Theme: Act Local, Think Global

The things you do here at home can have a far reaching impact. Working from a grassroots "let's do this thing" point of view can start a movement that inspires people around the world. With TEDxLivoniaCCLibrary, we want to explore the possibilities. We will look at individual and small group efforts that can influence and inspire others to do the same.

This all day event will focus on people who are making things happen.

Livonia Civic Center Library
32777 Five Mile Road
Livonia, Michigan, 48154
United States

Dan Cytacki

Trainer, Hospitality, Leadership Development and Service Excellence

As a leader, coach, and trainer, Dan has worked with team members from Quicken Loans, Flagstar Bank, Beaumont Health System, and several Michigan based startups. Dan regularly trains groups both large and small and has presented to audiences of 5000 at the Fox Theater. As Director of Service Excellence with Livonia based Encore Service Group, Dan has the pleasure of shaping the patient and family experience with several area healthcare organizations.

David Crone

Comedy Ventriloquist

David Crone has been performing on stage for more than 30 years. A former corporate executive, David left the comforts of the corner office for a rugged life on the road when his busy performance schedule no longer allowed him to "do both". His unique perspective on office life, incredible ventriloquism skills, and cast of crazy characters combine to create a program like no other. From pure comedy entertainment, to highly customized serious messages on leadership, service, and living life on purpose, David leaves the audience ready to take on their next big challenge with renewed energy, and best of all, joy and laughter. Everything he does is driven by his personal mission statement: Making the world a better place, one laugh at a time.

Drew Lathin

Owner of Creating Sustainable Landscapes, LLC

Drew Lathin is the owner of Creating Sustainable Landscapes, LLC where he utilizes native plants to create beautiful and ecologically restorative landscapes for residential, commercial, and public spaces that support wildlife, reduce resource inputs, and create healthy outdoor living spaces.

Joshua York

Founder of York Project, LLC

Josh is a 2017 graduate from Michigan State with a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management and a minor in German. In 2013 he founded a streetwear apparel brand, York Project. York Project started as a one-for-one company, donating living essentials to the homeless for every product sold. After 5 years, the organization has made over 21,000 donations to people in need in 23 American cities. Josh and his team plan to open up a manufacturing operation in Detroit and employ previously homeless individuals that are re-entering the workforce.

Kristie Overstreet PhD

Clinical sexologist, psychotherapist, author, and consultant

Dr. Kristie Overstreet is a clinical sexologist, psychotherapist, author, and consultant with 11 years of experience working with the transgender, gender nonconforming and gender queer community. She is a transgender care expert that helps individuals improve their relationship with themselves and others. As president of Therapy Department, a counseling and consulting practice she works with clients across the United States. Her experience as a director of behavioral health hospitals gave her the opportunity to work with various medical teams and professionals. Her years of working with the medical community led her to identify that providers are not receiving training, education, and awareness to care for transgender patients.

Lily Ma

Thought Leader

Lily is known as a thought leader and a high performance coach, but considers herself a storyteller who dances to the rhythm of the world’s heartbeat. Her favorite animal, besides her husband, is the elephant.

Lori Fithian

Drummunity! Leader

Lori Fithian has been leading her "Drummunity!" programs and rhythm workshops since 1998. She grew up in a musical family, starting out early - banging on Tupperware as a toddler, playing the french horn in school - before discovering the world of hand drumming and drum circling, around 1989. A "folk" student of many different drumming traditions, she travels around Michigan with a van-load of all kinds of drums and percussion, sharing her love for the universal beat that touches hearts and brings folks together in rhythm. She'll try any musical instrument, and encourages others to get spontaneous, creative, silly and connected through music and all kinds of rhythmic expressions.

Maria Evans

Master's Level Psychologist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional

Maria Evans is a licensed Master's Level Psychologist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional currently working at PCS-Counseling in Northville, MI. She received her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Madonna University, and received her bachelor’s degree in both Brain, Behavioral, Cognitive Science and in English from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Maria's passion is helping people of all ages find and reclaim their inner strengths and abilities.

Mike Shesterkin

General Manager of What’s Next, LLC

Mike Shesterkin is the General Manager of What’s Next, LLC, a practice that helps businesses achieve sustainability through the creation of triple bottom line value. Using proven models of continual improvement, What’s Next helps management teams develop strategies and implement action plans that build social capital, reduce negative environmental impact, and grow profitability. With more than thirty years of industry experience, Mike has led initiatives that have advanced the sustainability movement. Most recently, Mike has been working to advance triple bottom line initiatives within the collision repair industry. What’s Next is also a business in residence at the Green Garage, a triple bottom line co-working community located in Midtown Detroit.

Rasheda Williams

Mentor, communications consultant, founder and chief empowering officer for Empowered Flower Girl

Rasheda Williams is an award-winning mentor, communications consultant & author of “Be EmPOWERed: How to Live Above & Beyond Life’s Drama." She is the founder & chief empowering officer for Empowered Flower Girl & a staunch youth advocate. She holds a B.A. in journalism from Wayne State University & has extensive training in youth development, community relations & interpersonal communication. Her passion & advocacy for community and social change have earned her numerous accolades, including Kumon North America’s “Impact Award” & Super Woman Productions & Publishing’s “Make It Happen Award.” She also was named among Everyday Power’s “29 Inspirational Female Entrepreneurs Who Are Positively Impacting The World.” A survivor of bullying, Rasheda was featured in Cosmopolitan magazine in the article “Being bullied changed my life.” Her journey from excluded to empowered motivated her to launch Empowered Flower Girl in 2010.

Sylvia Maike

Music teacher and speaker

Sylvia Maike is a music teacher and speaker who loves guiding others to discover a personal connection to music. She has taught violin, voice, and music theory to people of all ages — enthusiastic toddlers, shy middle-schoolers, and curious adults. Her students have won awards and competitions, but she's proudest when she’s able to inspire them with a lifelong love of music like her own. Sylvia’s earliest memories include listening to Sarah Vaughan jazz CDs with her father and seeing Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra with her mother at the San Francisco Symphony. She has sung and played with orchestras, choirs, chamber groups, pop and folk bands, and church ensembles, making her a bridge between musicians of widely different backgrounds. She is currently developing an early childhood music curriculum for Expressions Music Academy in Novi and teaching private students from throughout the Metro Detroit Area. She and her husband, also a musician, have a home full of

Zach Berg

Owner/Cheesemonger of Berg’s Provisions

Zach Berg grew up cooking his way through Metro Detroit. After attending Michigan State University’s Hospitality School, Zach got a job working at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor. His love of cheese and specialty retail blossomed in his two years at the famous deli, but the kitchen called. Zach relocated to Napa Valley to attend the Culinary Institute of America and later cooked at Michael Mina’s RN74. After his stint in fine dining, Zach got involved with Bi-Rite Market and returned to the world of cheese. During his four years at Bi-Rite, Zach won second place in the 2014 Cheese Monger’s Invitational and became a Certified Cheese Professional through the American Cheese Society. Zach has been back in Michigan for a year and opened Berg’s Provisions, a pop-up cheese business. Zach also runs the day to day operations at Gayle’s Chocolates in Royal Oak.