Theme: Life in the Balance

Research suggests adults make 35,000 decisions per day. Almost all of them are tiny: Do I want another cup of coffee? Should I have seconds? Do I need a jacket?

Our speakers this year discuss being presented with much more important, life-changing decisions. We might not be confronted with the same dilemmas as our speakers. Eventually, though, we will all face moments that will profoundly change our lives. Each speaker tonight asks us, “How do we proceed with the weight of our future in the balance?”

They will share with us how THEY have made conscious decisions to move forward, and with any luck, WE can gather tools tonight to help us when we are confronted with making our own life-changing decisions.

The Bing Crosby Theater
901 W Sprague Ave
Spokane, Washington, 99201
United States

Allyson Tanzer

mountaineer + artist

Allyson calls Spokane home but follows where the mountains call her. An accomplished mountaineer, Allyson will connect her love for the sport and outdoors into ten key essentials for everyday life. Through her talk, Allyson hopes the audience will seek meaningful experiences to grow their relationship with the natural world. Like many, one of Allyson’s favorite TED Talks comes from Brené Brown and the power of vulnerability. After a long hike, you can find Allyson relaxing with a long spa day and snacking on a warm chocolate chip cookie.

Amy Cross

food preservationist+traveler

You may recognize Amy from her viral videos about food preservation. When asked about the dream outcome of her talk, she said, “My goal is to relieve some of the stress on moms that revolve around the kitchen.” In the past couple of years, Amy has turned her knowledge in the kitchen into a global platform, sharing tips and tricks to prevent food waste. When Amy isn't educating others, you can find her with her family, exploring new road trips. Traveling to Texas is her dream RV trip!

Darin Watkins

lobbyist

Darin Watkins is a born and raised Spokanite. You may recognize him from his previous career in broadcast journalism. When Darin isn't working with the Spokane Association of Realtors, you'll find him exploring someplace new, learning about different cultures. When asked what Darin hopes people take away from his time on the TEDxSpokane stage, he answered, “That people recognize how their fears and perceptions directly affect policymakers and prevent growth.”

Erahm Christopher

film producer + social strategist

Erahm is a film producer, social strategist, and entrepreneur from Montreal, Canada. Erahm has been bringing his film and social change work to the Spokane community for the past several years and is thrilled to be back for TEDxSpokane. When asked about his hopes for his TED Talk, Erahm replied, “My dream outcome for the talk is to inspire the audience to rethink what listening means and change how they do it in every aspect of their life.”

J Mase III

artist + advocate

Originally from Philadelphia, but currently living in Long Beach, CA, J Mase III, will reframe the way you think about famous scam artists. J Mase will dive into money lessons and techniques scammers use and will leave you wondering if those same skills can be used to better communities. An author, artist, and consultant, when he isn't working, J Mase and his dog take daily 7-mile walks.

Kris Kilduff

foodie + author + entrepreneur

Kris is one of Spokane’s original “foodies”. Founder of FoodFinder and Secretburger.com, Kris is also a freelance author and entrepreneur. It's no surprise that in his free time, you can find Kris in a restaurant connecting people through food. When asked about his favorite food, Kris answered, "Onions! I know that's a weird answer, but they are so versatile and in everything that is delicious.” Through his talk, Kris hopes the audience will seek connection with their food and local restaurants and will find power in those connections.

Mary Anne Ruddis

grief educator

Mary Anne is a Spokane native, Executive Director of Elevations a Children’s Therapy Resource Foundation, and a certified grief educator. In her free time, you will find Mary Anne reading in her hammock sipping green tea with mint, and daydreaming about her dream vacation to the Greek Islands. After her talk, "Growing Through Grief," Mary Anne hopes "listeners will leave empowered to integrate their grief into their lives and also be better equipped to support others who are grieving.”

Patrick Chester

survivor + advocate

Patrick Chester is making his TEDx stage debut with a powerful and personal talk about the silent addiction sweeping the country. You will be on the edge of your seat as Patrick intertwines stories of struggle and success, crushing the stigma surrounding recovery. Currently residing in the Seattle suburbs, Patrick is a landscape architect who spends his free time speaking at treatment centers. When he isn’t sharing stories and supporting others through their recovery, Patrick loves cheering on his sons at their sporting events or trying his luck on the lake fishing the day away.

Sam Mansour

Ironman + CPA

Sam, a certified public accountant, wants us all to live a healthier financial life! Breaking down the stigma of financial literacy, Sam hopes the audience walks away feeling empowered to make a positive change in their financial life. In his free time, Sam enjoys training for Ironman races and cooking for his family. When asked what Sam loves about TED Talks he says, ”If I want to learn something new, I start with a search in the TED database!”

Sindhu Surapaneni

student

Sindhu is a strong, driven middle school student from the Spokane area who has a goal to help everyone realize that no matter their age "You Can Do It!" Sindhu has a heart for helping others. In her free time, you will find Sindhu volunteering and raising funds for local non-profit organizations. When asked what her dream outcome of her TED Talk is, Sindhu hopes the audience realizes their potential and finds a love to help others.