Theme: Breaking Ground

TEDxSJSU Breaking Ground Speakers:
Ananya Karthik, How Creative Expression Can Increase Diversity in AI
Meag-gan Ann O'Reilly, Ph.D., Enough is Enough: The Power of Your Inherent Value
Jason Laker Ph.D.,Demystifying Sexual Consent Communication
LaVerne McLeod, Breaking Ground to Plant New Racial Identities
Diana Victa, Engaging in the Heart Work: Leading with Compassion During Contentious Times
Shaun J. Fletcher, Ph.D, Re imagining Mental Health inside the African American Community
Laura Valine, Biofactories Bringing Localized Medicine: Contraceptives

San Jose State University, Student Union Theater
1 Washington Square
San Jose, California, 95112
United States

Ananya Karthik

High school student, creAIte Co-founder

Ananya Karthik is a 17-year-old senior at Saint Francis High School who believes that creative thinking and diversity are essential to the future of technology. At age 15, Ananya co-founded creAIte, an AI+Art initiative that inspires girls in artificial intelligence through neural art; she organizes workshops across the country that emphasize creativity as the core of innovation and promote inclusion in AI. As a member of the inaugural IEEE Global Initiative’s High School Committee, Ananya contributes to the conversation on the ethics of AI technology. Additionally, she collaborated with faculty as the sole student representative in her school’s Innovation Committee to develop ideas for creative advancement on campus. In her spare time, Ananya enjoys expressing herself through writing, art, and dance.

Diana Victa

Department Manager, Associated Students' Cesar E. Chavez Community Action Center

Diana is currently the Department Manager of Associated Students’ César E. Chávez Community Action Center at San José State University. In this role, she directly oversees various civic engagement opportunities, support student advocacy efforts, and campus events centered in social justice. Diana graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She received a Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education and Student Affairs at the University of San Francisco. Diana is committed to using her voice and work to advocate and highlight the issues in education that directly impacts marginalized, underserved populations. Her scholarship and expertise is specifically focused on community tragedy, highly diverse institutions, digital leadership, highlighting and amplifying the work of social justice and multicultural spaces, and the importance of wellness and self-care in advocacy work.

Jason Laker, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Counselor Education

Jason Laker is a Professor in the Department of Counselor Education (and former Vice President for Student Affairs) at San Jose State University and Affiliated Research Faculty in the Center for Research and Education on Gender and Sexuality at San Francisco State University. His current research (with Dr. Erica Boas) focuses on sexual consent among college students. Jason previously served as AVP & Dean of Student Affairs, Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Democracy, and on the Gender Studies Faculty at Queen’s University in Canada. He holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Organization and an M.A. in Community Counseling. Jason’s scholarly work includes four edited texts, one each in the U.S. and Canada, regarding gender and men’s development; and two on Citizenship and Democratic Education. Jason has received several awards for his scholarship and leadership around men’s and masculinities issues.

Laura Valine

Researcher UC Santa Cruz

Laura Valine is a fourth-year undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is on a team of sixteen undergraduate researchers participating in the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, otherwise known as iGEM. Their team seeks to use synthetic biology to localize the production of contraceptives in resource limited areas. Outside of genetic engineering, the team focused on reaching out to communities world wide with a lack of access to contraceptives. Inspired by the effects of synthetic biology on her life as a type I diabetic, Laura strives to contribute to future breakthroughs in medical science.

LaVerne McLeod

Workshop Facilitator

LaVerne McLeod is a workshop facilitator who created a series of Bridge Building to Equity Workshops ©2017, designed to help businesses and organizations harmonize with various cultures. McLeod is also author of Corn Hollow, an African American Historical fiction. She has taught middle grades in the public schools, privately taught in a Montessori School and has served as staff supervisor at the Gazebo School at Esalen Institute. Also, she has worked as a school counselor in Illinois. She has been active in community volunteer work. Currently, McLeod serves as Co-Coordinator of Big Sur Advocates for a Green Environment and serves as a board member of Communities for a Sustainable Monterey County. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master of Arts in Counselor Education from Southeast Missouri State University with Continuing Education work from San Jose State University.

Meag-gan Ann O'Reilly, PhD

Staff Psychologist, Vaden Health Center Counseling and Psychological Services, Programs Manager of Outreach, Equity & Inclusion, Lecturer, Wellness Education Stanford School of Medicine

Dr. O'Reilly is a full time; licensed Staff Psychologist at Stanford University's Counseling and Psychological Services. Dr. O’Reilly also serves as the Programs Manager for Outreach, Equity and Inclusion. Her research covers several areas under the umbrella of social justice. Her areas of clinical interest include social class, college student mental health, resilience, and multicultural identities particularly gender and ethnicity. Dr. O'Reilly operates a private practice in downtown Palo Alto in which she provides clinical services to Silicon Valley professionals.

Shaun J. Fletcher, PhD

Assistant Professor, Public Relations, San Jose State University

Dr. Shaun Fletcher is currently an Assistant Professor at San José State University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Shaun has vast communications experience with corporate and non-profit organizations including Apple and Volkswagen Group of America, for whom he has provided counsel on strategic messaging, executive communications, employee engagement and diversity and inclusion. Dr. Fletcher also established a private consultancy where he works to upskill corporations around cultural diversity awareness, retention, and communications aimed at solving the employment diversity crisis in Silicon Valley. Dr. Fletcher started his career with the Center for Health Futures within the Florida Hospital health system, working to resolve issues related to cultural competency among health practitioners. His research and interests include diversity & inclusion, unconscious bias, career and life resilience, and mental health within underrepresented communities.