Theme: Technology Entertainment and Design

This year’s TEDxMuskegon conference will be held Wednesday, October 19, 2016, from 12:30-5 p.m., at the Beardsley Theater, located inside the Frauenthal Center for Performing Arts in downtown Muskegon.

In its sixth year, TEDxMuskegon will welcome a variety of local, regional and national speakers and entertainers with a broad spectrum of topics, generally centered around the heart of TED: ideas on Technology, Entertainment and Design.

“It took us a little while to let go of having an additional theme for the year, but not having a theme makes sense,” says Renae Hesselink, license-holder for TEDxMuskegon. “Our themes have been very broad-based and so is technology, entertainment and design. This year we are focusing on the basic fundamentals of our purpose: Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED).”

Talks will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will run throughout the afternoon with breaks for reflection, entertainment and refreshments.

“We hope to surprise our audience with unexpected ideas and stories that will inspire taking action,” says Hesselink.

Beardsley Theatre
425 W Western Avenue
Muskegon, Michigan, 49440
United States

Andrea Lindback

Student and Performer

A sophomore at North Muskegon High School, Andrea plays several different musical instruments. Her favorites are guitar, ukulele, and mandolin. Andrea enjoys hiking, singing, composing, and cheering for her high school’s football team. She is a very active participant in her High School Choir, being a sight reading leader, Vice President of Choir Council, and gaining a 29/30 Superior rating at solo and ensemble her freshman year.

Brian Strobel

Award-winning author on change, former Marine officer

A former Marine Officer, Brian Strobel is an award-winning author on change. As a continual learner, he often needs to unlearn what he once believed as true. He believes without equivocation that leaders are in the “people business” and that they must lead with both their heart and mind. @book_LCFW

Cassidy Briggs

Student singer/songwriter

Cassidy Briggs is a singer/songwriter. She has been in musicals and plays at her local high school, Reeths-Puffer, and loves performing. Cassidy is 15 years old and is a street performer at the Muskegon Farmers Market

Cleamon Moorer, Jr.

Dean of the College of Business at Baker College

Cleamon Moorer Jr., DBA, is a father, husband, philanthropist, educator, author, mentor and educational entrepreneur. Moorer is the author of “From Failure to Promise: 360 Degrees,” the inspirational autobiographical story of how he overcame flunking out of college to become an engineer, college professor and dean. @DrCMoorer

Curt Tofteland

Founder of Shakespeare Behind Bars, Two-time Fullbright Fellow

Curt L. Tofteland is the Founder of the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Behind Bars programs. For his work with marginalized populations, he has been awarded two Fulbright Fellowships, a Petra Fellowship, two Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Oakland University and Bellarmine University, and been named the Fifth Creative Fellow at the University of Auckland.

Darnell Jackson

Saginaw County Circuit Court Judge

Darnell Jackson is the first African-American to serve as judge in Saginaw County Circuit Court, to serve as director of Michigan’s Office of Drug Control Policy, and to serve as deputy chief assistant prosecutor for Saginaw County. He has also served as deputy police chief for the City of Saginaw. Judge Jackson received his law degree and bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University

Kwame Kamau James

Musician and Poet

No mere entertainer, Kwame Kamau uses music and poetry to make hard conversations softer, to make complex relationships comprehensible, and to make simple truths more profound @kwamekamau

Lori McElrath-Eslick

Book Illustrator, former Hallmark Illustrator

After Kendall College of ART and Design, Lori illustrated for Hallmark Cards. She is now a picture book illustrator. My family: Golman (Teacher) & our kids Camille and Chase model often for her illustration/paintings. After two open-heart surgeries, Lori loves to paint in the open air, as inspiration is immediate. www.eslickart.com

Lucy Carpenter

Student Photographer

Since age 13, Lucy has been taking photos as a hobby and has recently started her own business as an amateur senior portrait photographer. She is a senior at North Muskegon High School and hopes to study photography in college, continuing to take photos as a documentary photographer or photojournalist

Michael Gerstweiler

Electrical & Computer Engineer

Michael Gerstweiler is an electrical and computer engineer by profession and a student mentor and technology advocate by choice. In his youth the path to his engineering profession was laid out thanks to some caring teachers and mentors. His goal is to return that favor for today’s youth. Facebook Michael.Gerstweiler

Poppy Hernandez

Assistant to the Superintendant and Director of Special Projects at Muskegon Public Schools

Poppy Sias Hernandez is the Assistant to the Superintendent and Director of Special Projects at Muskegon Public Schools. As a community organizer in Western Michigan for more than 15 years, the focus of her work has been in education and advocacy. She is a Certified Prevention Specialist through the State of Michigan, and is currently working on her Master’s Degree at Western Michigan University in the Organizational Learning and Performance Program where she is a Thurgood Marshall Fellow

Shawn Blanchard

Mentor, Former Director of Youth Services for Detroit Mayor's Office, Former Math Faculty at University of Michigan

Mentorship specialist, author, speaker and mathematician, Shawn started his life as a crack baby. Growing up his main motivations were sex, money, cars, girls, and clothes. His mentors were his two older brothers — one murdered in a drug transaction — the other serving life in a Federal Prison for allegedly being one of Detroit’s most notorious drug lords. After losing his brothers to violence and prison, Shawn found another path that lead him to an education and opportunity. Fast forward and Blanchard was appointed to the city of Detroit’s Mayoral Cabinet as the Director of Youth Services. Throughout his tenure he successfully launched a citywide elementary soccer league and provided nearly 5,600 jobs, heading the Grow Detroit’s Young Talent youth employment initiative. Blanchard is the CEO and Founder of Shawn Blanchard Productions and the Style Advisor and Co-Owner of SnapSuits. @ShawnTB Facebook shawntblanchard Instagram @shawntb

Syndell Parks

Biologist and owner of GenPass

Syndell Parks is a biologist and owner of Muskegon-based GenPass. GenPass works closely with communities and individuals to identify and manage invasive species using genetic methods. Syndell also helps individuals translate developing science into accessible information to improve our lakes waterway ecosystems facebook.com/GenPassID Twitter: GenPassMI

Theresa Hegedus DDS

Muskegon-area Dentist, Member of Flying Doctors

A lifelong Muskegon resident, Dr. Theresa spent four years as a mechanical engineer before receiving her Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Dentistry. Her love of travel and adventure was the catalyst for her journey to the Solomon Islands in 2011, to provide dental care for the locals through Flying Doctors. Since then she has traveled and provided dental care with Flying Doctors in Kenya, Bolivia and most recently providing services to Syrian refugees in Jordan.