Theme: Piecing Together

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).

309 King Street West
Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2X4
Canada

Chris and Rich

Afraj Gill

Asad Chishti

Asad Chishti is an inventor (and the table) at Chairs and Tables which is a ten-year experiment in metaphorical furniture building. Other current active roles are Headmaster, Public Historian, Digital Cartographer, Director, Publisher, Explorer-not-in-residence, Editor, and a few more which need not be mentioned here because your time is precious and you've already spent too much of it here. Own your attention unless you REALLY want me to have it. Even then I might not want it. Fairly accessible via twitter, email, or cell.

Barbara Collins

Barb Collins is the Chief Operating Office of Humber River Hospital in Toronto. Barb is a Registered Nurse with a BA in Health Administration and a MBA from Queen’s University. As COO at Humber River Regional she is also the project lead for the redevelopment project of the new Humber River Hospital Project, Toronto’s first new hospital in over 40 years. This facility will be 18. Million square feet, and open with 656 acute care beds, and annual activity of 130,000 Emergency department visits, 250,000 ambulatory and 45,000 surgeries. This acute care facility will be delivered as an Alternate Finance Project and part of a provincial campus at Keele and the 401 in North West Toronto. Scheduled to open on October 18th, 2015 this hospital is North America’s first fully digital hospital.

Beverly Thomson

One of Canada's most-respected news personalities, Beverly Thomson co-hosts CANADA AM -- CTV's National morning show -- weekdays from 6 a.m. - 9 a.m. ET waking up Canada along side Marci Ien and Jeff Hutcheson. With her trademark ease, Thomson has interviewed some of the Nation's most treasured musicians, athletes, actors, authors, politicians and dignitaries including Prime Minster Stephen Harper and Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. Thomson also landed the first Canadian television interview for current Governor General David Johnston and his wife at Rideau Hall. She's held her own while interviewing Regis and Kelly, Barbara Walters, Jane Fonda, Bradley Cooper and even Kermit the Frog. Thomson lives in the Toronto area with her two children. In her spare time she enjoys skiing and playing squash with friends.

Danny Richmond

Danny Richmond has worked and volunteered on 5 different continents. As Program Manager at Inspirit Foundation and Director of Youth Leadership at Ve'ahavta, Danny is responsible for supporting young people across the country to pursue a more inclusive and just world. With over a decade of experience in youth leadership, community mobilization, interfaith engagement and international development – Danny has a passion to demonstrate the power of communities working together to be a force of social change. Previously, Danny served as Campaign Manager for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, mobilizing thousands of volunteers across the world to tackle malaria by building bridges across faith communities. In 2006, Danny was asked to accompany the Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean, former Governor General of Canada, as part of a 10 person Canadian delegation on her State Visits to five African nations

Hugh Christopher Brown

Hugh Christopher Brown divides his life between Wolfe Island and New York City. He was born and raised in Toronto where he grew up studying music at The Royal Conservatory and St. Michael's Choir School. His early professional years were spent on the road with The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, along with music partner Kate Fenner, with whom he continues to perform and record in New York. Chris has released over 20 albums, and since his teenage years has made continuous contributions to hundreds of artists work. Chris has always applied music to matters of social justice. His time in the Kingston area has brought this focus most recently to prisons. Following the destruction of the highly functional prison farms program, he decided to get inside and offer what skills he had to the prison environment. The result has been an album recorded completely behind bars, released anonymously to raise funds and awareness for local charities and victims' support.

Hugh Christopher Brown

Hugh Christopher Brown divides his life between Wolfe Island and New York City. He was born and raised in Toronto where he grew up studying music at The Royal Conservatory and St. Michael's Choir School. His early professional years were spent on the road with The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, along with music partner Kate Fenner, with whom he continues to perform and record in New York. Chris has always applied music to matters of social justice. His time in the Kingston area has brought this focus most recently to prisons. Following the destruction of the highly functional prison farms program, he decided to get inside and offer what skills he had to the prison environment. The result has been 'Postcards From The County'; an album recorded completely behind bars, released anonymously to raise funds and awareness for local charities and victims' support.

Richard Tyo

Richard Tyo studied criminology, sociology and psychology at the University of Ottawa. He has been working as a mental health crisis worker for the last seven years in the Kingston community. He recently became an ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) trainer, teaching core skills related to suicide intervention. Passionate about music and art, he self-publishes poetry, prose and writes and performs his own songs. He has hosted events called The Midnight Magic Rodeo Show, which combine live music, art-making, poetry and education on mental health, stigma, apathy and harm reduction.

Rob Andrews

Rob Andrews is the CEO and co-founder of Heliolytics, a technology company developing advanced optical inspection techniques for large solar energy facilities utilizing robotic technology. He was previously the director of Calama Consulting, a solar energy performance consulting firm, and has worked with solar energy clients globally to develop system monitoring and maintenance plans, optimize plant performance, and integrate new technologies. Rob sits on multiple standards committees in the solar energy sector, including ASTM WK43549, IEC 61724, NREL securitization and Sandia best practices working groups, and is actively assisting in developing the next generation of PV operations and maintenance standards Previously, Rob has developed environmentally friendly gas turbine combustion units for environmental remediation work in the high arctic.

Steve Koven

Steve Koven is a composer, performer, producer and educator. In 1993 Steve established the Steve Koven Trio. Touring the world for more than two decades, they have become known as 'Canadian Cultural Ambassadors. Aside from performing with his trio, Steve also performs solo piano concerts throughout North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Dozens of Koven’s compositions have been licensed for national and international film and television productions. As an educator, Steve has been teaching in the Faculty of Music at Toronto's York University since 2003, teaching Contemporary Improvisation and Jazz Piano. In addition, Steve teaches Musical Entrepreneurship at Centennial College in Toronto. He holds a Masters Degree in Music Composition and has presented master classes and clinics throughout Canada, China, Japan, Colombia, Barbados, Bahamas, USA and Mexico.

Tara McCallan

Tara McCallan is the founder of Happy Soul Project, produced a #differentisbeautful campaign, created an initiative called Kick-It-Capes and employs adults with special needs to create inspiring artwork. She is a quarky wanna-be writer/blogger, adoring/annoyed wife, minivan momma to 2 little hooligans, one who just happens to have Down syndrome & most importantly on a mission to have a happy soul. Currently, she is working on a book, clothing line and numerous campaigns with Happy Soul Project to inspire others to celebrate their differences.

Ted Graham

Ted Graham is the Innovation leader at PwC where he helps to turn ideas into invoices. He is also founder of the South Core Innovation Hub, a collaborative group of innovation leaders from Toronto's unique waterfront area. Ted often speaks to audiences about the 5 things he learned about disruptive innovation as an UberX driver and how we can apply some of these lessons across a multitude of industries on the cusp of disruption. His firsthand account was initially released as a widely read LinkedIn influencer post, and is now part of his forthcoming book called "The Uber of Everything" to be released later this year. Over the years Ted has enjoyed diverse pursuits in his spare time: scrabble champion, world ranked Rock Paper Scissors competitor and frequent participant at TED conferences (he married his wife in 2012 at an event dubbed TEDxErin).

Yannay Khaikin

Yannay Khaikin has spent his last four years teaching undergraduate and high school students the wonders of biology, chemistry, physics and statistics. In 2014, he collaborated with TED-Ed to produce two animated lessons: one about math, the other about infectious disease evolution. No matter the topic, Yannay wants to learn and spread the knowledge to anyone willing to listen. He is currently in his final year as an undergrad at the University of Toronto, and if you personally are not sure where you will be next year, don't worry- he doesn't have a clue, either.