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).

James A. Thomas Hall
333 Braves Drive
Upchurch Auditorium
Pembroke, North Carolina, 28372
United States

Ali Ingersoll

Corporate Disability Consultant

Ali’s life took an unexpected turn when a tragic accident left her paralyzed. While she grappled with feelings of hopelessness and through 7 years of treatments, she was convinced her life had reached its end. Rather than succumbing to despair though, she would eventually experience a self-discovery that would empower her to shift her thinking and find the courage to keep moving forward despite her paralysis. Ali’s story serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the boundless potential that lies within each of us, regardless of the challenges we face to transform visible challenges into extraordinary opportunities. Sharing her message and insights now as a professional speaker and disability consultant, Ali travels the world advocating for disability inclusion and inspiring people to harness the power of purpose and persistence to keep moving forward despite adversity. She’s known as the “Energizer Bunny on Wheels 2.0,” “Quirky Quad,” and Ms. Wheelchair America.

Alicia Smith

Keynote Speaker

Born and raised in Colorado, Alicia Smith, is an author, educator, and speaker. She is best known for delivering a keynote speech that recounts her personal story of transcending tragedy, as well as helping others in discovering inner peace amid their own life challenges. Alicia is a co-author with a best-selling book on Amazon, has been showcased in Dance magazine and Herstory magazine. She was honored as the inaugural recipient of The (F.E.W.) Fremont’s Exceptional Women award for overcoming adversity. In her free time, Alicia teaches dance and fitness classes, and loves spending time with her family outdoors.

Brian Will

Fractional COO/CSO

I am Brian Will, a serial entrepreneur, a two-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and a leading consultant in business and sales management. Throughout my dynamic career, I have had the privilege of founding or co-founding ten companies across four distinct industries, with valuations soaring over half a billion dollars at their height. My journey has been marked by spearheading turnarounds for diverse companies, from startups to Fortune 500 firms, guiding them to generate billions in sales. My diverse experience has equipped me with an in-depth understanding of agile methodologies and principles, allowing me to teach and implement these strategies effectively across all levels of an organization, from eager development teams to discerning executive boards. In my current ventures, I am proud to be at the helm of a flourishing chain of restaurants in the Atlanta area and managing a robust portfolio of residential and commercial real estate across Georgia and Florida.

Elizabeth Blake-Thomas

Director

Lecturer at Pepperdine University, Director, Author, Mother, Filmmaker, and Creativity Coach; Elizabeth Blake-Thomas’ experience in a variety of fields gives her the knowledge to help other people live more purposeful lives. Despite having never been to film school, Elizabeth’s knowledge of film shows itself through her credits. Her directing credits include romcom Just Swipe, action/thriller Hunt Club, YA supernatural thriller Karma: Death at Latigo Springs, and more. Her third book “Living with Intention” was released March 1st 2024 and is available on Amazon as are her previous books “Arabella” and “Filmmaking without Fear”. Her creativity coaching methodology “Medicine with Words” has been around for a few decades, beginning as public speaking coaching and culminating in creativity coaching. Elizabeth not only helps to guide people towards their purpose, but she mentors budding directors and filmmakers, showing them that there is not a “right or wrong” way to get started.

Jeanette Bronee

Global Keynote Speaker

Jeanette Bronée is a global keynote speaker, culture strategist, and growth mindset coach inspiring teams to embrace change as an opportunity to unlock growth. As she faced unexpected changes multiple times throughout her life, she remembered the valuable tools her father had taught her during her childhood to overcome fear. With her studies in human psychology, behavior, and neuroscience, Jeanette created the Power-Pausing technique. In her book The Self-Care Mindset, Jeanette addresses how we have self-care all wrong and instead gives us the tools to cultivate a deeper relationship with ourselves and each other, leading us to build a culture of collective well-being and care. Jeanette believes that our strongest human drive is to care, but fear often gets in the way of our ability to listen within. When working with communities and organizations, she focuses on using the power of pausing to transform conversations, strengthen connections, and create a Culture of Care®.

Mandy DiMarzo

Creator of BURN

Mandy DiMarzo has been a passionate athlete her whole life. As a former division one soccer player who later transitioned into distance running and triathlons to keep her competitive juices flowing, she knows a thing or two about pushing the body’s limits. After enduring countless overuse injuries, as well as overcoming an eating disorder, Mandy made a conscious decision to stop striving for the unattainable and unhealthy. What started out as her personal journey to make her the strongest version of herself, quickly metabolized into being a role model for others. Mandy has built a world-wide community through her BURN classes that now span over 80 countries and 2300 towns/cities across the globe. She empowers her BURN tribe to achieve their highest potential and has gone on to work with companies to motivate, inspire, and cultivate a high-performance community that works as a team to unleash their full potential.

Michael Clegg

CEO and Managing Partner

Clegg, known for his "Leaders Go First" philosophy, leverages 20+ years of guiding diverse organizations through keynotes, workshops, and coaching, from coaching C-suite executives to mentoring high school football teams as a wide receiver coach. He transforms leaders and teams into champions by building culture, connection, and trust. Clegg innovated a unique framework called Leadership Squared, unlocking and multiplying potential, leading to psychological safety, engagement, and retention. He knows that you must transform yourself first to become a talented leader. Clegg's claim to fame was that he was a break dancer in the early 80's.

Michelle Livingston Thorstad

Motivational Speaker

Michelle serves as a Motivational Speaker at Rhemady, LLC, dedicated to guiding individuals through life's challenges with passion and inspiration. With a diverse audience spanning local and international platforms, including youth, parents, educators, clergy, and professionals, she encourages others to embrace their true selves and live authentically. Michelle fosters a culture of empowerment, instilling a sense of liberation and optimism in her listeners as they embark on their journeys. Her message resonates across age groups, fostering personal growth and transformation. Additionally, as the Executive Director at Re’Souled, Michelle works as a Counselor and Spiritual Director, providing training and support to leaders and communities. Her transparent and vulnerable approach leaves a lasting impression, motivating audiences to pursue their potential with confidence and purpose.