TEDxHelena will feature 16 community leaders who collectively address a myriad of questions about leadership, business, science, relationships, creativity and life.
Speakers include Steve Wong - entrepreneur/owner Planet Motors (What should everyone know about buying a used car?), Jenny Buscher - Nurse Manager (What can we do to help our children deal with childhood depression?), Coach Mike Van Diest - Head Football Coach @ Carroll College (How do we draw compassionate boundaries while still striving for competitive excellence?), Chris Gittings - Agent One West Sports Agency (What don't everyday fans understand about the NFL?), Kevin Connolly - Photographer (Prosthetic Paradigms: What drives the design of a limb?), James Buscher - Improv Comedian and Instructor (What can leaders learn from Improv Comedians?), Tim Lynch - Buyer/Manager The Base Camp (How can understanding employee relationships in small business develop a community within a community?), Kurt Crowley - Associate Director at Hamilton the Musical (Broadway), David Gates - Retired retired Probation Officer and Adolescent Treatment Professional (How can we help students navigate a world full of chemicals?), Brian Anderson - (How do we draw people out in conversation?), Brian Kahn - Host of Public Radio Program "Home Ground" (What makes for a great interview?), Zach Buscilla - Co-Owner Stone Tree Climbing Center (Why a climbing gym for Helena?), Dr. Christine Eckel - Associate Professor of Biology at Carroll College (Our anatomy is all the same. Our anatomy is all different. Who cares?), Jason DeShaw - Country Singer and Mental Health Advocate (How do we find hope in spite of struggle? A musical odyssey through mental illness and addiction.)
Speakers
Speakers may not be confirmed. Check event website for more information.
David Gates with Brian Anderson
David Gates Retired Probation Officer and Adolescent Treatment Professional. Brian Anderson Accountant turned Federal Agent with a background as a CPA in public accounting (3 years). For the past 7 years, Brian has worked as a Special Agent with Department of Treasury assigned to investigate fraud and white collar crimes.Zach Bushilla with Brian Kahn
My name is Zach Bushilla. I am married to Tiffany Bushilla and together we are chasing our three beautiful daughters through a very blessed life. I was born and raised in Helena, Montana. I have been climbing rocks for twenty years of my life. I am thirty two years old. There are many things in life that I find joy in and I have found that rock climbing connects them together. I believe that the one thing we all have in life is time, it’s just a matter of how we use it. www.stonetreeclimbing.comBrian Kahn
Brian Kahn hosts the award-winning radio interview program, HOME GROUND, in its 21st year on the air. A lawyer and author, his books and writings on politics and nature conservation have been published internationally. Kahn’s background includes work as a Montana ranch hand, collegiate boxing coach, elected official, President of the California Fish and Game Commission, and candidate for U.S. Congress. Kahn produced and directed “A THOUSAND CRANES”, depicting Soviet-American efforts to save the Siberian crane from extinction. A parable about the threat of nuclear war to human survival, the film won numerous awards and was screened at the Smithsonian and United Nations. He is author/co-author of five books. Brian is winner of the Chevron Conservation Award, and the Montana Governor’s Award for the Humanities. He lives in Helena, Montana.Chris Gittings
Chris Gittings is the Founder and President of One West Sports Agency, which he established in April 2011. Gittings represents NFL players, most notably New England Patriots Running Back Danny Woodhead, and runs the entire agency by himself. He originally worked at Hometown Sports Management (HSM) for nearly 14 years prior to establishing One West Sports.Christine Eckel
Christine Eckel received her B.A. in Integrative Biology and M.A. in Human Biodynamics from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Christine is Associate Professor of Biology at Carroll College in her hometown of Helena, Montana, where she teaches the two-semester anatomy and physiology (A&P) course for pre-nursing and pre-health science majors, and an advanced dissection course for premedical students. She also serves as the faculty advisor for pre-physical therapy and pre-physician-assistant students. Prior to her position at Carroll College, Christine was associate professor and course director for medical gross anatomy and medical micro anatomy at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM). In the 14 years prior to her position at WVSOM, Christine taught undergraduate Human Anatomy and Human Physiology courses at Salt Lake Community College and the University of California, Berkeley.James Buscher
As an improviser and teacher, James explores the relationship between agreement and collaboration in daily life. A ten-year veteran of improv comedy and founding member of Cow Tipping Comedy and the Improv Mining Company, he has performed short form, long form, musical and two-man improvised shows. The Helena Independent Record called James’ weekly Cow Tipping Comedy show, “a Ferrari-paced, turbocharged 60 minutes of off-kilter improv.” James uses the principles of improvisation to communicate the importance finding common ground and building toward a shared future. www.facebook.com/CowTippingComedyJason DeShaw
Jason DeShaw grew up a cowboy in eastern Montana and is a national award-winning mental health advocate and country singer. For over a decade he has performed across the United States, Canada, and Europe, released 5 albums and shared the stage with national country music acts. In 2010, he suffered a severe mania while on tour in Canada. Doctors diagnosed him as having bipolar one disorder and alcoholism. As he began to recover, DeShaw became an advocate for mental illness and recovery by combining his story and songs into a presentation entitled Serenity in the Storm. Jason’s story has touched countless hearts and he is the recipient of the 2014 Champions Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Jenny Buscher
As a Nurse Manager at a children’s psychiatric hospital, Jen interacts daily with children living with mental illness. Through her clinical experience she has developed an acute understanding of childhood trauma and suicide. She discusses the tangible difference that meaningful adult relationships have in preventing childhood suicide. Through a commitment to caring for and building lasting positive relationships with young people, Jen expresses a great hope for drastically reducing the risk of suicide for children and teens.Kevin Connolly
Kevin Connolly is an American photographer who was born without legs. He has made a collection of photographs of people's reactions to him as he traveled the world, and published it on the Internet. In February 2013, the Travel Channel network premiered a new reality series starring Connolly entitled Armed & Ready. The show features Connolly travelling around the U.S. and the world engaging in local events and physical challenges.Kurt Crowley
Kurt was raised in Helena, Montana, and from an early age studied acting and music. After attending Harvard University, he received a fellowship to study music in Northern India. For the last five years, he has worked as music director and arranger in New York City on the shows Bring it On, FLY, Natasha and Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, and arranged music for Sesame Street and numerous cabaret venues. He is currently the associate conductor of Hamilton on Broadway.Mike Van Diest
Head Football Coach at Carroll College, He just completed his 40th year of coaching college football and 17th year at Carroll College. He has coached at The University of Wyoming, University of Montana, The University of Massachusetts and Northwestern University. His wife Heidi is a third grade teacher at Rossiter Elementary. They have two sons; Shane who plays football and graduated from Carroll and Clay who is a freshman at Saint Norbert's, Wisconsin playing hockey.Steve Wong
Entrepreneur who currently holds the oldest car dealer license in Helena (Planet Motors). Steve is a lifelong resident of the Helena community with a rich family history of owning and operating small businesses.Tim Lynch
I enjoy my responsibilities of organizing, implementing and supervising all aspects of a progressive, up-tempo retail business. From hosting customer service training sessions, to planning for a future buying season or working with nonprofit organizations in achieving local community goals, I am motivated to accomplish all the challenges my leadership role demands in a competitive outdoor retail industry. Working cooperatively with other local businesses to enhance the quality of life in our community is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job. As a leader in our business, I have the opportunity to work with talented and insightful individuals to progressively plan for the future, projects such as developing funding sources for open space preservation, mentoring neighborhood youth and sharing progressive technologies that will ease the lives of those with the greatest of challenges. www.thebasecamp.comOrganizing team
