Theme: Pushing the Envelope

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).

Musee McCord
690 Sherbrooke St W
Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1E9
Canada

Aren Bezdjian

Scientist + Clinical Researcher

Aren Bezdjian is a Ph.D. candidate in Experimental Surgery at the faculty of Medicine of McGill University. His work is focused on rehabilitating hearing-impaired children through implants that apply the human body’s natural ability to hear through bone vibrations. Aren has presented at conferences to medical communities across the globe and has previously been featured as a keynote speaker on platforms such as TEDx. He is the founder of two start-ups. Recently, Aren was recognized as being one of the very few researchers in the world to have published 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles before the age of 30.

Bernard Lebelle

National Innovation Leader - Deloitte Canada

Sense-maker, futurist & strategist, Bernard strives to create a momentum to build an inclusive Future of Abundance through Digital Transformation & Exponential Technologies. An Innovation consultant & serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of international experience, Bernard has lived in 7 different countries. He chairs the Human Impact Lab, an NGO focused on creating a Future of Abundance by funding financially viable local projects to tackle climate change challenges by scaling existing technologies with the buy-in of citizens and the approval of local governments. Bernard is an accomplished author and has been a guest-lecturer at Sciences-Politique in France and Ivey Business School in Canada.

Dr. Zina Suissa

Psychologist + Professor

Dr. Zina Suissa is a psychologist, Executive Coach, and for many years taught at McGill University at all levels of Management. An Adjunct Professor and Coordinator of courses, she has been honoured with a Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Suissa was also a Faculty member in the Psychology Department at Dawson College. Prior to leaving Dawson College, having been witness to the number of students that have Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, she designed a coaching program for students with ADHD. Dr. Suissa is the founder and President of Resonance Executive and Team Coaching. She is a member of the Order of Psychologists of Quebec (OPQ), the International Coach Federation (ICF), the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA), and the NeuroLeadership Institute (NLI). Dr. Suissa’s TedxMcGill talk will be focused on Courage and Convictions. She believes that courage inspires us to find our voice and conviction allows us to follow our hearts.

Emma Lim

Student + Climate Change Activist

Emma Lim is an organizer with Climate Strike Canada. She started striking alone from school in November of 2018, when the total number of students striking in Canada numbered in the tens, instead of in the hundreds of thousands. Minister. She founded the No Future Pledge, a pledge not to have children until the government takes serious climate action. Currently, Emma coordinates the strikes in Ontario and in Northern Canada. On May 3rd, Emma delivered a plea for climate action to the Prime Minister.

O'Nell Agossa

Student of Strategic Management and Finance

O’Nell is an African Canadian fourth-year student at McGill studying strategic management and finance. He was born and spent part of his childhood in Benin, a francophone west-African country, before moving to Quebec City back in 2007. Growing up, he was always involved in multicultural community-building events and developed a passion for global communities. By sharing his personal experience and similar stories of others, his talk will revolve around the idea that diasporas-related experiences can be leveraged to connect the world better and foster genuine global collaboration. By embracing diasporas members as global ambassadors around the globe, we give ourselves opportunities to generate systemic leadership, thus helping us in pushing the right envelopes in the years to come.

Rob Barlow

CEO of WireIE

Born in the rural community of Thessalon, Ontario, the WireIE President and CEO Rob Barlow understands the importance of serving the underserved. Barlow, an entrepreneur by nature, has many years of industry experience, holding key positions in companies such as Hydro One, Clearnet, and TELUS. Rob started his career realizing the huge gap in the digital divide on a day to day basis, through his work as a lineman with Ontario Hydro. He took this as a call to action and joined an emerging cellular company, Clearnet. After learning the ropes of the wireless industry, Barlow learned he could be more effective in solving these problems by focusing on the digital divide and created WireIE.

Tristan Surman

Filmmaker + Creator

Tristan Surman is a creator and organizer. He's been making movies for six years, and he recently spent two months working in Johannesburg, making documentaries about local educational initiatives. He began organizing arts and educational events with TIFF when he was 15 and has since organized several more through the McGill Tribune and École Publique. He recently founded My Media Creative, an organization which works with impact-creators to develop innovative multimedia campaigns, and provides purpose-driven experiential opportunities to learners. Tristan wants to reformulate our educational systems to provide space for creative learning. He is going to pull on his experience as a creative learner and educator to explain how we might do that.

Valéry Brosseau

Mental Health Advocate

Valéry Brosseau has been volunteering and working in the field of mental health for over seven years. This experience, combined with her lived experience with mental illness, has made her a strong mental health advocate. She will be discussing how pushing the envelope of what is socially acceptable can allow us to effect important changes in mental health awareness. Changing our conversational standards can teach us all how to start combating stigma in our circles.

Viveca Lee

Student + Mental Health Advocate

Viveca is a third-year student at McGill, completing a BSc in Honours Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. After recovering from Anorexia Nervosa in her early teenage years, she has been aspiring to help improve society’s current lack of understanding of eating disorders. She is a research assistant at the BEEP Lab and is currently working on a thesis project investigating cue-induced psychophysiological responses in eating disorders. Viveca is passionate about creating a positive impact in the community by volunteering at an eating disorder resource and support center, and by giving presentations about mental illness in secondary schools around Montreal. Through her Ted talk, Viveca will be giving listeners an insight into eating disorders from a sufferer’s perspective and clarify some of the wide misconceptions about them. Ultimately, she hopes her talk will contribute to normalizing discussion on mental illness and ending the stigma surrounding it.