Theme: WholehearTED

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

California Hall
205 California Ave
Davis, California, 95616
United States

Alyssa Ljubicich

Alyssa starred in the Netflix hit reality TV show The Circle. As an assistant to a Sex Coach, she helped inform her fellow competitors and viewers about what sex coach offers. Her bubbly personality and insight allowed her to dive into the competition and help improve the sex lives of those around her. Alyssa is now using her social media platform and podcast, Alyssa Explains It All, to continue sharing information about sex and intimacy while completing her AASECT certification as a Sex Coach with the Sexual Health Alliance.

Caden Velasquez

Caden Velasquez is a recent graduate of UC Davis and the founder of Davis Rave Co. His creative agency began as a platform to support emerging creatives and has grown to host over 10 events per month. Caden is a passionate learner and is hoping to make a career out of curating spaces and experiences for people to collaborate, share ideas, and express their creativity with as little barrier as possible. Caden's talk will dive into the unique challenges and particularities of the event production industry and his leadership strategies used to scale small businesses and inspire passionate teams.

Cara Rose DiPietro

Cara Rose DiPietro is a New York City-based Actor, Singer, and Dancer. A graduate of Elon University’s Music Theatre program, Cara is best known for her work at various regional theaters across the country such as Arena Stage, New London Barn Playhouse, The Link Theatre, and many more. Since moving to New York City, Cara has garnered over 200K+ followers across her social media platforms, capturing content about her journey as an actor, mental health, and so much more.

E. Katia Moritz

E. Katia Moritz, Ph.D., ABPP, is a licensed psychologist in Florida, Utah, New York, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is also Board-Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, the Chief Clinical Officer, and the founder of Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) and NBI Ranch in South Florida. Dr. Moritz specializes in the treatment of severe anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, autism, and related disorders. She is the creator and co-director of the award-winning documentary Undiagnosed: The Future of Medicine.

Joel Ledford

Joel Ledford, an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Plant Biology, is dedicated to teaching and learning, drawing from a background in both K-12 and higher education. Collaborating with Professor Susan Keen in the Department of Evolution and Ecology, he developed a series of concurrent classes, known as 'co-classes,' aimed at supporting first-generation college students. Beyond his commitment to education, Joel's research pursuits extend to evolutionary biology and biospeleology, with a focus on studying spiders in the Southwestern US.

John Rybak

John Rybak is a clinical acupuncturist, author, and speaker, specializing in the application of acupuncture as a scientific, evidence-based approach to pain management. With a background in academia and the private sector as a research biologist, John experienced a decade of chronic pain. In 1997, after exhausting standard medical interventions, he reluctantly tried acupuncture. Those acupuncture treatments not only relieved his pain but also improved his mood, sleep, and digestion. This experience sparked his scientific curiosity, leading him to dedicate over 25 years to traveling overseas to ‘meet the masters’, scouring scientific research journals, and providing nearly 20,000 treatments as an acupuncturist himself. John has tirelessly worked to understand and translate acupuncture into a modern, scientific, and evidence-based language for patients, medical providers, and policymakers. John is currently the medical director of The Wellbridge Clinic in Portland, Oregon, a faculty member at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine and currently completing his doctoral studies at Pacific College of Health and Science. He is actively involved in health care advocacy, and legislation, and is an enthusiastic speaker at conferences and corporate wellness events. John's purpose is to help increase the therapeutic options for patients and providers and apply the science of acupuncture to the next generation of biomedical technologies.

Russ Hovey

Professor Russ Hovey was born in Australia and received his Bachelor’s in Agricultural Science from the University of Queensland, where he also became involved in the dairy industry. His enthusiasm for science led him to New Zealand to undertake a PhD at Massey University in lactation physiology. He then moved to Bethesda, Maryland to undertake a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health where he continued his work on the biology of breast development and breast cancer. After working at the University of Vermont in the Department of Animal Science he moved to UC Davis in 2007 where he is a Professor of Animal Science. His work is focused on understanding how the mammary glands of all species develop, how they make milk, and how they can be susceptible to developing cancer. His research has been supported by a range of agencies including the NIH, USDA, and Department of Defense. He also is the instructor for the introductory class for the Animal Science major and teaches a senior-level course in lactation physiology.