TEDxDecatur is an independently organized TED event in Metro Atlanta, Georgia. The first edition of TEDxDecatur was held on July 28, 2018, and featured the following presenters: Kay Wallace, Linda "Pearl" Fils-Aime, Faise One, Nicole Golston, Abe Mohammadione, Ron Garrett, Byron Garrett, Flying Mystics, Rachel Waford and Lateshia Woodley. Al Wiseman served as MC. In addition to the live presenters, the audience was treated to the videos of TED or TEDx talks by James Veitch, Huang Yi and OluTimehin Adegbeye. Photos of the event can be seen at www.flickr.com/people/tedxdecatur/

TEDxDecatur Venue
TBD
Decatur, Georgia, 30030
United States

Abe Mohammadione

VP of Creative & Production at Ideas United

Abe is VP of Creative & Production at Ideas United (IU), an agency and production company focusing on full-service content creation, experiential marketing and integrated partnerships. Over the past decade, he’s helped grow IU’s Campus MovieFest (CMF) into the world’s largest student film festival and foster an ever-growing collective of creatives, called We Make. He now focuses on leading a team of the best and brightest emerging talent on content and event projects of all shapes and sizes.

Byron Garrett

Chairman of the National Family Engagement Alliance

One of the most compelling voices of our time, Byron V. Garrett is Chairman of the National Family Engagement Alliance (NFEA); a nonprofit dedicated to transforming education through meaningful family engagement. Byron is the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of The Valdecio Collection, a lifestyle brand consisting of clothing, watches and fragrances. The former Director of Educational Leadership & Policy for Microsoft, Byron is a consulting author for Scholastic and released the Byron V. Garrett Social Emotional Learning Collection in 2017 to foster social and emotional learning in today's classrooms. Currently, Byron is an advisory board member for High Point University and the CeCe Peniston Youth Foundation. Named a Black Enterprise 100 Modern Man of Distinction and The Root 100, Garrett has been profiled and featured on a number of media outlets including FOX, NBC, Dr. Phil, USA Today and The Today Show.

Faise One

Hip-Hop Artist and Social Activist

Faise One, born Omari Shaman Hargrove, is a young artist of Atlanta. Since a very small child, Faise has always been attracted to solving problems. He was always eager to explore options that lead two opposing subjects to a balanced compromise. Since the age of five, he has been working with using words to help express and promote positivity and to encourage perseverance and the pursuit of truth. He found a super power, rap, that allowed him to impact people's lives for the better as he grew into who he is today. Currently 19 years old, he practices self development firmly and exercises the power of not only choice, but of good choice, with hopes of influencing others to do the same. Faise coins the acronym, "C.H.O.I.C.E." standing for Correcting Habits Of Inviting Consequences Early. His self-acquired name itself has an acronymic meaning: "Forever An Inspiration Seeking Eternity Omari Never Ends." He is working diligently at ensuring the reality of that name, now and forever.

Flying Mystics

Instrumental Trio

Flying Mystics is an instrumental trio based out of Atlanta. Ancestral contemporary, shamanic journey, sonic healing, transformational, and world music are common descriptions of their unique sound. Aquarius Magazine calls the group "Musical Shamans, instrumental and technical precision while maintaining an artistic and creative flow makes their recorded and live work an experience of transcendence, magic and wonder." They present their original and transporting music as an offering to the listener. Flying Mystics are currently in the recording studio working on their 4th CD and have been touring and performing some of their new material. Whether opening for Carlos Nakai, Peter Kater, Alex Grey Visionary Arts Festival, or the Drepung Loseling Monks of The Mystical Arts of Tibet, Flying Mystics appeal to the spiritual roots of the world, creating music that reminds us of our mystical origins.

Kay Wallace

Leadership Consultant

Kay Wallace earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama – her home state -- and a Masters in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. Specializing in translating visions into strategic and operational realities, she has held numerous leadership positions in management, operations, marketing, consulting and project management. For more than three decades, strategic consulting firms, non-profit organizations, technology-based start-ups, premier international consumer products and global chemical companies have benefited from Ms. Wallace’s expertise. Kay has played key roles at Atlanta-based STAND UP (“a Think and Act Tank for Working Communities”), the Coca-Cola Company in sub-Saharan Africa, Dow Chemical, and the Atlanta Olympics and has served on multiple non-profit boards.

Lateshia Woodley

Assistant Superintendent at Kansas City Public Schools

Dr. Lateshia Woodley, once an alternative education student, is now a school administrator specializing in working with at-promise students and in school transformation initiatives. From 2008 to 2018, Dr. Woodley worked as a turnaround leader to help bring about positive changes in some of the lowest performing schools in Georgia. She became Assistant Superintendent at Kansas City Public Schools in the summer of 2018. Dr. Woodley has received numerous award and accolades, including the 2011 Outstanding Woman in Education Award, 2012 Resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, 2013 Acknowledgements from the US Department of Education, 2016 National Dropout Prevention Center Crystal Star Award, 2016 GAAE Administrator of the Year Award, 2017 Central Learning Community Principal of the Year, 2017 ASCD Emerging Leader, 2017 IALA Author of the Year for Education, and 2017 Shining Star Educator.

Linda "Pearl" Fils-Aime

Model and Transformational Leader

Linda Pearl Fils-Aime, the founder of Pearl School of Modeling is an expert in teaching transformation, both in the world of modeling and in the world of next generation leadership preparedness. The modeling industry is often narrow-casted as just about physical appearance and presenting only the façade of the person. However, Linda Pearl Fils-Aime has discovered a new way to upend the old modeling industry to become a tool to help shape future global leaders of all sizes, gender, perspectives and mindsets. Linda Pearl Fils-Aime is a seasoned fashion model, performing artist, author, speaker, and university professor. Pearl began her professional career as a model walking the runways for Ebony Fashion Fair, touring the U.S., Canada and Caribbean.

Nicole Golston

Magazine Editor/Manager of Communications, Award-winning Toastmaster

Nicole Golston has led the editorial charge at Goizueta for more than 10 years. As managing editor for Emory Business magazine, she writes, edits, and manages a pool of freelancers along with the publication process from inception to delivery. Prior to working at Emory’s Goizueta Business School, Nicole served as Medical Editor with Pfizer Inc., in New York. A journalism graduate from Ohio University, she’s held positions on daily newspapers and specialized medical publications. Enhancing her leadership and speaking skills, Nicole is past president and the current treasurer of Toastmasters@Emory. When not working her side hustle, Nicole lives in Atlanta with her two young adults, Destiny and Terence.

Rachel Waford

Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor

Rachel Waford is a licensed clinical psychologist in Atlanta, GA and an assistant professor in Emory University’s Schools of Public Health and Medicine. Dr. Waford received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston, MA and her post-doctoral fellowship at Emory University/Grady Health System in Atlanta, GA. Her area of interest and specialty is early identification and intervention for individuals living with severe mental illness, with an emphasis in early psychosis. She also promotes recovery, and destigmatization of mental illness in communities via education and advocacy, and co-authored the text, The Psychosis Response Guide: How to help young people in psychiatric crises. Dr. Waford lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Jared and their dog Sweet Lou.

Ron Garrett

Business Development Coordinator for Knewskill

Dr. Ronald D. Garrett is the Business Development Coordinator for Knewskill, a company dedicated to developing learners into adaptable, collaborative, problem solvers with the entrepreneurial drive to perform and evolve at the speed of work. In 2017, Garrett, along with a core leadership team, designed, and implemented the Katie J. Wright re-entry dorm program at Phillips State Prison. This program focuses on equipping men with the soft skills necessary to be successful upon reintegration into society. During his incarceration, Garrett earned a BA in Theology (2003), Master of Ministry (2009), and a Doctor of Ministry (2012). On September 4, 2018, he will be released from Augusta Transitional Center after completing a twenty-year prison sentence. Garrett’s vision for the future is to plant a Purpose Driven Church, specifically to meet the needs of returning citizens and their families.