Theme: Doorway to Possible

In our sixth outing, the TEDxOshkosh team celebrates moving forward, with the theme "Doorway to Possible".

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

Andrew Campbell

Peace Leadership Researcher

Dr. Andrew Campbell is the Director of the International Peace and Leadership Institute. During his career as a senior military officer, Dr. Campbell worked for the Department of Defense specializing in global experiences in strategic planning and execution, organizational crisis leadership, leading organizations in uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments, and national strategies for learning and leadership development for senior leaders. Dr. Campbell holds a Doctorate of Global Leadership from the Indiana Institute of Technology, Fort Wayne, IN. and a Master of Diplomacy in International Conflict Management from Norwich University. He is widely published in national, and international journals. He is the author of Chaos is a Gift: Leading Oneself in Uncertain and Complex Environments (2020), ,Peace Leadership: Self-Transformation toward Peace (2019), and Global Leadership Initiatives for Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (2018).

Benjamin Weston

Emergency Physician, Community Medical Policy Advisor & Director

Dr. Weston is an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He serves as Chief Health Policy Advisor for Milwaukee County working to enhance the health of one million citizens. In addition, Dr. Weston is the Director of Medical Services for the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, overseeing medical services for the 15 fire departments throughout the county. He practices clinically in the emergency department at Froedtert Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center. Dr. Weston received his baccalaureate degree at Lawrence University, his medical degree and master of public health from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and completed his emergency medicine residency at Hennepin County Medical Center. Dr. Weston is dual board-certified in Emergency Medicine as well as Emergency Medical Services.

Ignacio Enriquez Jr.

Crisis Negotiator, Professional Mental Health Counselor

Ignacio Enriquez is a fourteen-year veteran police officer in the State of Wisconsin, and has four years of experience as a Juvenile Corrections Officer in the State of California. As a Behavioral Health Officer, Ignacio is responsible for conducting crisis interventions, safety planning, and connecting citizens to mental health services. He is a trained hostage crisis negotiator and has peacefully negotiated multiple incidents involving armed suicidal subjects, and other high safety-risk incidents. Ignacio earned a master’s degree in Professional Counseling from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and founder of Ascent Consulting, LLC. In his private practice, Ignacio has trained various government, corporate, and nonprofit organizations on crisis communication skills, suicide risk assessments, and emotional well-being for leaders.

John Harmon

Composer, Pianist

A native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin and graduate of Lawrence University (Appleton, WI), John Harmon studied in New York with jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson and Belgian composer, Henri Pousseur. Earning his Master of Arts in Composition at State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY), he worked out east until he was hired in 1971 to create a jazz studies program at Lawrence University. With a core of LU graduates, he founded Matrix, an award-winning jazz nonet which toured the country for nearly 6 years. Harmon serves as Composer-in-Residence for the Red Lodge Music Festival, artistic director for Fox Jazz Fest, and teaches in Door County, Wisconsin at a jazz fantasy camp for adults. John’s deep interest in nature, environmental issues, and Native Americans¬ provides inspiration for much of his work. His compelling need to raise awareness of Native American culture has inspired him to write six symphonies. He has recently begun his seventh symphony to honor the people of Ukraine.

Justin Hamm

Poet, Photographer

A lifelong Midwesterner, Justin Hamm is the author of four poetry collections, two poetry chapbooks, and a book of photographs. His most recent book is Drinking Guinness With the Dead: Poems 2007-2021 (Spartan Press 2022). His work, visual and written, has appeared in Nimrod International Journal, River Styx, Sugar House Review, Southern Indiana Review, Midwest Quarterly, New Poetry from the Midwest, and many other journals and anthologies.Justin’s photography/poetry show, Midwestern, traveled galleries extensively in the Midwest from 2019-2021 He was selected as a 2022 Woody Guthrie Poet and in the past received the Stanley Hanks Memorial Poetry Prize from the St. Louis Poetry Center. In 2019 his poem ""Goodbye, Sancho Panza"" was studied by 50,000 students worldwide as a part of the World Scholar's Cup curriculum. Later, the WSC flew Justin to Manila, Philippines, to deliver the keynote address for the Global Round there.

Mike McGinley

Chemical Engineer

Michael is a second-generation owner of St. Croix Sensory. He received his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota (1995) and a Master of Health Sciences degree in Environmental Health Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health (1997). Since 1997, Michael has directed product and material testing at St. Croix Sensory. His leadership in the field of odor assessment, including contributions to ASTM standards and industry publications has earned him international recognition in the advancement of sensory science.

Monica Anderson

Dentist, Author, Minister

Monica "mOe" Anderson, DDS, is a graduate of Baylor University, the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, and the American Dental Association’s Institute for Diversity in Leadership. A writer since childhood, she has authored eight published books and hundreds of articles on health and lifestyle. Her book “Success Is A Side Effect: Leadership, Relationships, and Selective Amnesia” has been called a “roadmap to self-improvement.” She has launched numerous successful community initiatives, most recently the 501(c)(3) Drop The Drugs, Inc. While practicing dentistry full-time, raising a family, and hosting a Time Warner Cable television program in Texas, she wrote a weekly lifestyle column for a major daily newspaper for almost a decade. Dr. mOe has also made appearances on regional and national media outlets. Dr. mOe is an ordained minister, licensed dentist, mother of two and grandmother living in Grand Prairie, Texas

Piper Garner

College Student

Piper is a young adult who has just graduated from high school, now into her freshman year of college, where she is studying nursing. Piper is a co-author of the book “Unconditional” where she shares her story going through mental health struggles as an adolescent. In her free time she likes to travel, go to concerts, write music, and swim.

Rashid Abdullah

Comedian, People & Talent Professional

Rashid Abdullah is a comedian, world traveler, and people & talent professional. He’s been performing comedy on and off for the last 17 years and has performed alongside national headliners like Kumail Nanjiani, Hannibal Burress and others. He has a Masters Degree from the American University in Cairo in Applied Linguistics and has conducted research related to identity and sociolinguistics. He lives in Chicago and works for an International nonprofit in Evanston, Illinois.

Scott Sopata

Police Officer

Scott grew up in the Wisconsin's Fox Cities and earned his B.S. Degree in 2010, having majored in criminal justice. He has served with the Oshkosh Wisconsin Police Department since 2012. He joined the police force because he wanted to serve the community, make a difference in people's lives, with an original goal to become a School Resource Officer in one of the community's schools. He is the department's behavioral health officer, and a member of multiple special teams including Bike Patrol, Mobile Field Force, Field Training Officer, and Crisis Negotiations. When the new Behavioral Health Officer position was announced, he promptly applied, was accepted, and on his very first day in that role, was approached with another new opportunity and was asked if he would consider being a K9 handler for a trained therapy dog that would assist him on behavioral health related calls. He has been partnered with K9 Magic ever since.

Steve Toll

Engineer - Calibration & Metrology

A graduate of the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2012, Steve has been the Vice President of Sales for Fox Valley Metrology, in Oshkosh Wisconsin, since 2014. Fox Valley Metrology is a family business, founded by his father, Mark, when Steve was only 6 years old. Steve's lifelong immersion in the industry has given him a wealth of knowledge in the calibration and metrology world. While not working he can be found running, enjoying the outdoors while hunting and backpacking or spending his time with his beautiful family.

TJ Hobbs

Activist, Musician, Artist

TJ Hobbs is an activist, small-business owner, musician, artist, and graduate of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh class of 2013, with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they co-founded the Hope Fridge mutual aid project in 2021 by asking if anyone in their neighborhood wanted to host a community fridge. This mutual aid project has since grown to three community fridges in two cities, and fed countless people. TJ is non-binary/gender non-conforming/queer and they are married to their husband Bowen Hobbs with two dogs, Carl and Libby. TJ and Bowen lived in Southern California for 5 years and have since returned to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to establish roots here. They love nature, Pokemon, playing guitar, making art, learning new things, and helping others.

Tom McInnis

Parks Facilities Manager

Tom McInnis is a facilities and parks manger for Winnebago County, Wisconsin for over 30 years, and holds degree in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He is a woodworker, artist, astronomer, cyclist and avid outdoor explorer. He has traveled to all 50 States and 11 of the 13 Canadian Providences. He has been known to spend extended vacations exploring the Wilderness of the West. Tom grew up in Wisconsin and currently resides in Oshkosh with his wife of 31 years.