Theme: 20/20 Vision

20/20 Vision asks audience members to consider a future vision for our world, be inspired to move beyond past mistakes, and think about that which challenges our perception of "perfection."

We hope you are all safe and healthy. As our original event date would have been tomorrow, we are saddened to think about what we would have been doing right now to set up and prepare for the event. Thank you for your continued patience as our team decides the best move going forward.

Our speakers have messages worth sharing and we are determined to host our 20/20 Vision event in some way or another. Our best case scenario is postponing until we are able to hold our event in-person some point over the next several months. We highly value the interactions that participants have with the speakers and the conversations that stem from reflecting on their messages. If this ends up not being possible, an alternative option would be for us to host a virtual event with participation happening remotely.

Ultimately, we are awaiting an update from the Governor’s office regarding events moving forward in Illinois. Please let us know if you have any questions.

McHenry High School East Campus
1012 N Green St
Mchenry, Illinois, 60050-5721
United States

Emad Mahou

Human Rights Activist, Speaker

In 2011 Mahou was a human rights activist and a key leader in the civil uprising against Syria’s brutal dictator, Bashar al-Assad. In June of the same year, Mahou was detained and tortured for over three months because of his beliefs. When he was released, he fled Syria and found asylum in Chicago in 2012. Today, Mahou is a staff member at DePaul University and a proud American citizen. As a result of his experiences, and with a passion for democracy and freedom, he finds himself even more grateful to participate in everything the American democracy has to offer. This being the second TEDx event he has participated in, Mahou finds a new passion in sparking inspiration in those around him to take action and participate in local government, whether it be on Staff Council within the workplace, or at the polling booths.

Hayden Power

Entrepreneur

Hayden Power is the co-founder and CEO of one of Canada’s fastest-growing digital marketing companies. Armed with a mission to make a big dent in the small business failure rate, he views every problem as an opportunity and goes through each day asking himself and those around him, “What if…”. Because, to him, there is nothing more invigorating than challenging dogmatic, old social norms to make way for a better tomorrow.

Jamie Seltzer

Entrepreneur

Jamie is founding partner at Metis Football Holdings, LLC – a sports-based enterprise using analytics to improve performance in European soccer. Previously, Jamie was a vice president of Waverley Capital. Jamie has been an active angel investor in the media sector and currently serves on the board of directors of Karate Combat and on the Advisory Board of Vi Trainer. Prior to joining Waverley, Jamie co-founded and was CEO of Alpha Audiotronics, Inc. d.b.a "Skybuds" (acquired by Vi Trainer). Skybuds was a pioneer in wireless audio and voice with national distribution in retailers such as Best Buy and Equinox. Prior to Skybuds, Jamie was an associate at Saban Capital Group, a private investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment and communications industries. Earlier in his career, Jamie worked at UBS, Apollo Global Management, and Sling Media.

Jason Kotecki

Artist, Author, Speaker

Jason Kotecki is a professional reminder-er and permission granter who moonlights as an artist, author and professional speaker. Jason and his wife Kim have made it their mission in life to help people and organizations break free from Adultitis to build better lives, businesses, and teams. Jason is the author of six books, including his latest, “A Chance of Awesome: How Changing the Way You See Changes Everything.” He creates art, observations, and experiences that inspire people to rekindle their childlike spirit and create the life they were made for. An avid eater of sugar-laden cereal, Jason enjoys Star Wars, soft t-shirts, and brand new tubes of paint. He and Kim homeschool their three weird kids and live in Madison, Wisconsin where they eat way too many cheese curds.

Jason Raynor

Author, Instructor, Speaker

Jason Raynor is an instructor, change speaker, and author. In his first book, "I Used to Be Racist", he talks about growing up in Brooklyn, NY and being in the 5th grade during September 11th. Like many Americans, he watched the news the day of and the days following the attacks. He developed a substantial amount of hatred towards anyone that represented Middle Eastern culture. After moving to Ohio for college and experiencing racism for the first time, he began rethinking the negative thoughts he had for people who truly meant no harm. Jason is extremely passionate when teaching adults and youth about identifying symptoms of trauma and recognizing different cultures without prejudice. His goal is to make participants comfortable enough to analyze their own ignorances. He breaks down the steps needed to ensure future generations don't become consumed by the negative information spread on a daily basis.

Logan Cohen

Entrepreneur, Education Hero, Speaker

Logan is a Co-founder & CEO of KÜDZOO, a mobile application that fosters mindful consumption & good habits by recognizing and rewarding students for volunteerism, kindness & academic achievements. KÜDZOO has over half a million student users and is in over 46,000 schools in the USA. Cell phones are often seen as a distraction for students, Logan sees them as tools of opportunity to help close the achievement gap. Logan specializes in business development and has a passion for social impact ventures. Logan was named to Forbes 30 under 30 in Education, is a Laureate of The Rybakov Foundation Education Hero Award, was a featured speaker at 2018's SXSW EDU, has been named to one of CIO's top Female Entrepreneurs to watch, and Magic Johnson's 32 under 32. Logan studied Finance and International Business at Florida International University in Miami, Florida.

Nilly Naseer-Farooqui

Computer Scientist, Entrepreneur, Social Media Influencer

Nilly Naseer-Farooqui is an entrepreneur, computer scientist, philanthropist, Peak Performance speaker, and a social media influencer. She is currently a systems analyst at Northwestern University and a lifestyle blogger whose profile, Words Behind a Smile, caters to an audience of more than 10,000 people across the globe. Mentored by the renowned author Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul), she is certified in teaching his principles for success. She is also an ambassador and prevention education speaker for Shared Hope International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and restoring human trafficking victims.

Sarah Voska

Climate Change Activist, Ecosystem Restoration Specialist.

Sarah first got involved in environmental topics as a youth representative while in High School. She now serves as the director of the Online Youth Exchange, a digital classroom for youth environmental activists. Though this program, international youth have accessed tools and training to support local community engagement. The program works to share best practices and develop leadership capacity to address the environmental and climate crises. Her personal mission is to support micro level community engagement to promote macro level environmental & social justice. Sarah has worked extensively in climate change & environmental education at the local, national and international level, including speaking at the UN Climate Talks in December 2019. Sarah graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with a Bachelor’s of Science in Sustainable Management. She currently works at Bluestem Ecological Services, a native habitat restoration company, supporting environmental education.

Victoria Thompson

Therapeutic Arts Coach, Professional Speaker, Spoken Word Artist

Los Angeles based Motivational Speaker and Spoken Word Artist, Victoria L Thompson has become known for her unique lyrical perspective and powerhouse performances. After serving in the Navy as an Aviation Computer Technician, completing a degree in psychology, and experiencing a mind-altering tragedy she found herself called to the stage. As a mental health advocate Victoria uses lyrical expression to educate, identify, and empower people from all walks of life. As a therapeutic arts coach she challenges clients to venture beyond the surface and dive deep into themselves to discover their inner voice.