Theme: Introspection

This year has forced many to spend more time in their homes and with their close family and friends. This time has created a lot of alone time and internal investigation in many of us. On the heels of this, the theme for our 2020 TedX event is Introspection. Introspection is the examination of one's own thoughts and feelings. This theme is intended to encourage self-reflection and awareness through each talk, regardless of category. Participants will walk away feeling motivated and inspired while also reflective of their own story and perspective. As you will see in our talk line up, introspection can be processed and talked about through lenses like abilities, self-identities, and personal experiences.

Our speakers range from students, faculty and staff at KU Edwards Campus to community members who have inspired change and movement in the Kansas City area. Each speaker has a different view on introspection and each talk will challenge the participant to think about something in a new light.

Zoom
Zoom
Overland Park, Kansas, 66213
United States

Abby Olcese

Ted Talk Title: Everyone's a Critic: How Engaging Critically With Entertainment Can Make Us Better People

Abby Olcese is a marketing professional and film critic with a passion for the ways language, art and education illuminate diverse perspectives and teach us how to live. In addition to her work with the KU Edwards Campus, she is the film editor for Kansas City’s The Pitch magazine, co-host of the Cinemaholics film podcast and contributes to online and print publications including Sojourners magazine, Crooked Marquee and /Film.

Alex Williams

Ted Talk Title: Why Introspection is Key to Good Therapy

Alexander J. Williams, PhD is the Psychology Program Director and Director of the Psychological Clinic at the University of Kansas, Edwards Campus, and an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Kansas. Dr. Williams was the recently the co-lead author on two meta-scientific reviews of psychological interventions published in Clinical Psychology and the Journal of Abnormal Psychology. The studies, the largest of their kind, analyzed the credibility of evidence for over 80 psychological interventions from more than 500 articles. He has written for Aeon Magazine and his work has been featured on Inc.com, Psychology Today, Science Daily, and Central Standard. A licensed psychologist, Dr. Williams enjoys teaching students as well as providing clinical supervision.

Anne Palmer

Ted Talk Title: Finding a New Voice: A Singer's Journey with Cochlear Implants

Anne Palmer is a singer, coach, and educator. With a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance, the majority of her life had been focused on becoming a professional singer. Facing a progressive and profound hearing loss, however, dramatically shifted the course of her career. Anne has now undergone two cochlear implant surgeries and successfully retrained her musical process. Dr. Palmer is currently the Career Development and Internship Program Manager at The University of Kansas Edwards Campus, and specializes in working with students pursuing careers in healthcare. She also teaches voice and helps musicians with hearing loss who are facing major life transitions through her private studio in Kansas City, MO. You can read more about Anne’s story through her website: https://annepalmer.space/

Christopher Villarreal

Ted Talk Title: Decluttering Your Space to Declutter Your Mind

Christopher Villarreal is a self-described "eternal learner" and "eternal optimist" with over ten years of experience in education and over 15 years of experience in marketing and design. He is passionate about mindfulness and well-being practices and has incorporated them at a system level for various schools and school districts. He is a Curriculum Coordinator for Shawnee Mission School District in Johnson County, KS. He is currently pursuing his EdD at the University of Kansas in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

Crystle Lampitt

Ted Talk Title: Sad, Sick, and Stuck: Rethinking Mental Health

Crystle Lampitt is a TV Host, Therapy Intern, & recovering perfectionist. For more than a decade, she worked in front of & behind the camera as the host of a morning TV show, sidelines reporter, model, producer, videographer, & editor. Wearing too many hats & smiling through the overwhelm eventually led to burn out. Her physical health, mental health, & close relationships began to suffer. After being diagnosed with chronic illness, she knew she had to make shifts in her life in order to begin healing. Part of that journey included going back to school to pursue a career in mental health. Crystle now sees therapy clients as she finishes up her clinical Master of Social Work degree. She specializes in trauma & treats adults grappling with issues related to PTSD/CPTSD, anxiety, depression, codependency, abuse recovery, body image, multi-ethnic identity, highly visible careers, adoption/biological parent discoveries, and the vast array of difficult experiences that come with being human.

David Ochoa

Ted Talk Title: Finding Yourself in the Perseverance of Others

After spending a decade in higher education development at the KU Endowment Association, David joined the Hispanic Development Fund as Executive Director in 2019. As, Executive Director, David is charged with strengthening HDF’s mission of elevating Latino families in Kansas City through scholarships, educational programming and grantmaking. A native of Houston, Texas, David earned both his bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in education from the University of Kansas. He was also a student-athlete for the Jayhawks, where he was named all Big XII on the offensive line, and twice elected captain by his teammates.

Petra Horn-Marsh

Ted Talk Title: Deaf is the World's Gain

Petra M. Horn-Marsh, PhD has a BA in Secondary Education & History from Gallaudet University, a MA in History from Utah State University, a PhD in Sociology from Utah State University, & completed a Deaf Education cert. program at KU. She is currently a professor of practice in the ASL and Deaf Studies program, at KU Edwards Campus. Previously, she worked as an Elementary School Principal at Kansas School for the Deaf. She is a Co-Coordinator of ASL Curriculum Instruction & Assessment, & President/ a co-founder of National American Sign Language Education of Heritage Language Learners. Additionally, Petra has served on the SB 323 Advisory Committee to develop a statewide Language Assessment Program for deaf & hard-of-hearing children. Petra has worked as a Bilingual Specialist, an AEBPD lead mentor for KSD & CAEBER, a school administrator at Jean Massieu School of the Deaf in Utah, & at California School for the Deaf, Riverside. She is Deaf with two Deaf children & 3 hearing children.

Sanam Bezanson

Ted Talk Title: Living Between Your Vices

Sanam is a non-traditional student at the KU Edwards Campus, a member of the honors program and student advisory council. She has been on multiple leadership committees, is a Mortor Board recipient and has received many other academic scholarships. On the business side, Sanam is a successful real estate investor owning her own company for over 10 years. She has been married for over 20 years and has 3 boys who are all academic scholarship recipients to their universities.

Sly James

Ted Talk Title: Refining Self Through Service

Sylvester "Sly" James, Jr. served as Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 2011-2019. During his tenure, Kansas City enjoyed a renaissance boasting nationally recognized successes in modern transportation development - from a new streetcar to a new, single terminal airport - third grade reading initiatives, SMART city technology deployment and adoption of a 20-year infrastructure repair program. He served on the advisory board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and is a past president of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors, and the African- American Mayors Association. Before holding office, James practiced as a trial attorney with trial, litigation and meditation experience as both a defense and plaintiff's attorney with over 70 cases tried to juries and over 200 mediations. He was the first African American Associate and Partner in the Blackwell, Sanders, Matheny, Weary & Lombardi Law Firm. And prior to that, he served in the United States Marine Corps.

Weston Bergmann

Ted Talk Title: My Unhealthy Obsession with the Future

Weston Bergmann is the Lead Investor of BetaBlox, a business incubator that has helped hundreds of startups get off the ground, doing annual revenue of $100MM. He's also the CEO of Flow State Systems, a biotech company that deploys acoustic medicine via mobile apps, alongside accompanying nootropics.