Theme: Creating New Futures

On Nov. 6, Sno-Isle Libraries made history stepping out with TEDxSnoIsleLibraries. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people connected with Sno-Isle Libraries in a new way through our first TEDx event.

We embarked on the TEDx path based on our Strategic Focus. It was the perfect example of building literate, economically sound and connected communities.

People from teens to seniors, from many walks of life, came together to explore new ideas. Over 700 joined us at the Edmonds Center for the Arts theater and IdeaLab. Hundreds more converged on 10 Sno-Isle community libraries and four additional webcast viewing sites (at the Snohomish PUD auditorium, City of Arlington Council Chambers, Black Box Theater at Edmonds Community College, and Henry Jackson Building at Everett Community College) to watch the live webcast of the event.

Latest estimates are that over 2,000 joined online to watch the livestream of the event. Even more will take part by watching the 23 individual TEDxtalk videos when they are posted on this site.

All of these audiences experienced the amazing world of ideas and insight. The discovered (or rediscovered) the essence of what a library is and what we offer our communities. Ideas. Information. Discovery. Validation. Investigation. Insight. And that is why Sno-Isle Libraries made the decision to align with TED through a TEDx license. At its essence, TEDx is a library without walls providing ideas worth spreading.

We are hearing from many people who watched and listened to the speakers that it was a "day of inspiration." The buzz of excitement around the day continues. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from attendees, speakers, hosts, our TEDx team and others. So by measures, this was a tremendous success.

We are hearing one question, over and over: "Will there be a TEDxSnoIsleLibraries next year?" The answer is "Yes, if TED grants a renewal of our TEDx license." So stay tuned.

Our thanks to an incredible team of partners, advisors, speakers, hosts, volunteers, and the TEDx team.

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave N
Edmonds, Washington, 98020
United States

Swil Kanim

native storyteller and actor

It was through music that Swil Kanim, a member of Washington’s Lummi Tribe, healed childhood wounds and reconnected to his Native American roots. The classically trained violinist travels extensively, enchanting audiences with his original music and native storytelling. He is president of HonorWorks, a nonprofit with a mission to ignite the potential for honor among all people.

Ann McMahon

engineer and science educator

Ann McMahon was a satellite engineer for Boeing before focusing her career on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning from cradle to career and beyond—especially among underrepresented groups. She taught science in classrooms from preschool to university is now vice president of science and education at Pacific Science Center.

Anna Rohrbough

business coach and trainer

Anna’s clients include companies and communities whose leaders want to excel. She is president of AR Leadership, about which she says, “my business is helping people create the business and life they love.” Her own life includes serving on the City of Mukilteo’s long-range planning committee and the Mukilteo School District Budget Committee. And managing her son’s soccer team.

Barbara Tolbert

mayor and aviator

Under Barbara’s leadership, the Arlington Fly-in, which supports general aviation and advocacy, grew its annual event of its kind in the country. A year after earning her pilot’s license, she flew her own plane coast-to-coast across. She is now Mayor of Arlington, having been first elected in 2011 after two decades of business and community building.

Ben Hempstead

engineer and aerospace executive

Ben is a mechanical engineer and chief of staff at ElectroImpact, Inc. Ben has a broad range of experience in aerospace machine tool and fixture design, manufacturing, and project management. As he likes to say, he gets paid to have fun while building cool stuff. His diverse tasks range from structural analysis to representing his company and the aerospace industry before state and local governments.

Catherine McHugh

chemical engineer, psychologist and leadership coach

Catherine weaves her business and leadership experience with insight to help people and organizations achieve their potential. Her expertise is in emotional resilience and social intelligence; group and organization dynamics; and transformational leadership. She teaches at the college, graduate, and professional development levels.

Dorothy (Dottie) Metcalf-Lindenburger

Teacher, geologist, astronaut

Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger’s passion for geology led to a teaching career before she joined NASA and flew as mission specialist on an International Space Station 15-day resupply mission. Her tasks included operating robotic arms, coordinating spacewalks and helping move six tons of hardware and equipment. She later commanded the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operation off the Florida coast before retiring from the Astronaut Corps and returning to the Northwest.

Egils Milbergs

strategist in innovation, technology and industry

Egils founded the Center for Accelerating Innovation, which focuses on innovation ecosystems, accelerating entrepreneurship, and strategizing for sustainable economic growth and job creation. He previously implemented a far-reaching patent and trademark law, directed a presidential commission on industrial competitiveness, and was charged with making Washington state the most innovative region in the world.

Erin Boyd

Energy Economist

Erin has extensive practice in investments, policy, regulatory design and incentives. She understands the drivers of energy supply and demand. She has worked in more than 30 countries on projects ranging from electrification master plans in Africa to policies that would attract investment in renewables in the Balkans. She is now senior manager of rates, economics and energy risk management for Snohomish PUD.

Evan Briggs

filmmaker and educator

Evan sheds light on large issues of social justice through the telling of small, personal stories. She has taught filmmaking through the Digital Media Academy in San Francisco as well as at the Seattle Film Institute, and currently teaches at Seattle University. Her first feature film “Present Perfect,” explores the experience of aging in modern America.

Frances Lewis

nurse, professor and researcher

Although Fran’s work is based in compassion and the desire to make things easier for people with chronic, life-threatening illness, she is known as a methodical scientist who thoroughly tests interventions that might be useful. The University of Washington professor of nursing has developed ways to measure how family members manage the impact of cancer on their everyday lives.

Jeff Ericson

coffee roaster and sustainable business specialist

Jeff, in his second successful career, owns Camano Island Coffee Roasters, which has become known for its zeal in making the world a better place. In addition to running the company, Jeff lectures around the world on social business, sustainability, and the effect of ethics in business practices.

Jennifer James

anthropologist

Jennifer’s lifetime of curiosity about beliefs, human behavior and the human spirit has roots in her childhood. That curiosity has underpinned her long career as a cultural and psychological anthropologist. A former professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, she has answered the complex questions inherent in contemporary living and dying.

Ken Grant

musician, author and speaker

Through all of his career, Ken’s paths have had a common theme: to Connect, Move & Inspire the Human Spirit. He is an author (“Yoga in a Business Suit”), professional speaker, and an expert on personal development and brand empowerment. He is dedicated to breaking down walls of apprehension and fear in individuals, replacing them with greater possibilities.

Kenn Dickinson

athlete and professional coach

Kenn played basketball at the University of Washington and later played professionally in Europe. He understands what successful coaching can achieve both on and off the court. After a marketing career in Norway as well as the U.S., he established Fast Break Business Coaching. His take-home messages to clients: Leadership is about empowerment, not power, and their goal should be to engage others, not influence them.

Matt Cail

online marketer and consultant

Matt started out in the world of message boards and web design. During five years as a Washington, D.C., consultant, he became knowledgeable about emergency communications and competition in the online video industry. He has worked in social media, search engine marketing, web design, and online advertising.

Nam-ho Park

digital strategist and educator

As West Coast managing director for Forum One, Nam-ho leads creative web strategy, online community and mobile solutions to help non-profit, government and issue-driven clients increase their impact. He has been active in Web technologies and crafting user experience for more than 16 years, both in the U.S. and Asia. He teaches at the University of Washington.

Sarri Gilman

therapist, author and community advocate

Sarri is author of “Transform Your Boundaries,” which she based on insights gleaned from decades of experience as a marriage and family therapist. She is the founder of two organizations that support the needs of children and teens facing homelessness. In both, she created partnerships and unique programs to increase the chances of success for youth in overwhelming circumstances.

Shaela Niles

writer & monster-slayer

Wikipedia provided Shaela with a key that has helped her unlock her life and future. This blogger, college student, and budding novelist recently wrote a story of a young boy with an anxiety disorder who had to find the courage to fight the monsters that only he saw around him. Shaela is passionate about expressing her thoughts through writing, public speaking and the need to raise awareness about the overcoming the things which can hold you prisoner.

Sujan Shrestha

businessman and philanthropist

Sujan is chief executive officer of his family’s fast-growing and community-minded Mukilteo business, Himalayan Dog Chew. The company provides 7,000 farmers in the Himalayas with extra income by purchasing their cheese to make healthy pet snacks.

Tammy Mach

college student/american dreamteller

Vietnamese refugees Binh and Kimberly Mach own R&B Enterprises, a Mukilteo machining company specializes in prototyping and manufactures parts for aerospace, medical, computer, marine, and electronic companies. It was named Boeing’s Supplier of the Year in 2012 and 2014. Tammy, oldest of the couple’s children, will speak on behalf of the family. She is a pre-med student at the University of Washington.

Terry Thoren

multimedia company executive

Terry is chief executive officer of Wonder Media, a mission-driven company that produces multimedia content for any child at risk of falling behind before third grade. It is the latest in a long list of film, Web, software and animation companies that he founded and/or directed, all focused on family-friendly entertainment or educational materials.

Xola Malik

hip-hop artist, music producer and philanthropist

Xola (ko-lah), has released six critically acclaimed CDs yielding four top 40 hits as Kid Sensation. Under his own name, he has released Songs for Change. He uses art to “tell stories of life, love, and good and bad times with substance, without the profanity, misogyny, and negativity prevalent in entertainment today.” He has partnered with the social media platform and clothing company FINAO (Failure Is Not An Option).