Theme: 180°

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).

Sage Hill School
20402 Newport Coast Drive
Newport Coast, California, 92657
United States

Ashley Sarkisian

Ashley is a junior who is studying the negative effects of addictive technologies in the world around her.

Derek Carlson

Derek Carlson is a computer science and mathematics teacher at Sage Hill School with fifteen years of experience.

George Reisman

George Gerald Reisman is an American economist. He is Professor Emeritus of Economics at Pepperdine University and the author of The Government Against the Economy (1979), which was praised by both F. A. Hayek and Henry Hazlitt, and Capitalism: A Treatise on Economics (1996). He is known as an advocate of free market or laissez-faire capitalism.

Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks

Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks is the President and CEO of Earth Friendly Products®, maker of ECOS™ Laundry Detergent and over 200 other environmentally friendly products. Kelly has been recognized for her highly effective leadership and influential voice in the green movement and in corporate social responsibility.

Luca White-Matthews

Luca is an innovative student entrepreneur. Since he was a kid, Luca has been focused on creating and executing ideas and companies that better the world around him and solve issues ranging from minor inconveniences to global issues.

Mindy Aguirre

Ms. Aguirre joined Sage Hill as a history instructor in 2012 and since that time has been a passionate champion for diversity, inclusivity, equity, and justice in all campus programs. Ms. Aguirre has spent most of her professional life working to enhance multiculturalism and inclusion through education and dialogue and was appointed Sage Hill’s Diversity Coordinator in 2014. She has developed diversity lessons and activities for the Sage Hill community, led professional development for faculty and staff, worked with students of all grade levels through the Sage Advocates of Multicultural Education (SAME) program and, as the 11th grade Service Learning Coordinator, initiated a Social Innovation curriculum for Service Learning that continues to inform the program today.

Tommy Burns

Tommy Burns is a senior at Sage Hill School who is passionate about surfing and the philosophical nature of existence and happiness.