Theme: Shifting Paradigms

TEDxCSUSM aims to create a platform that celebrates the ability of each individual to impact their community. Our event is designed to fuse the ideas of thought leaders in our community that foster positive societal transformation beginning at the individual level. Change is good.

We are sold out! However, we are live streaming the event. So join us from where ever you are and engage with others just like you! Webcast link is to the left.

All press requests should be sent to Noah Henwood at henwo002@cougars.csusm.edu.

California State University, San Marcos
333 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd
San Marcos, California, 92069
United States

Alex Liebeskind

Student, Researcher, Lynett Wave Research Group, USC Coastal Engineering

Alex Liebeskind is a high school senior at Brentwood School in Los Angeles, California. After discovering a love for coding early in his education, Alex joined the UCLA Computer Graphics and Vision Laboratory, where he has been developing image processing and data mining algorithms for facial recognition software and for assisted medical diagnoses for patient brain functional MRI scans. More recently, Alex became interested in how computer modeling can be applied to predictive simulations of the coastline and ocean systems. Alex is currently working with the Lynett Wave Research Group at the USC Department of Environmental Engineering to make such projections more widely accessible to the general public. Growing up in Southern California playing soccer, backpacking, and going to the beach, Alex is passionate about taking action to preserve the environment.

Cecili Chadwick

Lecturer Women's Studies, CSUSM, MA

Cecili earned a B.A. in Communication and Women’s Studies from California State University San Marcos and a Master’s degree in Women’s Studies from Claremont Graduate University. Cecili lectures on a variety of topics ranging from feminist views on pornography, freedom of speech, social justice, identity politics, reproductive justice, and the gendered landscapes of political campaigns. She also works with fraternities and sororities raising awareness about violence and sexual assault. Currently, Cecili is a lecturer for the Women’s Studies department at CSUSM.

Colin Finlay

Documentary Photographer

Colin Finlay is one of the foremost documentary photographers in the world. He has been awarded the prestigious Picture of the Year International (POYi) honor six times. For almost twenty five years, Finlay has documented the human condition with compassion, empathy and dignity. He has covered war and conflict, disappearing traditions, the environment in both its glory and its devastation, genocide, famine, religious pilgrimage and global cultures. In pursuit of his passion, he has circled the globe twenty-seven times, in search of that one photo that will be a testament to the depth of human will and compassion, of hope and of an informed collective consciousness. His work has been honored by prestigious organizations such as the Lucie Award/IPA, POYi (Picture of the Year International), New York Art Directors, Photo District News (PDN), Applied Arts, International Center for Photography, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

David Shad

Mechanical Engineer, Futurist

Fueled by a combination of family history and great passion, David Shad grew up knowing he wanted to be a world-class solution provider. Driven by his desire, he graduated from the University of Southern California, one of the nation’s top engineering schools. But he didn’t stop there—David has become a LEED Accredited Professional, achieved certification of ASHRAE’s Building Energy Modeling Professional, obtained his Commissioning Authority certification, and passed the Mechanical Professional Engineering Exam at age 24 making him one of the youngest to do so in the country. David has always had the desire to make the world a better place through his innovative visions. He is an active leader in the building community and wants to propel society forward by challenging his fellow millennials, the future leaders of the world.

John Caruthers

Supervisory Special Agent, FBI

John was hired as a Computer Specialist by the FBI in 1992 in Washington, DC and transferred to the San Diego office in 1995. He became an FBI Agent in 1999 and has engaged in a variety of assignments and positions, such as: provided support to the White Water investigation in Little Rock, AK; investigated the Arellano-Felix Mexican drug cartel; served as San Diego's Innocent Images coordinator; completed 2 details to FBI Headquarters' Cyber Division; began the FBI's ICS/SCADA Threat Program, serving as Coordinator; and served overseas assignments in Russia, Ukraine and The Netherlands. Currently he is the Supervisory Special Agent of the San Diego Division's National Security Cyber Squad.

Maggie Kay

Author, Advocate, Founder - Maggie Kay Foundation Inc.

MAGGIE KAY grew up nestled between two great empires, poverty and education within the great rift valley, Kenya. She is of the opinion that lack of quality education has led to an even bigger problem in Africa in the form of dependency on aid from foreign governments and non-governmental organization agencies thus actively hampering economic growth and festering poverty. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to quality education especially women and girls in developing countries. So, when the time came to pursue knowledge, her parents went against society’s norms and indoctrinated her into education. On a daily basis, she is still immersed in her lifelong voyage - the pursuit of knowledge. She is also a catalyst for change through her foundation Maggie Kay Foundation Inc. The foundation has taken steps to cultivate an environment that empowers communities to rise from the chasms of destitution. Recently, she has added to her repertoire a coming-of-age memoir, ASK BELIEVE RECEIVE.

Michael Marckx

CEO, Creative Disruption

Michael Marckx is beer fan and branding expert, in that order. As Chief Disruption Officer at Creative Disruption, he works with brands, institutions and people to disrupt the status quo in favor of growth, meaning and happiness, after which beer is usually consumed. A frequent lecturer on Branding at Universities and Conferences, Marckx is also the creator of the Belgian Waffle Ride, the most unique cycling event in the country, which is a grueling 146-mile race (40 of which are in dirt) where those that complete it, you guessed it, get to drink beer.

Sloane Trugman

Analyst, Strategist, Creator, and Representative

How do we redefine both empathy and diversity to guide humanity to instill the new traditions and culture for our next generations of children and machines? What if "mother" no longer knows best? Sloane Joie Trugman, also known as The Secretary of the Information State, is doing the things that most won't in order to get closer to our humans, our systems, and our machines to get to know the meaning of development, security, trust, and pride. Her mission is to democratize information and to create pathways of new accountability, politics & action appropriate to serve life on and off Earth in a shifting paradigm: decentralization. It begins within the self and the information one holds true and holds dear. She is an instigator, strategist, system analyst, & representative overturning mid-last-century styles on what governance, protocol, multiculturalism, privacy, intentionality, accountability, safety & security, technologies and identity mean to build a 21st century.