact, a company that creates unique mentorship and training material for groups and individuals worldwide. Tragically familiar with the pain of losing friends and loved ones, including the year 2021 where he lost a friend, family member, or mentee each month, Armand channels these experiences into a passionate call to action for saving youth. His journey of resilience and leadership makes him a beacon of hope and a catalyst for positive change globally.

Brian Keating

Professor, Researcher, Author

Brian G. Keating is Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of California, San Diego. Keating's research area is the study of cosmic microwave background and its relationship to the origin and evolution of the universe. He is the Principal Investigator of the Simons Observatory and is the author of more than 200 scientific publications, two U.S. Patents, and the best-selling books Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner, and “Losing the Nobel Prize”, selected as one of Amazon Editors Best Nonfiction Books of All Time.

Courtney Glavis-Bloom

Doctor, Researcher

Dr. Courtney Glavis-Bloom, a neuroscientist at the Salk Institute, conducts groundbreaking research on the neurobiological changes that occur with aging, and their link to cognitive decline and resilience. She leverages nearly two decades of experience from roles spanning both industry and academia to uncover novel approaches for intervention by utilizing non-human primate models. Her educational foundation includes a BA in Cognitive Science from Yale and a PhD in Neuroscience and Animal Behavior from Emory.

Jillian Lee Wiggins, PhD

Neuroscientist, Professor

Jillian Lee Wiggins, PhD, was born in Chicago to immigrant Jamaican Chinese parents. She fell in love with psychology and neuroscience while an undergraduate and moved on to complete her PhD in developmental psychology at University of Michigan and her postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. She is now the Director of the Translational Emotion Neuroscience and Development Lab (TEND Lab) and an Associate Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. Her two children (ages 3 and 6) often attend her class as “demo kids”. http://tendlab.sdsu.edu

Kilma S. Lattin

Futurist, Former Elected Tribal Leader

Kilma Lattin is a futurist, a military aviator, and a formerly elected Tribal Leader. He believes that every square mile has a story and that geolocated XR content will transform public and private spaces into place-based immersive and interactive experiences for education, entertainment and advertising. His projects have won an Emmy Award, been featured in the Smithsonian Institute, and his company OurWorlds was the 2022 winner of the SXSW.edu Launch Competition for, “best EdTech start up.” Kilma Lattin is the founder of a cultural-futurism movement known as The OurWorlds Project, which is digitizing culture for the 21st Century. He has studied at the Harvard Business School (executive education: strategy and finance for senior executives), the Harvard JFK School of Government (executive education: innovations in governance), Johns Hopkins (Krieger School, AAP, Intelligence), the University of Southern California (MBA), and UC Santa Barbara (Communication, and History).

Rochel Smoller

Teacher, Matchmaker

Rochel Smoller is a native Bostonian . She is a graduate of Beth Rivka teachers seminary in Brooklyn N.Y. Rochel has been a master 2nd grade teacher for the past 38 years as well as directing a very successful summer camp with her husband . Rochel has lectured in the US and other countries about education, dating, and maintaining a positive outlook in life. She is also a matchmaker and professional dating coach .

Ron Donoho

Editor, Journalist

Ron Donoho is founder/editor of thesandiegosun.com, a hyperlocal, independent news source that covers downtown San Diego. He is an advocate for rebuilding independent, nonpartisan media outlets that give voice to local populations that lack or have lost news coverage. Previously, Donoho was editor of San Diego Magazine and San Diego CityBeat. He's written for dozens of local, regional and national media outlets over a three-decade career as a professional writer and editor.