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).

BVI International Arbitration Centre
3rd Floor Ritter House
Wickham's Cay 2
Road Town, Tortola, Virgin Islands, British, VG1110
Virgin Islands, British

Angela Burnett

Environmental Officer (Climate Change), Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, Government of the Virgin Islands

In 2007 she graduated from Brandeis University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development. Angela also holds a Master of City and Regional Planning (M.C.R.P.) degree from the Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Her primary goal as an environmental manager and planner is to promote sustainable and progressive communities that balance environmental, social and economic goals and that are resilient to climate change. Angela has served with the VI Government as the Territory’s Climate Change Officer since 2008. In this role she has designed and implemented public education programming, established a standing climate change committee, conducted a vulnerability and capacity assessment of the tourism sector to climate change, authored the Territory’s first Climate Change Policy, helped design and manage local adaptation projects and helped lead the development of the Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund.

Asiyah Grant

Survivor

Asiyah received a Bachelors of Science in the field of Civil Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo. With that degree she moved (a.k.a drove) all over the United States with the Federal Highway Administration where she worked to install roads, tunnels, and bridges. Her favorite assignment was when she worked in NJ as part of the team to implement the EZ pass system in NYC. She is a native New Yorker who always wanted to explore the world. She took her first adventure when she went away to college and then a second adventure when she took her first job out of college. They both moved her all over the country. But her latest adventure was to move to the BVI where she got married and decided that the warmer climate worked best for her.

Colin O'Neal

CEO, Joma Properties

Colin O'Neal is a Political Science and History graduate of Boston University and a Law graduate of the University of the West Indies. He founded and practiced in the law firm of O'Neal Webster for approximately twenty years representing public and private commercial clients in a wide range of transactional work, before becoming Chief Executive Officer of JOMA (Properties) Ltd., a real estate development and management company in the British Virgin Islands. Besides his legal and business careers, he has a longstanding and continuing involvement in public service including appointments as a Magistrate, President of the BVI Bar Association Chairman of the Public Service Commission, the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, Chairman of the Recreation Trust, Deputy Chairman of the Financial Services Commission among several other appointments, past and present. He has a keen interest in real estate development, political economy, architecture and planning.

Ehab Tarabay

Technology

“Intrigued by technology from his early years, Ehab’s curiosity steered him into a path of technological indulgence. He has worked in the Information technology field all his life, and is primarily interested in data security and machine learning. His personal interests include human consciousness, emotional intelligence, and the capability of the human mind. This has drizzled into his nerdy side, where he is always on the journey of seeking to understand how technology can help in extending the human experience.“

Karen McShea

Vice President, Director of Real Estate Development, Lupoli Companies

Internationally recognized for her industry expertise, Karen specializes in complex and mixed-use project development, real estate positioning and marketing strategies, market analysis, public/private partnerships, and development implementation strategies. Karen additionally provides development consulting with an emphasis on complex waterfront development destinations. Specialties: Destination Consulting, Corporate Relocation Strategies, Development of Waterfront and Urban Revitalization Projects, Marketing and Asset Positioning, Public Private Partnerships, Deal Structuring, Highest and Best Use, Strategic Planning, Economic Analysis Karen has worked throughout the globe including major US cities such USA - Boston, San Francisco, Washington DC, Cincinnati. Colombia - Cartagena. Latvia - Riga. Russia - Moscow. Caribbean - Puerto Rico, Curacao, Montserrat, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic.

Lynda Reid

Principal, Kusala LLC

Dr. Reid's eclectic career has always been driven by her passion to guide people in enhancing their life’s evolution. This passion has led her to explore a great diversity of roles in a wide range of locations. Her teaching, coaching, and consulting career began in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and has moved her back and forth through the Caribbean, the United States, and China. Those journeys inspired and guided her Master’s thesis and Doctoral dissertation on the importance of cultural immersion and the development of multicultural leadership. She thrives by stretching her creative and intellectual abilities to inspire, engage, and expand individual and team potential. Her ‘Go-To’s’ are the latest in the neuroscience of coaching, talent and executive development, change management, and work-life harmony.”

Maria Moreno Carranco

Profesor of Social Sciences and Humanities at the Autonomous University of México at Cuajimalpa

María Moreno Carranco studied a BA in Architecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She holds a Master of Architecture and a Master of Art in Design from UC Berkeley. She has practiced architecture in Mexico and in the United States. She holds a PhD in Architecture from UC Berkeley. María has taught in the masters in urbanism at the UNAM, in the department of Design at UAM Cuajimalpa, and in the departments of architecture at UC Berkeley and at the Universidad Iberoamericana. She is a professor in the Department of Social Sciences at UAM-Cuajimalpa, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in urban studies. María was a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley in the academic year of 2015-2016 participating in the Global Urban Humanities initiative sponsored by The Mellon Foundation. She is a member of the board of experts in strategic projects for the city government of Mexico City.

Mike Dieterich

President, Rise industries

Mike Dieterich is a LEED Accredited Professional, environmental scientist, author. He creates and implements policies on energy and water efficiency. Design and build Net-Zero Energy buildings. He has worked on US federal and state government contracts overseeing and improving the construction and energy processes. Featured as a sustainability expert for a UNESCO sustainability conference, US Congress, UN Climate Action Forum, U.S. Universities, The New York Times and various national broadcast outlets, including a TEDx Talk in 2016 on "A Zero Energy, Water, Waste Future".

Najan Christopher

Assistant Secretary External Affairs, Office of the Premier, Government of the Virgin Islands

Biographical Data Ms. Najan Christopher was born and raised in the British Virgin Islands. She graduated from the then BVI High School in 1993. At age 18 she traveled to the Netherlands to participate in a Regional Tourism Management Programme, which afforded her the opportunity to live and work in Breda, Netherlands, London and Germany. She attended Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo Michigan from 1996-2000, where she was a member of the Carl and Winfred Lee Honors Collage, completing a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in International and Comparative Politics, while Minoring in Business Law. She moved to Washington DC in 2000 and to complete an internship with the Washington Centre for Internships and Academic Seminars, where she worked for the World Organization, a pilot project of the World Bank. Prior to returning to the BVI she worked as a Financial Assistant at the NAACP National Voters Fund, in Washington DC.

Peter Rosen

President, ProSolar Systems

Peter Rosen founded ProSolar Systems, a turnkey solar development and installation company, in 2008. His extensive background in real estate development and the bank industry provided a strong foundation for ProSolar to quickly become one of Florida’s Top 3 solar developers within 2 years. ProSolar Systems is a licensed electrical contractor. Through 2012, ProSolar was responsible for more commercial rooftop installations than any other developer in the state of Florida. Peter has expanded ProSolar Systems into one of the largest solar companies in the Caribbean , with offices in 4 countries and territories . After hurricanes Irma and Maria , Peter and his company has been responsible for getting power to several hundred families and business . ProSolar Systems is now one of the largest Tesla Powerwall installers in the world. Peter will explain his vision of energy and battery storage in the future.

Victor Saade

Student, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland

Victor Saade is pursuing a MS in Electrical Engineering and Smart Grids Science combined with a Minor in Energy at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. Victor has been leading the Swiss Team who won the U.S. 2017 Solar Decathlon Competition thanks to their innovative house called the NeighborHub. In order to graduate in July 2018, Victor is now performing his final internship as a Microgrid Engineer at Tesla Motors in the Silicon Valley.

Vincent Wheatley

Chairman. VGROC

Mr. Vincent Wheatley, a son of the soil and last of five siblings, was born in the North Sound area of Virgin Gorda. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Freed-Hardeman University, in Tennessee, USA and a Masters Degree in Mathematics Education at the University of Leeds. He has worked in both the public and private sector, including the post of Vice Principal of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre. Apart from the Public Service and the numerous committees he serves on, Mr. Wheatley has always been an avid supporter of his community. Outside of his busy work schedule, he participates in numerous volunteer and community activities, is the incoming President of the Rotary Club Of Road Town, member of the VI Sloop Foundation, member of the BugOut Steering Committee, and most recently the Chairmain Virgin Gorda Recovery Operations Centre, VG-ROC.