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).

800 S Tucker Drive
Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74104
United States

Autumn Slaughter

Autumn Slaughter is a doctoral student in the University of Tulsa’s clinical psychology program. Her psychology background also includes a masters in counseling psychology from Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City. In addition to psychology, Autumn also studied English in her undergraduate program at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. She has been a featured poet at poetry readings in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and her work has appeared in regional magazines and on websites. Autumn has also published five books, including a memoir that explores trauma and depression (published under her maiden name) and two books of poetry.

Catherine Aaronson

Catherine Lynn Elizabeth Aaronson, the fifth is a student at the University of Tulsa studying Biology, Chemistry, and Creative Writing at the University of Tulsa to become future veterinarian. On campus she’s spotted wearing a jean jacket, talking about music, writing in highlighter, and drinking water out of a bottle covered in stickers. In high school, through studying forensics, Aaronson found her voice in public speaking, performance, and spreading awareness for her beliefs. She would like to be known as the the girl with hair as big as her heart.

Danielle Carlotti-Smith

Dr. Carlotti-Smith is a writer, scholar, and an adjunct professor of comparative literature at the University of Tulsa in the Global Scholars Program. She also currently serves as a Research Fellow at the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities. Dr. Carlotti-Smith earned her Ph.D. in French at the University of Virginia. She specializes in French and Francophone literature, culture, and film, with a focus on Francophone Caribbean and New World Studies, postcolonial studies, and migration studies. A self-professed “third culture kid,” Dr. Carlotti-Smith is a dual citizen of Brazil and the United States, and was raised in Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Singapore, Japan, and Belgium, has studied and worked in France, and is fluent in English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish. She particularly enjoys snuggling and reading with her 3- and 7-year-old daughters and their rescue dog, Abby.

DC Hegdale

Over 20 years of studying childbirth led Ms. Hegdale to training as a Birth Doula, Childbirth Educator, and Midwifery Assistant. Publishing a childbirth class workbook, and working as a Doula and Midwife led her to irresistible research questions, which required further education. After earning an Associate’s degree in Sociology and History as an Honors Graduate at Tulsa Community College, her research cravings are now being satisfied at the University of Tulsa. Topping that list is an investigation of pregnancy and birth across histories and cultures with the intent of contributing to improvement of US infant and maternal mortality rates.

Dean Cantù

Dr. Dean Cantù is Professor and Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. He received his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Southern Illinois University. Professor Cantù has over twenty-five years of experience in professional education from high school through the university level. Prior to his current appointment, he served as Professor and Dean of Education at Indiana University Kokomo. Professor Cantù is the author of a number of research articles and books on social studies education and technology integration. He has also served as a curriculum writer for various national organizations including The History Channel, The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition and PBS Frontline, and as editor of The International Journal of Social Education. In addition, he currently serves on a number of national boards, including as a member of the governing board of the National Social Science Association and research fellow for the Future Institute Research Center.

Jake Pfarr

Jake Pfarr is an artist and teacher who has performed and taught around the world. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with his Bachelors degree from Oklahoma City University and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. After performing in New York City and appearing in over 30 professional shows and musicals, Jake now owns and operates Theatre Arts, a performing arts school in Broken Arrow, OK with his wife, Jana, where he teaches the performing arts. He has also served on faculty at the University of Tulsa furthering the American art form of tap dancing.

Kari Mirabal

Kari Mirabal is on a mission to create a movement of people who know how to network smarter. She shares innovative career transition and networking strategies to help others leverage the power of authentic connections. Kari has coached individuals and corporate teams inside Fortune 500 companies and has appeared on multiple television networks. With her signature humor, bold approach, and unmistakable gumption, Kari engages and encourages people to think differently. It was through her extensive experience as a former IT-recruiter and business owner that she realized her calling was to help professionals turn their passion into their career. Kari shares her many successes – and failures – to visualize new perspectives on taking risks, get comfortable being uncomfortable, and to realize how positive thinking can change everything.

Kathy Campbell

Kathy M. Campbell, PharmD, received her BS in Zoology and BS in Pharmacy from the University of Oklahoma in 1992. She completed her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Oklahoma in 2005 and has been a practicing clinical community pharmacist continually since 1992. Together with her husband Royce, Dr. Campbell has owned and operated Medicap Pharmacy in Owasso, OK since 2001. Dr. Campbell currently practices as an appointment-based clinical pharmacist and has successfully developed and implemented the lifestyle and weight loss program, The primary focus of Dr. Campbell’s practice is assisting patients in not needing pharmaceuticals and if needed, in optimizing their use. Dr. Kathy is committed to supporting individuals’ great lives by coaching them in creating a culture that produces health.

Katie Plohocky

Katie L. Plohocky earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Leadership from Baker College and a MBA from the University of Phoenix. She is a Principal of StreetLife, LLC, a consultancy firm specializing in integrated urban strategies. She is also works for TEDC serving as the Project Manager overseeing the construction and leasing of The Shoppes on Peoria, an innovative economic development model to create new businesses and jobs in underserved communities. Plohocky is also the project manager for a USDA Community Food Project grant and consultant for the Tulsa Community Wellness Partnership TSET grant. She is a part of the Tulsa County Wellness Partnership to encourage Healthy Eating and Active Living. This resolution initiative deals with the importance of food accessibility, city walkability and employee wellness, just to name a few issues. She also serves on the Tulsa Food Security Council. Her latest project is being the founder of the Healthy Community Store Initiative (HSCI) whose mission is to provide quality, fresh food to the Oklahoma community through providing access to healthy community stores.

Lindiwe Chaza Jangira

Lindiwe Chaza Jangira was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia, now Harare, Zimbabwe. She received a Master’s degree in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University. She had a United Nations career spanned 13 years, most of which were spent managing programs for child protection in countries in conflict in Africa. Later, she helped direct a more urgent response to the HIV and AIDS Epidemic, the epicentre for which, was in southern Africa. She spent the next 13 years leading the civil society advocacy for more sustainable support to people living with HIV and leading national policy developments. In that effort to bring to the forefront of national and international policies, she became a familiar figure in many parts of the world, as a delegate on the Developing Countries NGO Delegation to the Board of the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria. She has prepared technical papers, worked as a CEO of an umbrella Non-profit organization for community-based interventions and established a small charity organization The Pink Butterfly Trust, which focuses on adolescent girls’ education and sexual and reproductive health. In March 2016, Lindiwe returned to the United States where she currently resides in Tulsa. Here she sits on several Boards of non-profit organizations and continues to do what she is most passionate about, the pursuance of social justice, for those on the periphery of society.

Nehemiah D. Frank

Nehemiah D. Frank is the Founder & Editor in Chief of the Black Wall St. Times. Frank is also the Co-Executive Producer of the “Dominic Durant Sports Show.” Frank graduated from Harold Washington College in Chicago, IL in General Studies, and earned a 2nd degree in Political Science from Oklahoma State University. He is highly involved in community activism, a middle school teacher, a blogger for Education Post, and dedicates most of his time to empowering and uplifting his community. Frank is a 2017 Terence Crutcher Foundation Honoree. Frank featured in NBC, Blavity, and Tulsa People.

Tori Burris

Tori Burris signed up for a middle school broadcast journalism course by accident and never looked back. After being awarded a Student Pillar of Excellence from the Mid-American Emmy Committee for her work, she spent two of her college summers on staff capturing photos of the human experience at a local summer camp for kids with disabilities, Camp Barnabas. Two study abroad trips later; Tori saw an international struggle when it comes to shaping perceptions of disability. Now, as a senior Marketing major with minors in Disability Studies and Economics at The University of Tulsa, she's interested in figuring out how we shift the narrative to better serve everyone. Tori shares a hometown with Brad Pitt, has two cats and is allergic to both of them, has texture issues, and has visited as many countries as she is years old.

Tracy Suter

Dr. Tracy A. Suter received his Ph.D in Marketing from the University of Arkansas. He joined The University of Tulsa as the first holder of the David and Leslie Lawson Chair in 2016. From 2001-16 he was a faculty member at Oklahoma State University. He has taught a variety of courses with most recent emphasis on Applied Creativity and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He is co-author of two books, over 20 journal articles, over 80 presentations at regional, national, and international conferences, and over 100 individual and student-assisted consulting projects. He has received numerous awards and grants for both research and teaching activities including the University of Arkansas Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Sherwin-Williams Distinguished Teaching Competition Award at the Society for Marketing Advances. Additionally, Dr. Suter has been interviewed by ABC News, CNN, USA Today, and the Washington Post among others. He was also twice nominated by Apple, Inc. for the Apple Distinguished Educators Award.

Written Quincey

Originally from College Hill, Cincinnati, Ohio, Written Quincey has called Tulsa, OK home for the past twelve years. A visionary with a creative lens through artistic expression, this gentleman capitalizes on favor and skill to enhance one of the world's most ancient forms of literature. Q, as he is known to many, studied at the University of Cincinnati, apprenticed in AmeriCorp has traveled the nation since 1997 and performed in over 50 venues. Since 2014, he has held position as the Artist in Residence at Tulsa Central High School for Fine and Performing Arts; Poetry Committee member at Living Arts; Slam Poetry Coach with Louder Than A Bomb and founder of Cypher120: Experience which is responsible for the urban musical, visual, literary artistic renaissance in Tulsa since 2013.