Theme: TEDx RRU

TEDxRRU is a volunteer-led initiative in its third year, created in the spirit of TED’s overarching
mission to spread changemaking ideas.

In 2023, RRU hosted its first TEDx event as part of a grassroots initiative to amplify the voices ofchangemakers and strengthen community engagement around the common goal of making adifference. An expression of our vision to inspire the courage needed to make a lasting impact on the world, we plan to evolve and grow TEDxRRU year-over-year.

TEDxRRU 2025 will showcase changemaking ideas shared by RRU alumni, faculty, staff, current students and community. The talks will feature diverse voices united under the theme of Changemaking, exploring a wide range of topics designed to inspire, educate, and spark curiosity.

Royal Roads University
2005 Sooke Rd, Victoria, BC
Victoria, British Columbia, V9B 5Y2
Canada

Alina Pete

Comic Artist & Author

Alina Pete is an award-winning nehiyaw (Cree) comic artist and author from Little Pine First Nation in Saskatchewan. They blend comic art with traditional storytelling techniques to create engaging, informative comics that engage the broader community. Their work has been published internationally, and examines such topics such as truth and reconciliation, mental health, language reclamation, and ending gender-based violence. Their vision is to carry the flame of learning for a time so that Indigenous youth can build a sustainable future that weaves tradition and technology. As part of this vision, Alina works as a mentor to guide the next generation of emerging Indigenous cartoonists as part of the Indigenous Comic Creators Program with the National Museum of the Native American in Washington, DC. They are also a multi-disciplinary creator, working in comics, animation, VFX and VR.

April Hicke

CEO

April Hicke is the Co-Founder and CEO at Toast, a talent partner dedicated to increasing gender diversity in tech. April is deeply passionate about removing bias from systems and challenging the status quo. Her work is grounded in the belief that when we stop putting people in boxes, we create space for innovation, belonging, and untapped potential to thrive. With over 15 years of experience in leadership, workforce transformation, and inclusive talent strategy—spanning roles at PwC Canada, WestJet, and ATB Financial—April brings a bold, people-first lens to everything she does. Beyond her professional work, April is a proud mom of two young boys and is raising them to be thoughtful, inclusive humans. Her journey—from early adversity to co-founding a company that reimagines equity in hiring—is a testament to the power of resilience, authenticity, and believing in what’s possible beyond the labels.

Beerinder Singh

Storyteller, Digital Communicator & Stand-Up Comedian

Beerinder Singh is a storyteller, digital communicator and stand-up comedian who believes in the power of humour and connection. As a Digital Communications Officer at Royal Roads University, he develops creative strategies to engage diverse audiences through digital media. His passion for storytelling extends beyond his professional role—he brings personal narratives to life through stand-up comedy, using humour as a bridge to connect cultures and experiences. Beerinder honed his storytelling and content creation skills in global settings. He was a station producer for Radio Mirchi, supported BBC Worldwide in India and served as a Southeast Asia Cultural Representative at Walt Disney World, sharing his culture with international audiences. Now based in Canada, he continues to blend his love for media, digital strategy and performance.

David Graham

Chief Exploration Officer/Founder

Dave is the Chief Exploration Officer and founder of EDGE3, and an associate faculty member at Royal Roads University. Leading teams for more than 25 years, Dave has developed a strong personal brand as a trusted, inspiring, and fun coach to Canada’s top businesses and leaders. As an executive coach, Dave creates a safe, adventurous space for leaders and their teams to explore their intentions, actions, and impact. For transformational experiences, he takes them “out of the boardroom and into nature.” By finding the most inspiring environments for his clients, Dave’s custom experiences empower teams to find their unique “EDGE” and achieve greater results in their work and their lives. Dave started his career as an actor, traveled around the world as a cruise director and gained his corporate experience as a marketing executive. As an avid triathlete, he is happiest when exploring the terrain on his bike, running through a wilderness trail, or swimming in a freshwater lake!

Dr. Rebecca Pearce

Geophysicist & an Environmentalist

Dr. Rebecca Pearce is a geophysicist by trade and an environmentalist at heart, who has dedicated her career towards solving our environmental crisis through renewable energy and clean technologies. She is currently a research fellow at the Cascade Institute, specifically the science lead for the Ultradeep Geothermal Program. Her role involves identifying technology gaps for exploring and developing next-generation geothermal resources, and defining strategies to close these gaps in collaboration with international geothermal actors advancing this research frontier. Rebecca received her PhD from University College London in 2020 for her research in exploring for geothermal resources in the Chilean Andes using electromagnetic geophysical methods. Soon after, she led an exploration survey for a known resource in Northern BC. Rebecca completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Simon Fraser University, with a focus on applied geophysics for low-impact mining.

Sandra Walker

CEO/Founder

Sandra Walker is passionate about improving the way we make decisions. As the founder and CEO of Viacern Group Inc., she helps leaders and teams gain deeper insight into their thinking patterns, uncover blind spots, and make more strategic choices. With a background in neuroscience, psychology, and business, she has spent years researching how cognitive biases shape our decision-making and developing AI-enabled leadership assessments to help individuals and organizations navigate complexity with greater clarity. Her work is based on the belief that better decisions start with a better understanding of ourselves. Sandra has spent years studying how unconscious thinking patterns influence leadership, strategy, and collaboration. She works with executives, teams, and coaches to translate cutting-edge research into practical tools and resources.

Solara Goldwynn

Food grower, educator, and advocate for resilient local food systems

Solara Goldwynn is a passionate food grower, educator, and advocate for resilient local food systems. She is the co-owner of Hatchet & Seed, an edible landscaping business that transforms underutilized spaces into vibrant, productive food gardens. As the Food Systems Lead at Royal Roads University, Solara manages an innovative small-scale farm and cultivates connections between students, volunteers, and community members through the transformative power of growing and eating local food. A recent graduate of the Master of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication at RRU, Solara brings both academic insight and hands-on experience to her work. She and her family tend a small urban farm in the heart of Victoria, where they grow food, raise chickens, and nurture plants—and community. She’s a wife, a mother to a wonderful human, a very large cat, and a tiny dog. Solara lives and grows on the ancestral lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples.