Theme: The Turning Point

The Turning Point is one day TEDx event, that will bring together a line up of impressive speakers from a variety of disciplines, to highlight issues surrounding human nature, local perspectives, and global involvement.
Topics range from cannabis activism, to medical misconceptions, to art/science balance, to first nations sounds and messages.
Please visit www.tedxlangford.com for more information on speaker line up, event program, and more.

The Westin Bear Mountain
1999 Country Club Way
Victoria, British Columbia, V9B 6R3
Canada

Alec Watson

Visual Branding Guru

Best known for his advertising work, Alec Watson is a multi-disciplinary digital media artist. As a photographer, his work has graced magazine covers, movies posters, album covers and a multitude of advertising from Coca-Cola and Starbucks to heads of state. As a director of photography, Alec has filmed ad work for companies like Starbucks, Britney Spears, Goldwell, KMS, Microsoft, Sexy Hair, music videos and several award-winning short films. A triple threat in digital media, Alec started as a recording engineer and earned platinum and gold records for record production, songwriting, keyboards, and backing vocals. Alec makes his home on Vancouver Island with his wife Sarah, two amazing children and two dogs--Abby and Arlo. Currently finishing his Master's Degree in Digital Media Design at Harvard, Alec teaches Visual Branding and shares insights that elevate the success of businesses at YOUR VISUAL BRAND .COM

Dr. Ali Zentner

Medical Expert: Obesity

As a national expert in the field of obesity and someone who has a lived experience with the disease, Dr. Zentner is passionate about changing the way we see the condition. The world demands a new generation of kindness and compassion more than ever before, and Dr. Zentner’s goal is to shift the public perceptions around obesity. She has made it her mission to fight for a more empathetic perspective on obesity within the medical community and society at large.

George Robinson

Career Pathways

Chief Executive Officer, George Robinson, is a recognized specialist in the cannabis sector and has consulted directly with 10 licensed producers and Health Canada, providing guidance and navigation through all stages of the application and licensing process. Mr. Robinson's consultancy team has extensive experience in building design, municipal bylaw compliance, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, cannabis growing and drying strategies, security, data collection and analysis, and project funding. His consultancy firm has proven knowledge and project execution in federal and provincial regulated industries including oil & gas, utilities, financial, federal agencies & departments and health care. Mr. Robinson is a B.C. Licensed Security Consultant, Black Belt Six Sigma Certified and past president of the BC Regional Council of the Canadian Security Association.

Hwmietun (Fred Roland)

Indigenous Voice

Born and raised in Khowutzun (the ‘Warm Land’) by a Coast Salish mother and Hawaiian lineage father, Hwiemtun (Fred Roland) received many teachings of his Coast Salish culture. Through spending many years with elders of his territory, Hwiemtun learned the cultural and spiritual traditions of his ancestors. During the last 20 years, he has journeyed around the world to explore and share ways of being with elders and healers of many indigenous tribes. He has been acknowledged as the Cultural Ambassador for Cowichan Tribes.

Jason Dorland

Performance Coach

Jason Dorland is an author, Olympian, coach, entrepreneur and storyteller who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of excellence for himself and those he supports. A graduate of the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Jason taught high school for 15 years and coached rowing for 10 of them winning 12 International Championships. He is the co-founder of the Left Coast Naturals – an organic and natural food manufacturer and distributor in Vancouver. Jason now shares his experiences and life-lessons through his keynotes and workshops, and consults as a high-performance coach.

Jeff Duke

Sustainable Fashion

Jeff Duke is an entrepreneur with a passion for sustainable product development and circular economy. In 2014 Jeff founded a travel and sustainability blog which eventually grew into an apparel company. L/L Supply uses exclusively waste materials to create limited edition, everyday apparel. This year the company will divert over five thousand of pounds of material waste from landfill and save over 10 million litres of water compared to traditional clothing production. Jeff also provides brand strategy consulting and sustainable supply chain management services for businesses looking to produce more environmentally conscious apparel. Jeff is an avid traveller, surfer and photographer. His drive to create a more circular model in the apparel industry is inspired by his love of the outdoors and continued adventuring around the world.

Kari Weber Young

Mental Health Advocate

"I've never met a stranger" are not just words to Kari Weber Young. They are her truth. People are her passion and enriching each life is her mission. Loneliness in a world of so much opportunity is a topic Kari often engages in as she shares openly that humans are not meant to do life alone. “We are so much better TOGETHER!” Along with raising her four children in Oregon, Weber Young provided community supports through her non profit, Umbrella 4 Life, starting 12 years ago with hosting free women's groups and engaging in public speaking for women, teens and business groups, Kari is an active example of what Contagious Living is. As a newly wed, Mrs. Weber Young recently moved to Canada, where she continues to be an International speaker and the bridge from one stranger to another...

Lucas Murnaghan

Water Photographer

Lucas Murnaghan was born in Toronto and raised in Ottawa, Canada. He obtained his medical degree from Queen’s University and completed his orthopaedic surgical training at The University of British Columbia. His early photographic work focused primarily on surf and adventure. He has always preferred to immerse himself in this environment leading to shooting from within the water. An accomplished triathlete and free diver himself, he works without additional SCUBA equipment, allowing him a deeper connection to his subject. This personal and organic approach allows for greater versatility and a heightened level of intimacy to the finished product. Murnaghan brings a fresh eye to a challenging medium and takes his audience with him, beneath the surface, to see things from a novel perspective.

Nicole Hajash

Indigenous Lawyer

Nicole Hajash is a member of the Da’naxda’xw First Nation, and a lawyer on a quest to advancing the engagement efforts and participation of First Nations in their democratic processes. Her passion for the democratic process has extended to her own First Nation as she has fought for community input and representation for more than ten (10) years. “In the age of reconciliation, facilitating opportunities for indigenous people to have their voices heard with their "say" and their "choice" through their vote has been very empowering for them and for me.” “In my experience, one small piece of reconciliation is happening and being propelled by indigenous people themselves, by asserting their voice and using it to make decisions about the things that matter most to them.”

Rishav Kumar

Whiz Kid

I started programming at the age of 10 years, curious about why my parents’ invoicing software would crash! I Published My First Photo-Editing App on the Apple iOS App Store when I was 14. Establishing RishavApps, a Software Solutions Company at the age of 14, I am among the Youngest Entrepreneurs in the world. I have been awarded WWDC19 Scholarship by Apple at San José, California. I’ve also Published apps on the Google Play Store. I’m Passionate about making EDMs and my songs can be found on all Major Online Streaming Platforms. I also Blog about Technology and My Travel Experiences. I love to explore different aspects of technology which change the way we work today.

Tanelle Bolt

Mobility Mentor

Tanelle lives her life as a 33 year old paraplegic who hurt herself in a recreational free jumping accident 5-½ years ago. Her spinal cord injury has shifted her expertise as an educated interior designer (Lethbridge College 2010) towards consulting, building action plans for businesses and corporations who wish to lead their industries in universal access and design. Tanelle's love interest in outdoor recreation continues to grow. Since injury she has reintroduced herself to skiing, hiking, biking, swimming, golfing and paddling, and found a new love in surfing. Her perspective shifted the day she became a paraplegic. All her efforts since then have been towards breaking down the physical barriers of the world and the perceived judgement of those who live in it.

Ted Smith

Cannabis Activist

Ted Smith is a big Boy Scout. Constantly helping others in need, Ted has successfully advocated human rights for decades. Founding the country’s oldest compassion club in 1996, he has played a large role in the battle to the legalization of cannabis. His publications include his book, HEMPOLOGY 101: THE HISTORY AND USES OF CANNABIS SATIVA, and Cannabis Digest newspaper, Canada’s largest publication on the subject for almost 10 years. In Jan 1996, Ted founded the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club, the oldest medical cannabis dispensary in the world. After his employee Owen Smith was arrested baking cookies in 2009, he helped manage the case to unanimous victory at the Supreme Court of Canada in 2015. Seen in the movie, Kid Cannabis, he has organized cannabis conventions across the country, coordinating or participating in approximately 3,800 rallies, meetings, press conferences and other events.