Theme: Acknowledge. Deconstruct. Empower

This year TEDx TRU is back to challenge the status quo and shed light on how we have the power to create an impact in the community by acknowledgeing different perspectives.

By opening the conversation to everyone, we are not just getting a different point of view but are also aiming to reach the crux of the matter by deconstructing the facts.

Only by empowering others to be fearless we will be able to create positive change.

Grand Hall Conference Centre
805 TRU Way
Kamloops, British Columbia, V2C 0C8
Canada

Brody Butts

Brody is a young adult with high functioning autism. Currently, he is pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree at Thompson Rivers University and loving every moment of it! Since my diagnosis, he has been an advocate for the autistic community and even been nominated for Advocate of the Year at the 2018 BC Excellence in Autism Awards. He hopes to spread awareness and knowledge on what autism really is and how educational and professional systems can support those with autism. Furthermore, he aims to deconstruct stigmatisms around autism and empower those who believe that autism will hinder them, or someone they love.

Darrick Morrison

He is a futurist, an inventor, with several patents to his name. Darrick is an artist, entrepreneur, and innovator. He believes strongly in corporate social responsibility, a new age of democratic empowerment via technology, and developing products that positively impact the world. For the past few years, Darrick has been incorporating this same creativity into the tech industry, working particularly in Artificial Intelligence, Augmented/Virtual Reality and blockchain applications. Darrick is on a mission to meet and connect with changemakers and visionaries, to support them on their path, and help catalyze fruitful connections in his network.

James Gordon

James has been working for the Sustainability Office at TRU for the last 5 years. Prior to this he did a Masters degree in Environmental Education and Communication from Royal Roads University where he wrote his thesis, Pond hockey dads and climate change: How Canadian fathers feel about the threat of losing the game they love. He is very concerned about the health of key environmental aspects of the planet and recognizes the need for deep and widespread improvements in these areas. However, he’s also deeply touched by the constant examples of inspiring people and technologies that are addressing these issues and trying to make a positive difference. He witnesses examples of this on a regular basis right here at TRU and believes that institutions of learning can and should position themselves on the front lines of tackling environmental problems.

Juanita Lindley

Juanita is an Indigenous woman descending from the Upper Nicola Band of the Syilx (Okanagan) Nation. She has a Masters of education through the Thompson Rivers University. In 2018 Juanita was awarded a Social Science and Human Research Council (SSHRC) connections grant for her research proposal Envisioning a HUB Center for Healing. Juanita carries an undergrad in Chemical Addictions through the University of the Fraser Valley and Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. She has been working and helping others heal from addiction and Intergenerational trauma for the last decade. With strong integrity, she believes that we must break social norms of how we view addiction and healing in order to make sustainable change. Juanita holds and creates space for others to find their voice.

Julio Viskovich

Julio is a marketing instructor at Thompson Rivers University with a specialization in marketing. He is a former marketing Professor at the Sauder School of Business at UBC and Simon Fraser University. After working as Microsoft's senior sales and marketing trainer in Canada, Julio worked at Canada’s Billion dollar social media startup company Hootsuite where Forbes.com named him one of the top 30 social media influencers of 2014.

Marcia Dick

Marcia has been working both publicly and privately on waste reduction programs. She currently works for the City of Kamloops as the Solid Waste Services Analyst maintaining data pertaining to solid waste collection and disposal as well as oversees the City's recycling program. Marcia also has a business called Waste Naught BC, where she helps all sectors better manage their waste through waste audits and waste management planning. She believes that a world without waste is possible, and with the collective effort of every one of us, we can turn 21 billion tonnes of worldwide waste into 21 billion tonnes of worldwide resources!

Mike Miltimore

With a background in Electronics Engineering, sound design, wood & metal working, Mike had all the prerequisites to become the inventor of a revolutionary new type of guitar. The Miltimore Family has been in the music store business for over 40 years. Starting with humble beginnings in the garage of Rose and Lee Miltimore’s family home, the business quickly grew from a regional electronics servicing company to a retail music store specializing in renting sound equipment and electronic repairs. Joined by Mike Trelenberg in 2006, the team and pair of Mike’s started to build custom acoustic guitars together. After 6 years, Mike finally brought what is now the patented Riversong Technology to the market.

Nicholas Adams

Nicholas is a lifelong entrepreneur and learner. He has worked in a wide variety of fields, gaining an array of skills and knowledge that he has employed in his various business and social ventures. Nicholas now focuses on using his entrepreneurial approach to create social change. He is the co-founder and chair of Kamloops Makerspace and serves with many other non-profit organizations Owing his skillset to strong mentors in his life, he aims to pay it forward through empowering the next generation of leaders. Nicholas has a passion for education and discovery, teaching everything from sewing to robotics. He embraces the unconventional and seeks his own path while encouraging others to define their own journey

Zach Abney & Madison Olds

Madison Olds Canadian based acoustic pop singer songwriter, writes and performs in styles of Julia Michaels and Ed Sheeran. Career highlights include opening the same stage as Kacey Musgraves and Willie Nelson at Rockin’ River Fest. Her single, "Moments in the Mountains", written for Kamloops’ 2018 BC Winter Games, caught the interest of tourism and television and has 300k streams on Spotify. Her latest single, "Thank You" launched to national Canadian radio fall 2018 landing at #76 on Hot AC charts. Recent highlights include opening for Tyler Shaw and Scott Helman and being selected as a CBC Music’s 2019 Searchlight top 10 artist. Highlighting acoustic roots, her debut album, BLUE, just released. Zach Abney His artistic stirrings began when he was mentored as a child by his good friend and relative, Tomas Braithwaite. Tomas encouraged a focus on composition and lighting. Later on, Zach worked with Ralph Galloway, painting wildlife and landscapes, with a focus on both atmospheric and linear perspective. He attended Emily Carr University for three years in the General Studies program. Zachary's painting style is heavily influenced by Richard Schmid, Robert Bateman, and Casey Baugh. Zach now works almost exclusively in oils, and his subject matter tends to focus on extremely emotional periods, either aggressive, violent, and dark or tender, intimate moments