Theme: Perception

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).

Mission Viejo City Hall
200 Civic Ctr
Mission Viejo, California
United States

Music in Common

Music In Common, Inc. (MiC) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen and connect communities through the universal language of music by providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and collaborations that can lead to positive social change. In an effort to deepen understanding between faiths, Music in Common brings together Jewish, Muslim, and Christian youth to write, record, and perform a song together. In the process they discover common ground while learning about each other’s faiths and cultures. The immersive experience sharpens the valuable life skills of collaboration, communication, and compromise. In 2015 local musician Jason Feddy brought MiC to Orange County to address rising intolerance throughout the region. “If we are to be voices for peace among peoples, we have to get to know each other,” Feddy states. Music in Common participants Aria Gittleson, Arthur “Trey” Carlisle, and Sarah Sayed present their perspectives at TEDx Mission Viejo.

Andre Julian

Vice President and Financial Advisor

Andre Julian is a first-generation American-born entrepreneur with a primary focus in the financial industry. Andre holds a Master’s Degree from the University of California, Irvine, and after graduate school started his career working for an independent investment firm. He eventually became a partner, owner and CFO of a private firm and came into the public eye for his commentary on television and radio. With years spent as a television analyst for the financial media, Andre’s opinions have reached a wide audience through his appearances on Bloomberg Television, CNBC, Fox News Channel, ABC News and other networks. Supplementary to his primary career, Andre is heavily involved in giving back through his work in education, mentoring and charity. He is both a perennial guest lecturer and executive mentor for the MBA Program at the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, where he was awarded Mentor of the Year in 2016.

Colette J. Brown

Head of Research

Engaging in an interdisciplinary dialogue between art and science, Colette Brown’s work focuses on exploring systems both inside and outside the body- systems like brain plasticity and information processing. She holds a BA in Studio Art with a minor in Psychology from CSU Long Beach. Colette is the principal investigator of a research project called The Mind is a Muscle II, an art-based cognitive health program aiming to reduce dementia risk among older adults. Her research is currently underway on the measured effects of her art-based cognitive health program, as she continues to investigate the multiple intersections of neuroscience, aging, communication, entropy, art, and life. Colette maintains a studio art practice, and has worked with Colonial Care Assisted Living Center, EngAGE Long Beach Senior Arts Colony, PRO-Health Research Program, CSULB Neuroscience Lab, and UCLA Department of Medicine.

Dan Radecki

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Dan Radecki is the Chief Scientific Officer at the Academy of Brain-based Leadership (ABL), which offers a scientifically validated, brain-based approach for future-oriented leaders & organizations interested in optimizing their performance, relationships and health. Dan also serves as Executive Director of Research and Development at Allergan Inc., where he is a Global Leader for drug development programs. Dan holds a Bachelors in Psychology, Masters in Biopsychology and Ph.D in Neuroscience. Working as a leader in the corporate world allows Dan the unique perspective on how our knowledge of brain functioning can aid leaders in maximizing their results as well as the results of their teams. With this unique perspective from roles in both the leadership and neuroscientific world, in 2009 Dan created the content for the educational arm of the NeuroLeadership Institute and served as the lead professor and advisor for the Master of Science program in the Neuroscience of Leadership.

David Meltzer

Chief Executive Officer

David is national best-selling author of Connected To Goodness and recently released a new best-selling book, Compassionate Capitalism, which he co-authored with Blaine Bartlett. Compassionate Capitalism offers new perspectives on how to improve the world’s current economic driver. Additionally, David is a prominent media personality who is profiled by national publications including Inc., ESPN, and Bloomberg. He is a host of the nationally syndicated Sports Blender radio show, co-hosted with two-time World Series champion Jim Leyritz, airing on Yahoo Sports Radio, ESPN Radio, and other stations across the country.

India Cheema

Neurolinguistic Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, Lifestyle Coach

India Cheema is a Master Neurolinguistic Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, Lifestyle Coach, CMT & HHP. India has been practicing various meditations, gentle yoga, and Tai Chi since her youth. India believes with her whole being that the mind is the most powerful tool that has been given to us. India enjoys reading, writing, and exercising not only her brain and mind, but her whole body as well. She loves the outdoors. With her private meditation and Neurolinguistic Programming practice, India has helped many of her clients towards living the life they have always wanted and with “letting go of negative thoughts,” by filling in the spaces with their true perceptions of what is relative. India was raised in Northern California and moved to Southern California as a young adult. She currently resides in Orange County and Upstate New York with her family.

John Cefalu

Founder & President

John is the President and Founder of Health 2 Humanity Global (H2H), whose mission is to eradicate preventable disease. H2H empowers entrepreneurs in developing countries with the “fight against giving” mentality- the idea that truly sustainable change comes from education and tangible skills in place of the traditional simply providing- “giving”- of goods. John felt that many aspects of traditional charity work were ineffective, and created Health 2 Humanity to have his own take on the matter. John has been traveling around the world setting up H2H locations since his freshman year at Chapman University. His work with committed entrepreneurs around the world has given him a broad vision for the world of business. John’s story started with his passion for the people that he met on his first mission trip to Kenya in 2012, and this passion remains the driving force behind the work he does today.

Joseph Jacobs

Founder & Doctor of Physical Therapy

Dr. Jacobs began researching and developing his new specialty in an effort to treat patient pain in a more effective manner than the methods he’d learned in school. From 2011 to 2014 he developed the maneuvers, tools, and methodologies that make up the foundation of ASTR, and he continues to refine the elements of ASTR through ongoing research. Advanced Soft Tissue Release (ASTR) has been registered by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Dr. Jacobs’ life ambition is to continuously develop and research new tools, theories, and methodologies to revolutionize the medical industry, specifically in efforts to more quickly and effectively alleviate pain. Outside of his work, Dr. Jacobs is the father of young twins, Gabreil and Lily. He enjoys playing the guitar and piano, spending time with his dog, Luna, and hiking with his wife, Lindsay.

Manny Tau

Criminal Forensic Psychologist, Specialist in Threat Assessment

Dr. Manny Tau is a clinical & forensic psychologist specializing in threat assessment and active threat management, as well as a Certified Threat Manager™ through the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. He has worked extensively as a workplace, school-place, personal violence, and threat management consultant throughout the United States. He also works with many recognized federal, state, county, city and private organizations in the development of their violence prevention programs and the implementation of Threat Management Teams. Along with this, Dr. Tau provides expert consultation and testimony for attorneys in the labor & employment, civil, and family law arenas. Dr. Tau has 20 years of experience performing threat assessment and threat management services in the private and public sectors, which has included supporting law enforcement agencies and professional security firms.

Niklas Myhr

Assistant Professor of Marketing

Niklas Myhr, Ph.D., known as “The Social Media Professor,” is an author, international keynote speaker, and professor of Social Media, Digital, and Global Marketing at Chapman University in California. Dr. Myhr holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and has worked with Executive Education programs for Scandinavian multinationals in Europe, the United States, and China. Dr. Myhr also holds an M.S. degree in Industrial Engineering & Management from Linköping University in Sweden, and is an awardee of the Hans Werthén Foundation at the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Moreover, Dr. Myhr has served as an Executive Director on the Board of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC. Dr. Myhr is currently Google’s #1 ranked “Social Media Professor” and his expertise on social media & digital marketing has been featured in publications such as BBC, The Washington Post, Marketplace Morning Report, InformationWeek, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox etc..

Oree Freeman

Advocate for Children Victims of CSEC

Oree Freeman, 21, is an advocate for the children and young adults in our communities that are victims of sexual trafficking. She is a survivor who, at the age of 11, was trafficked for over four years. Today she is a strong, successful, independent young woman. She graduated from Fullerton High School, maintains a full time job, and last Fall decided to pause her college education for a semester to travel to Uganda to work with children who were rescued from slavery. Oree has trained police officers, educators, DA’s and Judges, doctors and nurses, and regularly gives presentations to high schools, colleges, and community members. She also works at The Lighthouse, a home specifically for young women 18-21 who have escaped sexual trafficking. Among other things, she has been appointed to the California State Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Advisory Committee and advises legislators and policy makers on how to better serve children being sold throughout the state.

Robert Green

Founder and Inventor

At age 15, he hitchhiked to Chicago to begin a new life on his own. Mechanical skills learned on the farm provided the means to stay off the streets and utilize that knowledge. In 1964 he founded Turin Bicycle Company with smoke-damaged bicycles he obtained from a warehouse fire. The business flourished and Robert sold it the following year. The next few years were spent traveling and living in Europe. After returning to the US, he started a new business- Green Construction Company. With industrial machinery purchased from failed factories, Robert created custom cabinetry, furniture and architectural pieces as well as sculpture. He learned many new skills and became professional in carpentry, joinery/cabinetry, furniture design electrical, plumbing, machining, mechanics, metal casting, jewelry making, masonry, tile setting, welding, fine art (sculpting, painting, drafting, cartooning and drawing) as well as mechanical engineering, patent writing, and business management.

Tiffany Dawn Hasse

Performance Artist & Espresso Aficionado Mixologist

Inspired by the phenomenon of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Tiffany Dawn Hasse makes it a mission to prolifically use her words to articulate her experience of having OCD, coupled with a tic disorder. “I want to make an impact on people respectfully, through being a true authentic artisan,” Tiffany says, “I want my poetry to reflect a quick-witted mind of substance- of reckless truth with the human experience. I want my art to move people, to allow them to identify with the pain within themselves, so that this pain can be transmuted into their most grandeur asset: self-empowerment. I want to allow my audience a moment of inward contemplation, inquiry, and reflection to ask themselves what really matters.” For this wordsmith, she speaks with the intent of connecting one-on-one with audience members. “What matters most is connecting with the individual,” says Tiffany, “if I can influence even a single individual who can benefit from my art form, my message is a success.”

Tomilee Tilley Gill

Founder & President

Tomilee Tilley Gill is the Founder and President of Executives Unlimited, Inc., a premier retained national executive search firm. She launched her career in the male-dominated banking industry when she was 18 while attending the University of Southern California. Her dedication and natural born leadership was acknowledged when she was appointed as Vice President at Great Western Savings at the age of 24, and later recruited to Wells Fargo Bank as Senior Vice President. After losing her parents at an early age, Tomilee was forced to grow up quickly and gain independence. Tomilee is an accomplished female executive who rose quickly through the ranks while raising five children. After more than 16 years in financial services, Tomilee was eager for new opportunities to grow when she transitioned to the retained executive search industry. After three years in the business, she founded Executives Unlimited in 2001.