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).

Binghamton University Union UU206/209
4400 Vestal Parkway East
Binghamton, New York, 13902
United States

Andrew Foley

Andrew Foley is the development director of Better Days Greece, a Swiss-Greek NGO. Founded in 2015, Better Days focuses in the design of spaces that promote healing and trauma relief and customizes educational programming to power integration, youth development and a return to normalcy for displaced people in Greece. Passionately curious, a driver of innovation and alternate thinking, and capable of teaching himself pretty much anything in a weekend, Andrew believes that everyone has a unique skill-set, and that education should focus on encouraging students to recognize their own uniqueness, and unleash it. Prior to coming to Greece to offer support in Europe’s ongoing refugee crisis, Andrew worked in business development for a global IT security company. He has since guided Better Days transformation from an all-volunteer actor providing emergency relief to being one of the largest providers of non-formal education for refugee children in Greece.

Jonathan Caputo

Jonathan Caputo is a junior and triple major in Psychology, Philosophy, and Italian at Binghamton University. Outside of academics, he is very involved in his community, Hinman College. Jonathan has lived in Hinman for all three of his years at Binghamton and he has served as a Resident Assistant (RA) for the past two. This year specifically, Jonathan is the mentor RA for his building which means he is responsible for teaching the new RAs many of the job’s nuances. Additionally, he participates in many intramural sports with his friends, such as basketball, floorball, water polo, and flag football. Jonathan hopes to continue his education to eventually receive a doctorate in either philosophy or psychology and then teach as a research professor.

Kate Hagen

Originally hailing from the dark heart of the American midwest (Cincinnati, Ohio of course) Kate Hagen is a writer living in Los Angeles. She’s been the Director of Community at The Black List since 2014 — her work (including in-depth filmmaker interviews, an annual exploration of feminism and horror films, and the #LastGreatVideoStore series) is primarily available on the Black List Blog. Kate has also written for Lenny Letter, TCM, Seed & Spark, and xoJane, and her work has been featured in publications like The Hollywood Reporter, Five ThirtyEight, Vox, and Bustle. You can also hear her talk movies on How Did This Get Made?, Scriptnotes, The Canon, KPCC’s The Frame, and The Black List Table Reads. Kate’s personal obsessions include pulp, retro, and femme aesthetics, making mixtapes, women’s rights, the spooky, secret stories of Tinseltown’s past, and her ever-growing garden.

Komal Dadlani

Komal Dadlani is a Biochemist with an MSc from the University of Chile, she was awarded the CONICYT Scholarship of academic excellence, has research experience in nanobiotechnology and molecular diagnostics. In 2013 she started Lab4U to democratize science and change the way science is taught with a lab in the pocket. Komal has been a recipient of the Cartier Women Initiative Awards 2015, Toyota Mother of Invention Award 2017, MIT Technology Review 35 Under 35 Leaders in LatAm, Ashoka Fellow and internationally recognized by The New York Times, Forbes, People Magazine, and the BBC for her work at Lab4U as a top female entrepreneur.

Michele Rigby Assad

Michele Rigby Assad joined the CIA in January 2002 to work as an undercover intelligence officer. Specializing in counterterrorism and counterintelligence issues, Michele worked in Iraq and other secret Middle Eastern locations. After a decade of government service, Michele left the undercover life to serve as a public speaker, author, trainer, and security consultant focused on the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Her book Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What’s Worth Fighting For was released February 2018. Michele holds a master’s degree in contemporary Arab studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a political science degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University. Michele is motivated to use her unique platform to educate and inspire, showing how critical courage is to living a life of impact and purpose.

Peter Guttman

Peter Guttman is an author, photographer, adventurer and lecturer honored by a Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Exploration and Storytelling as well as being named three times the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year. He is the creator of two book series and authored eight hardcover books featuring his extensive travel discoveries collected during assignments to all seven continents and 240 countries Cited one of "20 of the World's Most Influential Photographers" when receiving the George Eastman Power of the Image Award, Guttman utilized photography and deep knowledge of the globe to create the iPad's very first number one bestselling travel app, Beautiful Planet. He taught at the International Center of Photography, had his work published In Condé Nast Traveler and National Geographic publications, featured in solo art museum shows, headlining exhibitions at Sotheby's and the United Nations, appearing on international postage stamps and residing in private collections of royalty and astronauts.

Sunil Thankamushy

Sunil Thankamushy is a video game-industry based animation director and creative executive who was part of core teams that developed highly acclaimed, and successful video game franchises such as THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK™, MEDAL OF HONOR™, CALL OF DUTY™: FINEST HOUR™, etc. This he did while working at, or collaborating with DreamWorks Interactive, Electronic Arts, Spark Unlimited, and Activision among several others. After his first child was born, Sunil decided to change his life direction and make knowledge-based games and products. With this as the goal, he launched DEEPBLUE Worlds Inc., to create smart and fun products that expand the mind. Forming broad coalitions with fellow creative entrepreneurs across the world, he designs and produces innovative game-like products using virtual reality, mobile, and animation technologies. Along with his entrepreneurial ventures, Sunil is a faculty at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt.SAC) near Los Angeles, helping lead the animation and gaming program.