Theme: The Individual within the Community

TEDx Madison is a 1-day conference on October 10 in Madison of thought-leaders and innovators that are going to help shape the way we think about the future of Madison. The speakers will be from different backgrounds and will come together with a select audience of 100 in Madison to partake in sharing ideas worth spreading.

Edgewood College, Predolin Hall
1000 Edgewood college Dr
Madison, Wisconsin, 53711
United States

Adrian Reif

Founder, Co-Chief Revolutionary of Yumbutter

Like you, social entrepreneur Adrian Reif is witnessing happiness dangle precariously in the face of humanity’s rapid evolution. Will we harness it or will our greatest potential slip away? What is our role in the times ahead? Adrian’s journey towards improving people’s lives is a meandering river of experiences. From being homeless on the streets of D.C., trekking to Everest Base Camp, sitting for 10 days in complete silence, and for the last 5 years as founder and Co-Chief Revolutionary of Yumbutter, a social enterprise that expresses Adrian’s passion for creative and clean food, innovation in packaging, and a deep desire for social impact through its BuyOne:FeedOne business model and one of Wisconsin’s few B Corporations. Adrian is a thought leader in the application of compassion in business and believes passionately that you are the only thing that will change the world.

Emmett Blahnik

CEO of Next Level Health, LLC

Dr. Emmett Blahnik, CEO of Next Level Health, LLC, is an author, speaker, athlete, coach, entrepreneur, and lifestyle bio-hacker. His life mission–to inspire, motivate and educate every individual he meets to fulfill their potential in health stems from growing up in a family which suffered health tragedies and poverty. Dr. Emmett is a contributor to multiple best-selling books. He helps people transform their lifestyle and reach a better quality of life with a “Whole Body Health” approach, work which he does locally and globally. His clinics provide programs which are on the forefront in balancing hormones, mastering metabolism and utilizing technology to create a permanent solution for those struggling with weight. He has served as Official Doctor to TEAM USA at multiple World Games, CrossFit Games, and Ironman Triathlons, and to individual Olympic athletes. A devoted husband to wife Lisa, he is currently at work on a new book, Simply Eat Real Foods™ , a diet and lifestyle cookbook.

James Edward Mills

Outdoor Author, Journalist, and Media producer

James Edward Mills is an award winning journalist and media producer based in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a 2014 fellow of the Banff Centre Mountain & Wilderness Writing Program and the author of the book The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors. James has written for several local publications that include The Wisconsin State Journal, Isthmus, The Capital Region Business Journal, Madison Magazine and Wisconsin Trails. He currently is a contributor to many outdoor focused print and online publications that include National Geographic Adventure, Rock & Ice, Alpinist, SUP Magazine, Paddle Sports Business, Sporting Goods Business, Elevation Outdoors, Women’s Adventure, WEND Magazine, The Clymb.com, High Country News, Park Advocate Magazine, Land & People and Sierra Magazine.

KelsyAnn Schoenhaar

Executive Director/Founding Artistic Director Resident Playwright of Encore Studio for the Performing Arts

A Jane-of-all-trades, Kelsy has mixed a career of music (began performing professionally at 12 years old and has played everything from rock to symphonic to jazz), theatre (worked in professional theatres in the Chicago area as a musician; in addition began her writing career writing “to” actors, as she wrote, directed & produced original children’s theatre); and human services (has been a professional in the field for 28 years). Receiving a full scholarship to the Northern Illinois University School of Music, Kelsy continued her professional education graduating Summa-Cum Laude and earning an MBA from Cal Southern in 1996. Since she began her work at Encore in May of 2000, she has written roughly 50 productions; many full-scale. In her spare time, Kelsy consults with other theatre companies, is an active film-maker and freelance writer. Kelsy continues to share her vision and mission of showcasing the talents and amazing stories of people with disabilities.

Michael Johnson

CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County

Michael Johnson is CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County. Johnson’s priority is to ensure Boys & Girls Clubs continue as a leader in youth development while enhancing partnerships to produce positive outcomes for young people and families. Accomplishments in five years as CEO include: growing the operating budget 185%, planning to double the children served, and, through a school district partnership, graduation rates over 90% with over 82% of students enrolled in colleges. Some boards and committees Johnson serves on are: Caplin Family Charities, Overture Center, Agrace Hospice Care, Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation, the Board of Visitors for the School of Human Ecology, and Morgridge Center for the University of Wisconsin. Johnson is married to Toya and they have three children ages ten, four and one. Prior to moving to Madison, Johnson spent 15 years in executive level positions in Chicago, Philadelphia, and St. Louis leading government and nonprofit agencies.

Robin Lawson

Engineer & Co-Founder of Lumen Electronic Jewelry

Robin Lawson is a Jane-of-all-trades, master of many. She is a 4th generation mechanical engineer who for over 10 years designed carbon fiber composites structures for Aerospace and consumer sporting goods. Currently she is the co-founder of Lumen Electronic Jewelry with her engineer brother. Lumen blurs the line between science and art with jewelry and soldering kits that combine twinkling LED lights powered by tiny solar cells. In her spare time she loves dancing like no-one is watching, playing with her lazy greyhound, and tutoring at a local high school.

Steve Ackerman

Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Steve Ackerman is a professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and director of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ackerman is an expert in satellite meteorology, a field with its earliest roots at the UW-Madison. An active proponent of the Wisconsin Idea to expand the impact of the University beyond the classroom, Ackerman is an accomplished teacher and scientist. To that end, he has collaborated on the development of engaging online learning tools, co-wrote an award-winning textbook on introductory weather and climate concepts, and published a number of papers and popular science articles on weather and climate. Ackerman also serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Research for the physical sciences at the UW-Madison. In addition, he is widely known for his role as one of the “Weather Guys”, making complex weather phenomena understandable to audiences on Wisconsin Public Radio and in the Wisconsin State Journal.

Tom Eggert

Executive Director of WI Sustainable Business Council

Tom Eggert has been at the forefront of business and sustainability for 20 years, both teaching classes in sustainability at the University of Wisconsin and founding and serving as the Executive Director of the WI Sustainable Business Council. Tom was a co-developer of the graduate certificate in Business, Environment and Social Responsibility (BESR) at the WI School of Business. He currently works with the Director of the Nelson Institute on building bridges between businesses and the Institute. Tom also founded and leads the WI Sustainable Business Council. Growing out of his interest in sustainability, Tom developed Wisconsin Microfinance and serves as the President of the Board. The money raised by Wisconsin Microfinance is distributed to worthy recipients in rural areas of developing countries. Prior to returning to Wisconsin (where he grew up) in 1991, he served as a Special Assistant Attorney General in Montana, and, before that, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines.

Zoé Schroeder

Teacher and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

Zoé Schroeder currently works at a Montessori school in Madison, WI and is a former native of Washington DC. In 2014, she completed a Peace Corps assignment teaching English in rural primary schools in the Kingdom of Lesotho where, in addition to her classroom duties, she designed and ran a library, launched multiple activities to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, as well as crowdfunded and managed the construction of a new community classroom. She holds dual US/French citizenship, has lived on three continents, and speaks three languages.