Theme: Pioneering

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).

Suncor Energy Center for the Performing Arts
230 Powder Drive
Fort McMurray, Alberta, T9K 0W8
Canada

MC Abdominal & Sharon Singer

Andy Bernstein, also known as MC Abdominal (or Abs), is a rapper from Toronto and Sharon Singer is his mom. They collaborated on a rap song called "Courage", which was released on Abs' latest album: Sitting Music.

Dr. Teodor Grantcharov

Dr. Teodor Grantcharov completed General Surgery residency at the University of Copenhagen, and a doctoral degree in Medical Sciences at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. He then completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Temple University School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, USA. Dr. Grantcharov is a staff surgeon at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. He is a Professor in Surgical Simulation at Copenhagen University. His clinical interest is the area of minimally invasive surgery, with a focus on foregut disease including cancer and revisional bariatric surgery.

Jay Barnard

Jay is an Executive Chef who as branded himself as Chef Recovery. He is using his Culinary Arts as a platform to share his story of recovery from a life of drugs and alcohol. With over seven sober years under his belt, Jay has given keynote addresses throughout Ontario as well as in Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Joey Hundert

Joey Hundert is a young executive, singly-focused on sustainability, operating out of the Edmonton area for the past 10 years. Between 2001-2009, Joey owned and managed several successful consulting firms in the areas of enterprise development, venture capital, economic analysis, strategic planning, business planning, community planning and sustainable technologies. He has been involved with dozens of start-up enterprises, helping in the areas of planning, strategic oversight and sourcing capital.

Kaitlin Armstrong

Kaitlin is the Founder and Owner of In Balance - Yoga and wellness retreats and trainings, as well as, the Co-founder of Empower Health Coaches, a company offering corporate and women's wellness programs. She played an essential role in building the yoga community in Fort Mcmurray and continues to spread her love for happy, healthy living in a manner that is both inspiring and sustainable.

Karl Swannie

Karl is the CEO of EchoSec Systems, which is creating a Live Data Search Engine. With his 15+ years in technology he has been described as a “visionary, able to construct and execute strategies for new, ground- breaking products as well as the businesses that would create, market and sustain them”.

Kiran Malik-Khan

Kiran Malik-Khan is the Director, Stakeholder Relations for the United Way of Fort McMurray. A freelance journalist, poet, communications/social media specialist, and a community leader, she has written hundreds of stories about Fort McMurray - highlighting multicultural causes, unique individuals, and fun events. A proud Muslim and Pakistani, she is the Co-founder/PR director of NorthWord, our region's first/only literary magazine. She is married to Mo, and they have two beautiful boys.

Mardi Getty

Mardi is a mother of two and has over 20 years experience in sales, marketing and advertising. Mardi is a first time speaker at TEDx, as well as the published author of the Your McMurray Magazine article: “The Five Year Plan”, which gives a glimpse into her experiences and personal growth during the uprooting of herself and her husband to Fort McMurray.

Rahim Sajan

Rahim is a Teacher and Entrepreneur. An adventurous teaching career has seen him teach in remote First Nation communities, to affluent suburbs and inner city schools for struggling street youth. Rahim is also the Curator of TEDxCalgary and Co-Founder of an upstart startup with big dreams. He is on a quest to understand how we can better educate people for a murky but all too real future.

Sarah Rawlins

Sarah is a young, passionate, and driven business professional, who over the course of the last two years has realized her love for writing, her passion for public speaking, and dedication to constant personal development. She has an admirable love of people and has always dreamt of making a difference.

Tim Moen

Tim is a Fire Captain with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. When he is not working as a firefighter/paramedic, he is engaging in many activities; filmmaking, serial entrepreneurship, blog writing for the Huffington Post, being a human rights activist and, most recently, leading a Canadian federal political party.

Tom Morimoto

Tom is 96 years old and grew up in Fort McMurray. He was in Yellowknife during the gold rush days and joined the Canadian army in 1940. He landed on D- day and served throughout the north west Europe campaign during World War II. After World War II he obtained a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in chemical engineering and then designed and built many gas and chemical plants in Canada. Tom then designed, built and operated large gas plant complexes in Dubai.

Vilia Tosio

Vilia is a South African trained Registered Nurse, with diplomas in Psychiatric, Community & Occupational Health Nursing and a Registered Midwife and Breastfeeding Counsellor. She has worked as a prenatal and breastfeeding educator, occupational health and safety professional, nursing supervisor and midwife. Vilia has established breastfeeding support groups In Fort McMurray to empower mothers to build knowledge, trust their bodies, share their experiences and support others.