Theme: Enlighten Up

Join TEDxUWMilwaukee for its 5th annual conference to contemplate how the challenges that tumultuous times pose may bring out our most innovative, passionate, and empathetic selves. This event will challenge an audience of over 300 people to connect, collaborate, and change the world.

Much like the first Enlightenment, humanity finds itself in the midst of an intensely exciting and uncertain period. The innovation, connectivity, and abundance of information in the “technology era” hold endless possibility, yet sociopolitical strife, isolation, and information control threaten to tear us apart. Enlighten Up speaks to the current state of Milwaukee, America, and the world, a state in which we are both on the edge of a new Enlightenment and in desperate need of hope. Enlighten UP will bring these two seemingly contradictory themes together in one event, emphasizing the diverse range of voices and ideas at the forefront of the new Enlightenment.

Helen Bader Concert Hall
2419 E. Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53211
United States

Deb DiSandro

Writer

Throughout her 30 years as a national speaker, award-winning storyteller, newspaper columnist, humorist, and writer, Deb has created her own innovative concepts to propel people to thrive. Her humor column and nationally known brand—Slightly Off on Purpose—were platforms to help professionals reduce stress and see the value of failing and help everyone embrace life's ups and downs with a sense of humor. As a national speaker for healthcare, education, and women’s events, Deb has inspired and empowered thousands of people to achieve their goals and dreams. She has been interviewed on many radio and television stations. Her coaching and training programs have helped many individuals achieve authorship, along with other personal and professional goals. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family—especially her new granddaughter, Eleanor—and upcycling vintage furniture.

Heidi Edwards

Teacher

Heidi Edwards is a high school English teacher with 18 years of experience. Heidi was called to teaching from a young age, a calling that several transformative educators in her life fostered. She has taught in almost every school setting: public, private, urban, suburban, rural, as well as working with students ranging from early childhood to high school seniors. Her students have come from all walks of life, cultures, backgrounds, races, and faiths. She is currently employed in the Muskego-Norway school district as an instructor of Accelerated English 10 and English 11. If you asked Heidi’s students about her, they would share with you her penchant to book-end all learning with personal stories and anecdotes; her passion for all things regarding her students and her classroom; and her teaching of values and practices that transcend reading, writing, and grammar and that extend to students’ lives beyond the classroom. Also, they would tell you she loves cats.

Ilian Iliev

IT Project Coordinator

Ilian Iliev is currently a project coordinator for the University of Information Technology & Services Department, where he coordinates internal resources to ensure that projects are completed and delivered on time, within scope, and within budget. He is also a member of Student Affairs I.T. and is involved in the Strategic Innovation Management team where, through a collaborative relationship with campus partners, he moves projects forward in a variety of fields by helping execute their intended outcomes, meeting individual and organizational goals. He is the co-author of “Radical Innovation: Blue Ocean Entrepreneurs, Skunk Works, & Beyond” and was involved in Operation Enduring Freedom by completing a tour of duty in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he received an Army Achievement Medal for his high degree of professionalism and ability to motivate others to excel. He has completed his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at Marquette University.

Isioma Nwabuzor

Attorney

Isioma Nwabuzor is a skilled corporate attorney employed with Baird, an international financial services firm headquartered in downtown Milwaukee. Attorney Nwabuzor presently serves as a Board Member for both the Sports & Entertainment Law and IP & Technology Law Sections of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Attorney Nwabuzor is regularly tapped to provide her professional and personal insight and has spoken at various events and for various organizations including, the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, Marquette University Law School’s Black Law Students Association, and Marquette’s BSC. Attorney Nwabuzor earned her Bachelor of Arts with double majors in Political Science and Psychology and her Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School. Attorney Nwabuzor currently resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Katie Mullen

Artist, Writer, Brand Strategist

Katie Mullen is a brand strategist, artist and writer born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. She co-owns BlackPaint Studios, an independent art and design company whose biggest clients are Planned Parenthood state affiliates across the country. Before starting BlackPaint in 2015, Katie spent more than a decade working on both the agency and client sides in Milwaukee and New York for brands like MillerCoors, The Nation Magazine and SC Johnson Family companies. Also a longtime art activist and general troublemaker, Katie leads BlackPaint’s covert mission to challenge the creative industry’s old school power structure by working to increase the number of women and people of color in leadership roles and by educating students about their power as change makers as part of the studio’s college speaking series, Unspoken Truths About Working in the Creative Industry. She’s also the founder of FROM HERE TO HER Artist Collective, an alliance of community art activists.

Kirsten Helgeson

Entrepreneur

Following her corporate exit in 2016, Kirsten immersed herself in global relief and empowerment work. That means she supports people going through extreme trauma, as well as works with organizations looking to empower under-served people. This work has taken Kirsten to all corners of the world, from refugee camps in Greece to orphanages in Haiti, from hurricane zones to public health crises. Armed with expertise and experience, she has recently founded The Metta Project and co-founded Orenda Eqwal Equity. Both organizations adopt complimentary, integrated approaches to social innovation that help communities, companies and citizens bring sustainable progress to life. She takes the hard lessons learned along the roads less traveled and makes them accessible to everyone, creating new ways to eradicate poverty, improve quality of life, and foster equality.

Michael Drescher

Media Entrepreneur

Michael Drescher (born July 14, 1954) is a media entrepreneur. In 1981 he co-founded JDTV, a multimedia and production company that built up the world’s largest database of interactive television and movie descriptions in 11 languages with an international distribution. In 1997, he established Drescher Holdings and in 2003, along with DHL, became co-founder, partner and director of global publishing for One World Yellow Pages. In 2010, he co-founded two companies: Okanjo’s SAAS marketplace and ad-tech platforms that transform content into commerce for publishers, and Tuesday (formerly Bodyhum), a product line focusing on women’s breast health. In 2015, the startup raised $1.7 million in follow-on funding. Drescher serves on the board of directors for Newaukee, Okanjo Partners, Vibrant LLC, MiKE and International Film Finance.

Quentin Allums

Video Marketer

Hey, I’m Quentin Allums. I’m the Chief Executive Officer of Urban Misfit Ventures. We own IEEG which is a influencer/video marketing company; as well as MKE Misfits which is an events company. I was also one of the first video creators on LinkedIn and have since used the platform to launch my new venture, accumulate millions of views, and travel the world for speaking engagements such as VidCon 2018. Fun Fact: I was a musician for 6 years and a collegiate athlete.