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).

2301 Vanderbilt Place
Sarratt Cinema
Nashville, Tennessee, 37235
United States

Antonella Valdivia

Antonella Valdivia is born and raised in Miami, Florida, and has recently begun a position as a Program Coordinator in the Student Center for Social Justice and Identity at Vanderbilt University. As a first-generation Latina womxn, she is passionate about helping undergraduate students of underrepresented populations gain access and succeed in their higher education experience. Since graduating from Vanderbilt University – Peabody College with her master’s in Higher Education Administration, her interests include student affairs, education policy, multicultural student services, and diversity/equity/inclusion work. She is also a scholar-practitioner and is currently pursuing research projects centering on college identity development for Latina womxn. In her free time, she loves to dance and listen to Hamilton!

Cait Kirby

Cait S. Kirby, MS is a PhD candidate at Vanderbilt University where she studies mitochondrial DNA copy number regulation in worms. Cait is interested in promoting equity, access, and inclusion in higher education. She makes resources for teachers and learners. Recognizing the disparities in on-campus COVID-19 experiences for students from marginalized groups, Cait created a series of Twine stories that garnered attention in the higher ed sphere. Cait’s focus on equity and inclusion in higher ed is informed by her experiences in graduate school and permeates her TEDx talk.

Cecilia Williams

Cecilia Williams (’21) is an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Science majoring in Communications Studies with minors in Human and Organizational Development and Spanish. At Vanderbilt, Cecilia is a campus tour guide and an executive member of the Vanderbilt Latin dance club VIDA. In the past year, Cecilia has been learning how to play the piano and working to improve her Spanish and German. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and fishing. After graduation, Cecilia hopes to pursue a career in international marketing and management.

Daniel Mativo

: Daniel Mativo (‘21) is an undergraduate student in the Peabody College double majoring in Human Organization & Development and Creative Writing, with minors in Business and Economics. On-campus, Daniel is proud to be Head Resident of Sutherland House and also Reporter for the Nu Rho chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., an NPHC organization. Off-campus, Daniel spends his time working on several creative projects, and hopes to complete a book of short stories and his first LP by the end of 2021. After graduation, Daniel is looking forward to entering the consulting industry and exploring the ins and outs of the private and public sectors, with the hopes of eventually being able to work in a community organizing or economic advisory capacity.

Ian Anderson

Ian Anderson is a second-year masters’ student at Peabody College pursuing a degree in Higher Education Administration. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Ian completed his bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Louisville in 2019, after an 11-year break from college. Prior to obtaining his degree, Ian was a marketing communications professional for 6 years at a human resource consulting firm in Cleveland. Upon going back to finish his degree he realized that higher education was his true passion, so he decided to attend Peabody to “get all the tools” he will need to serve students. In his free time, you will find Ian going for a run, playing golf, eating hot chicken, trying to find the perfect cup of coffee, or looking at pictures of dogs on Instagram.

Jake Gordon

Jake Gordon is an undergraduate at Vanderbilt majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Computer Science, aspiring to pursue a career in medical devices. On campus, Jake is involved with Vanderbilt Motorsports, WRVU Radio, the Vanderbilt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity. Jake also has a strong passion for music and physical fitness and enjoys playing guitar in his free time. From Westchester, New York, Jake was born with an orphan medical condition known as Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ia, affecting approximately 6000 people worldwide. Diagnosed at just 7 months old, he has spent his entire life learning to live with this disease and not let it be an obstacle in his path.

Lincoln Murr

Lincoln Murr is a freshman majoring in Computer Science and Economics. He is from Knoxville, Tennessee, where he was a recipient of the Knox News 20 Under 20 Award for entrepreneurs and visionaries of East Tennessee. Lincoln has a passion for blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, and is an author for a blockchain news website, has received cryptocurrency-related scholarships, and is currently developing his own blockchain application. He also has created a cryptocurrency website with over 6,000 views and endorsements from blockchain companies. In his future career, Lincoln hopes to create blockchain applications that will be used by millions, if not billions, of people, and help people in underdeveloped areas of the world have an opportunity to break out of the cycle of poverty. His hobbies include collecting autographs from celebrities, playing ping pong, and tinkering with computers.