Theme: Innovation: Geniuses, Trailblazers, and Thought Leaders

Our event theme of “Innovation:Geniuses, Trailblazers, and Thought leaders” was motivated by the desire to build connections between people, ideas, organizations, and communities. Be part of the community and conversation at TEDxLakeBalboa!

TEDx Conference
665 N Heliotrope Dr.
Hollywood, California, 90004
United States

Estrella Serrato

Podcast Host

Estrella Serrato is a Mexican-American, first-generation college graduate, and founder of Cafecito con Estrellita, a Latinx podcast that guides first-generation scholars through the path of education through research and with her own experiences. She serves as a resource and reminder for her communities that they are not alone in their journeys as they continue to pave a path towards a bright future.

Marissa Rachel

Social Media Influencer

Marissa Rachel & Shanna Lisa are sisters from Los Angeles and the creators of their own wildly popular beauty, fashion, & lifestyle YouTube channel. With over a quarter of a billion YouTube video views, and collectively over 2 million social media followers, Marissa & Shanna have proven to be a hit with a massive audience (from millennials through Gen Z) and continue to provide their audience with encouragement, inspiration, and humor. These young women have enjoyed partnerships with many of the world's most recognizable brands, including Disney, Toyota, Marvel, Amazon, and Procter & Gamble. They are also proud to be United Nations social media ambassadors and have spoken numerous times at the UN headquarters in New York City, including at the 2019 United Nations General Assembly, lending their influence to topics such as climate change & sustainable fashion.

Mark Baran

Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

Mark Baran is Vice President of Technology at AvidXchange, a publicly traded financial technology company specializing in invoice and payment automation. Previously to joining AvidXchange, he was Chief Technology Officer at FastPay before its acquisition. Under his leadership, FastPay developed market leading technology for payments, intelligent invoice processing, risk management, and supply chain finance within the media sector. He is a graduate of Harvard University.

Nina Nelson

Author

Nina Nelson is a Best selling author, actress, and popular YouTuber. She grew up in the entertainment business and her career came to a halt when she developed debilitating cystic acne. Here’s her journey to clear skin and getting her confidence back.

Rusty Wilenkin

Co-Founder, CEO

Rusty Wilenkin was a co-founder during the origins of Old Pal in 2018. He and co-founder Jason Osni realized that since the legalization of cannabis in California, there was a huge segment missing in the cannabis market for accessible cannabis. At the time, the majority of legal cannabis was extremely expensive and not relevant for the average consumer. This is where they began to brainstorm if it would be possible to create a cannabis brand that not was not only sharable but also aesthetically pleasing. They came up with the name Old Pal and decided to lean into the nostalgia of hippie culture during the late 60s and early 70s when friends would share cannabis socially. Fast forward to 2022, Old Pal has closed its Series A round with an $8-million investment from Turning Point Brands and is available in eight states, with many more to come.

Shanna Lisa

Social Media Influencer

Marissa Rachel & Shanna Lisa are sisters from Los Angeles and the creators of their own wildly popular beauty, fashion, & lifestyle YouTube channel. With over a quarter of a billion YouTube video views, and collectively over 2 million social media followers, Marissa & Shanna have proven to be a hit with a massive audience (from millennials through Gen Z) and continue to provide their audience with encouragement, inspiration, and humor. These young women have enjoyed partnerships with many of the world's most recognizable brands, including Disney, Toyota, Marvel, Amazon, and Procter & Gamble. They are also proud to be United Nations social media ambassadors and have spoken numerous times at the UN headquarters in New York City, including at the 2019 United Nations General Assembly, lending their influence to topics such as climate change & sustainable fashion.