Speakers
Speakers may not be confirmed. Check event website for more information.
Aditi Hardikar
Aditi Hardikar is the White House’s primary liaison to LGBTQ and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. By the ripe old age of 25, she is already the Director of the LGBTQ Leadership Council for the Democratic National Committee. She served as LGBT Finance Director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, and the Deputy National Director of LGBT outreach for the 2012 Obama-Biden Campaign. Aditi is a proud University of Michigan graduate, with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science.Allen Samuels
Allen Samuels began his career as an Industrial Designer in 1966. and designed products for corporations including Corning, Bausch and Lomb, and Libbey Glass. He joined the University of Michigan in 1975 and was appointed Dean of the School of Art and Design in 1993 because he believes that everyone has the ability to be a good designer. This led him to dedicate his life and career to encourage student to design a better tomorrow.Bob Mankoff
Bob Mankoff is a cartoonist for The New Yorker Magazine and has been its Cartoon Editor since 1997. Over nine-hundred of his cartoons have appeared in the magazine since he published his first one in 1977. He is the founder of cartoonbank.com and the originator of The New Yorker’s cartoon caption contest. He says that it’s hard to be funny for money, so be glad you don’t have to.Cliff Lampe
Cliff Lampe is an associate professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan. He has been studying online communities and social media since he was a wee nerd. Born in Usenet, weaned on the early Web, and now a Social Media ninja, he’s a researcher of the positive effects of online interaction. More importantly, he’s a husband, a father, and a friend.Dory Gannes
Dory currently works at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation where she connects people and companies to philanthropic opportunities. She previously worked for the UN Foundation and founded The Olevolos Project, an organization providing scholarships to Tanzanian kids, while earning a BA at U of M. She has an MA from the Fletcher School and an EdM from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.Herbert Winful
Growing up in Ghana, Herbert Winful loved to tickle the ivories and play with Meccano construction kits. After high school he came to the US, earned a BS in electrical engineering from MIT, a PhD from the University of Southern California and then spent six years in industry. In 1987 he joined the EE faculty at U of M where he teaches and conducts research in optics and photonics.Jill Halpern
Jill Halpern, a teacher in U of M’s Comprehensive Studies Program, is a self-described tree-and-people-hugger who sees the classroom as a context for learning about ourselves, each other, and the world around us. She believes love and purpose are more powerful motivators than grades and that joy belongs in every curriculum. Once upon a time, she studied Math and Creative Writing at MIT and nowadays uses the two interchangeably.John Carethers
John Carethers is a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan. He received his M.D. with high distinction from Wayne State University, performed his residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and completed his gastroenterology fellowship at Michigan. He was a member of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases that advised Congress and the NIH, and is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine.Kyra Gaunt
Ethnomusicologist and vocalist Kyra Gaunt received her Ph.D. from the School of Music at University of Michigan in 1997. She is an award-winning author, a TED Fellow, and a digital ethnographer who studies the intersectionality of race, gender and adolescence on YouTube. Her latest research involves collaborative video projects with her anthropology students examining the socialization of adolescent black girls who broadcast while they twerk from the “privacy” of their bedrooms on YouTube.Michelle Krell Kydd
Michelle Krell Kydd is the Communications Specialist for ArtsEngine and The Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) at the University of Michigan. She also has one of the best noses in the world, and is an olfaction and fragrance expert. She puts this skill to good use by using olfaction to promote the art-science connection via interdisciplinary collaboration. Ms. Kydd is the editor of the award-winning blog Glass Petal Smoke and conducts Smell and Tell lectures on campus and in the Ann Arbor Community.Raj Mehta
Raj Mehta is a Master’s level therapist, interventionist, author, life-coach, and talk show host. After overcoming addiction and graduating from University of Michigan, he has dedicated his life to helping people reach their full potential. He utilizes methods and techniques that he has developed to get results where others fail. “I consider myself licensed by the State of Michigan to Kill Addiction on Site. I smash addiction--and help families recover.”Samantha Rea
Samantha Rea is a fourth year undergraduate student at U of M studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience with a minor in Gender and Health. She is passionate about spreading optimism, making kiddos smile, and being a positive influence to those around her. Sam enjoys volunteering and sunshine, and her dream job is working at Life is Good Playmakers to help kids in need.Shai Revzen
Shai Revzen is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, Ecologyand Evolutionary Biology, and Robotics at the University of Michigan. He’s been a video game programmer, an experimental biologist, and Chief Architect in a Silicon Valley tech company. He has co-founded a biomedical start-up, authored several patents, and published academically in robotics, biology, and applied mathematics.Valerie Tran
Valerie Tran is the Co-Director of Nurses for Cool and Healthy Homes, and s 2014 Dow Sustainability Fellow. Her work explores issues of health equity and environmental justice such as measuring the impact of urban tree planting in NYC, and she believes that urban planning offers practical strategies for addressing health impacts of climate change. She studied at UC Berkley and is currently a dual Master’s Degree candidate at U of M’s Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning and the School of Public Health.Organizing team
