Theme: Building Bridges

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).

Lakeside Hope House
75 Norfolk Street
Guelph, Ontario
Canada

2 - Emily Bremner

Adam Toth

Adam is currently completing a PhD in Neurophysiology at the University of Guelph. After graduating from the University with a BSc Biomedical Science, Adam began his graduate studies examining the relationship between the visual and vestibular sensory systems as it pertains to balance and spatial orientation. He uses a number of tools and techniques to observe how humans determine their orientation when performing numerous tasks including galvanic vestibular stimulation, robotic platforms and moving rooms. Adam is also a Teaching Assistant for senior level Human Kinetics courses and has presented lectures to both University of Guelph and University of Guelph Humber classes in addition to his oral and poster presentations at conferences provincially, nationally and internationally. In addition to his professional credentials, Adam can be found pursuing his passions for wine, photography and scuba diving, recently attaining his Advanced and Nitrox scuba certifications.

Barbara LeBlanc

Dr. Barbara LeBlanc (MD, FRCS(C)) is a General Surgeon based in Guelph, Ontario. She completed her medical and surgical training in London Ontario, followed by a Hand Surgery Fellowship in Louisville Kentucky. She practiced for 19 years as a General Surgeon in Guelph, and closed her practice in late 2004 to work on short term missions in Africa. She has completed 18 missions with MSF, and has worked in Northern Uganda in a clinical and teaching capacity. Most recently she worked with the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) in South Sudan as part of a mobile surgical team.

Emily Bremner

Innately curious and undoubtedly contemplative, Emily has always known herself to be an introspective thinker. She seeks inspiration with the hope of provoking thought and conversation. Since graduating with a B.Comm from the University of Guelph in 2010, her intense desire to understand the world and her place in it has taken her from the far off cityscapes of Nepal, where she worked with street children, to the B.C. coast, where she studied the practice of yoga. Finding herself back in Guelph, Emily took on a role working with university youth in the fields of entrepreneurship and community engagement through the Centre for Business and Social Entrepreneurship. Building strong and resilient communities continues to drive Emily as she embarks on a new chapter in Toronto.

Jay Reid

Jay is the founder of The Making-Box and a Regional Director with the Canadian Improv Games (CIG), a nationally recognized non-profit that gives high school students a platform to explore theatrical improvisation in a fun and supportive environment. Jay has had the absolute pleasure of teaching and studying improv across Canada, as a National Trainer for the CIG and through The Making-Box’s Improv For Business program (a program he designed to help organizations apply improv skills in the workplace to foster productive collaboration and forward-thinking leadership). While getting a degree in Marketing and Biotechnology from the University of Guelph, Jay worked at an insurance agency, toured Canada in a rock band, opened a comedy theatre and ate a few meals. Jay once did stand-up comedy for the mayor of Guelph and twice wondered if she liked it.

Kenneth Dorter

Owen Bjorgan

Stephen Lewis

Dr. Lewis' research examines non-suicidal self-injury and related mental health difficulties among youth and emerging adults. Central to his research approach is the use of the Internet as a research platform and tool. His research has been featured in The New York Times, Time, USA Today, ABC, CBS, The Globe and Mail, and the BBC and has resulted in policy changes on YouTube in an effort to promote online safety for adolescents. He is co-author of the book Non-Suicidal Self-injury, which is part of the Advances in Psychotherapy series by the Society of Clinical Psychology. He is an invited member of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury, where he currently sits on the Executive Board. He is Co-Founder and Co-Director of Self-injury Outreach and Support, an international outreach organization providing current information and helpful resources about self-injury.

Vern Osborne

Dr. Vern Osborne (MSc, PhD, University of Guelph) was born and raised on a Holstein- Master Breeder dairy farm near Rockwood, Ontario. His research has concentrated on nutritional management strategies that enhance early heifer growth, and the delivery of extra nutrients using drinking water, and water and feed combinations during times of physiological needs of the dairy cow and horse. Dr. Osborne is internationally known for his expertise in water nutrition of dairy animals and has been an invited speaker in many countries. He is also an internationally recognized designer of dairy facilities. Dr. Osborne is currently the Science and Design Lead for the Mission 2050 project, a conceptual framework plan that would replace Guelph’s/OMAFRA’s dairy, swine and poultry research facilities. He currently lives on a 300 acre farm with his wife and three children and cash crops with his father.