Theme: More than Words

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).

UCC CenterStage Theatre
1140 Umpqua College Rd.
Roseburg, Oregon, 97470
United States

Brian Prawitz

After a 25-year radio career, Brian Prawitz started his own marketing firm in 2015. As a tenant at The Loft in downtown Roseburg, Brian has been inspired by the energy and optimism of the entrepreneurs he spends time with on a regular basis. Brian’s involvement in the community began with his role as a news and sports announcer, where getting involved in causes was his favorite part of the job. He currently serves in an advisory role with UCC Strong. Brian was recently elected to the Roseburg City Council and has been selected to represent Douglas County in the American Leadership Forum, beginning the summer of 2017.

David Littlejohn

David is a husband, father, entrepreneur, problem solver, pragmatic optimist, and total nerd. A 17-year veteran of the financial industry, David spends most of his professional time helping others plan for and achieve their financial goals. He also volunteers in his community, serving on multiple nonprofit boards and staying active in his church. In the off chance there is free time in his life, you can find David learning new bits of random trivia or trying out new adventures. Whether it’s culture, sports or new experiences - odds are he’s willing to try it. And if it’s fun, there’s a good chance he’ll try it again.

Gregory Jones, Ph. D.

Dr. Jones is director of the Division of Business, Communication and the Environment and a professor and research climatologist in the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Southern Oregon University. He specializes in the study of climate structure and suitability for viticulture with a focus on how climate variability and change influence grapevine growth, wine production and quality worldwide. He conducts applied research for the grape and wine industry in Oregon and has given hundreds of international, national, and regional presentations on climate and wine-related research. Dr. Jones is the author of numerous book chapters, reports and articles on wine economics, grapevine phenology, site assessment methods for viticulture, climatological assessments of viticultural potential, and climate change.

Jennifer Wood, RDN

Jenn Wood, RDN, began working for the Oregon State WIC program in 2014 after earning her degree in dietetics from San Francisco State University and completing her dietetic internship through Utah State University. Through her years at WIC Jennifer has counseled hundreds of families through early childhood feeding, including picky eating. She was drawn to the field of pediatric nutrition after learning the profound affects of maternal health and nutritional status on the life of the child. Jennifer further learned the importance of encouraging good eating for children in ways that build their confidence and self-esteem. In her TEDx talk, Jenn will discuss the unspoken aspect of feeding children and will cover the importance of the feeding relationship, modeling and peer influence. She hopes to enlighten parents and the community on the harms of the “clean plate club” and compulsive snacking. Jennifer offers information on raising healthy children through what they eat and how they feel.

Joan Rosenberg

Best-selling author, consultant, media host and master clinician, Dr. Rosenberg is a cutting-edge psychologist known as an innovative thinker, acclaimed speaker and trainer. As a TEDx speaker and member of the Association of Transformational Leaders, she has been recognized for her thought leadership and influence in personal development. A California-licensed psychologist, Dr. Rosenberg speaks on how to build confidence, self-esteem, core emotional strength and resilience; emotional, conversational and relational mastery; neuroscience and psychotherapy; and forgiveness. Dr. Rosenberg has been featured in the critically acclaimed documentaries I Am, The Miracle Mindset, Pursuing Happiness, and The Hidden Epidemic. She has been seen on CNN’s American Morning, the OWN network and PBS, as well as appearances and radio interviews in major metropolitan media markets. She hosts The MindStream Podcast, an influential and thought-provoking iTunes podcast. Dr. Rosenberg is the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller 'Ease Your Anxiety' and of a forthcoming book describing her 90 Seconds approach to emotional strength and self-confidence.  

John Blackwood

John Blackwood is an internationally known college professor, writer and developer and is currently a cybersecurity educator at the Umpqua Community College. He holds an M.S in Computer Systems from City University, B.A. from Indiana University, A.E. in Software Engineering Technology from the Oregon Institute of Technology, and an A.A.S. in Accounting from the College of Lake County. John also holds industry certifications in Microsoft Server, Cisco Security, and Ethical Hacking, He is the also author of his own book about disaster preparation based on his family’s experience with Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and other events. John also created a Microsoft Outlook email archiving program.

John Waller

John grew up in Dixonville and spent much of his childhood roaming the creeks and hills of Douglas County, oftentimes with a fishing pole.  After exploring careers of wild land firefighting, raft guiding and as a high school science teacher, John started Uncage the Soul Productions in 2004, producing commercial and documentary videos.

Kemberly Farrell-Todd

Kem is completing her BA in Business Management and is a 2013 Phi Theta Kappa UCC Graduate. She works at UCC’s Small Business Development Center, connecting business owners with services and resources that help them to be successful. When Kem was 15, she was entrusted with the “Big Sister Award” from her church, recognizing her friendly nature and desire to orchestrate fun.   Always ready to choreograph a dance routine, be the lava monster, or go late-night rollerskating, she calls herself an “Accomplished Auntie.”   A self-confirmed show off, Kem is also a Zumba and Aqua Zumba instructor and is attempting to design a new dance-walking workout.  She likes travel, hike, geocache, swim and make new friends and conversation with people, which can embarrass her children.

Larina Warnock

Larina grew from a teen mother and high school dropout to a doctoral candidate at Creighton University and a high school teacher. Her journey has included violence, disability and the death of her youngest son. A survivor of generational poverty, she has spent much of her life studying the causes of poverty and the tools used to break the poverty cycle.

Leila Goulet

Leila is a Montreal-born zoologist with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and a bachelor of education degree specializing in science. While she began as a high school science teacher, she transitioned into zookeeping, and is currently the director of education at Wildlife Safari. She has traveled to Australia, New Zealand and Thailand to garner more knowledge in her field and has acquired more than 10 years of animal care experience working directly with large carnivores, elephants, ungulates, birds of prey, reptiles and small mammals at various zoos across Canada and the United States. Leila’s goal is to promote wildlife education and conservation, including initiating programs that bring the public into close proximity with animals. Her passion is working with animals and teaching about the importance of wildlife and environmental conservation

Marisa Fink

Marisa is the CEO/executive director of the YMCA of Douglas County in Roseburg. She earned her master’s and doctorate degrees in Adult, Higher and Community Education from Ball State University, Indiana, where she served on the Communication Studies faculty for four years. In 2006 she published her research on emergent interaction in A Descriptive Study of Letterboxing in North America.

Pamela Warren

A math and logic teacher at Geneva academy, Paula received her degree in mathematics in 2012. Having taught math at several levels, she observed a common thread woven between the student of all ages and abilities -- namely, that non of the pupils understood the purpose of learning math. So she set out to uncover the ruins of historically classical math, looking to the past to rediscover why this discipline was so highly prize (hint: it wasn't because it would be useful for a job.)

Paula Marie Usrey

Paula is an associate professor of communication and has taught at Umpqua Community College for thirteen years. She is passionate about helping empower others so they can live life to the fullest.

Ryan Melton, Ph. D.

Dr. Melton is the clinical director of the EASA Center for Excellence at Portland State University’s Regional Research Institute and an assistant professor of Clinical Mental Health at Northwest Christian University. In addition to his academic work, he provides clinical consultation to early intervention with mental illness programs nationwide. Dr. Melton has published multiple papers and textbook chapters and has presented at multiple conferences. His research focuses on the impact of interventions with individuals experiencing early schizophrenia, engagement strategies, reducing duration of untreated illness, and feedback informed treatment. Dr. Melton also has a private practice in which he supervises mental health clinicians for licensure and provides training on diagnosis and evidenced based mental health practices. He is a strong advocate for the health care needs for individuals with mental illness.

Seth Buechley

Seth Buechley is a serial-entrepreneur and business founder. In his recent book “Ambition: Leading with Gratitude,” Buechley tackles the plaguing question of why ambitious people struggle to find satisfaction and reveals the critical role of gratitude in making the shift to lasting leadership impact. He pulls no punches in identifying the painful lessons learned on his journey and identifies, with great clarity, some common pitfalls driven people face. An experienced keynote speaker and emcee, Seth is a member of Young President Organization (YPO) and the President of Legacy, LLC, his platform for writing, speaking, and coaching the next generation of leaders. Along the way, Buechley has developed into a seasoned entrepreneur, accomplished speaker, and coach for the next generation of leaders.