Theme: Other Sides

In a year no one predicted, how do we approach the other side?

The 2020 TEDxSeattle event brings together diverse speakers, community members like you, and ideas that define the future of our city and beyond. Expect the angles you haven’t seen and the perspectives you haven’t heard. To best further our mission of bringing you thought-provoking ideas, TEDxSeattle 2020 is completely free. Join a dedicated community ready to take a look at the other side.

Virtual
Visit TEDxSeattle.com for details
Seattle, Washington, 98104
United States

Audra Mulkern

Audra Mulkern is a James Beard nominee, writer, photographer, and international speaker who’s changing the way we see the people who grow our food. Mulkern didn’t plan her career journey. She saw gaps in the visual representation of modern agriculture and decided to learn photography, which then prompted her to take writing classes and later, visit speaking coaches. In the spirit of the Spanish poet Antonio Machado, who said, “…there is no path, the path is made by walking,” Mulkern forged her path by following her intuition and seeing where it could take her. She’s become a voice for agriculture and farmers around the world, most notably for the fastest growing demographic in agriculture—the female farmer. She is currently working on a documentary film called, Women’s Work: The Untold Story of America’s Female Farmers. Her stories offer a unique, and often unseen perspective that reminds us that seeing, really seeing, peoples’ faces and hands’ can change the way we think. She says, “I’m just one person, but by partnering with other people, we can make significant changes in peoples’ lives.” Mulkern has received numerous honors for her work in agriculture, including being named one of 45 “Amazing Women” in Readers Digest Country Woman Magazine. Other awards include the 2018 PCC Farmland Trust Barn Raiser, 2018 Tilth Alliance ‘Advocate of the Year’, and 2015 Cascade Harvest Coalition Wendell Berry award.

Caprice Hollins

With over twenty years of experience leading and facilitating conversations on race, Dr. Caprice Hollins’ success stems from one distinct attribute—the ability to embrace her own imperfections. Dr. Hollins stresses how she has learned to step back and reassess the “why” behind her work. She feels a clear calling, “I have the opportunity to change how this country has always treated those on the margins. I am an instrument for change.” Her work ranges from providing culturally relevant professional development to assisting organizations in improving cross-cultural relationships while working with diverse populations. In an effort to effectively engage all cultures, Dr. Hollins co-founded Cultures Connecting, LLC, an organization providing culturally relevant professional development workshops, keynotes, leadership coaching, and consulting services. Prior to this, she opened and served as the first Director of Equity, Race & Learning Support for Seattle Public Schools, as well as co-authored Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Strategies for Facilitating Conversations on Race.

Caroline Catlin

Caroline Catlin is a writer, photographer, and nap enthusiast. She exudes such a positive, bubbly personality that her desire to dive into intense and difficult topics may come as a surprise to some—but for Catlin, joy and loss feel deeply intertwined. In January 2019, Catlin found out she had brain cancer. A long-time advocate for mental health, Catlin suddenly found herself dealing with trauma and devastating illness first hand. With the help of her “sunshine tornado” partner, she made it through multiple rounds of radiation and chemo that were followed by coffeehouse jaunts with her dog and close friends in tow. The road was long, but she made a point to, “practice letting joy in.” Through it all, Catlin found the strength to process her own journey through trauma and to look with an inquisitive and sensitive eye at how other people function through life’s most difficult moments. This work has taken Catlin and her camera to the bedside of those breathing their last breath and into the lives of individuals dealing with intense grief and loss. Catlin’s research and work in behavioral health and developmental trauma have inspired her to reform the way health, illness, and disability are portrayed in the media. Through her lens we can discover the art within caregiving and therapy.

Dominic Sivitilli

Always curious about life and intellect, Dominic Sivitilli’s first memories of working date back to his family’s small farm. While he spent time mending fences and maintaining the yard, his favorite task was feeding the ever-rotating animals at their residence. As his work ethic grew, his exposure on the farm sparked his interest in animal behavior. Now, a PhD Student in behavioral neuroscience and astrobiology at the University of Washington, Sivitilli leads a research team in the Laboratory of Comparative Systems Neuroscience. Instead of working with horses or goats, he spends a lot of time studying octopuses and their behavior as an alternative model for intelligence. He says there’s plenty to learn from these smart, eight-armed creatures. Sivitilli is excited about “being on the frontier of human knowledge.” He’s been interviewed for his research by Nova as well as Science Friday. “We are not the only kinds of intelligence,” says Sivitilli, “it’s important to consider the diverse forms the mind can take on Earth and in the universe beyond.”

Jane Roskams

Could you participate in major scientific discoveries from your own living room? Dr. Jane Roskams says: “yes!” As a neuroscientist who is at the forefront of national and global efforts to democratize science, Dr. Roskams is aiming to improve the way scientific discoveries can happen—and she believes the key missing ingredient is you. Through two key movements, “Citizen Science” and “Open Science,” Dr. Roskams shares how scientists can increase the rate of international data sharing and unlock faster scientific breakthroughs. She also emphasizes how everyday people can use their passions and untapped talent to team up to drive this scientific revolution – and maybe help us learn a thing or two about improving our mental health. Dr. Roskams is one of the first scientists to lead an international, federally funded and citizen crowd-sourced neuroscience project that is all online. She is a dynamic leader at the forefront of the “Open Data” movement. Dr. Roskams—who is also a professor at University of British Columbia and the University of Washington—spends much of her time building bridges and alliances across sectors so that we can all help to transform our understanding of climate change, human health and the universe beyond and within our brains- and be empowered to change all of our futures.

Jodi-Ann Burey

As an avid speaker, writer, and equity advocate, Jodi-Ann Burey is on a mission to disrupt “business as usual.” Her goal is to achieve social change through the lens of historically underrepresented communities, their experiences, and the systemic intersections that address inequities. Burey holds a cautious optimism for our future. She explains that “as a Black woman in America, it is always better to be born in the future. There is no place in the past that was better for Black people. I would always want to be born in the future. Though, a portal has been opened to make racial justice and equity possible. There is no promise of that, but it feels good to be in the moment now, when things are shifting.” Burey prides herself on being a cool auntie, a twist-out queen, cancer survivor, adventurer, and reluctant dog owner. She’s currently working on her first book and podcast called Black Cancer, which explores stories about women of color and healthcare.

Matthias Olt

Matthias Olt has left an impressive mark across the world as a talented designer and architect. His distinct use of softly swooping waves or crisp clean lines can be found on culturally significant and sustainably designed buildings across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Olt, who’s originally from Frankfurt, Germany, has worked in the industry for more than 26 years. He delivers expert design in high-rise, mixed-use corporate, commercial, and residential buildings that, in his own words, “create sculptural lightness that inspire ideas, promote joy, and elevate sustainable systems.” It’s in the area of sustainability where Olt truly shines. Most recently, Olt has pitched bringing wood back into architecture in a big way. His vibrant, climate-aware designs for hybrid builds that include steel or carbon fiber wrapped with wood and cased in cement are a nod to both primitive and forward-thinking design. In 2017, Matthias was the recipient of an AIA Seattle Honors Award for his innovative design of a 39-story Conceptual Mass Timber Tower in Seattle. Olt is a registered architect and received the German architecture diploma from the University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt, Germany, and he also holds an undergraduate degree in chemical science.

Richard Rhodes

As a Seattle-based sculptor, stonemason, and entrepreneur, Richard Rhodes is quite literally hands-on in his work. Rhodes takes pride in the value of the tactile in his pieces—especially in today’s digital world. His California upbringing might lead you to believe he’s laid-back, but Rhodes embraces the intensity and focus of working with stone. Primarily working in granite or high-density limestone, his work is deeply textural, relying primarily on the expressive hand finishes wrought with the hammer and chisel. He credits his time in Italy as a stonemason apprentice as a turning point that built the foundation of his sculptural practice. Regardless of material, Rhodes examines the relationship between art, architecture, and the human experience. His work, often many times larger than human scale, explores mass with deceptively simple compositional gestures. Rhodes is the founder of several businesses. This includes Seattle-based Rhodes Architectural Stone, known for the successful recycling of antique stone material from behind China’s Three Gorges Dam.

Rico Quirindongo

Rico Quirindongo is a bridge; his work often closes the gap between urban development and community needs. He understands the importance of the physical environment in architectural design and works with community organizations to make a positive influence in neighborhoods through meaningful design. As the current Board Chair of the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority, Quirindongo oversees the MarketFront Committee. They connect the market to the Seattle waterfront through the development of new spaces, affordable housing, and a public plaza that serves both the neighborhood and the larger community. Over his 25-year career, Quirindongo has worked across both public and non-profit projects. His clients include the Department of Social and Health Services, City of Seattle, and Seattle Public Schools. He is a past president of the American Institute of Architects Seattle Chapter, former mayoral appointee to the Historic Seattle Council, and founding member of the National Organization of Minority Architects Northwest Chapter. While his extensive resume of work might fool you, Quirindongo is an introvert. But he’s a relentless advocate who continues to find energy for projects that empower community organizations to have a positive influence through design.

Susan Long-Walsh

Susan Long-Walsh has a different vision for the future. An established entrepreneur, influencer, and thought leader, Long-Walsh works to help people engage in strategic planning for inclusion, equity, and diversity to bridge differences and connect more meaningfully. Inspired by her grandmother’s strength, who lived by her own rules, Long-Walsh believes every person should have an equal opportunity no matter how they look, live, or love. At the core, she’s passionate about people. Long-Walsh thrives on creating connections and developing a sense of belonging for all in the workplace. Through her work in talent acquisition and retention, she’s shaped diversity and inclusion initiatives for top Northwest organizations such as Microsoft, Starbucks, Vulcan, Inc., and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. After many years of helping companies and professionals across broad industries enact lasting change, she established Susan Long-Walsh and Associates, a Seattle-based consultancy that connects businesses to the resources, talent, and tools toward building a great workplace culture. Outside of her professional work, Long-Walsh is active on the boards for StolenYouth and Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL). Her weakness? Marjorie restaurant (Donna Moodie’s) bread pudding.

Thomas Deuel

The Deueling Thumbs StudioLab at the University of Washington is not just a hybrid art studio and scientific lab, it’s a manifestation of our innate scientific curiosity and love for music—and it was founded by Dr. Thomas Deuel. The lab reflects his desire to combine an understanding of brain physiology with music composition and sound art to help those with motor disabilities create music again. When Dr. Deuel isn’t hard at work as a practicing neurologist at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, he’s in his StudioLab making site-specific sound installations, interactive music devices, and sound sculptures. It’s here that he applies his research on complex sound and music processing in the human cortex to create installations for human interaction and research. He’s currently developing a brain-music interface that uses thought control of a subject to create music compositions without movement. Dr. Deuel received his B.A. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University, after initially concentrating in Music Composition, and received both an M.D. and a Ph.D. in Neurobiology from Harvard University. He completed a residency in Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and earned fellowships in Neurophysiology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston and the University of Washington. In addition to his medical accomplishments, he also studied jazz composition and performance at New England Conservatory in Boston.