Theme: Designing Our Future

True to the TED mission, TEDxBarryU brings together innovators and change-makers to share insights gained through both personal and professional experience. The theme for this year is Designing Our Future. We strive for the speakers to share the knowledge and stories that they have obtained throughout their lives on a personal and professional level, leaving the audience with a positive, constructive message that will help them better design the future to enrich the world for the upcoming generations.

Brinkley Studio at Barry University
11300 NE 2nd Ave
miami shores, Florida, 33161
United States

Anita Zavodska

professor of environmental sciences

Anita Závodská is an associate professor of environmental sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida. She has been at Barry University since 2002 and teaches courses in environmental science and climate change. She is a trained garbologist and conducts international municipal solid waste research. Her other research interests include waste management and recycling, sustainability, and environmental and adult education.

Juan Hidalgo

Activist

Industrial Engineer from Chile who first started a tech startup, then worked for The Boston Consulting Group in Chile and now working as part of a social enterprise started by former Obama White House officials called Future Partners LLC. We work with large institutions, Fortune 500 firms, hospitals, Universities and Government on how to create economic development in minority communities through their procurement activities. Biggest project right now is with a network of 300+ hospitals in NYC

Keenan Harell

sports philanthropy advocate and public speaker

Proud graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, sports philanthropy advocate and public speaker, Keenan is a highly motivated and mission-driven leader striving to catalyze social good through his philanthropic work as a Community Relations Coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Keenan is tenaciously committed to creating real, positive change in his community and is particularly passionate about mobilizing others to give back and make a lasting impact.

Nathan Sykes

Entrepreneur

started a marketing firm, Howdy Interactive, at age 15. Grew it to 170 employees, contractors, and freelancers working out of two offices in two separate countries, working on marketing for everyone from small businesses to the Fortune 500. Since then, now two years later, he has dedicated a lot of time to helping high school and college students start their own business and climb the path to financial freedom.

Philip Stoddard

Mayor of South Miami

Dr. Philip Stoddard has been a professor of biology at Florida International University since 1992 and Mayor of South Miami from 2010 to 2020. In 2015 Mayor Stoddard was appointed by the White House to the Governance Coordinating Committee of the National Ocean Council where he developed national policy for sea level rise. Mayor Stoddard was named by Politico Magazine to the Politico-50 “guide to the thinkers, doers and visionaries transforming American politics in 2016”. Miami New Times named Mayor Stoddard the “Best Politician of 2017”. A big proponent of renewable energy, his house and car are powered by the sun.

Tracy Litt

Mindset coach

As a certified mindset coach, best-selling personal development author and rapid transformational therapist, I’ve worked with thousands of people to understand this idea. This has gifted me with a deep understanding of which practices work and which don’t. I understand human potential and what blocks us, and how to remove those blocks. Through actual client transformations I know these talk topics and the practical, actionable tips I will share, it will create a huge impact and work for people