TEDxKitchenerED is back for 2020! Please join us for an exciting afternoon of inspiring speakers and performances as we explore ideas worth spreading about the future of education. This event is for anyone and everyone passionate about the educational space, both where it is now and where it’s heading. Engage with big ideas to push education forward. We hope you'll join us to participate in the great conversations and networking our speakers are sure to inspire!

Lazaridis Hall - WLU Lazarids School of Business and Economics
64 University Ave. W.
Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C7
Canada

Aaron Barth

Thought Leader + Company President

Dr. Aaron Barth, thought-leader and president of Dialectic, gives progressive leaders the confidence they need to tackle their hardest people problems using scientific methods. Rooted in education, Dr. Barth founded Dialectic after completing his Ph.D. in Philosophy at Western University, keen on fusing theory with application. Dialectic uses the power of science to accelerate employee learning, transform organizations, improve employee and customer engagement and mitigate unconscious bias. Dr. Barth and his team of gifted scientists and designers have implemented interactive learning experiences for 50+ Canadian companies, uncovering workplace barriers and mobilizing impactful strategies. They work in two areas: workplace culture and learning and development. For both, their goal is to help their clients create behaviour change at scale.

Ayah Elmallah

Student + Spoken Word Poet

Ayah Elmallah was born and raised in Kitchener-Waterloo. She is currently in grade 10 and hopes to study journalism in university. Her hobbies include reading, soccer, and writing poetry. Ayah is captivated by issues related to social justice and finds inspiration through her life experiences. After travelling and seeing the injustice people face every day, she realized how privileged and protected she was. Her goal is to educate as many people as she can about the injustices in the world.

Joni NehRita

Artist + Musician

Jamaican-Canadian artist Joni NehRita writes songs about unity, hope and social justice. Her jazz-tinged brand of soul is infused with rhythms & sounds from her Afro-Caribbean background. The Toronto native studied vocal jazz & arranging at Humber College & The Shelly Berger Music School. She is currently completing her 4th full length album, "Love & Protest." It is a concept album about equality, social justice & love. It explores the juxtaposition between love being “the answer” and anger being the fuel. NehRita’s expansive career also includes professional theatre, choir directing, music education & arranging. As a solo act and/or backing keyboardist or vocalist she has performed at The Montreal Jazz Festival, Riverfest, Hillside Festival, Waterloo Jazz Festival, Elora Festival, Massey Hall, The Centre in the Square with The KW Symphony & has been fortunate enough to perform at venues all over the world, including Australia, Germany, The UK, France, The Middle East & The U.S.

Komal Singh

Engineer + Author

Komal Singh is an Engineering Program Manager at Google, and creator of children's STEM bestseller "Ara The Star Engineer". As an accomplished technologist, D&I advocate, and award-winning community influencer, her work has been featured on Globe & Mail, Forbes, Financial Post, CTV, The Social, The Record and more. Her career in technology spans 14+ years. Singh has worked with top technology consulting firms as a software engineer and delivery manager helping launch products for many Fortune 500 clients. Currently at Google, she works with engineering teams that build planet-scale infrastructure and products FTW. She loves empowering girls and minorities to discover the magic of STEM. Her debut picture-book "Ara The Star Engineer" was an instant bestseller and is being published globally in more than 10 languages; a sequel is now in the works! Her 20% passion project at Google aims to use technology and AI in novel ways to tackle the lack of diversity in kids literature.

Laura Mae Lindo

Activist, MPP and Educator

Laura Mae Lindo, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, is a respected activist and educator who holds both a Masters and PhD in Education. Her commitment to building inclusive communities both within and outside of educational environments is grounded in her knowledge of how to put anti-oppression theories into practice. Laura Mae is a knowledgeable advocate for the rights of women and girls, a respected ally to marginalized community members, and, most importantly, a courageous public speaker on issues often left unaddressed in the mainstream. Laura Mae is the Official Opposition Critic for Anti-Racism, and Citizenship and Immigration. The Leader of the Official Opposition recently appointed her as Chair of Official Opposition’s first Black Caucus, to collaborate with Black communities and allies to address systemic anti-Black racism in Ontario.

Lori Campbell

Director of Indigenous Student Centre

Lori Campbell has made it her career, personally and professionally, advocating for social justice and working towards a more equitable society for all. With over 12 years of progressive leadership that comprises contributions in student services, academics, research and administration, Lori is an experienced leader in post-secondary education with a proven track record particularly in advancing processes of Indigenization and reconciliation. She currently holds the position of Director, Shatitsirótha’ Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre St. Paul’s University College. Lori is a 2-Spirit nēhiyaw āpihtākosisān iskwew (Cree-Métis) and her family is original from Treaty 6 territory. She is an intergenerational survivor of the Indian Residential School system and a child from the Sixties Scoop generation. Lori holds two undergraduate degrees (Indigenous Studies and Psychology), a master’s degree in Adult Education and is currently working towards a PhD in Social Justice Education.

Maria Cantalini-Williams

Dean of Education

Dr. Cantalini-Williams is the Dean of the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. She received her Doctor of Education degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto in the Department of Applied Psychology. Her research is focused on innovation in education, collaborative inquiry, early childhood and work-integrated learning models. She has authored and co-authored numerous books, chapters in books and academic journal articles on these topics. Dr. Cantalini-Williams worked in the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing University (Brantford campus) from 2003 to 2018 and recently received the designation of Professor Emerita. Since 2016, she was Chair of a Rideau Hall Foundation committee working on the Education for Innovation project, designed to develop innovation skills and mindsets in Canadian students.

Max Kakekagumick

Student Leader

Max Kakekagumick is a student leader from the Community Eabametoong First Nation, otherwise known as Fort Hope, that is an Ojibway First Nations band government in the Kenora District of Ontario, Canada. He recently finished high school and is currently attending Confederation College. Max has a dream of being a political leader in the future to pursue and support his passions, which include the environment and our relationship with it. He loves to be around animals and some of his favourite pastimes are when he is out and one with nature.

Noa Daniel

Teacher + Consultant

Noa Daniel is a passionate teacher, consultant and innovator who has been building ways for students to feel visible and valuable in and outside of the classroom for over 20 years. She has a Masters of Education from OISE and works part-time as a classroom teacher in the York Region District School Board. Noa is also a blogger and podcaster. She hosts The Personal Playlist Podcast and OnEdMentors on voicEd Radio. Noa is on the board of voicEd Radio and Learning Forward Ontario. She is also the co-founder of OnEdMentors Connect (OEMConnect). Noa is a divergent thinker and creative person. She has always been building outside the blocks.

Rahul Raj

Founder + CMO

Rahul Raj is the Founder & CMO of the Challenger Brand marketing agency 5&Vine, where he accelerates the growth of venture-funded startups to take down industry incumbents. Rahul has always been an underdog and believes in their potential to change the status quo. Prior to starting 5&Vine, he helped transform ecobee from relative obscurity to the #2 thermostat brand in North America with a 30% market share and +$100M in sales. Prior to ecobee, Rahul ran an incubator for Walmart.com that focused on creating new revenue models that were better for the planet and the bottom line. He built a refurbishing infrastructure that turned costly customer returns into a multi-billion dollar revenue stream. For these efforts, he was honoured with Walmart’s Innovation Champion Award, a fellowship with the Aspen Institute and by GOOD magazine as 1 of 100 people pushing the world forward.

Rayne Fisher-Quann

Student Activist

Rayne Fisher-Quann is a 17-year-old activist, public speaker, and high school student. She rose to prominence fighting for education and youth representation in politics, and led the largest high school student protest in Canada's history. She is an outspoken advocate for gender equality, youth representation, and education reform, and she believes with all of her heart that teenage girls will save the world. She has been named one of Canada's most powerful women by Refinery29 and a Woman of the Year by Chatelaine.