Theme: Connectedness

Connectedness means building community through connections and networks. At TEDxArlington, we will explore connectedness from different layered perspectives including family, neighbors, community — even strangers — and from the lens of science, nature, art, technology, culture, history, athletics, work and more.

Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre
1611 N. Kent Street
Arlington, Virginia, 22204
United States

Adryann Glenn

Adryann M. Glenn is passionate when it comes to transforming the criminal justice system. His many eye-opening experiences shaped his understanding of the need for reform, specifically for non-violent first time drug offenders. Adryann is the Founder/Director of Mustard Seed Ministries LLC and the author of Job 32:18. He has worked zealously on criminal justice reform campaigns, including Ban the Box and for Clemency Project 2014. Adryann mentors at-risk youth and assists various agencies in proper re-entry methods.

Carolyn Rickard-Brideau

Ms. Rickard-Brideau is a Senior Partner and Office President for a nationally-ranked architecture firm, and she lives and works in Arlington. She has dedicated her career to exploring the impact of architectural space on humans. Inspired by a presentation at Arlington Economic Development on epigenetics 8 years ago, her infectious curiosity has been trained on the effects of space and wellness. Since then, she has become an exuberant advocate for how responsive design can make people happier, healthier and more effective.

Daniel Laurence

Daniel Laurence is a young entrepreneur working in Arlington, VA.

Elizabeth Tippens

Elizabeth Tippens is an 11 year-old student in Arlington and is a budding filmmaker who started her own YouTube channel where she interviews local Arlington kid-friendly businesses with the goal of letting other kids know where to eat, visit and have fun with their families.

Evie Priestman

Evie Priestman identifies as a transgender male. He is 16 and a rising junior at Wakefield High School.

John Wanda

John Wanda and his wife Joyce are Co-Founders of the Arlington Academy of Hope (AAH), a charity that provides quality education and healthcare opportunities for children in Uganda. Mr. Wanda’s charitable activities have earned him Humanitarian of the Year award from the American Chiropractic Association, the Emmett Cock Social Justice Award, and Citizen of the Year from Rotary International District 7610 and numerous other awards. John’s work with AAH has been covered by The Washington Post among others.

Kristina Dorville

Kristina V. Dorville serves as Chief of the Cyber Education and Awareness Branch (CE&A) in the Office for Cybersecurity and Communications, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CE&A promotes cybersecurity awareness, training, education and career structure, with the added goal of broadening the Nation’s volume of cybersecurity workforce professionals.

Lisa Nisenson

Lisa Nisenson has lived in Arlington since 1988 and what started as civic activism led to a 20+ career in urban design, transportation and sustainability. She currently runs a tech startup devoted to city design, GreaterPlaces, and is a member of the incubator 1776. Passionate about the future of this great community, in this fast-changing world, she wants to help shape decisions we make now that we will be proud of in 30 years.

Norton Beckerman

Norton S. Beckerman had serious cognitive problems. His short term and working memory were poor and he lost his ability to speak. His problems were considered incurable. Mr. Beckerman feared he would continue losing cognitive function. He was becoming more and more isolated. He began to study the brain in an effort to understand and possibly cure his cognitive problems. This work ultimately helped him learn to cure his cognitive problems and expanded his cognitive abilities. To share his experiences, Mr. Beckerman wrote “A User’s Guide to a Healthy Brain.”

Shannon Curtis

Shannon Curtis is an independent songwriter, performer, and recording artist. Her third full-length record, Connections, explores the ways in which we make connections with each other. The video for the first single from the album, “I Know I Know,” became a viral hit on Facebook, was featured by Upworthy, and has been viewed millions of times to date. The video has led to performances and speaking engagements nationwide, in addition to her extensive house concert touring schedule. Curtis lives on coffee, sunshine, and gratitude with her husband, record producer Jamie Hill, in Los Angeles.