Theme: Good Vibrations

Using the theme “Good Vibrations,” TEDx Franklin will feature speakers mostly from Williamson County, each speaking between 12-18 minutes and sharing stories that are inspirational and spark conversation without being controversial. TEDx Franklin will get underway at 10:30 a.m. and will end at 6 p.m., with a format of three segments featuring four speakers each. The first will be about power of vibrations, the second about humanitarian issues and last a civic community conversation.

There will also be live musical performances weaved in through the program, from Coopers’ River Band featuring Chris Ayden, Joey Scrima, Rob Miller and Scotty Cooper; brother and sister duo Helen and Scot Hoyt; and solo performer Zean Otey.

The Franklin Theatre
419 Main Street
Franklin, Tennessee, 37064
United States

Amy LaGrant

Amy is a leading marketing and gerontology professional with over 15 years of experience helping brands connect with baby boomers, seniors, and family caregivers. She has spent her entire career being a champion for seniors through advocacy, direct care, or fighting ageism in advertising and media. Amy currently owns her own branding and marketing firm. Amy has a passion for the senior audience and oversees the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Nashville.

Bob Hutchins

Bob Hutchins lives in Franklin, TN, where he is VP of Digital Marketing at 5by5 Agency. With a Master’s Degree in Behavioral and Organizational Psychology from London Met University, Bob loves to write, teach and communicate about the intersection of digital media, culture, and psychology with a restorative worldview. Bob brings over 20 years of digital marketing experience working with Fortune 500 and 1000 companies and has contributed to a variety of media including the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC and Fox news.

Calvin LeHew

Calvin LeHew began his illustrious career as a page in the United States Senate in 1956. After college and military service, Mr. LeHew was the founder and co-founder of numerous successful businesses and real estate developments. A locally and nationally sought-after author and lecturer, Calvin has co-starred with Robert Stack and Della Reese in a television documentary, How to Change Your Life, which won the Angel Award as best religious film. Mr. LeHew has served on the Presidents’ Commission on White House Fellowship from 1994 to 1995 and was listed in Williamson Homes & Lifestyles in January 2000 as one of the Ten Most Important People to make a difference in Williamson County in the last century. Mr. LeHew has long been a strong supporter of several local charities and is a community leader who provides genuine leadership, integrity, and commitment to his family, community, and nation.

Jenny Black

Jenny Black is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of Tennessee, the founder of Media Trauma Care, and the author of Inner Technology: How to be Human in a Digital World. She is currently writing a new book, Our Digital Soul: mental health, media trauma, and our relationship with the digital world, and in production on a documentary about the same topic. She coined the term “media trauma’’ and now specializes in training and education about how mental health is impacted by our use of media. She was selected to present a Media Trauma workshop at the 2019 AAMFT Annual Conference. Jenny’s other book is Unwritten Travels: an illustrated and guided journal for women.

Joanna Dodd Massey Ph.D.

Dr. Joanna Dodd Massey is an experienced Board Director and C-level executive, who advises executive teams at Fortune 500 companies, startups, and nonprofits. She has worked for over 30 years strategizing on global brand reputation management, crisis communications, culture transformation, and corporate social responsibilities. She is the author of two books, Culture Shock: Surviving Five Generations in One Workplace and Communicating During a Crisis: Influencing Others When the Stakes Are High.

Kendall Grimes

Kendall Grimes, the two-time state champion for spoken word poetry, was a national semi-finalist at the 2019 Poetry Out Loud competition. She most recently won the 2022 state competition. A Senior at Battle Ground Academy, she will attend Yale in the fall. ”In every single poem, I see a different part of myself, and I think a lot of people might be able to see that too.”

Landon Starbuck

Landon Starbuck is the Founder & President of Freedom Forever, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting children from trafficking & exploitation. In addition to running her non-profit, Landon serves on the board of Operation Lightshine, an anti-trafficking organization in Tennessee that works with law enforcement to rescue kids from trafficking and exploitation. She also serves on the Advisory Council for Lynn’s Warriors in New York and is a partner with The National Center on Sexual Exploitation. Landon has led counter-trafficking activists across the country who understand the importance of preserving freedom for all in the fight against modern-day slavery.

Marla Maples

Marla Maples is an actress, television personality, model, humanitarian, singer, presenter, ambassador, and mother. Maples is committed to supporting charities and non-profit organizations that promote peace, protect children and the prosperity of global consciousness. Maples number one role in life has been motherhood, ushering her daughter, Tiffany Trump, into adulthood on the world stage. She is a passionate advocate for mental, spiritual, and physical wellness. She chooses to offer inspiration and guidance to those seeking more joy and harmony in their lives. Whether it’s a path to healthy living through clean food choices or pausing for a moment to invoke a spiritual connection through meditation, Marla offers a way to experience life to the fullest.

MaryGrace Bender

Cellist MaryGrace Bender pursues a multi-faceted career in performance, recording, and music education. As a Suzuki teacher, Bender seeks to reach every child through music. As an avid collaborative and chamber musician, Bender founded the Nashville Chamber Music Society and performs on a regular basis with NCMS. Most recently, Bender taught and performed at Lincoln Center’s Restart Stages series as a faculty member for BridgeMusik in NYC. Bender is currently on faculty at Union University, regularly records for local studios such as Oceanway and Darkhorse. She enjoys touring with local groups such as Harvest Arts and Eric Genuis and performs with nearby orchestras such as the Huntsville Symphony, the Jackson Symphony, the Charlotte Symphony, and the Nashville Symphony.

Peter Alessandria

Originally from the New York City area, Peter is an award-winning, internationally-published photographer, author, filmmaker and former entertainment attorney. His book, Be Bigger Than You Think You Are! Overcoming Our Self-Imposed Limits to Have the Life We Want, chronicles his journey from lawyer to photographer and how he overcame his debilitating fear of rejection and self-doubt around being a creative person. Peter has recently returned to his roots as a filmmaker and is writing a screenplay based on a novel entitled, which he plans to direct in the near future.

Valencia A. Breckenridge

CEO

Valencia A. Breckenridge is the CEO of GraceWorks Ministries. She has an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management where she double majored in Organizational Behavior and Marketing. Valencia brings to GraceWorks more than 30 years of faith-based nonprofit fundraising and management experience. Prior to coming to GraceWorks, she most recently served as the Major Gift Officer for Feed My Starving Children, an $80 million dollar hunger-relief organization. Before that, Valencia has held posts as Director of Development at Pioneer Clubs, as Director of Communications at Opportunity International, and as Executive Director of Crisis Pregnancy Services.

William Brittain

William Brittain has been living in Tennessee for the past six years and is a student at Franklin Classical High School. As a member of the class of 2023, he enjoys playing soccer, football, and acting. This spring, he is starring in Franklin Classical School’s theatrical production of Les Misérables as Jean Valjean. The performances will take place at the Williamson County Performing Arts Center from April 21st through April 23rd. He aspires to become a doctor and help those in need. “Great literature has the power to transform our hearts and minds, but we often don’t make time for it.”