Theme: Prism

In this year’s event, we will push you beyond the known prism of your life, community, world. To envision the future. To experience the highs and lows of other communities, cultures, worlds. To find new meaning from old ideas. Like a prism that takes white light and creates a multicolored rainbow, the talks will unveil the hidden shades of the world.

Black Box Theatre
6100 Mason Montgomery Rd
Mason, Ohio, 45040-7771
United States

Bud Strudhoff

Intervention Specialist

Bud Strudthoff is an 11th grade intervention specialist at Mason High School. This is his second year in the district and twelfth year teaching. Mr. Strudthoff also teaches at Wright State University in the education department. Outside of school, he enjoys watching TV with his wife and playing in the back yard with his three children: Adley (5), Gus (4), and Lucy (1). Mr. Strudthoff favorite hobbies are watching The Office and portrait photography.

Dr. Christopher Lewis

Founder of Village Life Outreach Project + Professor

Christopher Lewis, MD is a native of Cincinnati whose work revolves around service to others. He is a family physician for UC Health and Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He also strives to make an impact in education, serving as the Vice Provost for Academic Programs at UC. He received his bachelor’s degree in Biology at Harvard University, then attended the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine for medical school and residency. Dr. Lewis founded the Village Life Outreach Project, a non-profit organization that partners with communities in Tanzania, East Africa to “unite communities to promote Life, Health, and Education.” Locally, he is a member of the Cincinnati Board of Health and the Cincinnati Medical Association. Dr. Lewis is passionate about his family, including his wife Alicia and daughters Grace and Vivian.

Geoff Thatcher

CEO of Creative Principals + Author

Geoff’s eclectic background always delivers a fresh perspective as his experience includes everything from a traveling exhibition in Saudi Arabia to the American Airlines Museum in Texas. Whether it’s the world’s largest video dome on a beach in Dubai or the opening ceremonies of the Rio 2007 Pan American Games in Maracanā Stadium, Geoff has been there. Recent and current projects include branding a new indoor theme park, creating a new special effects theater and brand experience center for FM Global in Singapore, leading the creative for the grand opening of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and publishing a book on growing up in a theme park.

Hannah Humes

Hannah Humes is a funny, caring 18-year-old who will graduate from Mason High School in 2020. She was born in Baltimore and lived in Pennsylvania for nine years. She moved to Mason in 7th grade. Hannah considers herself a pop music and pop culture queen. She enjoys volunteering with children, access and inclusion in school, her friends and clubs. She loves to swim and travel with her family. Hannah was accepted into the 2019 Next Steps Summer Institute at Vanderbilt to think of college as an option. This summer she will also be a first-time presenter at the National Down Syndrome Congress Convention in Pittsburgh. Hannah wants to be teacher and she works hard at everything asked of her. She is a leader and trailblazer within the Mason City School District. Hannah was born with Down Syndrome or Trisomy 21.

Jagger Vetter

MHS Alumni

Jagger Vetter is a 2019 summa cum laude graduate from William Mason High School. He is an aspiring environmental engineer where he will be attending the University of Cincinnati in the fall. Through his degree, he will tackle many of today’s pressing environmental problems. His dedication to the environment has led him to raise over $1,500 for the Sierra Club Foundation and contribute to the 4Ocean campaign, as well as his involvement in the MHS environmental club and other environmental service opportunities. Some fun facts about Jagger is his love for skateboarding and surfing where he feels more connected to the environment, he is a lead guitarist in his family band - The Vettinatorz, member of the 2017 & 2018 cross country regional champion teams and represented Mason at the state championships, a customer service associate at Drishtiq Yoga, and a Bodyarmor sports drink enthusiast!

Kaylee Swanson

MHS Alumni

Kaylee Swanson is 18 years old and recently graduated from Mason High School. After high school, she plans on starting her own business and going into youth ministry. She loves motivating people and sharing her ideas. She was so excited that she was chosen to speak at a TEDx event. In her free time she loves to ride the bike, read her bible and listen to music.

Nikki Wilson

Fulbright Scholar + AP Literature Teacher

Nichole and Rory are seasoned speakers and consummate foodies! Nichole has been teaching Language Arts for 19 years, and she is an AP Lit Reader, Mentor, and Consultant for the College Board. A former journalist, adjunct instructor in journalism, PR director, and Fulbright Scholar, she recognizes the power of voice in storytelling and has explored food culture around the world. She also worked in the restaurant industry for 9 years and developed an awareness of the sociological importance of the rituals of food. Rory has worked in the radio industry for 26 years; most recently, he was the VP of Sales for CBS Radio in Atlanta, where he coached a diverse sales staff and built cohesion and project engagement across all levels of staff, management, clients, and key decision-makers. Also a foodie, Rory hosted the famous "Monday Night Supper Club" in Cincinnati for 8-25 people once a week for six years.

Rory Flynn

VP of Sales for CBS Radio + Host

Nichole and Rory are seasoned speakers and consummate foodies! Nichole has been teaching Language Arts for 19 years, and she is an AP Lit Reader, Mentor, and Consultant for the College Board. A former journalist, adjunct instructor in journalism, PR director, and Fulbright Scholar, she recognizes the power of voice in storytelling and has explored food culture around the world. She also worked in the restaurant industry for 9 years and developed an awareness of the sociological importance of the rituals of food. Rory has worked in the radio industry for 26 years; most recently, he was the VP of Sales for CBS Radio in Atlanta, where he coached a diverse sales staff and built cohesion and project engagement across all levels of staff, management, clients, and key decision-makers. Also a foodie, Rory hosted the famous "Monday Night Supper Club" in Cincinnati for 8-25 people once a week for six years.

Ryan Berg

CEO and Co-Founder of Aruna Project

Ryan survived a street fight in India, conquered the Great Wall of China, tangoed with the Turkish police, broke a Guinness World Record, taught English to inmates, and competed against NBA All-Stars, all of which are linked by the common thread of serving those in need. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Secondary Education from the University of Toledo where he played on the men’s basketball team and served as a University Ambassador. He is a Praxis Fellow. He is the co-founder and current CEO of the Aruna Project, an Athleisure lifestyle brand combining the best of non-profit and for-profit to create lifelong freedom to the sexually enslaved in South Asia. He and his wife, April, live in Cincinnati, OH with their 3 children.

Shriya Penmetsa

MHS Student

Shriya Penmetsa is an incoming senior at Mason High School, where she is the president of National Honor Society and the Secretary of Fundraising/Finance for the Speech & Debate Team. She is heavily invested in public speaking as she spoke at March for Our Lives Cincinnati in 2018, and she has worked as a public speaking teacher at the Hua Xia Chinese School for the past 3 years. Shriya is also passionate about social justice and learning about government. Above all, Shriya loves meeting new people and making new connections. This has pushed her to invest her time in many opportunities this summer that will further her knowledge about government, business, and language - one of such opportunities being a service trip to Guatemala where she will teach English to local residents who are searching for work. After high school, she hopes to pursue an degree in business, while continuing to be politically active in her community.