Theme: Full Circle

All of the platitudes and over-used analogies can never accurately describe the experience of the 20 months preceeding TEDxOshkosh 2021. In addition to so many other things, the pandemic cancelled our 2020 event, but here we are, back again. Things have come “Full Circle” for all of us.

In 2014, the idea for TEDxOshkosh was born. In 2020, it could have died. Except TEDxOshkosh is more than just an annual event. It is the manifestation of a collective passion in the concept of “Ideas Worth Spreading.”

We found ourselves starting over, but not completely — because a true circle doesn’t have a beginning or an end. In 2021, we return to gathering with others curious about hearing ideas from the famed red circle and spreading them far and wide.

The Grand Opera House
100 High Ave.
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 54901
United States

Alina Bennett

Clinical ethicist, Researcher

Her nerd-heart drove her to attend university for entirely too long, resulting in a Master of Arts in Women’s Studies, a Master of Public Health, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in the Medical Humanities, all with mental health among incarcerated people as her research focus. As she was completing her studies in the Texas, she met and married a practically perfect woman who smokes the best Texas-style BBQ beef ribs. They live in Oakland, California where she helps people to think well about the moral dimensions of medicine.

Bethanie Gengler

Writer, Editor

Bethanie Gengler spent 15 years working in the pet industry before obtaining a BS in journalism from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Gengler is an award-winning writer who has served as the opinion editor, news editor and as a reporter for the college newspaper The Advance-Titan and as a contributing reporter for The Oshkosh Herald. She is the founder and director of a nonprofit dedicated to animal welfare. She works as a freelance writer and editor.

Blair Braverman

Dog musher, Writer, Adventurer

Blair Braverman is a writer, adventurer, and musher who has crossed thousands of miles of frozen wilderness with her sled dogs. She is the author of Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, a contributing editor to Outside magazine, and a contributor to The New York Times, Vogue, This American Life, and elsewhere. She lives in the northwoods with her husband, Quince Mountain, and their dogs.

Erin Stevens

Surgeon, Oncologist

Erin E. Stevens, MD is a women’s cancer expert specializing in gynecologic oncology surgery at Prevea Health in Green Bay, Wisconsin. A graduate of Ithaca College and New York Medical College, she went on to complete an obstetrics & gynecology residency and fellowship in gynecologic oncology. In doing this, she completed the equivalent of the 27th grade. She’s known for going above and beyond at her job, even once having her head shaved by a patient for a cancer fundraiser. She is a nationally recognized speaker, having given over 100 local, regional and national presentations on gynecologic oncology, living with cancer, sexual health, and end of life issues.

Gabrielle Dorn

Brand manager, Journalist

Gabrielle is an Oshkosh resident and graduate of UW-Oshkosh with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She started her career as a creative strategist at a local marketing agency and now works as the brand manager at Goodwill NCW. Although Gabrielle is more widely known as a mom and marketer, she is also a strong advocate for having fun and living life to the fullest. Gabrielle's mission to promote positivity, authenticity and build self-confidence among her family, friends & community is infectious and inspiring.

Heidi Nicholls

Cultural anthropologist, Educator

Dr. Heidi Nicholls is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, the Chair of the Indigenous Studies Committee, and advisor to the Inter-Tribal Student Council. She is an economic anthropologist who explores power dynamics, race, ethnicity and inequities and teaches courses such as Cultural Diversity in the US, Cultural Anthropology, Tourism, and Political Resistance. Off campus, Heidi collaborates with variety of stakeholders to offer Diversity, Equity and Inclusion workshops and talks, and is a part of the "Voices of Vision" podcast centered on social justice.

Jeanette Hurt

Journalist, Author

Jeanette Hurt is a journalist and cocktail historian whose books and articles explore culture through the lens of food and drink. Her award-winning work takes readers on a delicious journey to inspire them to create a good life. She is a spirits columnist for Forbes and a contributor to Milwaukee Public Radio. Of her book, Wisconsin Cocktails, noted bartender and author Jim Meehan says, "Hurt's definitive guide effortlessly toggles between history, journalism and sociology to capture the breezy idiosyncrasies of Wisconsin bars and the peculiar imbibing conventions of their loyal patrons with an earnestness that reads like a Coen Brothers script if you're nonnative or a Ken Burns documentary if you are."

Jim VandeHei

Journalist, Media publisher

Jim VandeHei is a co-founder and CEO of Axios, a media company focused on breaking news and invaluable insights across politics, tech, business, media, and the world. Axios was created to help readers and viewers get smarter, faster across the topics reshaping our country and lives. VandeHei also serves as executive producer on "Axios on HBO". Before Axios, VandeHei co-founded and was CEO of POLITICO, the media company that upended and revolutionized political and policy journalism in Washington, New York, and Europe. Overseeing both the editorial and business teams, VandeHei was the leading strategist behind its highly scalable and highly successful business model. VandeHei spent more than a decade as a reporter, covering the ins and outs of Washington politics and power, working at legacy publications such as Roll Call, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. VandeHei is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

John Curtin

Psychologist, Researcher, Educator

John Curtin, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the Director of Clinical Training for the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at UW-Madison and the Director of the Addiction Research Center. His program of research uses personal sensing and machine learning techniques for psychiatric diagnosis and risk prediction, precision medicine, and “just-in-time” interventions for substance use and other psychiatric disorders. His scholarship has been recognized by grants from the National Institutes of Health and awards from the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science and UW-Madison. Professor Curtin also contributes to UW-Madison's teaching mission, offering courses on substance use disorders, statistics, and applied machine learning.

Madeleine Pape

Sociologist, Olympian

Madeleine Pape is one of those rare people whose email signature includes both PhD and OLY: she is an Olympian who competed for Australia in track-and-field at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and she obtained her PhD in Sociology in 2019 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With the question of inclusion in women's sport now becoming one of the hottest gender equality topics of our time, Pape has been uniquely positioned to offer the perspective of both a sociologist and an athlete with intimate knowledge of the world of elite sport. Her research on the contentious responses of sports governing bodies to the quandary of inclusion in women's sport have appeared in top academic journals. Pape has also used her unique platform to contribute a nuanced perspective to public debates surrounding the place of both transgender women and women with high testosterone in sport in a wide range of media outlets including The Guardian, 1A, PBS NewsHour, NPR Weekend Edition, and BBC Newshour.

Pete Dulcamara

Scientist, Visionary, Futurist

Pete Dulcamara is an innovator, challenger and corporate futurist at Kimberly-Clark. In his role as Chief Scientist & Technical Vice President, Pete combines consumer insights with predictive data and trends to uncover new opportunities for the consumer goods company. He is a passionate proponent of humanity-centric innovation -- the intersection of exponential technologies with the business models of the 21st century to improve the lives of billions of people around the world. A proud advocate for developing solutions for the good of people and the planet, Pete serves as an Emeritus board member for NEW North, the economic development board for Northeast Wisconsin, and serves as the co-lead for corporate innovation for the NEW Launch Alliance. He also serves on the board of directors of Bassett Mechanical, and on the board of the Wisconsin Technology Council, the science and technology advisor to Wisconsin’s governor and the legislature.

Rebecca Langley

Research editor

Rebecca likes everything and cares about everything. She edits medical research and teaches English as a second language for a living, writes, home-schools her son, runs a mini-farm, and fights against human trafficking, all while trying to maintain an unreasonable number of hobbies. Her passion for making the world a better place, even if one is not an entrepreneur and has very little money, has given birth to ideas anyone can easily implement to begin having an impact.

Sean Lynch

Baritone singer, Bicycle shop owner

Sean Lynch, hails from Oshkosh, WI, where he earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He then attended the University of Iowa, earning a Master of Arts Degree in Voice. Sean has appeared with Fresco Opera Theatre, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, The Genesius Guild, and he has also been a young artist for the Oberlin in Italy Summer Program. Sean’s performance credits include Rambaldo in La rondine, Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus, The Vicar in Albert Herring, Grégorio in Roméo et Juliette, and Amelia’s Husband in Amelia goes to the Ball. An avid cyclist and outdoorsman, Sean is the owner of Winnebago Bicycle, an adventure cycling focused bicycle shop in Oshkosh, WI

Steve Szydlik

Mathematician, Educator

Steve Szydlik is a professor of mathematics at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where he has taught for 25 years after earning his doctorate in mathematics at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1997. After more than a quarter century as a mathematician, Steve still likes to think about abstract mathematical problems, and especially enjoys exploring topics he can share with a broad audience. He is fascinated by connections between mathematics and other disciplines, especially political science and economics. In recent years, he has published scholarship that connects the scoring of cross-country running races to voting. Beyond mathematics, Steve has found passion in distance running for four decades, with many years as a competitive ultra-marathoner, including on the U.S. 100 kilometer team several times, and the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii in 2007.