Theme: Defining Leadership

Speaker applications are now open for TEDxCNU: Defining Leadership.

Submissions must be received by May 1, 2023 for full consideration. https://forms.gle/QFutSK3qx8q3YKHD8

Questions? Please contact william.reddy@cnu.edu

Torggler Fine Arts Center
1 Avenue of the Arts
Newport News, Virginia, 23602
United States

Abigail McCarty

Abigail is a sophomore at CNU studying applied math and leadership studies. She is a member of PLP, Honors, Reformed University Fellowship, and the Wason Center for Civic Leadership. She lives in Newport News with my husband James. She enjoys spending time learning new things and engaging in complicated conversations. She loves music, cinema, baseball, crafting, and spending time with friends and family.

Connor Butterworth

Connor Butterworth is a senior at Christopher Newport University studying Business Management. Connor has been thoroughly involved at CNU with his commitments to the Campus Activities Board, Student Government Association, and the Office of Admission. He plans to continue pursuing his passion for leadership through all of his future endeavors.

Ella Mcquillan

Born in England, Ella McQuillan knows a thing or two about leaving the comfort zone. Currently studying History, Leadership, and Communication at Christopher Newport University, Ella has a knack for engaging people through dialogue. Widely admired for her ‘why not’ mindset, Ella breaks through fear and follows her vision of ‘becoming’ - a mindset in which our fall could be the reason we learn how to fly. Outside of studying, Ella can be found hanging out with friends and family, eating chocolate, and most importantly, giving all her love to her dog Finn. She is certainly one to look out for.

Ian Holloman

Ian was born an raised in the Newport New area. He is a senior at Christopher Newport University. He is the founder of a start up and hopes to work in tech sales in the DC area upon graduation

Israel Oyedare

While growing up in Nigeria, Israel Oyedare had his first exposure to leadership through his parents and childhood experiences. This has since metamorphosed to him founding a leadership education organization, Teens and Youth in Leadership (TYIL), with the goal of redefining leadership to African youth through leadership education, research, and technology. Israel is driven by the desire to discover strategies and approaches to fostering transformational leadership among young professionals and shares his ten-year goals in this regard.

Leighton Vermont

Leighton Vermont started her time at Christopher Newport University during the fall of 2021. Since then, she has taken several leadership courses where she has begun to fall in love with the subject all while determining what type of leader she wants to be. Now, being a junior, Leighton has had the opportunity to deconstruct her initial image of a leader and share her idea of a leader and their qualities. She has taken the leaders and concepts that have been studied within her classes, plus her personal experiences to determine what makes a leader.

McKenzie Hurley

McKenzie Hurley is studying Communication and Psychology and will graduate from Christopher Newport University in May 2025. A member of the University Honors Program, she plans to attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in Interpersonal Communication, with the intention of teaching in higher education. Having completed two years of the Summer Scholars Research Fellowship and presented at multiple conferences, she also serves as the College of Social Sciences Ambassador for the Office of Student Research and Creative Activity.

Willy Donaldson

Our world is increasingly interconnected and complex, and Dr. Willy Donaldson is positioned at the cutting edge of a skill that will help all mankind understand and manage that Complexity. After a very successful career spanning 35 years and the entire globe, Dr. Donaldson settled in academia teaching systems thinking and business at Christopher Newport University starting in 2010. Since that time, he has established the Biotech and Management Program and published two books, one on managing enterprises as systems and one on addressing critical end-of-life discussions before it is too late.