Theme: Together

In an increasingly divided world, what brings us together? What turns us against each other? We explore preconceptions and realities that unite humanity and those that drive us apart.

Rialto Center for the Arts
80 Forsyth St NW
Atlanta, Georgia, 30303
United States

Animesh Koratana

A.I. designer

Animesh Koratana's interests lie in using computational neuroscience and artificial intelligence to help solve the largest problems facing A.I. and medicine today. Hiis research on fluid intelligence has attracted the interest of the NSA for a possible application in curbing cyberterrorism attacks. He is a rising senior in high school and began work in A.I. when he was 14 years old as an independent researcher at the Johns Hopkins Department of Computer Science and the Stanford Department of Computational Neuroscience. Koratana founded the Northview Techno Titans Robotics Foundation with a mission to compete and spread STEM education throughout the community. He is recipient of the Third Grand Award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the Yale Science & Engineering Award, the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Award, the Intel Excellence in Computer Science Award, and the Pinnacle award at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair.

Anneliese Singh

LGBTQ+ youth advocate

Anneliese A. Singh is a nationally recognized expert on transgender resilience. Her research and advocacy centers on the resilience of transgender people of all ages, transgender people of color, survivors of trauma, immigrants, and South Asian survivors of child sexual abuse. Singh has been published in more than 100 publications in the areas of LGBTQQ and social justice counseling, and is the recipient of over 11 national awards for her work. She is co-founder of the Trans Resilience Project and the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition which addresses the intersections of heterosexism, racism, sexism, and other oppressions in schools. Singh is an associate professor at the University of Georgia’s College of Education and was recently appointed Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the college.

Atlanta Celli

Celli Quartet

Comprised of classically trained cellists Mary Beth Bryant, Jessica Messere, Nan Kemberling and Erin Cassel, these four can be found performing the intricacies of classical music in a traditional concert hall but are just as likely to be found playing at a late-night rock club.

Barbara O. Rothbaum

psychologist, researcher

Barbara O. Rothbaum is a pioneer in the application of virtual reality for the treatment of psychological disorders. She is a professor of psychiatry and the associate vice chair of clinical research at the Emory University School of Medicine. Rothbaum directs the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program. Author of 275+ scientific papers and chapters, Rothbaum worked on nine books on PTSD and anxiety. She and her team received the “Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Practice of Trauma Psychology” and the Robert S. Laufer Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement from the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies in 2010. She is a fellow at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the American Psychological Association’s Division of Trauma Psychology, and serves on the scientific advisory boards for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), the National Center for PTSD and McLean Hospital.

Beth Malone

Arts entrepreneur

Beth Malone works to empower artists to ignite communities with their work. She is the founding executive director of Dashboard, a curatorial venture that encourages artistic risk-taking and immersive practice. The organization has presented award-winning exhibitions in cities nationwide including Atlanta, New Orleans, New York and Detroit. It has been a springboard for the careers of 125 artists and has received financial awards from: Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Wish Foundation, Arthur M. Blank Foundation, Ford Motor Company Fund, and many more. Malone holds a Master of Letters from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, is a graduate of Urban Land Institute’s Center for Leaders and Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta. She was part of the Ford Motor Company’s 2015 National Gathering of Innovators. Malone currently serves on committees at Forward Arts and the American Art Museum. Creative Loafing recently named her to their “Person to Watch” list.

Brett Trapp

Storyteller

Brett Trapp recently left Corporate America to pursue his dream of becoming a writer and storyteller. He shares stories of self-discovery and identity on www.BlueBabiesPink.com which is inspired by his experience of coming to terms with being gay in the American south. Previously, at Booster Enterprises, Trapp led a team of creatives that developed motivational character content for more than 1.3 million students annually. Trapp believes in the power of good design, Seth Godin, SEC football, Chick-fil-A, Taylor Swift, Tarantino movies, and CS Lewis. He serves on the boards of directors for Beloved Atlanta, Refuge Coffee and the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

Christopher W. Clark

Bioacoustics scientist

When asked what he does, Christopher W. Clark’s answer is simple: “I listen to this singing planet!” Clark pioneered the ocean listening systems for studying whales and other marine life. His work has been cited by Peter Tyack's 2010 TED Talk on whale communications. His research has led to a better understanding of the effects of sonar, shipping noise and offshore energy activities on marine mammals at both local and ocean-basin scales. Most recently, Clark was featured in Discovery Channel documentary films: “Racing Extinction” and “Sonic Sea.” An engineer and biologist, Clark is the founding director and Imogene Johnson Senior Scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bioacoustics Research Program at Cornell University. He is also a senior scientist at the university’s Department of Neurobiology & Behavior.

Eloisa Klementich

Economic development expert

Economic development expert Eloisa Klementich has spent the last two decades solving complex problems at the city, state and national levels. She has served as special assistant for economic development at the U.S. Economic Development Administration in the Office of the Secretary, and as deputy secretary for Economic Development and Commerce in the State of California. She was a consultant to Mexico’s President Vicente Fox on best practices for addressing constituent issues and requests. Currently, Klementich is president and CEO of Invest Atlanta, the City of Atlanta’s economic development authority. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Pitzer College and a master's degree in business administration from el Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey. She also earned master’s degrees in urban planning and Latin American affairs from the University of California, Los Angeles, and received her doctorate degree in public administration from the University of LaVerne.

Emily Bianchi

Behavior researcher

Emily Bianchi’s research explores how economic conditions shape attitudes and behaviors in our personal and professional lives.An award-winning scholar and professor at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University, her work has been featured in the The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR's “Marketplace,” USA Today, The Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek and others. In 2015, Bianchi was named one of the 40 Best Business School Professors under 40 by Poets and Quants. Sheianchi holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Harvard University, and a master’s degree and doctorate in management from Columbia University.

Full Radius Dance

Physically integrated modern dance

Atlanta-based Full Radius Dance is recognized as one of the top physically integrated modern dance companies in the nation. Full Radius Dance maintains a busy performance schedule in Atlanta, as well as regionally, nationally, and internationally. Locally, they present an annual repertory concert, as well as producing the Modern Atlanta Dance (MAD) Festival. The company also has a deep commitment to education and outreach and brings a unique artistic experience to schools, senior citizen centers, and disability groups on a regular basis.

Heval Mohamed Kelli

Refugee advocate

Heval Mohamed Kelli ascribes his journey --from Syrian refugee to cardiologist -- to the kindness of strangers, and access to education and health care. He is on a mission to bring this same level of access to refugees in our community. He is the co-founder of several nonprofit organizations focused these areas. He is also the co-founder and president of the Kurdish American Medical Association, an organization that creates a communication and mentorship platform for Kurdish American students and physicians. Mohamed Kelli graduated Cum Laude from the Morehouse School of Medicine, completed his internal medicine residency training with honorable distinctions in social and in-patient medicine at Emory University, and is currently the Katz Foundation Fellow in Preventive Cardiology at the university.

Jim Beasley

Wildlife ecologist

Jim Beasley’s research focuses on understanding the effects of human activities on wildlife. He is currently collaborating with an international group of scientists to study the ecology, population dynamics, and health of wildlife living within the Chernobyl and Fukushima exclusion zones. The research has led to the discovery of abundant wildlife at Chernobyl and the development of a new GPS tool that monitors radiation exposures experienced by wildlife in near real-time. Beasley’s research has been featured in media outlets including the New York Times, Animal Planet, NPR, CNN, BBC, National Geographic and Nature. Beasley is an assistant professor at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Lab and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. He holds bachelor’s degree in wildlife science from SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry, and master’s and doctorate degrees in wildlife ecology from Purdue University. He is currently serving as the International Atom

Kathleen Baumgardner

Social entrepreneur

Kathleen Baumgardner firmly believes that “every human innately has dignity and should be treated as such.” She is co-founder and executive director of FoCo Cafe, a volunteer-driven nonprofit cafe based in Fort Collins, Colo. The cafe operates on a “pay what you can” basis where those who can’t afford to pay volunteer their time. The eatery has served more than 41,000 organic meals in its first 21 months of existence and continues to thrive with diners hailing from the business, civic and homeless communities.

Moe Carrick

Workplace expert, author

As founder and principal of Moementum, Inc., an Oregon-based boutique consultancy and Certified B Corp, Moe Carrick has a worked with an array of brands including REI, NIKE, Prudential financial, the Nature Conservancy, Starbucks and Nintendo. She grounds her approach in a unifying and undeniable truth: successful work is dependent on human beings and relationships. Carrick is a regular blogger on topics related to people at work and is a contributor to Conscious Company Magazine. She is organizer of TEDxBend and was named 2016 Woman of the Year by Bend Chamber for her impact in Central Oregon. Carrick holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire and a Master of Science degree from Antioch New England University.

Peter Maeck

Poet, playwright

Peter Maeck is a writer, photographer, and teacher. His plays and dance scenarios, including those for Pilobolus and MOMIX Dance Theatres, have been produced in New York City, Europe, and Africa. Maeck served as a U.S. State Department Cultural Specialist in Tanzania and Morocco. He has created sales and management training programs for corporations worldwide. His photographs have been shown in galleries in New York City, Los Angeles, and other American cities, as well as internationally. Maeck has a bachelor’s degree in English from Dartmouth College and a Master of Fine Art in Playwriting from Brandeis University. Maeck’s book of poetry and photographs, “Remembrance Of Things Present,” will be published in 2017 by Shanti Arts.

Rohit Malhotra

Community organizer, entrepreneur

Rohit Malhotra has almost a decade of experience in social entrepreneurship, government, and community organizing. He is founder and executive director of the Center for Civic Innovation in Atlanta, his hometown city, where all three worlds collide. He received the Echoing Green Global Fellowship for his work in the areas of civic engagement and social enterprise. He also served as an Ash Innovation Fellow in the White House Office of Management and Budget and Office of Social Innovation focused on the administration’s efforts around social impact bonds and pay for performance. Malhotra holds a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Secondhand Swagger

Performance

Their mission is to keep the vintage sounds of the 60s and 70s alive and to keep the people dancing. Formed in 2008 by Abby Wren (vocals) and Scotty Bryan (drums and vocals), their sound solidified with the inclusion of Tiffany White (keys and vocals), Rob Lane (guitar and vocals), and Jairaj Swann (bass). The band has played venues all along the eastern coast and has shared the stage with acts, such as G. Love and Special Sauce, The S.O.S. Band and Trombone Shorty.

Steven M. Platek

Evolutionary psychologist

Steve M. Platek believes in exercising mind and body. He is a professor of psychology at Georgia Gwinnett College and a sought-after speaker on evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Platek has published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and chapters, and three edited volumes in this area and currently serves on several editorial boards. He currently serves as vice president of the Applied Evolutionary Psychology Society and journal officer to the Southeastern Evolutionary Perspectives Society. A fitness enthusiast, Platek founded CrossFit Gwinnett and actively competes. He also coaches a professional GRID team, a form of strategic racing featuring mixed-gender teams.