Theme: Forth

The TEDxFargo team is crafting the ninth TEDxFargo event in our community – which will be held on July 26, 2018. This day will be a chance for our community to share ideas and experiences, as the team brings another world-class event to the Fargo Moorhead. There will be local, national and global thought leaders who will be sharing their ideas on the main stage to help solve challenges and create possibilities. We want to empower people to be solution-orientated, believing that ideas can change the way the world works. We want to encourage you to listen to new ideas, find a topics that you’re passionate about, and then take action to enable those ideas. So we’re asking, “How will you go forth?”

207 4th St N
Fargo, North Dakota, 58102
United States

Barry Batcheller

Barry Batcheller has a B.S. degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from NDSU. Following graduation, he joined Steiger Tractor, Inc as an electronics design engineer. In 1983 he founded Integrated Technical Systems Corporation in Valley City, ND on behalf of Steiger and was their Chief Operating Officer. He founded Phoenix International Corporation in 1987 and was President and CEO of Phoenix until the company was purchased by John Deere in 1999. Barry was appointed Director of Technology Growth at John Deere in 1999. He founded Appareo Systems, LLC in 2003, and now serves as their Chairman. Barry has received numerous awards related to his contributions to the state of North Dakota and the city of Fargo. He has over 30 patents.

Brad Smith

Brad Smith is Microsoft’s president and chief legal officer. In this role Smith is responsible for the company’s corporate, external, and legal affairs. He leads a team of more than 1,400 business, legal and corporate affairs professionals working in 55 countries. These teams are responsible for the company’s legal work, its intellectual property portfolio, patent licensing business, corporate philanthropy, government affairs, public policy, corporate governance, and social responsibility work. He is also Microsoft’s chief compliance officer. Smith plays a key role in representing the company externally and in leading the company’s work on a number of critical issues including privacy, security, accessibility, environmental sustainability and digital inclusion, among others. Smith joined Microsoft in 1993, and before becoming general counsel in 2002 he spent three years leading the Legal and Corporate Affairs (LCA) team in Europe, then five years serving as the deputy general counsel responsible for LCA’s teams outside the United States. Smith has overseen numerous negotiations leading to competition law and intellectual property agreements with governments around the world and with companies across the IT sector. He has played a leading role within Microsoft and in the IT sector on government surveillance, privacy, intellectual property, immigration and computer science education policy issues. He has played a leadership role locally and nationally on numerous charitable, business and legal initiatives. In 2013 he was named by the National Law Journal as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the United States. In 2014, the New York Times called Smith “a de facto ambassador for the technology industry at large.” In addition to his work at Microsoft, Smith is active in several civic and legal organizations and in the broader technology industry. In March 2015, Smith joined the Netflix board of directors. He also works to advance several significant diversity and pro bono initiatives, serving as chair of the board of directors of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and as chair of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). In addition, Smith chairs the board of the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship program, at the appointment of the governor. Smith grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, where Green Bay was the big city next door. He attended Princeton University, where he met his wife, Kathy (also a lawyer), and graduated summa cum laude with a concentration in international relations and economics. He earned his J.D. from the Columbia University School of Law and studied international law and economics at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to joining Microsoft, he was an associate and then partner at the Washington, D.C.-based firm of Covington and Burling, where he is still remembered as the first attorney in the long history of the firm to insist (in 1986) on having a personal computer on his desk as a condition for accepting a job offer. He can be followed at http://twitter.com/@bradsmi.

Candy Suiso

As Program Director for Wai`anae High School - Searider Productions, Candy Suiso oversees one of the most innovative Creative Media programs in the state of Hawaii. Searider Productions is an integrated program on the island of Oahu that integrates photography, video production, journalism, and graphic arts. Currently, she is focused on increasing the number of commercial and professional projects in which students participate. She also oversees fundraising initiatives, and has successfully spearheaded efforts securing state, federal, and private grants. Candy grew up in Makaha, Hawaii - graduated from Wai`anae High School, received her B.A. in Liberal Arts from the University of Northern Iowa and teaching certificate from Chaminade University of Honolulu, In 1999, she received a prestigious National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation. She began her teaching career using a VHS video camera as a Spanish teacher at Wai`anae High before starting Searider Productions in 1993. Candy owns and operates the Makaha Mango farm with husband Mark, a Financial Planner for First Hawaiian Bank. Makaha Mangoes, located in Makaha Valley on Oahu, is home to over 70 mango trees of 12 different varieties and numerous other tropical exotic fruits.

Ellen Solberg

Ellen Solberg was born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota and is now attending school at North Dakota State University where she is pursuing a degree in Marketing. She joined the North Dakota Air National Guard her senior year of high school (2015) where she has since begun to purse a career. She is passionate about education and learning inside and outside the classroom. One thing she has noticed is that throughout all levels of school, kids are often expected to have an idea of what they want to be when they grow up. Since graduating high school she’s realized that it is okay to not know what you want to be and it is also perfectly acceptable to pursue several different passions. Ellen believes she would love to work with Pixar, in a national security agency, with the creative department of a fashion magazine, or run her own business.

Hamse Warfa

Hamse Warfa works at the intersection of community building, philanthropy and social entrepreneurship for over the past 20 years. He is deeply passionate about rewriting and changing the social and economic 'rules' and systems that marginalize and exclude people from opportunities to live their lives with dignity.

Jared Kamrowski

Jared Kamrowski is the founder of Thrifty Traveler, the leading source for flight deals, cheap travel tips, and maximizing travel rewards. Jared honed his travel skills by traveling over 100 nights a year while working as a Federal bank examiner. He left his job in 2017 and now runs Thrifty Traveler full time flying over 100,000 miles per year. You can catch him flying the fanciest first class cabins as well as budget airlines, paying only pennies on the dollar. Jared believes there is no such thing as a "once in a lifetime trip". He’s a firm believer that travel should be cheap and accessible for all. Jared is a Fargo native, attended the University of North Dakota, and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He currently resides with his wife Erica in Minneapolis, MN.

Jerry White

Jerry White is a social entrepreneur, humanitarian, and human rights advocate known for leading high-impact campaigns, three of which led to international treaties: the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Cluster Munitions Treaty, and the Landmine Ban Treaty. Jerry worked closely with the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and Queen Noor of Jordan, helping lead the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize for Peace. His book "Getting Up When Life Knocks You Down" describes Jerry's struggle to overcome limb loss by working with war survivors worldwide. A Senior Ashoka Fellow and Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia, Jerry recently launched Global Impact Strategies (giStrat), a technology platform that helps leaders make wiser decisions faster.

Jessica Metcalfe

Dr. Jessica R. Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Arizona. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on Native designers of high fashion. She is the owner of Beyond Buckskin, which is a website and business dedicated to promoting and selling Native American made fashion. The Beyond Buckskin blog focuses on all topics related to Native fashion, including contemporary design, historical adornment, and issues related to cultural appropriation in the fashion industry. The Beyond Buckskin Boutique sells Native American-made couture, streetwear, jewelry, and accessories, and is based out of the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, ND. She has taught courses in American Indian studies, studio art, art history, and literature at tribal colleges and state universities. She has presented at numerous national conferences, lectured at museums, and co-curated exhibitions. Her current work focuses on Native American art, clothing, and design from all time periods, with an emphasis on contemporary artists.

Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux

Monique Lamoureux-Morando and Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson were born in Grand Forks, North Dakota and are the first North Dakotan’s to win an Olympic Gold Medal. They are three-time Olympians winning silver in 2010 and 2014, and most recently capturing the gold in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. They are both graduates of the University of North Dakota getting their undergraduate degrees in exercise science and their master’s in Kinesiology. Monique and Jocelyne were both leaders on Team USA in their fight for gender equality against USA Hockey. They helped lead their teams’ boycott prior to the 2017 World Championships for equitable support, fairer wages, and greater support for girl’s hockey programs at grassroots levels. Team USA signed a historical agreement two days prior to the World Championships where they went on to defend their world title. They are committed to utilizing their platform as athletes to be a part of the more important conversation surrounding gender equality, equal opportunity, and inclusion.

Joseph Schoning

Joseph Schoning is a 16 year old GED student, born and raised in Bemidji, Minnesota. He didn't succeed in high school because of anxiety and work ethic but always loved math and english. Since leaving high school, Joe has pursued music while doing PCA for his disabled grandpa. Doing everything in his power to make the best music he can, he plans on going to college next fall for political science and music theory. All of this is yet to be truly decided all he knows is he wants to change the world. He tends to spend his free time writing and hanging out with friends. His close family consists of a brother, a father and a grandpa, but he has friends that he counts as family too. Most importantly, he is honored to make his first step towards the future by giving a TEDx talk.

Juliette Watt

Born and raised in London, England, Juliette was a stunt horse rider for MGM pictures then later a London Playboy Bunny. From 18 she spent the next 20 years performing a one woman show in cabarets world-wide. In 1971 she moved to Beirut, Lebanon where she lived for 4 years during their vicious civil war. Moving to NYC in her forties, she thrived as a soap opera scriptwriter, winning two Writers Guild Awards and a nomination for a Daytime Emmy. She then become an ATP pilot and Master Flight Instructor which led her to working for 10 years at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, eventually flying rescue missions in New Orleans saving abused and abandoned dogs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Over 6000 animals were saved. Currently she is on a passionate mission to help and guide people who have lost themselves in who they've been for everyone else. For more information and to contact Juliette, please visit her website: juliettewatt.com

Mark Sylvester

In 2003, Mark Sylvester helped create the first social network for the TED Conference. He has created hundreds of Communities that include global organizations who want to make a cultural change in how they connect with their audiences. Mark’s been on the leading edge of software development for more than thirty years. As a co-founder of Wavefront Technologies, Mark helped develop software known as Maya, that revolutionized the way the world is entertained. Working with major studios, he introduced the world to computer-generated animation and received many accolades - including several Sci-Tech awards and an Oscar. Mark is also the Ambassador for the 805connect project, an economic vitality network that was awarded the California Small Business of the Year Award. As a TEDx podcaster and Producer of TEDxSantaBarbara, Mark is constantly looking for 'Ideas Worth Spreading' and believes that helping people make smarter connections is definitely one of those ideas.

Mary Ann Kristiansen

Mary Ann Kristiansen purchased the home of Hannah Grimes in 1991 and has been possessed and driven by idea of the well-crafted home and work and community of Hannah Grimes ever since. Inspired by the idea that what Hannah and her family couldn’t make or grow, they bought from friends and neighbors, Mary Ann started Hannah Grimes Marketplace and the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship to create markets for local products and a hub for local entrepreneurs. She also co-founded Radically Rural, a national summit to shape and share radically rural ideas to make sure that our rural communities are not just great places to live, but also great places to work.

Michelle Lucas

Michelle Lucas was raised in the Chicagoland area and found a passion for space very early in her life. She studied Aerospace Engineering, Communications & Space Studies at Purdue University and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. During this time she conducted microgravity fluids research on NASA’s KC-135 aircraft and also worked as a counselor at Space Camp in Florida. After graduation from college, Michelle spent 11 years working at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. She began on the Safety Reliability & Quality Assurance Contract as part of the Payload Safety Review Panel for experiments flying to the International Space Station. After this she worked as a Flight Controller in Mission Control for the International Space Station for the Ops Plan Group and as a Astronaut Technical Instructor in the Daily Operations Group. Additionally she worked with each of the International Partners (European Space Agency – ESA, Japanese Space Agency – JAXA and the Russian Space Agency) in the field of Daily Operations, Flight Controller and Instructor Training. Michelle was responsible for the basic instructional training of all technical instructors for in the US as well as for the ISS International Partners. Michelle was part of the Core NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) team for 9 missions where astronauts would carry out analog space missions underwater in the Aquarius habitat. Along the way, Michelle found she has a passion for exciting the next generation and founded the non-profit Higher Orbits to use space to excite and inspire students about STEM, STEAM, Leadership, Teambuilding and Communication. Higher Orbits flagship program is called Go For Launch! This program allows students work with an astronaut and other accomplished individuals in the fields of Space, STEM and STEAM. Additionally, Michelle and a business partner run uniphi space agency – a talent management company for retired astronauts. Michelle is proud to be a Space Camp Alumni and member of the Space Camp Hall of Fame and believes that collaboration in space and STEM is the key to the stars! Space Inspires!

Mike Sime

Mike is the President/CEO and co-owner of Rapid Packaging, a national distributor of packaging materials, shipping supplies and the packaging equipment headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. 2018 is the third consecutive year Minnesota Business Magazine has named Rapid Packaging one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For”. Mike is in long term recovery and is or has been on the boards of non-profit and for-profit organizations, including Hazelden Betty Ford, Augsburg College’s StepUP, SCSU Recovery Community, Dalco, Spring Hill GC and others. He was the keynote speaker at the 2018 North Dakota Governors Prayer Breakfast Mike and his wife Pam chaired the 2012 Minnesota Prayer Breakfast and are members of River Valley Church. They have three grown children, two grandchildren and live in Wayzata, MN.

Nick Ybarra

Nick Ybarra is a self-employed director of adventure. In 2012 he established Legendary Adventures New Discoveries LLC. L.A.N.D. exists to create legendary adventures for people to experience new discoveries about themselves, the great outdoors and more. Nick is the creator and director of the Badlands Race Series, consisting of eight annual events that are dubbed, “the raddest of races, in the baddest of places.” Nick founded the Save The Maah Daah Hey Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization that brought our country’s longest non-motorized, single-track trail back from extinction, when the USFS lost the funding and staff to maintain the trail. Nick has dedicated his life to saving the Maah Daah Hey Trail from erosion, overgrowth and ultimately extinction by volunteering to annually mow, trim, prune and shovel the entire one-hundred and eighty miles of the MDH and connecting trails into findable, useable and enjoyable condition, for all trail users.

Pamela York

Pamela York is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and inventor with success in several high-tech industries. She is the co-founder and general partner of Capita3, a venture capital firm focused on early stage women-led companies in health sectors. Previously, Pam pioneered three technology platforms that went on to successful commercialization and co-founded two venture capital backed startups, each with successful exits. Pam has been building and investing in startup and venture capital ecosystems in the U.S. Midwest for 10 years. She recently turned her attention to the emerging opportunity of female founded startups, where she now invests and applies her passion and experience in startup launch and transformational leadership development to turn founders into top startup CEO’s.

Rich Karlgaard

Rich Karlgaard is the publisher and futurist of Forbes Media. His writing is known for its keen assessment of technology, economic, business and leadership issues. Karlgaard’s 2014 book on innovation culture, The Soft Edge: Where Great Companies Find Lasting Success made the lists of top business books of 2014 for Inc., Time.com, 800-CEO-READ and Huffington Post. His 2015 book, Team Genius: The New Science of High Performing Organizations, was hailed by Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. His next book is titled Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed with Early Achievement. It will be published in March 2019. Karlgaard is an investor and participant in Silicon Valley. He started three organizations and is a Northern California regional winner of E&Y’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Karlgaard holds a B.A. from Stanford University. He and his family live in Silicon Valley.

Sadiyo Hassan

Sadiyo Hassan and her family were refugees from Nairobi, Kenya. Growing up in a single-parent, low-income household motivated Sadiyo to focus on the one thing she had complete control over: her education. In 2018, Sadiyo graduated from West Fargo High School as valedictorian of her class. Sadiyo’s love for engineering was fostered through her involvement in FIRST Robotics. Her passion for problem solving inspires her to seek out global issues and address it with a local perspective. This passion led her to working with the local West Fargo Police Department to address problems they were facing with their emergency response system. What started off as a high school STEM Capstone project turned into an eye-opening experience that lead Sadiyo Hassan to become a software developer and co-founder of Rising Tide Software—a tech startup company that develops software solutions for emergency agencies. Sadiyo is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering with a minor in Business Administration from North Dakota State University.

Smita Garg

Smita is a passionate community-builder. Having lived in Italy, India, the USA, Zambia, Canada and China, she understands the value of creating connections, investing in relationships and engaging with diverse peoples. This is reflected in her broad range of community involvements through organizing cross-cultural events, serving on non-profit boards, and volunteer activities. She is a recipient of the ATHENA Leadership Award®. Smita holds an MBA in International Marketing from Temple University, Philadelphia. Her diverse professional background ranges from being a ‘domestic engineer’, to working in the manufacturing sector, cooking classes, language service business, market research industry, immigrant serving agencies, and various aspects of the career services field at a direct service, project and policy level. Prior to her current position at the NDSU Career Center, her primary accomplishment in public service was the development and implementation of an Immigration Action Plan for the City of Saskatoon, Canada. Multi-lingual, with an interest in culture, travel, and unity in diversity, she is a strong believer in the difference that one person can make. She recently moved to Fargo with her husband Adi. Their three daughters, Aditi (Chris), Avni and Aneri who live in Canada are her inspiration.

Steven Villescas Jr.

Steven Villescas Jr. is a second-year graduate student in the Master of Communication Management program at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. In March, he traveled to Thailand as a part of a USC student delegation to meet with NGOs and companies to discuss corporate social responsibility and communication advocacy. Villescas attended Rio Hondo Community College where he competed on the forensics team, becoming the first student in the college’s history to win a Gold National Community College Speech Championship. He was subsequently recruited by the University of Texas at Austin to compete on scholarship for Texas Speech, the National Speech Champions. He graduated from UT’s Moody College of Communication with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies. This summer, Villescas is interning at The Raben Group, a public affairs and strategic services firm in Washington D.C. Villescas was born and raised in Whittier, Los Angeles County, California. He is a first-generation college student.

Thamrong Dechawuth

Thamrong (Keng) Dechawuth is a restauranteur. He was born and raised in Chiangmai Thailand. He received a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Southern California in 2000. He has been involved in restaurant businesses since 2006, and has opened more than ten restaurants in North Dakota, Minnesota, California, and Georgia. He likes traveling and learning cultures through diversities of food. One of his favorite places is Hawaii, where he visits almost every year and fell in love with local food “Poke.” In the summer of 2017, he started a poke food truck and plans to open the poke restaurant shortly after.