Theme: The Fire

Welcome to TEDxWestshore! Our speakers are ready to fire up your heart and mind with ideas worth sharing!

Bryan Glazer JCC
522 N Howard Ave, Tampa
Tampa, Florida, 33606
United States

Ashley Johnson

Death Doula

Ashley is an alumnus of the University of Florida and a trained end-of-life doula. Ashley currently serves on the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance's board of directors. Her death care career was inspired by growing up in a low socio-economic neighborhood that lacked advocacy on how to deal with end-of-life practices. When death happened, families were not mentally, emotionally, and financially prepared. With more than a decade in the death care industry ranging from forensic anthropology to whole-body donation, she launched Loyal Hands an end-of-life doula consulting agency. Loyal Hands provides education, services, resources, and companionship to agencies, the elderly, and even the healthy as everyone has an end-of-life journey.

Brian Rosegger

Oyster Farmer

We recognized that there was a significant deficit in the availability of locally sourced oysters throughout the state, a curious conundrum given the sheer abundance of habitat available for oyster culture. Decades of overharvesting, habitat loss, saltwater intrusion, and the BP oil spill have nearly rendered the wild-harvest oyster fishery in the state of Florida extinct. The Lost Coast Oyster Company aims to revitalize the lost industry along Florida's Gulf Coast and become a leader in sustainable aquaculture practices. By utilizing innovative off-bottom farming techniques we produce high-quality boutique oysters destined for the premium half-shell market. The Lost Coast Oyster Company's ultimate goal is to create a locally-sourced sustainable product that preserves Florida's unique environments while reinvigorating and promoting the restoration and enhancement of our natural estuarine systems.

Christin Collins

Interconnected Wellbeing Advocate

Christin Collins is a magnetic, thought- provoking author, key note speaker and holistic coach inspiring thousands to connect with their purpose, ultimate joy and love. As a former health care executive, she thought that she was doing everything she could to live a vibrant and healthy life; still her health struggled. Her relentless pursuit to improve herself has led her to open her heart to the world and share the lessons she has learned along the way – from better health and healing, to connecting people through her creative charity and community involvement. In her first book, Christin takes us on her non-traditional journey to uncover the root cause of her ailments. Along the way, she discovers that knowing and loving herself is essential to good health and is the foundation for optimal well-being.

Effie Santos

Founder

Effie Santos comes to us as the founder of Red Root Strategies. With 25 years of leadership, consulting, and financial industry experience, she paused, and focused on her commitment to cultivating genuine and meaningful relationships to help organizations create impactful change as they step out of their comfort zone and step into the possibilities of their work and impact. She is passionate about empowering and mentoring women business owners and working with organizations that promote a diverse and inclusive workspace.

Glen Schubert

Founder/ & CEO InstrumentsOfChange.com

Glen is a serial entrepreneur with more than 40 years’ experience in business. In 2009 he was inspired to start Instruments of Change to help at-risk students in underfunded schools. Married for 41 years with three grown daughters and two grandchildren; Glen enjoys playing and performing on piano/keyboard, acoustic guitar and bass guitar. Through Instruments of Change, Glen is able to combine his passion for music education and community. Instruments of Change graduates have gone from earning their own instrument in 5th grade band, to academic success in middle and high school, and all the way through college. First-generation college students are among the Instruments of Change alumni. For more information, visit InstrumentsOfChange.com

Joanne Sullivan

USF Health Director of Community Relations

Joanne Sullivan’s career in fundraising and community relations in Tampa spans thirty-five years and includes key leadership positions at the University of Tampa, Florida Hospital Tampa Foundation, now Advent Health; Academy at the Lakes, the Tampa Museum of Art, and Berkeley Preparatory School. She currently serves the University of South Florida as USF Health Director of Community Relations, a position she created for herself six years ago. Ms. Sullivan is a graduate of Florida State University. She is on the Easterseals National Board of Directors where she chairs the Marketing and Development Committee. She is a member of Leadership Tampa Bay’s Class of 2010 and serves on the Leadership Tampa Bay Alumni Board of Directors. Joanne is also a member of Leadership Tampa’s Class of 1991. She is a 25-year member of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals, where she is a past president and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Tampa.

John Edwards

Nonprofit Founder and Executive Director

At the age of 16 John joined the working class when he landed a job as a cook at McDonald's and climbed the ranks of the culinary world. After a prestigious culinary career as a chef, John took a break from cooking. During his ten-year sojourn in the health care field he wrote Raw Ingredients: Practical Lessons from a Culinary Life. John subsequently returned to the culinary profession and is currently a Chef Instructor. In 2020 during the height of the pandemic he began to feel the calling to start an organization to help fellow displaced hospitality workers find their purpose and true calling in life. Hence the birth of S.E.E.D. (Spiritually Edifying Entertainment and Dining).

Johnny Crowder

Founder & CEO @ Cope Notes

Johnny Crowder is a 29-year-old suicide/abuse survivor, touring musician, mental health and sobriety advocate, and the Founder of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world. Armed with 10 years of clinical treatment, a psychology degree from the University of Central Florida, and a decade of peer support and public advocacy through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Johnny’s youthful vigor for mental health has impacted millions of lives across the globe. Since his first keynote in 2011, Johnny's refreshingly candid perspective has attracted praise from hundreds of outlets, including Upworthy, CNN, and Forbes. Even when touring with his Billboard-charting metal band, Prison, his infectious positivity and firsthand experience with multiple mental illnesses uniquely equip him to provide realistic, yet hopeful insight into the pains of hardship with levity and wit.

Kevin Tiller

Business owner, Christian and NBA Executive

I am born in Georgia, raised in Virginia and now I call Orlando home. I am Christian man that has been blessed to accomplish a lot in my life. I have worked for Disney world, 3 sport athlete at my undergraduate school Guilford College where I earned a bachelors in Business Management. I received my masters degree in Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University while participating as a graduate assistant for the mens basketball team. I am currently finishing my PHD in Organizational Leadership at Nova Southeastern University. I also own a Residential and Commercial Cleaning Company call KT316 Cleaning Service. I enjoy mentoring and providing the youth an example to be yourself and try any and everything. I currently work for the Orlando Magic as a scout.

Maureen Famiano

Media Expert, Storyteller

Maureen Famiano is an award winning media expert & Storyteller. She's spent 30 years in television broadcasting. Her career highlights include reporting, producing and executive producing both news and morning show television, including Daytime which airs in many cities around the U.S. In her career she personally booked close to 15,000 guests on her shows and worked on creating impactful segments that would leave a lasting impression with the audience. Starting her own media/marketing company MEFMedia allows her to better guide businesses to share their unique story and she helps put them in the media spotlight. Her projects have gone viral and caught the attention of Ellen Degeneres and Lady Gaga's team. She is also a Best Selling Author for the book, Step Into Your Brilliant Purpose, which she co-authored. With her motto, #togetherwewin, she's always looking to showcase positive things happening in our community, lifting spirits and has no plans on slowing down any time soon.

Sheron Brown

Wellness-Purpose Connection™ Coach & Wellbeing Author, Advocate & Coach

What matters most to Dr. Sheron Brown is that people stop manufacturing pain-physical, emotional and spiritual– for themselves and others, so she works to alleviate that to inspire optimal wellbeing. In her current role as CEO of the Tampa Bay Health Collaborative (TBHC), her keen focus on bringing individuals together to work collaboratively towards health equity has been recognized by Tampa Bay Times and Tampa Bay Business Journal. Dr. Brown values harmony between mind, body, and soul and has dedicated the bulk of her professional career towards helping individuals and communities achieve their unique equilibrium. She uses her passion for harmony and equity to help people leverage their identity individually and collectively and embrace their personal and collective power to bring about transformation within the community.

Sybil Stanonis

Dance Specialist/Youth Mentor, Advocate/Community Partnerships

Sybil has been dancing since the age of 5 and is a single mom of 2 incredible boys. She is the owner & instructor of Dance Therapy with Sybil, Inc. She travels to schools, studios and on location to share her enrichment program she developed from her education in Psychology (SUNY Old Westbury), life experiences, knowledge & passion for dance. Sybil is a former NFL cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and currently a member of the NFL Alumni. She is a youth mentor, advocate & community partner with Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance & Central Florida Behavioral Health Network. Sybil is also a patch partner with Girl Scouts of West Florida. She participates in community work with James A Haley Veteran Hospital, Drug Enforcement Administration Youth Summits, Drug Free America Foundation, & American Lung Association. Sybil has faced significant challenges in her life that she overcame. She is a survivor of childhood trauma, anorexia, addiction & domestic violence.